HBO SPORTS - Auburn

mcadams

My local radio outlet in Birmingham mentioned that their was an HBO Special on tonight that dealt with some Auburn football players who took payouts during thier tenure as student athletes and were now openly discussing those payments. I don't get HBO, but was curious if anyone watched this or had thoughts to share?

Connecticoin

I saw it. Very eye-opening.

I think these players should get some stipend so they can fly home and spend money on nominal things (movies, pizza, etc.), or at least try it. I think it would reduce the temptation to take $$$ from boosters or rogue "agents".

mcadams

What about all the other college kids that can't go home as often as they'd like? Should the college give them money too? No, of course not. I think the big problem is that the NCAA has no way to monitor or punish boosters. Unless you get a real enforcement agency like the FBI to punish boosters who pay athletes, then the problem will continue. But, I guarantee you if an athlete turned in a booster who gave him money and if the FBI got invovled and put the booster in prison for 6 months, then the "payments" across all of college football would stop. The NCAA only has the ability to punish a University, they can't put boosters or athletes who take money in jail. There needs to be realy punitive actions for both bad boosters and athletes who take money.

Connecticoin

<< <i>What about all the other college kids that can't go home as often as they'd like? Should the college give them money too? >>



Good point, and this certainly is a tough dilema. However, I think some arrangement could be make to provide stipends and transportation home (on a limited basis, say for holidays or breaks) to athletes from the revenue generating sports to minimize the illegal payments. The women's varsity bowling team can cry foul, but should not have a huge problem with this as their exsitence and scolarships depends on profits from the revenue generating sports.

jdip9

At least the other college kids can get part-time jobs, unlike student-athletes.

It is borderline criminal how badly college athletes are used to make money for everybody but themselves. I don't want to hear about the "free education" the players are getting either. Coaches and the universities couldn't care less if players go to class or graduate. And for the most part, the athletes don't care if they graduate either (at least at the BCS conferences).