Players on the top ten NCAA football teams would be wise to call a strike this week.

Coinstartled

Demand $50,000 each or they don't show up for the bowl/playoff games. The sanctity of amateur status will evaporate in a heartbeat when the league officials realize that they have bupkis without these invaluable but uncompensated athletes.

garnettstyle

Its ridiculous how much some of the coaches get paid.

Coinstartled

Suit up the coaches. Harbaugh could probably still throw a fairly tight spiral.

s4ny

You would see game theory in play. The starters strike. Then,
the second string and special team players have to make a decision.
They are suddenly starters in their Conference Championship.
They play.

Coinstartled

Maybe or maybe not. "Team" is important to these athletes and $50,000 buys a lot of beer and pizza.

bronco2078

@Coinstartled said:
Suit up the coaches. Harbaugh could probably still throw a fairly tight spiral.

He was terrible so probably not

s4ny

First, I do not think the colleges would cave in and pay. What committee
at the college would even be able to make such a decision?

Second, look at the players:
1) Star players like Baker Mayfield want to show off their talent for the pros.
2) Maybe half of the starters have a shot at the pros and want the showcase games.
3) Lesser starters might be more willing to strike.
4) Second string and special teams players would find it difficult to
strike when the alternative is getting into the game.

Third, players would lose their scholarships.

Fourth, many players would not be eligible for the pros.

keets

when the league officials realize that they have bupkis without these invaluable but uncompensated athletes.

I think they are compensated pretty well unless you feel a College Education at arguably some of the best schools in the World is inexpensive and not worthy of consideration. the opportunity they are presented can't really be measured, and it is up to them to maximize its full value.

as Frederick Forrest would say, "Think about it!!??!!"

I would presume that most of the young men playing at the top schools could never afford the tuition.

perkdog

Ok so give them 50k to keep them quiet for a few years then they sit out again and demand 100k then the Heisman hopefuls start to hold out because they feel they should be worth more than that back up special teams player etc etc. Money ruined professional sports let’s not ruin the College game. It’s a slippery sloap once you talk money. One thing I do think they should be allowed is endorsements, if a private company wants to pay a top player to advertise then that should be considered a part time job and I see nothing wrong with that.

Coinstartled

@keets said:

I would presume that most of the young men playing at the top schools could never afford the tuition.

I would presume that 2/3rds of the top athletes don't care about the off the field education.

keets

I would presume that 2/3rds of the top athletes don't care about the off the field education.

you may be right and you may be wrong, they do have certain scholastic requirements they have to make in order to play.

my stepson had an opportunity to Wrestle and/or play Football in College and he made his decision to pursue neither based on the amount of time required. it is why many/most College athletes get degrees in Business, etc. or finish their acedemic requirements after they use their playing time.

there are exceptions like Robert Smith, but they are few and far between. the majority of the players in any sport(let's use your 2/3) will never play after they graduate and I think they know that before they graduate. in that regard I think you are wrong that they don't care about their education. it may seem that way to you because of bias and misinformation, but most of these College Football players probably realize when they are juniors that they will need their degree, that the athletics won't be their employer when the graduate. it is simply the way they pay for College.

I don't know any of the allotments at any schools but there are only so many free rides and so many supplemented players. JT Barrett gets a free ride I'm sure, but what about the fifth year senior who is the backup left tackle?? he knows he won't be drafted and is probably not fully compensated, so he takes his acedemics a little differently.

Brick

Many leaders in business and politics are former athletes. I'm sure some don't take their education seriously but I believe they are a minority.

Coinstartled

@Brick said:
Many leaders in business and politics are former athletes. I'm sure some don't take their education seriously but I believe they are a minority.

Those that have succeeded in life take their formal education seriously. Of course savants like Bill gates probably wasted their time in school.

Most College football players were recruited for their talent on the gridiron only with zero consideration of their scholastic interest of accomplishments.

Stanford and Northwestern are laudable exceptions to that generalization.