College Football Union?

[jdcurran235]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/24422752/northwestern-players-start-union-movement-in-college-athletics

[LU1991]

I know there will be a difference in opinion but I believe this would be the beginning of the end for college football.

[geezer]

It will be interesting. I can see where the athletes are coming from in that for many of them the rules don't give them a decent amount of spending money. But f they are allowed to create this union then I can see the IRS going after their share of the pie. Correct me if I am wrong but I don't think you have to pay taxes on scholarship values. Imagine if a student athlete had to cough up 10 grand in taxes for a fifty grand scholarship and spending money considered as pay for their participation.

[eagle eye]

The notion of paying athletes to play football is ludicrous at best. Scholarship athletes get a free education, whether or not they take advantage of it is another arguement, a lot of free meals and perks like tutoring free of charge. I agree that they should be allowed to have a job to earn spending money and they should have health insurance and maybe a sort of liability insurance if they are injured and can no longer participate in their sport. NCAA rules regarding these items are not fair and should be addressed but once they become part of a bargaining group and the money they receive is taxed then schools can take away scholarships altogether. This would force student athletes to pay for their schooling out of their own pocket. Talk about a moment of epiphany! It's time to stop crying over how these "poor, exploited athletes" get a free ride through school when acedemic scholarship students get even less and nobody cries for them. You think how much the cost of a four year degree is and the sympathy for them kind of dries up.

[Card Nation]

Really interesting topic. I think there are many that would agree with you Eagle Eye. A couple points i would like to address is that, at least as far as playing football goes, it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to play football, go to school, and work at the same time. Football takes up all of your free time. Folks on academic scholarships can work and go to school, but athletes would simply not have the time. Imo

 

Personally, i think athletes should get pocket money... Like $50 per week since they realistically cant work. I believe this based on two examples that i know about. Hershel Sims and the lineman who got kicked off of Texas for stealing. Both athletes who stole money. Maybe if they had $50 in their pockets they would not have stolen.? There are many athletes that go to school with little or no financial help from parents. Its not fair for the kids to make money for their school and they cant afford to go buy socks, t-shirts, or toothpaste. Most of us have no idea what its like to have no money.

 

[jdcurran235]

Or they could take out student loans like kids at the naval academy did so that had spending money on a "full scholarship" or have basic human moral that dont involve stealing. I don't buy your argument. I played sports in college. I never had a desire to do what some of these kids do to "get by".

[eagle eye]

I agree with JDCurren235 about Card Nation's argument about the kids from Texas who stole money because they didn't have any spending money. I've had to live at one point in my life pay check to pay check and juggling credit card debt. I did not ever consider stealing to get out of my predicament. Card Nation's example was weak in that he chose guys who seem to have a brick or two missing in their morality wall. He reasoned that a stipend is needed to give athletes spending money because they just don't have time to hold a job. I don't buy that either except during the season. During the season you practice, watch film and do your conditioning along with going to class. But, the off season your time demands are much less regarding your sport. I just don't think it's fair not to treat academic scholarship students as different than athletes. Academians earned their scholarships through their hard work and talent just like the athletes and they don't deserve any less credit. On the other hand acedemic students shouldn't have limits on whether they can have a job. Unfortunately, this all stems from the many scandals in NCAA schools where kids got money from alumni for basically doing nothing. There needs to be some sort of compromise but it should apply to all scholarship students.

[puddin tane]

maybe they should save their tattoo money....they aint cheap

[Card Nation]

Haha, all you guys make good points. I think i may have a big hole in my argument. 'If' a student athlete on a full scholarship can also get financial aid 'grant money' due to his families income then i would agree with yall, but if they can't then i will stick to my side of the argument. If anyone knows the answer to my question i would be interested to know.