May 07, 2008
More Important than the Apple Cup
Huskies beating the Cougs in the metric of collegiate student-athlete success that matter matters most.
Heh.
Posted by Eric Earling at May 07, 2008
07:01 PM | Email This
1. Colleges don't do any favors bringing in prospects who attended inferior prep schools and are not prepared for college. If kids are brought in who are marginal, they will need support and it should be emphasized to them that academics are just as important as sports.
I suspect the problem is bigger than this incident. It starts with the preferential status top prospects receive from coaches and perhaps even from parents who see a potential multimillion meal ticket. Truth is, sports is like a pyramid few make it to the pinnacle and even fewer have long careers. These kids need to be prepared for a future with or without sports.
I am a Cougar, but the sanction is fair. Too bad coaches who create problems get out of Dodge before the reckoning. I imagine there will be news about Nueheisel in the future.
2. I'll play devils advocate. Why should student athletes pass arbitrary academic requirements? We don't force scholars pass physical fitness requirements. The business of sports is just that, a business. Athletes should be allowed to pursue that line of business without interference from others. If they get taken advantage of by people smarter than them, that's there fault. Additionally, athletes should have a cut of all the money they bring in, it's only fair. They bring in millions to the universities, but then they are treated with restrictions on scholarships and taking money. They are in essence working for free, indentured servants of the university. It's criminal.
3. RE #2- There is nothing criminal about it. It's a choice. Lots of baseball players pass on college and head straight to professional ball. With arena ball and leagues in other countries that same choice is available for lots of other sports as well. I do agree that athletes should not be subject to academic requirements exceeding those of the rest of the student body. At the same time, they should get the boot in the same manner a non-athlete would.
GO COUGS!