Stop The Insanity

It's time to STOP THE INSANITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!   The very notion of tying sports to academics and graduation rates is crazy!!!  This whole concept will lead to awful teams full of brainiacs who actually have to attend classes, study, pass tests and then graduate with real degrees.  This will be the end of big time college sports as we know it. 

So that was posted on a sports site that i frequent and it was in response to the new story that the NCAA is thinking of enforcing stricter regulations on academic excellency in sports. Basically meaning that student athletes would actually have to do well in college, or risk costing the team postseason scholarships. That's a pretty drastic move and I would be very surprised if it went as far as it seems...but in reaction to the post above....

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!! I agree, the system is pretty broken to the point we should face facts and just open an amateur football league, BUT the idea that you think it's ridiculous to try to get these kids actual educations for free is astounding. God forbid that we put people's actual futures ahead of our own desire to beat a rival every season.

Don't get me wrong, I realize that the point of college sports is to win and its no fun to watch a bunch of smart kids playing bad football, but quit being so selfish. These are people's lives we are talking about. The majority of these guys won't make it in the NFL. The majority of them wouldn't have gone to college without football. The majority of them wouldn't have much of a shot at making much money in the "real world." Why should we be criticizing an institution for making sure their players are actually building a real future? Sure...for a lot of guys it will mean they get sidelined and don't get to show their stuff on the field. But for 99% of those guys, the second the college uniform comes off, they're out of the job and, once again, have very little options for the future. 

The real insanity here is that winning has become so important to fans, alumni, sportswriters, schools, and the nation, that we are willing to say "screw them once they are done, we just need a good team now." We have become alright with people throwing education away as long as our team wins. Most players aren't going to school thinking, "hmm I should really get that chemistry edu in case football doesn't work out," but that's why it's up to the school to be an ACADEMIC INSTITUTION and basically knock it into their skull that they need an education. 

For a nation of so many people that seem so intent on helping the less fortunate overcome their circumstances, we are pretty quick to tell these kids to throw education to the wayside for a good season of football.