Division I College Football is Broken

[ChosenChildren]

I wasn't surprised by Tressel's resignation. This is just the tip of the iceberg at Ohio State. the Sports Illustrated investigation is going to show a clear pattern of cheating and corruption at Ohio State during the entire Tressel tenure.

What concerns me is the level of cheating at all schools. You cannot convince me that Ohio State is an unusual case. To win at the very top level, players are being paid under the table and they are enrolling in "football majors" to ensure eligibility.

I will be mocked, but one possible solution is clear. Go to the Ivy League model and ban scholarships. Put football in the proper perspective, as a student activity. Academics should come first. College football is a monster that must be defanged, and soon. The Big Ten schools state that they are great "academic institutions". Well, do something about it... get control over this ridiculous semi-pro system and get control back. End the charade.

In the alternative, pay the damn players. Give them the option to attend classes, but do not demand it. Think outside the box. If college football is so darn important to these schools, then pay these players to play.

This current system is not working at all.

 

[Xerxes]

I wasn't surprised by Tressel's resignation. This is just the tip of the iceberg at Ohio State. the Sports Illustrated investigation is going to show a clear pattern of cheating and corruption at Ohio State during the entire Tressel tenure.

What concerns me is the level of cheating at all schools. You cannot convince me that Ohio State is an unusual case. To win at the very top level, players are being paid under the table and they are enrolling in "football majors" to ensure eligibility.

I will be mocked, but one possible solution is clear. Go to the Ivy League model and ban scholarships. Put football in the proper perspective, as a student activity. Academics should come first. College football is a monster that must be defanged, and soon. The Big Ten schools state that they are great "academic institutions". Well, do something about it... get control over this ridiculous semi-pro system and get control back. End the charade.

In the alternative, pay the damn players. Give them the option to attend classes, but do not demand it. Think outside the box. If college football is so darn important to these schools, then pay these players to play.

This current system is not working at all.

I do agree that there are some pretty series issues that need to be addressed. However, the product on the field is outstanding and lots of schools and individuals are making a lot of money. As long as that doesn't change, I wouldn't expect much about college football being changed.

Hey, things could be worse. Look at college basketball.

 

[CAARHawk]

It really does make one take a step back. I love the Hawkeyes, but the farce of amatuerism is just getting too ridiculous.

 

[cycloneone]

I wasn't surprised by Tressel's resignation. This is just the tip of the iceberg at Ohio State. the Sports Illustrated investigation is going to show a clear pattern of cheating and corruption at Ohio State during the entire Tressel tenure.

What concerns me is the level of cheating at all schools. You cannot convince me that Ohio State is an unusual case. To win at the very top level, players are being paid under the table and they are enrolling in "football majors" to ensure eligibility.

I will be mocked, but one possible solution is clear. Go to the Ivy League model and ban scholarships. Put football in the proper perspective, as a student activity. Academics should come first. College football is a monster that must be defanged, and soon. The Big Ten schools state that they are great "academic institutions". Well, do something about it... get control over this ridiculous semi-pro system and get control back. End the charade.

In the alternative, pay the damn players. Give them the option to attend classes, but do not demand it. Think outside the box. If college football is so darn important to these schools, then pay these players to play.

This current system is not working at all.

Even though not perfect, I'd have to disagree the current system isn't working at all. Look at all the fans and alumni that attend games in Ames and iowa city. Other then the Iowa State Fair, there really isn't a better event/place to celebrate Iowa then at kinnick or JTS in the fall. My friends fly in from arizona, california, flordia, and drive in from Chicago, Twin Cities, etc. every year to see ISU play- I know that the same is true for iowa. Yes division I college football has become big time, but thats because its big time fun. Just think how boring this state would be if we didn't have these big events in Ames or IC?

 

[hawkeyemark]

College football offers us a product that many of us love and enjoy but when you get right down to it I agree it has become a bit of a farce. And I don't know what we can do about other than hammer the blatant cheaters. I don't like the idea of full cost scholarships because it represents one more step down the road of major college sports as semi-pro and not about academics. I might feel more receptive to it if I thought paying full cost will level the playing field and cut down on the cheating but it won't. We have a very flawed system that very likely will stay flawed.

 

[BSpringsteen]

Here is a FACT that you can take to the bank.

if the NCAA set up shop on any BCS campus - EVERY program in the country would have major major violations.

Money makes the world go round.

 

[Xerxes]

Here is a FACT that you can take to the bank.

if the NCAA set up shop on any BCS campus - EVERY program in the country would have major major violations.

Money makes the world go round.

Bingo

There is a reason why OSU, USC, Oregon, BSU, Alabama, Miami, & FSU have found themselves in serious trouble in the last 2 decades. Their success on the field. Success draws attention, good and bad. If Iowa would win the NC this year, the NCAA would start snooping around. If they won two in a row or 2/3. The NCAA would really pay attention and they would find something pretty dirty.

 

[ArizonaHawkeye88]

After he graduated high school, several coaches from the University of Iowa took Alex Karras up to Spencer, Iowa, and persuaded him to sign with the Hawkeyes. The coaches had taken Karras to secluded Spencer to keep him away from rival recruiters. This was the early 1950's. If Iowa try this now, we would be drummed out of the BIG 10.

 

[BALDIES7980]

Not that I condone the actions of OSU and many other programs but it is part of life for human beings to stack the odds in thier favor at all levels of life.
How is this any different than the political arena?
I'd certainly like things to be more "fair" in life but it just isn't EVER going to happen. The best you can hope for in this case is for the NCAA to be more proactive and quicker with stiff punishment on all sides and maybe the gross atrocities can be slowed down.

 

[silvanthalas]

Dan Bernstein of Chicago's 670 The Score has an interesting take on college sports corruption, although it's usually talked about specifically with basketball: as soon as a team wins the championship, start the investigation.

 

[JHHawk]

In almost every case it is boosters who end up being the corrupting party. Sure, coaches and administrations might not clamp down like they should but rarely are they paying players out of their own pockets. Boosters are the cancer on the game,and that is us. So, who is the car dealer in Iowa City who is giving free cars? Is there one? I doubt it. I think you have certain programs with boosters out of control no doubt,or agents. In USC's case,it was an agent. In the SEC it is the boosters. At OSU it is the boosters. Now some folks inside the program might be complicit but if the boosters did not offer up the cars,or cash, I doubt the kids would be paid.

I am not for paying the players straight out,but I can see the ''full cost'' concept for revenue sports. They used to get laundry money in the 50's,now nothing? Kids travel to attend Iowa from NJ and texas and they cannot get maybe 100-200 bucks a month for expenses? I doubt it would stop the boosters from adding to the payout at certain schools,but at least at an Iowa,it might give a student athlete enough to not be tempted to sell their uni,knowing that it would put their full cost scholly at risk.

Dan Bernstein literally hates college sports,and feels that there is absolutely no redeeming value to it. I disagree. Iowa graduated football and bb players at a higher rate than the regular student body,and while some of those majors are pretty light,they still can be enough for kids who might never have been educated at all to get their foot in the door coaching or in sales,ect. I think that has value. And then there are the guys like our o-lineman Andy Lightfoot,and Will Lack who go to medical school and become doctors. I do not agree with folks who say that a scholly is not of value either, it is of great value to players who should take advantage of a chance to become educated at a low cost. Do not get carried away here. It is a huge business and the arms race is out of control but the core mission is still educating kids at Iowa,and they do a good job of it. Even at OSU, when you get down to it,the tattoos for memorbilia is somewhat harmless when you think about what they actually received...some ink in their skin that will ultimately embarrass them in front of their kids when they are 50 years old. The cars are real value,and OSU is clearly not monitoring like they should,but in the end,is anyone really getting rich? I do think the SEC is out of control and those boosters down there need to be hammered,like OSU. But schools like NW,Iowa Purdue,ect...turn out educated individuals with minimal damage done.

 

[Hawksd]

 

[trj]

I was listening to Jay Bilas on Mike & Mike this morning and I would be inclined to agree that we need to go to the Olympic version of amateurism.

 

[silvanthalas]

Dan Bernstein literally hates college sports,and feels that there is absolutely no redeeming value to it.

And yet he has a Heisman vote... but that's another debate.

Bernstein is right though with the general feeling that the cheaters win and winners cheat: Tressel and OSU, Newton and Auburn, Calipari and any school he coaches at (just wait, Kentucky, your time will come).

I was listening to Jay Bilas on Mike & Mike this morning and I would be inclined to agree that we need to go to the Olympic version of amateurism.

If only the Olympics weren't one of the three most corrupt organizations in sports (along with FIFA and the NCAA).

 

[94HawkMA]

All this cheating in the news is very frustrating to hear about. I don't think paying the players more is the best solution to the problem. (They already get paid, some. They get scholarships and usually a stipend.)

 

[trj]

And yet he has a Heisman vote... but that's another debate.

Bernstein is right though with the general feeling that the cheaters win and winners cheat: Tressel and OSU, Newton and Auburn, Calipari and any school he coaches at (just wait, Kentucky, your time will come).



If only the Olympics weren't one of the three most corrupt organizations in sports (along with FIFA and the NCAA).

I'm talking about in principle, not in practice. No one cares that Shawn Johnson gets endorsement deals and still considered an amateur.

 

[silvanthalas]

I'm talking about in principle, not in practice. No one cares that Shawn Johnson gets endorsement deals and still considered an amateur.

Well, the NCAA would if she tried to go for a college sport now.

After all, that's what happened to Jeremy Bloom, former Colorado Buffalo football player. He went to the Olympics as a skier, and lost his eligibility in the process because he took endorsements to pay the way for skiing as an amateur.

At any rate, the Olympics is pretty hypocritical with their stance of 'amateur' as well. Basketball and hockey? The real pros - those who play in leagues - are ok. Soccer? Nah, can't have them. It's ridiculously inconsistent.

But in the end, many of these guys are not true amateurs anyways. They are making money from endorsements and sponsorships because they've got bills to play for training, among other things.

The notion of amateurism in the Olympics is a sham.

 

[DodgerHawki]

The players that know how to play the system don't lack for $$...

In almost every case it is boosters who end up being the corrupting party. Sure, coaches and administrations might not clamp down like they should but rarely are they paying players out of their own pockets. Boosters are the cancer on the game,and that is us. So, who is the car dealer in Iowa City who is giving free cars? Is there one? I doubt it. I think you have certain programs with boosters out of control no doubt,or agents. In USC's case,it was an agent. In the SEC it is the boosters. At OSU it is the boosters. Now some folks inside the program might be complicit but if the boosters did not offer up the cars,or cash, I doubt the kids would be paid.

I am not for paying the players straight out,but I can see the ''full cost'' concept for revenue sports. They used to get laundry money in the 50's,now nothing? Kids travel to attend Iowa from NJ and texas and they cannot get maybe 100-200 bucks a month for expenses? I doubt it would stop the boosters from adding to the payout at certain schools,but at least at an Iowa,it might give a student athlete enough to not be tempted to sell their uni,knowing that it would put their full cost scholly at risk.

Dan Bernstein literally hates college sports,and feels that there is absolutely no redeeming value to it. I disagree. Iowa graduated football and bb players at a higher rate than the regular student body,and while some of those majors are pretty light,they still can be enough for kids who might never have been educated at all to get their foot in the door coaching or in sales,ect. I think that has value. And then there are the guys like our o-lineman Andy Lightfoot,and Will Lack who go to medical school and become doctors. I do not agree with folks who say that a scholly is not of value either, it is of great value to players who should take advantage of a chance to become educated at a low cost. Do not get carried away here. It is a huge business and the arms race is out of control but the core mission is still educating kids at Iowa,and they do a good job of it. Even at OSU, when you get down to it,the tattoos for memorbilia is somewhat harmless when you think about what they actually received...some ink in their skin that will ultimately embarrass them in front of their kids when they are 50 years old. The cars are real value,and OSU is clearly not monitoring like they should,but in the end,is anyone really getting rich? I do think the SEC is out of control and those boosters down there need to be hammered,like OSU. But schools like NW,Iowa Purdue,ect...turn out educated individuals with minimal damage done.

once they are allowed to live off-campus (I think at Iowa it's after 1-2 years) they can take the room-board money, go together with others to rent an apartment. The money left over is theirs to keep if the cost of splitting rent is less than their room-board allocation. I don't think "spending money" per-se is out of the question, but it will only highlight the differences between the haves and have-nots. Two minutes after the NCAA announces that it's okay to give football players spending money, lawsuits are going to be filed by non-revenue sports demanding the same. Many athletic departments don't have the cash to pay all athletes spending money. And if it becomes okay to give the athletes some money, how easy does it then become to slip a couple extra hundred dollar bills in there?

The only sure-fire way to stop corruption is to -- as others have said -- adopt the Ivy League model of doing away with athletic scholarships. I don't think the public is ready for/wants that. We like college football. Perhaps the university presidents can give the NCAA some more power to proactively monitor its own institutions. None of what is coming to light at OSU happens without a federal investigation into illegal activities at the tattoo parlor. The NCAA is a member institution, and as such has only the power given to it by its members. If the Presidents are serious about changing things, they'll spend more money on enforcement. If I hear another pundit claim how hard it is to comply with NCAA regulations, I'll puke. It's not hard, especially when every school has a compliance office, as well as the NCAA itself which will readily answer any inquiry from a school about compliance should they not be clear about a rule. Corporations manage to comply with regulations from OSHA, EEOC, Sarbanes-Oxley, the EPA, FDA, and a host of other regulatory bodies. If schools say they aren't aware of NCAA rules, it's because they are choosing to not be aware of them.

The players (if they are smart) can benefit from the system. At the minimum, they can get a degree from a major school and graduate with zero debt. People scoff at that, but that is NOT available to most people in the country. If they are a very good player, they have been given a platform to display their ability to the NFL.

 

[trj]

Well, the NCAA would if she tried to go for a college sport now.

After all, that's what happened to Jeremy Bloom, former Colorado Buffalo football player. He went to the Olympics as a skier, and lost his eligibility in the process because he took endorsements to pay the way for skiing as an amateur.

At any rate, the Olympics is pretty hypocritical with their stance of 'amateur' as well. Basketball and hockey? The real pros - those who play in leagues - are ok. Soccer? Nah, can't have them. It's ridiculously inconsistent.

But in the end, many of these guys are not true amateurs anyways. They are making money from endorsements and sponsorships because they've got bills to play for training, among other things.

The notion of amateurism in the Olympics is a sham.

Your missing the point here. Bottom line is you would be blowing up the NCAA rule book other than the IRS tax code nothing is more convoluted. Shawn Johnson would be eligible, Jeremy Bloom wouldn't have lost his eligibility.

Pandora's box was opened a looonnng time ago.....This notion of purity and innocence of D-1, big boy, big revenue sports is the sham. Save Ivy league model stuff we all know it isn't going to happen. Just acknowledge what is going on and why it is going on and go from there.

 

[JHHawk]

I have been adamantly against any extra compensation of athletes but when the NCAA and the Big Ten recently started considering it,I softened my stance a bit.
I believe that football and bb players cannot get jobs,which I agree with since that makes it too easy to pay huge sums to guys who do not have to show up for work.But,I also believe that in the past they were allowed to work...I know about the whole equal treatment deal,but the facts are that the football and men's bb programs fund all other sports schollys. That probably would not matter in court,but it should.

So,going to club sports only means that not only are a lot of football and bb players will never attend college,but also all the other sports also. The horse is out of the barn now anyway. Are we going to let Kinnick and CHA sit empty,with big bond issues to repay? How many fans attend the Rugby matches? Why would a kid play football,with all the required work,if they were not getting a scholly? Risk injury?

The European model is pure club sports with no college affiliation. There,club sports are strictly training systems for pro sports. Kids like Tony Parker go pro at 16.
That is the alternative. Just go big time club sports with corporate sponsors,who rent Kinnick for games.....would that fly? I really doubt it.