Patrick Peterson - Pay for Play

[Swarly]

while I don't think it matters that mucH(being real, it's a good bet that most first/second round picks have been paid at some point in their college career) it's definitely going to affect whether WE take him or not. I personally think it's a joke that these guys get paid extra when they're arleady getting a free fugin scholarship, but it's whatever. most top college athletes do it.

for those comparing to Newton, his pay for play is on the very bottom of the list of reasons not to draft him just sayin

[blackcatgrowl]

We aren't drafting a Corner with the #1 pick, so why the concern?

[Marguide]

Why does this (players getting paid) provoke such a strong reaction pro or con, and yet the story about the people running the Fiesta Bowl attract so little attention?

In case you missed it, some of the bowl organization's expenses included things like a $33,000 birthday party for the chairman, nights at strip clubs on expense accounts, etc.

Should we expect higher morals from the players than the people selling their product?

[SOJA]

fug andrew luck.

[Stumpy]

Why does this (players getting paid) provoke such a strong reaction pro or con, and yet the story about the people running the Fiesta Bowl attract so little attention?

In case you missed it, some of the bowl organization's expenses included things like a $33,000 birthday party for the chairman, nights at strip clubs on expense accounts, etc.

Should we expect higher morals from the players than the people selling their product?

And this is the problem I have with the whole thing. While they players who take the money are in the wrong, we shouldn't be condemning them for it. The schools that foster these types of environments are the ones to blame.

Obviously, you are not going to be able to stop every fan from slipping a player some money. But some of the stories coming out now, i.e. players walking through a boosters section after the games, shows that schools are not only tolerating, but encouraging this activity.

Do the Ohio State kids deserved to be suspended? Maybe a game or two at most. (And I'm a Michigan fan) But Tressell should be gone for a year for covering it up.

I liken this situation to the war on drugs. We shouldn't be prosecuting the users, but the dealers.

[KDawg004]

As a UM fan with inside sources I can confirm that he was payed to play for LSU. He was fully committed to UM until a "sudden change of mind". But honestly, more than half of these highly touted prospects coming out of highschool get payed. Whether it's a significant amount or not. Every college pays what they can to get great players.

[Catalyst]

I don't care about any player being paid in college. To me, they SHOULD be paid openly. No college can tell a normal student that they can't get a job while in school to make a living, but these athletes are supposed to work their asses off while the school makes millions off their sweat without ANY compensation?

I don't blame any college player that takes or asks for money. I would do the same. The whole system is just stupid and should be changed.

[Mr. Scot]

And this is the problem I have with the whole thing. While they players who take the money are in the wrong, we shouldn't be condemning them for it. The schools that foster these types of environments are the ones to blame.

Obviously, you are not going to be able to stop every fan from slipping a player some money. But some of the stories coming out now, i.e. players walking through a boosters section after the games, shows that schools are not only tolerating, but encouraging this activity.

Do the Ohio State kids deserved to be suspended? Maybe a game or two at most. (And I'm a Michigan fan) But Tressell should be gone for a year for covering it up.

I liken this situation to the war on drugs. We shouldn't be prosecuting the users, but the dealers.

Can't agree here. By all means, the schools should be blamed, but I can't excuse the players who took the money. That'd be like saying the guy who offered a congressman a bribe did something bad but the congressman himself is innocent.

Everybody involved should pay a penalty: the schools, the boosters and yes, the athletes.

And don't give me "they should be paid" unless we're also going to start paying kids taking biochemistry and English literature too.

Peterson's been my top choice in the past, but if this has legs you'll see me throw my support to Dareus.

[Catalyst]

And don't give me "they should be paid" unless we're also going to start paying kids taking biochemistry and English literature too.

How does that even compare? The athletic departments make millions off merchandise sales and tickets, TV deals, etc. With no players they wouldn't have any of this, so why shouldn't the players get some percentage of it? If a student is employed by the school in some way during their time there, they get paid and that's fine; why should it be any different for a student athlete who helps make the school millions every year?

Or at least if a booster or agent wants to loan a player the use of a house or car or something or even loan them some cash... what the hell's wrong with that? If they were to do that to a student in the biochemistry or English literature department it'd be fine, but because someone is an athlete then it's wrong?

I know if I were a star athlete and my family was struggling, needed a place to stay or a car to drive or some money, I certainly wouldn't feel bad at all about accepting any of that from someone associated with the school, especially considering the money they make every year from student athletes that make their athletic programs worth millions.

[Mr. Scot]

How does that even compare? The athletic departments make millions off merchandise sales and tickets, TV deals, etc. With no players they wouldn't have any of this, so why shouldn't the players get some percentage of it? If a student is employed by the school in some way during their time there, they get paid and that's fine; why should it be any different for a student athlete who helps make the school millions every year?

Or at least if a booster or agent wants to loan a player the use of a house or car or something or even loan them some cash... what the hell's wrong with that? If they were to do that to a student in the biochemistry or English literature department it'd be fine, but because someone is an athlete then it's wrong?

Yes, the athletic programs make money, money that should be funneled into education, otherwise knows as the part of the school that doesn't generate revenue but is supposed to be what college is all about. heck, maybe you could even lower tuition all around using some of those funds.

There's a load of misappropriation and mishandling of funds going on in colleges and schools in general these days (way too much money going to bureaucracy rather than actual teaching) and those problems need to be addressed too, but paying athletes opens a huge can of worms that's better left closed.

[Stumpy]

To me, they SHOULD be paid openly. No college can tell a normal student that they can't get a job while in school to make a living, but these athletes are supposed to work their asses off while the school makes millions off their sweat without ANY compensation?

You lost me here dude. (Most of) These players get a 100% paid for college education. The average tuition for public universities is $7,605 per semster in state or $11,990 out of state. (source) That comes out to somewhere between $30,420-$47,960.

Then you have the value of that degree. According to studies, the average college graduate makes over $1mil more a lifetime than a non grad.

On top of that, you have to add the free health insurance they receive, many schools do offer discounted (some free) insurance to all students, but almost all still require co pays, players plans do not.

And on top of all that, most schools give student-athletes, in the money sports, a monthly stipend to live off of. I know at NC State, this even included the lesser sports as well. A buddy of mine on the swim team, used to take us out to the bars, he'd pay everybody's tab on his NCSU Athletics debit card.

Can't agree here. By all means, the schools should be blamed, but I can't excuse the players who took the money. That'd be like saying the guy who offered a congressman a bribe did something bad but the congressman himself is innocent.

Everybody involved should pay a penalty: the schools, the boosters and yes, the athletes.

That is what I was saying in the first paragraph. They deserved to be punished, but not vilified. They are in the wrong, but the schools and boosters that throw all this money around and then throw the kids under the bus when it comes out, are the villains.

[Catalyst]

I agree with your point about how the money is being used. I'm just saying that the root cause of this whole pay-for-play situation is that student athletes need money just like any student does and very few of them have time to work the way non-athletes do because of the commitment to the team. In addition, many of them come from low income backgrounds and feel obligated to do what they can to help their family financially.

As long as these things are true, student athletes will demand cash and schools looking to keep them happy or convince them to choose their program will give it to them. I'm not sure anything can be done to prevent it, TBH.

I also think it's kind of pointless to say "well, if this is true about Peterson then I'm not for him anymore" when if you really looked deep enough I bet you'd find at least 70-80% of this year's top draft prospects were in some way paid for their play in college, especially at the big schools like LSU, OSU, Auburn, Alabama, USC, etc.

[vorbis]

if this is the first revelation of a secret Peterson life of crime and shenanigans, then yeah, it will affect his ability to perform on the field in the NFL. but this is precisely the time of year when a lot is made of much less, and it becomes possible to talk yourself out of any player in the draft. doesn't mean the player won't perform without any effect of the "scandal" whatsoever.

[Catalyst]

You lost me here dude. (Most of) These players get a 100% paid for college education. The average tuition for public universities is $7,605 per semster in state or $11,990 out of state. (source) That comes out to somewhere between $30,420-$47,960.

Then you have the value of that degree. According to studies, the average college graduate makes over $1mil more a lifetime than a non grad.

On top of that, you have to add the free health insurance they receive, many schools do offer discounted (some free) insurance to all students, but almost all still require co pays, players plans do not.

And on top of all that, most schools give student-athletes, in the money sports, a monthly stipend to live off of. I know at NC State, this even included the lesser sports as well. A buddy of mine on the swim team, used to take us out to the bars, he'd pay everybody's tab on his NCSU Athletics debit card.

Student athletes aren't the only ones who get their education paid for. If a student gets a scholarship for nursing and then takes a paid internship at the medical labs on campus they're not told they can't make money off what they're being given a scholarship for, are they? No.