Amateur Athletes, Yeah Right

As I sit and watch one of my favorite sports films, He Got Game, about impoverished number one high school basketball prospect Jesus Shuttlesworth, I still find myself amazed at how realistically this film portrays so many highly touted “amateur” athletes. Everything is great from the male and female groupies, the more than memorable visit at Tech U, and the fact that Jesus (portrayed by Ray Allen) has his own apartment with no visible means of income. It amazes me until I have to watch the University of Southern California pretend to be disgusted and voluntarily vacate their copy of Reggie Bush’s Heisman trophy. Until I have to watch Ohio St. chase Terrelle Pryor out of Columbus over some free tattoos and underpriced cars. Until I have to see A.J. Green get suspended for making money off of his jersey or Cam Newton almost miss the SEC championship over allegations of his father asking for more than a scholarship.

All of these scenarios and more have one thing in common. A school and athletic department making millions off the athletic talents of these young men but crying foul and ignorance whenever these young men decide to profit off their own name or talent. Consider this. If you wrote a song for somebody, and they got paid to perform it, but didn’t tell you about payment for said services, would you not be looking for a slice of the pie? Of course you would. I can tell by the side eye you’re giving the person while imagining them cheat you like that. Of course, there are so many out there who say these guys get compensated with a “free” education. So let’s think about this. We only brought you here for your athletic talents, and had it not been for those, we couldn’t care less about your academic future.

In exchange for the millions we’re going to make off your touchdowns or swished three pointers, we are going to offer you free room and board, and classes that we don’t expect you to attend anyway because that’s not what you’re really here for. Stop me once this deal starts to sound even to you. Back to the Trojans from the city of Angels. Here is a school with a football powerhouse and a $5.6 billion endowment. Sure, it’s a private school, so a chunk of their money comes from privileged families sending their kids there, but let’s not forget the three years where Reginald Bush suited up in the cardinal and gold from 2003-2005.

Let’s not forget the BCS bowl game appearances, television deals, jersey sales, and endless publicity. Just thinking about that time is an embarrassment of riches, imagine what it was for those in Armani suits counting the dollars. Now imagine being in Bush’s shoes and standing outside of the office where all the greedy “authority” members are counting the money you made. You can hear the laughter and cheers and plans to travel all across Central America with your money. Then insert Lloyd Lake. Someone who promises to rectify the situation and give you your deserving cut for risking your health. After imagining seeing that meeting and still seeing your family living in less than stellar fashion, are you still going to say no to money that all things considered, you have rightfully earned?

What about Cam and Cecil Newton? Given the risk his son was taking and the arguably raw deal he got while at the University of Florida, was it so farfetched for him to have asked for “more than a scholarship” in the form of $100,00 to $150,000 from Mississippi State? Apparently Auburn didn’t think so. And Mississippi State didn’t think so either until Auburn appeared to be on their way to a national title in 2010. I will credit the Tigers in this manner. At least they didn’t throw their superstar under the bus like Southern Cal did once it got a little hot in the kitchen. During the 2014 fiscal year, the NCAA had a total revenue nearing $1 billion. Yet, this is the same NCAA that stole three games away from A.J. Green because he made a little money on the side selling a jersey with his name on it. Talk about capitalism at its finest.

Now that we’ve got a more than firm grasp on the absurd amount of money these schools and the NCAA are getting, let’s define the most important word in this entire situation as it applies. Amateur-A person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than financial benefit or professional reasons. So, given that definition, I am now in need of assistance in understanding why everyone other than the athletes themselves are being paid since the NCAA is supposed to be full of amateur athletes. Make no mistake about it. There’s nothing amateurish about March Madness, the College World Series, Track and Field championships, or the new College football playoff system. The bottom line is this. Until schools and the NCAA see fit to end this method of high priced pimping and spread the wealth these kids are completely deserving of, we will continue to see stories like the ones mentioned in this article. And rightfully so, we will continue to see kids be completely unapologetic about the money and gifts they took while serving as amateur athletes.