Recently, this program banned notable alum O'Dell Beckham Jr. Now, I know what you're thinking. It's O'Dell...what a clown...that buffoon got what he deserved...he's always attention whoring and this was no different. You're not entirely wrong, but those thoughts have no bearing on this specific case, so hang with me here. Beckham was banned for joining the team in their locker room to celebrate and pass out money...$2000 in the form of hundred dollar bills to individual players. On the surface, you're probably thinking, "Well of course. That's a violation of NCAA rules." Hold up a second. It's time to open some financial books. On top of his $4 million base salary, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron will receive $500K for 12 regular season wins, $200K for winning the SEC title game, a quarter million dollars for playing in the CFP semifinal, $150K for playing in the national championship game, and another half a million for winning the national championship game. Assuming my math is correct, that comes to an additional $1.6 million he received on behalf of the work completed by the unpaid labor force known as the football team. LSU as an institution also received an additional $6 million for their national title victory.
So with those figures in mind, they had the audacity to cry foul at the unpaid labor force (the players...you know those folks whose performances made all this happen) receiving a measley $2000 for their services. Man that sounds a lot like a tradition that used to take place in this country legally and helped to build its foundation. About the only things missing are some chains, whips, a cotton field, and a plantation. Or perhaps the cotton field was just replaced with a football field. In any event...not yet convinced that the NCAA is operating under a slave mentality? Let's continue. Remember a fella by the name of Dabo Swinney? Sure you do...the head coach of Clemson football. The one who's won two national titles within the last five years and really put Clemson on the map as a notable football program. While those accomplishments are certainly impressive, here's where the train goes off the tracks.
As a result of his accomplishments and Clemson's last national title, he was rewarded with a ten-year contract extension worth a maximum of $93 million. Shortly after being rewarded with this absurdly princely sum, he proceeds to vehemently speak against the paying of college athletes. To put that in perspective, here's a direct quote on his behalf, "But as far as paying players, professionalizing college athletics, that's where you lose me." Let's pump our brakes there, Dabo! Have you forgotten how you got into position to even remotely be considered for such an amount? How many passes did you complete or catch, how many yards did you gain, how many tackles or interceptions did you make? Don't think too hard wit ya selfish ass because the answer is Z-E-R-O! The players did those things. As the coach, you made a significant contribution, but a contribution doesn't completely equate to the actual performance and execution on the field. With that in mind, it's very clear what you think of your unpaid labor force and what they did for you in terms of getting that contract extension.
To your other point about not "professionalizing college sports." In 2019, your very own program raked in $77 million, and that amount was good enough for a number 25 ranking of Division I teams and their overall revenue intake. If $77 million and more ain't enough to convince any reasonable individual that college sports became professionalized a long time ago, they're just being naive or possibly protecting their privilege. At this point, it's impossible to accept a head coach of football or any other sport who just got $93 million to do it speaking against paying the labor force (Who got him that contract) as anything other than modern day slave master rhetoric. Here's a third example that doesn't involve as much money but still carries the same mindset.
Last Saturday, likely NFL prospect and Alabama player Jaylen Waddle suffered a season-ending injury in the form of a broken ankle while attempting to return a kickoff. When asked about his injury, Alabama head coach Nick Saban offered up small condolences, but here was the most telling part. "You're not supposed to bring a ball out when you're that deep in the end zone." So, lemme get this straight. The proper response to a player who just broke his ankle playing for free in your program and whose athletic future may now be uncertain is to publicly chastise him for having made the wrong play. That a way to be a leader Nicholas. But then again, you were just showing your true colors and what you really think about your unpaid labor force.
As I begin to close out with this piece, allow me to revisit that Swinney fella because his arguable the biggest offender of these three coaches. I'll pose this question. How is Dabo Swinney making millions off the unpaid labor of athletes, a good portion of them young Black men, and using that money to create an exceptionally comfortable life for his family and significant generational wealth any different from the way slavery created a ginormous wealth gap that still exists today between Black and white? What did the athletes ultimately get out of this deal that matched their sacrifice? The potential for serious injury, the waking up at 5 A.M. every day, having your whole day planned for you against your will? Don't let the words "Full ride scholarship" roll off your tongue because it doesn't cost anywhere near $77 million to send entire football and basketball teams to college. What did the athletes get for seeing their jersey sold at the bookstore or mall for $80/piece? The answer is in comparison to what the "Masters" got, the athletes got nothing. They got no way take care of their families or themselves. They got praise for their ability to score touchdowns and slam dunk, but that's about it. How much money did the Fab Five get for having their own sneaker? Pretty sure you know the answer at this point.
With all this in mind, it's really no surprise that this system exists. Slavery was entirely too economically beneficial to ever be completely abolished (See 13th amendment). It had to be legally remixed. In finding a way to legally remix it, they found the perfect disguise...college athletics and called it entertainment. And to this day, we stand and cheer for this system that oppresses us while being fooled by its deceptive appearance.
No comments:
Post a Comment