Fisch Tank- Should Players Get Paid?
Thanks for diving into the Fisch Tank.Saturday at Brooks Stadium a collection of South Carolina’s best high school football players will take part in the North – South game. The week’s worth of practices leading up to the big event, gave college scouts and representatives an opportunity to observe and lure in these athletes. Yet with these players potentially prolonging their playing careers into the college ranks, it makes me wonder, should they get paid to play at the next level considering they are potentially allowing their coaches to get raises.
This week Tommy Bowden received a contract extension, as did Les Miles at LSU, and Tommy Tuberville at Auburn but what really allows them to make more money? The student athletes that are receiving an education, or lack there of in some matters, give these corporate figureheads the ability to sign these extensions. In talking with Bob Juback before writing this, he brought up a very valid point. If Mark Buchholz misses his third field goal of the game against South Carolina, Tommy Bowden may have been in the unemployment line. But Buchholz made the game winning kick, and Bowden is celebrated and received a contract extension. That kick is just another instance of athletes helping their teams C.E.O. cash in. College football is a business, not a past time. Constantly young athletes feel the pressure to perform at the highest level in order to help their company or team turn a profit. So why not pay them, if they are going to feel the riggers and stresses of a job, then compensate them for it. I understand athletes receive scholarships, team meals and on the road meal money, but pay them minimum wage. The Chick-fil-a Peach bowl will pay out $5.8 million between Auburn and Clemson. Shouldn’t the players get a cut, we are watching them work. The gift bags they receive is not a form of payment, it’s a perk. Only coaches, universities and companies will profit from the bowl season madness. But what happens if a teams all-conference offensive lineman’s career ends with an injury, does he get a scholarship next year? No, which is wrong with the system, everyone profits except the workhorses. So next time you see these student athletes on the football field putting it all on the line, realize who it benefits. Remember in the game of football there is no such thing as a win-win situation.
Posted by
on 12/07 at 05:24 PM
It’s a shame that Jordan Lyles was picked to go to the Shrine Bowl and not a another player (Wil Newsome, Bennett Saunders, etc.) was not at least selected for the North-South game. In fact, when was the last time a Hartsville player was selected to the North-South game?