College athletes for hire
In the area of collegiate sports, there have been numerous heated debates about the integrity of many things concerning the NCAA and how it handles legal and ethical issues. Two well renowned scholars tackle this issue in their co-authored book entitled "College Athletes for Hire, The Evolution and Legacy of the NCAA's Amateur Myth" written by Allen L. Sack and Ellen J. Staurowsky. In their book, the authors enlighten the reader on such issues as athletic scholarships, professionalism in college sports, and favoritism for athletes as well as many more important legal, and ethical issues that we as a country need to address. In this paper I will not do a standard book report by simply regurgitating the information I read in their book. Instead I will try my best to give you my opinion of the issues previously mentioned, and finally what the authors feel should be done to remedy this dilemma as well as my own opinion on the matter, but first I will discuss the issues involved in athletic scholarships. "It is not whether an activity is perceived to be enjoyable that distinguishes employment from leisure. Rather it is the presence or absence of instrumental constraint," ( p.4 ). This quote from the book best describes the
The doctors tell Joe that he will not be able to play basketball ever again. Instrumental constraint is basically the control, or constraint of material rewards and resources, or in this case room and board or extra spending money for athletes receiving scholarships based on their athletic performance. First and foremost the NCAA needs to treat its athletes with far more respect than it does now, if a player is injured there needs to be some form of workers compensation; for in fact, athletes are employees of the university. "It would be difficult, if not impossible, to find a major athletic program in the country that does not lower admissions standards for athletes, especially in the revenue-producing sports of football and basketball," ( p. Last summer, after graduating from high school, Joe receives a letter from U of A offering him a full ride basketball scholarship starting this fall. But doesn't that sound like employment to you? Wasn't Joe just fired from his job of Basketball? Wasn't that athletic scholarship his salary? Look at the quote at the beginning of this paragraph and marinate on that for a minute, meanwhile I'll discuss the issue of professionalism in sports. Not able to pay for the $15,000 a year to attend the University, and his parents also unable to pay, Joe drops out of school and becomes a male dancer at the day and night dance club. Did you know that none of the revenues that colleges make off this contract are taxable? Oh no, if the proceeds go towards the benefit of higher education, then Uncle Sam can't touch it, so now you know where Duke got the money to pay for its three best basketball players who will most likely bring in millions of dollars in revenue for making it to the final four this year. Back in 1952, the University of Pennsylvania's football team generated over $500,000 in revenues for its university. In conclusion I'd like to give the authors suggestions for reform as well as my own. Now the same thing would happen if Joe simply decided to no longer play for U. The whole point of athletic scholarships are to free the already over taxed athlete from worrying about getting a full time job in order to pay for classes, spending money, and room and board, on top of the full time job of school, and sports. Take for instance Joe Schmoe, a well-rounded basketball player for the University of Anywhere.
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,
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Acceptance Essays
