I think that that statistic is a little misleading.If I was a sports star and had the oportunity to make millions of dollars or finish college,my choice is to take the money and run.They are taking a chance finishing school and playing more in college.An injury and their dream is over.Sorry but I think alot of them make the right decision.
Most universities have given up even attempting to graduate these "Athletes" with anything beyond a meaningless diploma awarded on the basis of having survived the cut at the beginning of season. That is their true graduation ceremony, making the cut for the years they are eligible. Post graduate studies begin upon being drafted into a professional team and every once in a while one of them will arrive at the doctoral level by having attained a level of scoring (or mayhem) beyond not only his competitors but his teammates.
Maybe they need a degree program solely for jocks, none of this sissy math, languages, science, engineering or nonsense like that. Just the basics, round ball 101, pigskin 201 etc. Throw in a few courses on selecting a good attorney for when you are accused of rape and another to negotiate your contracts and a third to keep the other two straight and your in business. If you have an IQ higher than that of the ball you're playing with, you may wish to throw a financial adviser into the mix so when, in 2 or 3 years, you blow a knee or a cervical disc, there is enough money remaining to get you home from the aoirport when the team dumps you.
I think that that statistic is a little misleading.If I was a sports star and had the oportunity to make millions of dollars or finish college,my choice is to take the money and run.They are taking a chance finishing school and playing more in college.An injury and their dream is over.Sorry but I think alot of them make the right decision.
Statistically.. the figures are probably NOT that misleading. Consider how FEW actually make it to the pros and the big bucks. Certainly the kid who does and is ready makes the right choice by doing so(usually). If you go pro and can make a few million a year you're a head of the game if you can just get in a few years. OR, you can finish school, start a job at $35,000, work your way up the food chaing and finally retire when you're 60. DUH... I think I'll take the few million a year route. BUT, very few have that option. For the most part scholarship jocks are there to play and make their schools some money. Statistically, what is the percentage of college attendees who don't graduate within the guidelines of these studies. I mean just the normal John Doe who attends as a freshman right out of highschool. What percentage makes it? It would probably put these numbers for jocks in a better light. I'd say the number of plain old students who start with a program and finish with the program within the alloted elligibility time of a jock isn't all that great either.
I don't find giving jocks a scholarship any less appealing than filling a slot in a classroom with someone because they're female, black, yellow or from Montana. I've always thought merit should be the reason, but life just isn't fair and never will be. Jocks develope school spirit and make plain old "STUDENTS" become fanatics. The plain old students who become alumni help these places provide all they do.
Charlie P,I don't really care about basketball one way or the other.It is not my idea of a real sport.It is unfair to the shorter guys.The refs don't call travellign anymore and you have ball hogs that get called superstars like Michael Jordon who barely made 50% of his shots.If you take 50 shots,you should score 50 pts.The days of real basketball are over after Magic Johnson and Larry Bird retired.
who barely made 50% of his shots.If you take 50 shots,you should score 50 pts
DUH ! 2 points per basket, 50% shooter, 50 shots ....... that IS 50 points ! Most 50 point games by players are like 18-34 shooting and apile of free throws though.
At one time, Nolan "racist" Richardson in Arkansas didn't graduate a single person for like 6 year straight. Bastard - he used good ball players, made tons of money for the university and the kids got nothing out of it.
Our Houston Nutt football coach however graduates a LOT of his players.
As for this report ? It IS a racial thing. The only way to graduate same number of blacks ?
Lower the test scores black have to make to pass. I'm sorry, thats the truth, and its not meant to be racial. Black people have the same mental capabilities ....... they choose not to excercise it though.
Remember the NAACP's slogan - the mind is a terrible thing
I think it is a shame that colleges and universities do not make the same effort to recruit academic high achievers as they do to sign top atheletes. I guess the problem is you can't get a stadium full of people to watch even the smartest student perform a chemistry experiment.
Smart basketball players..yeah right!
