Chronic Absenteeism Hurts Millions Of Students
'Toddlers & Tiaras': Damitri'ana Wears 'African' National…
I've written extensively about the NCAA and what I perceive to be its consistent effort to exploit the black community. It spends millions on public service announcements to protect its deception, but eventually the athletes and the public are going to wise up to what it is doing. The truth is that college athletes should be paid for the same reasons that any actor in a Hollywood blockbuster film would expect to receive compensation. The problem is that the families of athletes don't quite know how to organize and fight for their power. So, when I read about the recent lawsuit against the NCAA for allegedly misusing the images of athletes for video games, I was a very happy man.
Let me break it down for you:
Based on my 16 years of experience as a college professor (I currently teach at Syracuse University, a school that earns millions off black families every year), collegiate athletics is not, in my opinion, about amateurism and it's not about education. It's about making money. Period. Many athletes are admitted to college every year, and they would not be granted admission were it not for their ability to play sports and make money for the campus. Making money is not a problem, but the problem comes when universities do not share this revenue with the families of the players.
He's considered the one of the greatest power forwards of all time, but the mailman didn't deliver a title. The Utah Jazz went to the conference title twice, but sadly there was a man named Michael Jordan standing (or dunking) in Malone and the Jazz's way in 1997 and 1998. As a Los Angeles Laker he did get to the NBA Finals with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, but dreams of championship bling were shot down by the Detroit Pistons.
NBA Players Without a Title
Karl Malone (1985-2004)
He's considered the one of the greatest power forwards of all time, but the mailman didn't deliver a title. The Utah Jazz went to the conference title twice, but sadly there was a man named Michael Jordan standing (or dunking) in Malone and the Jazz's way in 1997 and 1998. As a Los Angeles Laker he did get to the NBA Finals with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, but dreams of championship bling were shot down by the Detroit Pistons.
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Charles Barkley (1984-2000)
Barkley could out-muscle and out-rebound anyone on the court, he had attitude, earned 11 NBA All-Star Game appearances and two Olympic gold medals and was always good for a colorful quote. But alas, never ever once did he win a NBA title. Barkley came close to championship glory in 1993, when he led the Phoenix Suns to a berth in the 1993 NBA Finals. However, the Suns lost to some fella named Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in six games.
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Patrick Ewing (1985 - 2002)
It was "our year" ever year for the Knicks, and every year they and the big man fell short. His final years were plagued by injuries and he ended his career with the Orlando Magic in 2002.
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Dominique Wilkins (1982-1999)
He was one of the best dunkers the game had ever seen, but he couldn't find a way past Larry Bird. The Atlanta Hawks' superstar never played in a single NBA Finals series.
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John Stockton (1984-2003)
Regarded as one of the best point guards in NBA history, Stockton, like his Utah Jazz teammate, Karl Malone, had Air Jordan standing in his way of championship bling two consecutive years. Stockton retired in 2003 and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
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Reggie Miller (1987-2005)
Reggie Miller's Pacers fell to the Lakers in their one appearance in the Finals. Sad? Yes, but not as heartbreaking as the five conference finals the team lost, which includes three Game 7s. Ouch.
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Chris Webber (1993-2008)
Maybe if it wasn't for those missed free throws in the Kings' Game 7 OT loss to the Lakers in 2002 or the missed three-pointer at the buzzer in Game 7 against Minnesota in 2004, we could say that Webber would have a championship ring. Then again, who has time for should have-could have-would haves?
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Elgin Baylor (1958-1972)
Baylor played in eight NBA Finals ... and lost them all. To say that was frustrating is quite the understatement. He called it quits during the 1971-72 season, becoming one of the first greats to retire without a championship ring.
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Pete Maravich (1970-1980)
Long before Magic Johnson, 'Pistol Pete' was the showman on the court, pefecting behind-the-back and between-the-legs passes. However, his playoff record was a bit sketchy and he retired ringless.
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Tim Hardaway (1989-2003)
Hardaway's Heat balled their way to the '97 conference finals ... until running into Michael Jordan and the Bulls, who destroyed them. Tough, but losing in the first-round to the eighth-seeded Knicks in '99 packs a bigger bite.
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College sport is far from being extracurricular: it is an exhaustively time-consuming set of activities in which athletes are consistently required to miss class, wake up early in the morning and engage in as much stress as a professional to represent the university's financial interests. This is not the typical experience of a college student, and it impedes the ability to learn.
Finally, the lack of revenue sharing with the families of college athletes is not coincidental. There is a complex nexus of carefully designed rules and regulations that keeps athletes and their families from getting any share of the money.
These rules are supported by anti-trust exemptions granted by Congress and allow the NCAA to use education as its excuse for not paying the players and keeping their families in poverty; that's why they run those ridiculous commercials bragging about how many athletes go pro in "something other than sports." The truth is that the organization is working to manipulate your mind.
The current NCAA system exploits the black community more than any other (outside the prison system), since most of the top college football and basketball players in the United States are African American. This exploitation is worsened by the recent commitment to use athlete's images for video games that gross millions for the organization each year.
Finally, someone is standing up against it. Former UCLA star Ed O'Bannon filed a class-action lawsuit against the NCAA over the use of player images. This case is exciting for at least a few reasons:
1) It opens the door to millions in damages and a restructuring of athlete compensation.
2) It raises public awareness of the deformed nature of the NCAA money machine.
3) It puts the NCAA's tax-exempt status into question, along with its anti-trust exemption.
4) The lawyers on this case are high-powered and might actually get the job done.
In the interview below, I speak with Dr. Deborah Stroman of the College Sport Research Institute. She is an expert in sports and business and has some interesting things to say. Enjoy!
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a finance professor at Syracuse University. He makes regular appearances in national media, including on CNN, BET, MSNBC and more. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered directly to your e-mail, please click here.
Comments: (29)
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By: Sheryl on 7/28/2009 11:51PM
Dr Boyce, when we finish suing the NCAA, can we sue BET? Talk about exploitation at its finest!!
B.E.T = Black Exploitation Televison
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By: what on 7/29/2009 3:16AM
dr boyce being the racist he is colledge sports has always been amatuer which means basically they dont get paid professional means they get paid ill break it down even clearer its always been that way for whites and blacks . Most colledge athltes do recieve payments the good ones and drive nice cars if they want to make more money the should get a profession meaning that pays amatuer never has meant get paid .Acording to dr boyce everyone is getting exploited most of the athletes are taken care of why are you so filled with hate dr boyce im white i have been mistreated by friends and what not but i dont go back on things that happened in the past i forgive move on again amatuer means doesnt get paid colledge sports or not supposed to even though many do and professional means does get paid this is rediculoius if they wanna get paid get a job like the rest of us many are paid thru a free ride scholorship hope that clears this up .
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By: DanDMan447 on 7/29/2009 6:30AM
The comments posted here is exactly why the NCAA has gotten away with murder for years. They have a 600 million dollar contract with the TV industry and that doesn't include the third of every sporting event at every school that they collect. They have exploited college athletes for years and nobody has tried to make them pay for anybodies education. Why do you think they call attention to what the college player is getting instead of what they are getting? Stop with the racism and bs and pay attention.
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By: Daniel on 7/29/2009 6:38AM
The comments posted here is exactly why the NCAA has gotten away with murder for years. They have a 600 million dollar contract with the TV industry and that doesn't include the third of every sporting event at every school that they collect. They have exploited college athletes for years and nobody has tried to make them pay for anybodies education. Why do you think they call attention to what the college player is getting instead of what they are getting? Stop with the racism and bs and pay attention.
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By: wordmatic on 7/29/2009 3:19PM
The NCAA and the olympics games organizers are fakes. First, the Olympics; they say that all athletes should be amateurs to compete but we have professionals playing against amateurs. The games are all about money and they should tell the masses that up front. Second, the NCAA. The people who run this organization is in the back pocket of the professional sports organization. The pro leagues complain that the basketball player is jumping from high school to the pros and what they did, they made up a law to make sure that the kids get in some college. These schools need to pay these players because the players are giving away for free the only thing they have which is their talent.
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By: butterfingers_inc on 7/30/2009 5:49PM
I work at a university and go to class at night to get my bachelors and i totally disagree with dr. boyce's suggestion that these athelets are exploited.
these athletes are pampered from day one by everyone around them not b/c they have straight a's or can solve the meaning of life but b/c they can handle a ball and play a kid's game as an adult. If they were to spend as much time in class as they do on the field then more doors will be open for them. they are given many things that a working person like me has to make choices over, like new sneakers or books for class, food or supplies. I get ot work at 7.30 am and leave at 6pm. or later depending on what class I have and if there is more work for me to do then I have to find a way to either do a paper or work over time. Acollege is there for your education not for you ccome and get ur BA in basketball.
now if youre really in dire straits and need $ I suggest you do like everyone else and get a job. especially during the off season, when you do have the extra time.
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By: SHADY on 8/02/2009 1:03AM
No one should get paid.this isn't exploitation. A college chose you o play a sport for them. Any athlete should know this especially the ones who sign loi or scholaships. people should just be proud that they were given a chance to do something so many only wish they should do and then get a great education. most athletes get money anyways from the school to get clothes and other things they may need. what happened for the love of the game. And whats so funny is the only ones complainig are the people that didnt make it.
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By: D. Judd on 8/03/2009 11:00AM
I agree with the doctor on this one. Students receive government grants and scholarships, take out loans that will take years to pay back, while some, not all, of their families live in poverty situations. If these students have talent, are willing to work hard, play hard, and win reputations for their chosen schools, then why not take some of the profits to pay them for their service. At this point, they can use the money earned to pay for their own college, unless they have scholarships for academic excellence. This would keep them from piling up loan debt, and if they don't make it pro, they can leave school debt free instead of being like millions of us who owe, owe, owe, student loans. Also, if they are earning the money and paying for their own school, they won't be a burden to the govt. by using grants to pay for school. (I'm not knocking grants because I used them myself, not as an athlete, but a single mother and non-traditional student returning to school at a later age.) If the salaries were paid to the athletes and they were paying for their own school,they would probably take their schooling more seriously. Instead of being an athlete who drags into class with excuses as to why he/she didn't get work done, he/she would show up with completed work. I don't have stats, but in the ten or so years it took me to work full time, sometimes two jobs, raise my daughter, and attend college to earn a degree, a teaching certification, and work toward a master's degree, I took the time to befriend many people from diverse backgrounds. The young people who paid for their own school, or depended on making the grades to be able to keep their aid, were very serious about their educations. The athletes were more serious about their game because that was the ticket to pay for school. If a kid is working part time, playing a sport, and paying for school with his sweat, why not pay him and demand better grades for both jobs he is doing? This way, he will spend more time in the learning center, and on the court, field, or wherever, and he will succeed at both school and his sport. Chances are that most of the guys playing won't make it professionally, unless they do like my friend's son did and go abroad to Spain or other countries to play. They can make it in either professional world with a great education whether or not they make it to the pros.
Before closing, other benefits of schools paying players for their service would be:
Players using their knowledge in the area of their education to assist in promotion of ideas to advertise for the school (web design, advertising, journalism...)
Schools using players names and faces for promotional advertisement and community enrichment.
Players purchasing health insurance policies to protect their health and properly care for their injuries so as not to have life long health issues after college sports.
I think this should have been done a long time ago. It is not a racial thing, it is a moral thing. I know a woman whose three daughters would not have made it through college without their softball skills. They were all three pitchers. They all three got associate's degrees and left school because of shoulder injuries and the wear and tear of the game, travel, fatigue.... They should have been compensated for their time, so as not to have to work part time jobs in addition to studies and the game. They may have been able to continue on to a four year college had this been so.
There will have to be rules and standards set for the payment of players, and there will be arguments from schools who do not have as much money, but it can be done.
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By: Daniel Hilburn Sr. on 1/26/2011 4:57PM
We fully support all that Dr. Watkins has worked for. This is the issue of this new decade for the young people of this generation. The organizations that are exploiting athletes are greedy and powerful. It is going to take an all out effort from several directions to make this happen. What ever our organization can do please let us know.
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