Basically, what I’m saying is that college football teams bring in money to improve the rest of the college with. I’m talking about big time colleges, of course. For example, Texas football brought in $47 million in revenue during the 2004 season. Some schools like Boston U and Eastern Tennessee State have dropped their football programs because they have been losing so much money. With football being the most expensive and hardest sport to compete in, it is a big loser at many small schools, but it is the big winner at big schools.

Now think what a $30 million profit, like the one Florida brought in last year, could do for the rest of the school? It does a whole lot. It also helps improve the football program so that they can profit $40 million in a few years. This is what the detractors don’t seem to realize. Whenever a program build a new practice facility or hires a new coach, they say “That’s money that could go toward academics!” Right, and it will go toward academics in a few years when the football team makes an even bigger profit. To make money, you have to spend money. (The football program’s profits could then afford a business proffessor who understands this concept.)

If Urban Meyer is having dinner at the house of Florida’s Mr. Football, trying to convince him that Florida is a better choice than Florida State, he needs to be able, “We just added a $300,000 practice facility. What has Bobby Bowden done for you?” If not, he’ll be stuck listening to questions from his prospect about why Florida doesn’t offer as many free shoes as Florida State. Then when Mr. Football decides to attend Florida, he will help the football team win more and thus make more money.

Still, Norman Chad doesn’t get it. He says, “Why should coaches be the face of a college?” Free market, buddy. Not just in economic terms, but in the marketplace of ideas. People are interested in football. We aren’t interested in rocket science. That’s just how it is. Hell, you write a goddamn sports column, Chad. Why don’t you write a rocket science column and try to get one of them to be the face of your university?

Next qeustion?
“College football players should get paid.” I’m sorry, Chad, didn’t you just get done saying colleges should decrease athletic payrolls? That hypocrisy aside, there’s a good reason college athletes don’t get paid: THEY DO GET PAID, YOU FREAKING MORON! Is $30,000 a year not enough? Most of those players wouldn’t be able to afford college if they had to pay. A full-ride scholarship is good compensation. Not only that, but the top players (the ones who would be comanding big paychecks in the first place) get a national publicity machine that pushes them onto NFL Draft lists. If they really want to get paid badly, there are a multitude of schools that already pay their athletes, starting with Ohio State.

What do you think? Post your opinion in the comment section.

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