re: On Paying College Football Players.

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spend your own resources for three years of training, nutritionists, PT, housing, etc. and then see how you fare in the draft.

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This MIGHT be an alternative if the NFL and NCAA weren't involved in illegat collusion to squeeze out any competition that could provide this alternative.

You'll see this argument play out in court now that O'Bannon's case has lifted the shroud of "amateurism."

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So he claims that he grew up on a fraction of a livable amount of money. A school gave him food, housing, education, clothes, stipends, etc. and he is now poorer? Hmmm...

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For a finite period and without advancing their skills beyond preparing them for the world's greatest temp job as a professional athlete.

I have always held the opinion that things have to change and they can do so in two ways:

1.) (and this is what I personally prefer) Universities and the NCAA can actually make good on the opportunities and degrees they offer to student-athletes as fair compensation for their play on the fields. Instead, players are actively encouraged to participate in "easy" majors in order to maintain eligibility and are all but shut out from networking opportunities necessary for advancement in a given career beyond college. As it stand, NCAA rules prohibit students from networking due to interaction with boosters and because of the time constraints placed on student schedules for practice and academic support. Universities, as well, are failing not only the student-athletes but the general student population as well by failing to make a serious financial effort and return on the investment students put in via their tuition. A third party to this clusterfrick is the NFL in that they have the power but lack the conviction to restrict players from entering the draft until they have obtained a 4-year degree. As it stands, the "fair" compensation for a student's play is a college degree and yet a large percentage fail to ever obtain that degree. It's a broken system but I doubt it gets fixed due to the interests of the three main parties involved, so...

2.) Pay them via a trust. Build them a nest egg of sorts that accumulates a set amount that factors in a base pay rate dished out per year that they remain at the university and their use in promotions for the school. Some players will leave with a larger trust than others waiting for them when they get out but I think that's fair given the exposure that individual provides and the amount of time they remain as an athlete and student at the school. Furthermore, have students participate in required financial literacy courses operated through a Continuing Education program or through a school's academic support unit. A lot of teams already do this, but make completion of the program a condition in order for students to access their trust upon leaving the school.