10 ms·

Death threats and denial for woman who showed college athletes struggle to read

139 points by codelion 13y ago

thenmar 13y ago
College football, at least, might as well be a minor league. The stars play for two years, abandon their degree, and join the NFL. You'd have to be very naive to think that the athletes at top div 1 programs are true "student-athletes". Look at Penn State for a prime example of toxic "athletics are everything" college football culture. Look at the numerous recruitment scandals in which players or players' families were offered money or perks in exchange for matriculation. So they can't read? Play calling cards are images anyway. That's the attitude at these schools.
- drusenko 13y ago
  although your point may be valid in general, you're pretty wrong about penn state: http://news.psu.edu/story/293418/2013/10/30/athletics/penn-state-football-graduation-success-rate-top-10-percent-among http://news.psu.edu/story/293418/2013/10/30/athletics/penn-s...
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - thenmar 13y ago
    I was actually referring to the Sandusky scandal and how Paterno knew Sandusky was sexually abusing children and let the legal process die with minimally plausibly deniable effort.
    - drusenko 13y ago
      > The stars play for two years, abandon their degree, and join the NFL. You'd have to be very naive to think that the athletes at top div 1 programs are true "student-athletes" [..] So they can't read? Play calling cards are images anyway. That's the attitude at these schools. This is what I was responding to, and at least at Penn State, it's measurably false. > I was actually referring to the Sandusky scandal and how Paterno knew Sandusky was sexually abusing children and let the legal process die with minimally plausibly deniable effort. I don't disagree with you on that point, football culture can absolutely be toxic, and Penn State is a perfect example of how it can go wrong.
    - gaadd33 13y ago
      I've been under the impression that Paterno, while he didn't continue to pursue beyond the legal minimum, did push it up to the people who were supposed to handle such things (head of security/college president) and they were the ones who actively covered it up. Is that incorrect?
  - adamnemecek 13y ago
    He might have been referring to the this whole situation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Sandusky https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Sandusky which contains many elements of the 'athletics are everything' mindset.
- mirajshah 13y ago
  I agree. For those familiar with soccer in Europe, take a look at the system they have in place there. Athletes on a path to professional sports join private sports clubs early on and (1) mature athletically much faster and (2) quickly have the potential to earn money for playing. Professional sports is a legitimate career which doesn't really require a college education, so we could really learn from Europe's clean division between school and sports.
  - Nux 13y ago
    I think the football players in Europe are also pretty uneducated, though not being active in a college or uni nobody really cares. We just take it for granted. My problem with football is the toxic environment that develops around it, all the abusive fans (a bunch of misogynist, homophobes, xenophobes and racist lowlifes), all the damn betting agencies - the black spot in any neighbourhood, all the scandals about bribes and such. It's a shame, because the sport itself is very nice.
    - gojomo 13y ago
      While there are plenty of toxic attitudes and behaviors in American sport as well, it seems (from a distance) that the European football system is worse. It might be that the laundering of loyalties through colleges helps the US a bit here. The 17-23 year-old athletes are inside, and must feign allegiance to, a system of more supervision and higher educational aspirations. Many fans acquire collegiate affiliations far from their home region, and the overall fan base might lean more college-educated, because of all the co-marketing during college years.
      - johnward 13y ago
        I think you basically just get the lowest common denominator when it comes to sports fans. Kind of like when you walk into any walmart in the US.
    - mcv 13y ago
      > It's a shame, because the sport itself is very nice. I think fundamentally the problem is in watching other people sport. Sport is great for people to do. As entertainment for mass consumption, it's not so great.
- sentenza 13y ago
  On a side note, and without wanting to complain about Penn State specifically: I spent a few weeks in State College, PA a few years ago as a student (coming from Germany) and was extremely weirded out. I felt as if I was visiting from another planet. Overall, most things I saw while in the US, I could relate to in some way (industrious New York, beggars in Philadelphia, the tourist traps of New York, the hectic fast food restaurants), but I never managed to connect to the "college town experience" even though I had something like four weeks to do so. Everything seemed to be curated, just like some footage of childhood christmas you see on television. Students and the interests of students dominated the entire experience. I felt as if I was visiting a theme park. Funnily enough, I only tangentially registered the obsession with sports that seems to be very prevalent there. What I distinctly remember is wondering, why the "Academic Bookstore" had more Sports apparel and team merchandise than books in it. It is hard to say if any meaningful insight can be gained from my personal experience there. I heared somewhere that going to college is an important way for young people in the US to escape culturally difficult surroundings (say, a radically religious community), but IMO it feels kind of sad that the college world is so separated from the rest of US culture.
- adelevie 13y ago
  > Look at Penn State for a prime example of toxic "athletics are everything" college football culture. > Look at the numerous recruitment scandals in which players or players' families were offered money or perks in exchange for matriculation. I graduated from Penn State in 2011--the year before the Sandusky scandal broke. It was easily the darkest time for my school, and I don't know a single person who wasn't feeling a mix of horror, shame, and disgust at what went on. While the connection between the football program and Sandusky's actions (a retired coach since 1998) leaves room for disagreement amongst reasonable people, Penn State is one of the few schools that handles student athleticism properly. Recruiting scandals, perks from boosters, and lackluster academic achievement from student athletes are problems that Penn State solves as well as any school out there. The New America Foundation ranks top-25-BCS-ranked football programs by academic achievement of their players. Anytime Penn State's football team was ranked in the top 25 in the BCS, they have also ranked highly (usually #1) in New America's "Academic Bowl".[1] I'd also like to point out the fascinating example set by John Urschel. He finished his math undergrad degree in three years with a 4.0 GPA[2]. He then finished his math masters degree the following year, again with a 4.0 GPA[3]. He has written academic research articles[4]. He writes software[5]. He teaches an undergrad math course[6]. He's also a graduating offensive lineman with a real shot at the NFL. He's weighing that prospect against the option of pursuing a Ph.D[7]. [1] http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/blogposts/2012/the_2012_academic_bowl_championship_series-75177 http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/blogposts/2012/the_2012_..., http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/blogposts/2009/third_annual_academic_bowl_championship_series_rankings-25250 http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/blogposts/2009/third_ann..., http://www.newamerica.net/blog/higher-ed-watch/2008/second-annual-academic-bcs-rankings-8907 http://www.newamerica.net/blog/higher-ed-watch/2008/second-a... [2] http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/cv.html http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/cv.html [3] Id. [4] Id. [5] http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/publications.html http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/publications.html [6] http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/cv.html http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/cv.html [7] http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/sportsman/news/20131204/john-urschel-my-sportsman/ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/sportsman/news/20131204/joh...
- johnward 13y ago
  Which brings up another point. If the players are responsible for bringing in so much revenue why not just make it legal to pay them?
corin_ 13y ago
Who's sending death threats? People who make money off having good athletes in universities regardless of their education levels? Athletes who are afraid of being kicked out? Other? Four death threats seems awfully high for such a topic. And what was the university thinking? Seems like denying knowledge of the report and claiming they can't comment on it without data (to CNN, not to a high school newspaper) was a terrible move given they had not only been given the reports, but had paid for the data which was in them.
- Scienz 13y ago
  This is just a guess, but I would suspect it's the fans. I remember seeing actual riots at my former school over a football (the American variety) game - the cars flipped, fires started, campus-police-in-full-riot-gear-firing-tear-gas kind. The fans probably just associate it as some brainiac professor declaring war on their culture and insulting their beloved players, and respond with hatemail and death threats.
  - thaumasiotes 13y ago
    > The fans probably just associate it as some brainiac professor declaring war on their culture and insulting their beloved players, and respond with hatemail and death threats. With due respect to the fans... hatemail and death threats just make me think their culture is even more awful. Who's supposed to be convinced here?
    - stoolpigeon 13y ago
      You are assuming that the people who make the death threats are rational. They aren't. They are being who they are, which as you say, shows just how awful their culture is. These are the people who would aid and abet a child molester if they thought it would help their 'team'.
- mbillie1 13y ago
  > People who make money off having good athletes in universities regardless of their education levels? You mean the type of people that pay college football coaches as much as ~$5M+/year? (http://www.businessinsider.com/the-25-highest-paid-coaches-in-college-football-2013-11?op=1 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-25-highest-paid-coaches-i...) No, I cannot imagine one of these fine institutions benefiting from valuing athletics above academics. Surely college sports is all about education.
jds375 13y ago
Wow.... I can't believe it's that bad. While I can understand athletes performing at lower levels than average students, there are certainly basic minimums that must be met. If 8-10% are below a 3rd grade reading level as the article claims, then just imagine how many are below a high-school level. Link to more in depth article for those interested also on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/07/us/ncaa-athletes-reading-scores/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/07/us/ncaa-athletes-reading-score...
the_cat_kittles 13y ago
Why should an aspiring pro athlete be de-facto required / expected to be scholastically proficient? It seems like the crux of the problem is that aspiring athletes in America (except the very tip of the top prospects) need to compete in college to hone their skill set... not that I am the first person to say this of course. I think the universities are at 90% fault- they are the ones who try and maintain the image of equal treatment. They are also the ones who coddle athletes and enable their academic dishonesty. What would happen if schools started offer athletic scholarships where all the "student" does is play sports, and they don't bullshit about it? wouldn't that be better?
- streetnigga 13y ago
  "Why should an aspiring pro athlete be de-facto required / expected to be scholastically proficient?" A vast majority will not succeed in their venture and these are schools. Poor career paths aside, the rest of the world expects you to be able to read and comprehend the menu in the food court. This goes doubly so if the aspiring athlete is working the till, which they often are before and after their career path.
  - watwut 13y ago
    I doubt those "between 8% and 10% of the school's football and basketball players" who "are reading below a third-grade level" are getting much education. At best, they are getting an empty degree.
  - ams6110 13y ago
    A vast majority will not succeed in their venture You are correct that the vast majority of collegiate athletes will not go on to play professionally. However most of them are well aware of this and actually can read and do take their academics more seriously. There are countless numbers of people who were athletes in college and who go on to success in professions other than sports. The truly elite athletes who are very likely going to go on to play professionally also know this and may very well not have any intention of completing a degree.
- venomsnake 13y ago
deevus 13y ago
I think English speaking society in general struggles with the English language. Social media is where it gets to me the most. Personally, I think this is appalling.
augustocallejas 13y ago
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/the-shame-of-college-sports/308643/ http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/the-sham...
zainny 13y ago
Can anyone explain the interrelation between sports players and college for me? We don't really have such a concept in Australia as far as I'm aware. Am I understanding correctly that to play a sport professionally a person must first attend a college and complete some degree? Why does the US even have this system? Do any other countries do this as well?
- _delirium 13y ago
  > We don't really have such a concept in Australia as far as I'm aware. There do seem to be university sports leagues in Australia, they just aren't taken as seriously afaict, e.g.: http://www.aurl.com.au/ http://www.aurl.com.au/
  - vacri 13y ago
    It's not that they're not taken seriously, just that they're not in any way a requirement to be a professional player. To play cricket, aussie rules, rugby, hockey, netball and so on at the professional level doesn't require a feeder system of athletes from the tertiary education sector. Professional athletes also aren't introduced by sportscasters as 'name, college'. Who knows, it might catch on. Other American sports oddities have, like that annoying singing of the national anthem before each match and providing a role for athletic women in professional sports by making them cheerleaders...
  - jstevens85 13y ago
    While university sport certainly exists, the major differences are that i) they don't generate any revenue, and ii) student athletes don't receive any advantage in university admissions.
    - ams6110 13y ago
      In the USA, only mens basketball and football typically generate revenue. Maybe in some areas baseball or hockey might. Those programs support the vast majority of athletes (track and field, swimming, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, etc. as well as all the women's teams) who are in programs that do not generate any revenue.
netcan 13y ago
I don't really understand the US' college sports system. But from my very flimsy outsider picture, it seems like a pretty good system. It's flush with cash. I see complaints of how a lot of this is captured by coaches and staff, but I'm sure some flows to (for example) less popular sports too. It gives athletes a college education and an incentive to finish high school. This article is obviously about cracks in that system. Overall the effect on athletes' education is probably very positive, especially outside of the super-elite players in more popular sports. Compare that to european amateur sports systems that have nothing to do with college: It is pretty hard for a 19 year old with a sport as the no 1 thing in their life to get a degree at all.
marvin 13y ago
At least we know that she is onto something. If people threaten your life over your research, you can be sure that you're in the right ballpark, so to speak.
cLeEOGPw 13y ago
The problem is the requirement for athletes to have a degree. Why can't the athletes be separated from the rest, and only those that truly want to learn, attend lectures/exams? Professors wouldn't have to pass them and the degree would not be an empty paper.

139 points by codelion 13y ago

College football, at least, might as well be a minor league. The stars play for two years, abandon their degree, and join the NFL. You'd have to be very naive to think that the athletes at top div 1 programs are true "student-athletes". Look at Penn State for a prime example of toxic "athletics are everything" college football culture. Look at the numerous recruitment scandals in which players or players' families were offered money or perks in exchange for matriculation. So they can't read? Play calling cards are images anyway. That's the attitude at these schools.

drusenko 13y ago
although your point may be valid in general, you're pretty wrong about penn state: http://news.psu.edu/story/293418/2013/10/30/athletics/penn-state-football-graduation-success-rate-top-10-percent-among http://news.psu.edu/story/293418/2013/10/30/athletics/penn-s...
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- thenmar 13y ago
  I was actually referring to the Sandusky scandal and how Paterno knew Sandusky was sexually abusing children and let the legal process die with minimally plausibly deniable effort.
  - drusenko 13y ago
    > The stars play for two years, abandon their degree, and join the NFL. You'd have to be very naive to think that the athletes at top div 1 programs are true "student-athletes" [..] So they can't read? Play calling cards are images anyway. That's the attitude at these schools. This is what I was responding to, and at least at Penn State, it's measurably false. > I was actually referring to the Sandusky scandal and how Paterno knew Sandusky was sexually abusing children and let the legal process die with minimally plausibly deniable effort. I don't disagree with you on that point, football culture can absolutely be toxic, and Penn State is a perfect example of how it can go wrong.
  - gaadd33 13y ago
    I've been under the impression that Paterno, while he didn't continue to pursue beyond the legal minimum, did push it up to the people who were supposed to handle such things (head of security/college president) and they were the ones who actively covered it up. Is that incorrect?
- adamnemecek 13y ago
  He might have been referring to the this whole situation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Sandusky https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Sandusky which contains many elements of the 'athletics are everything' mindset.
mirajshah 13y ago
I agree. For those familiar with soccer in Europe, take a look at the system they have in place there. Athletes on a path to professional sports join private sports clubs early on and (1) mature athletically much faster and (2) quickly have the potential to earn money for playing. Professional sports is a legitimate career which doesn't really require a college education, so we could really learn from Europe's clean division between school and sports.
- Nux 13y ago
  I think the football players in Europe are also pretty uneducated, though not being active in a college or uni nobody really cares. We just take it for granted. My problem with football is the toxic environment that develops around it, all the abusive fans (a bunch of misogynist, homophobes, xenophobes and racist lowlifes), all the damn betting agencies - the black spot in any neighbourhood, all the scandals about bribes and such. It's a shame, because the sport itself is very nice.
  - gojomo 13y ago
    While there are plenty of toxic attitudes and behaviors in American sport as well, it seems (from a distance) that the European football system is worse. It might be that the laundering of loyalties through colleges helps the US a bit here. The 17-23 year-old athletes are inside, and must feign allegiance to, a system of more supervision and higher educational aspirations. Many fans acquire collegiate affiliations far from their home region, and the overall fan base might lean more college-educated, because of all the co-marketing during college years.
    - johnward 13y ago
      I think you basically just get the lowest common denominator when it comes to sports fans. Kind of like when you walk into any walmart in the US.
  - mcv 13y ago
    > It's a shame, because the sport itself is very nice. I think fundamentally the problem is in watching other people sport. Sport is great for people to do. As entertainment for mass consumption, it's not so great.
sentenza 13y ago
On a side note, and without wanting to complain about Penn State specifically: I spent a few weeks in State College, PA a few years ago as a student (coming from Germany) and was extremely weirded out. I felt as if I was visiting from another planet. Overall, most things I saw while in the US, I could relate to in some way (industrious New York, beggars in Philadelphia, the tourist traps of New York, the hectic fast food restaurants), but I never managed to connect to the "college town experience" even though I had something like four weeks to do so. Everything seemed to be curated, just like some footage of childhood christmas you see on television. Students and the interests of students dominated the entire experience. I felt as if I was visiting a theme park. Funnily enough, I only tangentially registered the obsession with sports that seems to be very prevalent there. What I distinctly remember is wondering, why the "Academic Bookstore" had more Sports apparel and team merchandise than books in it. It is hard to say if any meaningful insight can be gained from my personal experience there. I heared somewhere that going to college is an important way for young people in the US to escape culturally difficult surroundings (say, a radically religious community), but IMO it feels kind of sad that the college world is so separated from the rest of US culture.
adelevie 13y ago
> Look at Penn State for a prime example of toxic "athletics are everything" college football culture. > Look at the numerous recruitment scandals in which players or players' families were offered money or perks in exchange for matriculation. I graduated from Penn State in 2011--the year before the Sandusky scandal broke. It was easily the darkest time for my school, and I don't know a single person who wasn't feeling a mix of horror, shame, and disgust at what went on. While the connection between the football program and Sandusky's actions (a retired coach since 1998) leaves room for disagreement amongst reasonable people, Penn State is one of the few schools that handles student athleticism properly. Recruiting scandals, perks from boosters, and lackluster academic achievement from student athletes are problems that Penn State solves as well as any school out there. The New America Foundation ranks top-25-BCS-ranked football programs by academic achievement of their players. Anytime Penn State's football team was ranked in the top 25 in the BCS, they have also ranked highly (usually #1) in New America's "Academic Bowl".[1] I'd also like to point out the fascinating example set by John Urschel. He finished his math undergrad degree in three years with a 4.0 GPA[2]. He then finished his math masters degree the following year, again with a 4.0 GPA[3]. He has written academic research articles[4]. He writes software[5]. He teaches an undergrad math course[6]. He's also a graduating offensive lineman with a real shot at the NFL. He's weighing that prospect against the option of pursuing a Ph.D[7]. [1] http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/blogposts/2012/the_2012_academic_bowl_championship_series-75177 http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/blogposts/2012/the_2012_..., http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/blogposts/2009/third_annual_academic_bowl_championship_series_rankings-25250 http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/blogposts/2009/third_ann..., http://www.newamerica.net/blog/higher-ed-watch/2008/second-annual-academic-bcs-rankings-8907 http://www.newamerica.net/blog/higher-ed-watch/2008/second-a... [2] http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/cv.html http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/cv.html [3] Id. [4] Id. [5] http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/publications.html http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/publications.html [6] http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/cv.html http://www.personal.psu.edu/jcu5018/cv.html [7] http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/sportsman/news/20131204/john-urschel-my-sportsman/ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/sportsman/news/20131204/joh...
johnward 13y ago
Which brings up another point. If the players are responsible for bringing in so much revenue why not just make it legal to pay them?

corin_ 13y ago

Who's sending death threats? People who make money off having good athletes in universities regardless of their education levels? Athletes who are afraid of being kicked out? Other? Four death threats seems awfully high for such a topic. And what was the university thinking? Seems like denying knowledge of the report and claiming they can't comment on it without data (to CNN, not to a high school newspaper) was a terrible move given they had not only been given the reports, but had paid for the data which was in them.

Scienz 13y ago
This is just a guess, but I would suspect it's the fans. I remember seeing actual riots at my former school over a football (the American variety) game - the cars flipped, fires started, campus-police-in-full-riot-gear-firing-tear-gas kind. The fans probably just associate it as some brainiac professor declaring war on their culture and insulting their beloved players, and respond with hatemail and death threats.
- thaumasiotes 13y ago
  > The fans probably just associate it as some brainiac professor declaring war on their culture and insulting their beloved players, and respond with hatemail and death threats. With due respect to the fans... hatemail and death threats just make me think their culture is even more awful. Who's supposed to be convinced here?
  - stoolpigeon 13y ago
    You are assuming that the people who make the death threats are rational. They aren't. They are being who they are, which as you say, shows just how awful their culture is. These are the people who would aid and abet a child molester if they thought it would help their 'team'.
mbillie1 13y ago
> People who make money off having good athletes in universities regardless of their education levels? You mean the type of people that pay college football coaches as much as ~$5M+/year? (http://www.businessinsider.com/the-25-highest-paid-coaches-in-college-football-2013-11?op=1 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-25-highest-paid-coaches-i...) No, I cannot imagine one of these fine institutions benefiting from valuing athletics above academics. Surely college sports is all about education.

jds375 13y ago

Wow.... I can't believe it's that bad. While I can understand athletes performing at lower levels than average students, there are certainly basic minimums that must be met. If 8-10% are below a 3rd grade reading level as the article claims, then just imagine how many are below a high-school level. Link to more in depth article for those interested also on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/07/us/ncaa-athletes-reading-scores/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/07/us/ncaa-athletes-reading-score...

the_cat_kittles 13y ago

Why should an aspiring pro athlete be de-facto required / expected to be scholastically proficient? It seems like the crux of the problem is that aspiring athletes in America (except the very tip of the top prospects) need to compete in college to hone their skill set... not that I am the first person to say this of course. I think the universities are at 90% fault- they are the ones who try and maintain the image of equal treatment. They are also the ones who coddle athletes and enable their academic dishonesty. What would happen if schools started offer athletic scholarships where all the "student" does is play sports, and they don't bullshit about it? wouldn't that be better?

streetnigga 13y ago
"Why should an aspiring pro athlete be de-facto required / expected to be scholastically proficient?" A vast majority will not succeed in their venture and these are schools. Poor career paths aside, the rest of the world expects you to be able to read and comprehend the menu in the food court. This goes doubly so if the aspiring athlete is working the till, which they often are before and after their career path.
- watwut 13y ago
  I doubt those "between 8% and 10% of the school's football and basketball players" who "are reading below a third-grade level" are getting much education. At best, they are getting an empty degree.
- ams6110 13y ago
  A vast majority will not succeed in their venture You are correct that the vast majority of collegiate athletes will not go on to play professionally. However most of them are well aware of this and actually can read and do take their academics more seriously. There are countless numbers of people who were athletes in college and who go on to success in professions other than sports. The truly elite athletes who are very likely going to go on to play professionally also know this and may very well not have any intention of completing a degree.
venomsnake 13y ago

deevus 13y ago

I think English speaking society in general struggles with the English language. Social media is where it gets to me the most. Personally, I think this is appalling.

augustocallejas 13y ago

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/the-shame-of-college-sports/308643/ http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/the-sham...

zainny 13y ago

Can anyone explain the interrelation between sports players and college for me? We don't really have such a concept in Australia as far as I'm aware. Am I understanding correctly that to play a sport professionally a person must first attend a college and complete some degree? Why does the US even have this system? Do any other countries do this as well?

_delirium 13y ago
> We don't really have such a concept in Australia as far as I'm aware. There do seem to be university sports leagues in Australia, they just aren't taken as seriously afaict, e.g.: http://www.aurl.com.au/ http://www.aurl.com.au/
- vacri 13y ago
  It's not that they're not taken seriously, just that they're not in any way a requirement to be a professional player. To play cricket, aussie rules, rugby, hockey, netball and so on at the professional level doesn't require a feeder system of athletes from the tertiary education sector. Professional athletes also aren't introduced by sportscasters as 'name, college'. Who knows, it might catch on. Other American sports oddities have, like that annoying singing of the national anthem before each match and providing a role for athletic women in professional sports by making them cheerleaders...
- jstevens85 13y ago
  While university sport certainly exists, the major differences are that i) they don't generate any revenue, and ii) student athletes don't receive any advantage in university admissions.
  - ams6110 13y ago
    In the USA, only mens basketball and football typically generate revenue. Maybe in some areas baseball or hockey might. Those programs support the vast majority of athletes (track and field, swimming, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, etc. as well as all the women's teams) who are in programs that do not generate any revenue.

netcan 13y ago

I don't really understand the US' college sports system. But from my very flimsy outsider picture, it seems like a pretty good system. It's flush with cash. I see complaints of how a lot of this is captured by coaches and staff, but I'm sure some flows to (for example) less popular sports too. It gives athletes a college education and an incentive to finish high school. This article is obviously about cracks in that system. Overall the effect on athletes' education is probably very positive, especially outside of the super-elite players in more popular sports. Compare that to european amateur sports systems that have nothing to do with college: It is pretty hard for a 19 year old with a sport as the no 1 thing in their life to get a degree at all.

marvin 13y ago

At least we know that she is onto something. If people threaten your life over your research, you can be sure that you're in the right ballpark, so to speak.

cLeEOGPw 13y ago

The problem is the requirement for athletes to have a degree. Why can't the athletes be separated from the rest, and only those that truly want to learn, attend lectures/exams? Professors wouldn't have to pass them and the degree would not be an empty paper.