6 ms·

"Most never made a dime off the game." The article lost credibility for me there. You may think the majority of NFL players don't get paid enough for what they

by netfire 12y ago

"Most never made a dime off the game." The article lost credibility for me there. You may think the majority of NFL players don't get paid enough for what they do, but I'm pretty sure no one is playing for free.

cmurphycode 12y ago
" Most of those players are not famous. Most never made a dime off the game. They are relatively anonymous men who played the sport in college and only later, for some reason or another, have found themselves struggling in life." College players aren't paid. Most college players never make it to a professional paying level. https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Probability-of-going-pro-methodology_Update2013.pdf https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Probability-of-goin...
- netfire 12y ago
  The quote was made in the context of NFL players. (At least that's how I read it) Still, even though college players aren't paid with money, they still receive compensation (scholarships, financial aid, free tutors, etc). To indicate that they receive no financial compensation is inaccurate, I think.
  - graeme 12y ago
    The article wasn't clear, but I think you've misread it: "Most never made a dime off the game. They are relatively anonymous men who played the sport in college and only later, for some reason or another, have found themselves struggling in life. Just like their N.F.L. counterparts, Hoffman and those former college players have been left to wonder: Did football do this?" The author meant to distinguish Hoffman et al frmo NFL players, who are at least famous and well paid for their troubles. Also, the Hoffman did not say the players never received "financial compensation". Hoffman said they never made a dime off the game, which is profit. (He's also speaking loosely, as the use of the idiomatic phrase suggests)
zo1 12y ago
Don't they play for free while in high school and college? I'm not too familiar with American sports. But it sounds like this could have been avoided entirely if there wasn't such a huge and obsessive push to get kids on the track to "big time NFL stardom" from high school onwards.
- brudgers 12y ago
  Football is seen as a path to free college tuition. An NCAA Division I football team has [last I checked] 85 full grants in aid and a DII program 65. These are in addition to whatever schools use from their academic scholarship pool to attract athletes. With the rising cost of tuition, room, and board, playing college football can easily work out to more than $100,000 of economic benefit. Some parents see football as a path to education. In fairness, for many it may be among the most likely options.
  - logfromblammo 12y ago
    Here, take this free college education in exchange for playing football... so that when you get dementia, you'll have something of value to forget forever.
  - greedo 12y ago
    The education most NCAA football players receive is pathetic. If you look at the time spent practicing, lifting, attending meetings, traveling, actually playing, the idea that they're learning much else is readily apparent. No wonder most NFL players end up bankrupt shortly after their careers end.

by netfire 12y ago

cmurphycode 12y ago

" Most of those players are not famous. Most never made a dime off the game. They are relatively anonymous men who played the sport in college and only later, for some reason or another, have found themselves struggling in life." College players aren't paid. Most college players never make it to a professional paying level. https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Probability-of-going-pro-methodology_Update2013.pdf https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Probability-of-goin...

netfire 12y ago
The quote was made in the context of NFL players. (At least that's how I read it) Still, even though college players aren't paid with money, they still receive compensation (scholarships, financial aid, free tutors, etc). To indicate that they receive no financial compensation is inaccurate, I think.
- graeme 12y ago
  The article wasn't clear, but I think you've misread it: "Most never made a dime off the game. They are relatively anonymous men who played the sport in college and only later, for some reason or another, have found themselves struggling in life. Just like their N.F.L. counterparts, Hoffman and those former college players have been left to wonder: Did football do this?" The author meant to distinguish Hoffman et al frmo NFL players, who are at least famous and well paid for their troubles. Also, the Hoffman did not say the players never received "financial compensation". Hoffman said they never made a dime off the game, which is profit. (He's also speaking loosely, as the use of the idiomatic phrase suggests)

zo1 12y ago

Don't they play for free while in high school and college? I'm not too familiar with American sports. But it sounds like this could have been avoided entirely if there wasn't such a huge and obsessive push to get kids on the track to "big time NFL stardom" from high school onwards.

brudgers 12y ago
Football is seen as a path to free college tuition. An NCAA Division I football team has [last I checked] 85 full grants in aid and a DII program 65. These are in addition to whatever schools use from their academic scholarship pool to attract athletes. With the rising cost of tuition, room, and board, playing college football can easily work out to more than $100,000 of economic benefit. Some parents see football as a path to education. In fairness, for many it may be among the most likely options.
- logfromblammo 12y ago
  Here, take this free college education in exchange for playing football... so that when you get dementia, you'll have something of value to forget forever.
- greedo 12y ago
  The education most NCAA football players receive is pathetic. If you look at the time spent practicing, lifting, attending meetings, traveling, actually playing, the idea that they're learning much else is readily apparent. No wonder most NFL players end up bankrupt shortly after their careers end.