ISAIAH AUSTIN AND THE NCAA FARCE There were many heart warming moments at this years NBA draft. One of these heart warming moment was seeing student-athletes finally rewarded for the years of, what could be described as, free labor they provided to their respective universities. Some might argue that being drafted into the NBA and signing a seven figure, multi-year contract is, in affect, the student-athletes delayed compensation, their ultimate reward for all their hard work and commitment to the game of college basketball. Which brings me to Isaiah Austin, a former 71 Baylor University basketball player. You see Isaiah has Marfan Syndrome, a genetic disorder which has effectively ended any chance of him ever playing in the NBA. In the past, I have been a strong advocate for student-athlete compensation. Student-athletes have a unique talent, an athleticism, a special gift that people recognize as special and are willing to pay to see. College sports, particularly basketball and football, generate huge revenues for the NCAA and for the universities these student-athletes attend. Enough so that an entity like the NCAA has become almost a billion dollar enterprise. It is sad, but true that the NCAA recognized early their ability to make this big money by simply taking money that should have been placed in a student-athletes rainy day account and manipulating this system of deceit to their advantage. And the reason for this exploitation, this manipulation was the NCAAs greed pure and simple. The courts will have the last word in this one. As for the young men responsible for generating this enormous wealth, these money making for everyone else but themselves machines, the student athletes well, they receive next to nothing for their efforts. Some find themselves in Isaiah Austins position, on the verge of being able to provide generational financial security for himself and his family only to have the dream obliterated by a single devastating diagnosis or event. This is a true human tragedy. But can we imagine for just one moment if all collegiate athletes, including Isaiah, received monetary compensation during their college years? Perhaps then Isaiah, and many past and current players, would have more to show for their contributions, their sacrifice, perhaps even having the ability to pay for their own medical expenses, instead of just having the honor of posing next to an NBA commissioner. There are remaining questions like how Austins Marfan diagnosis was missed for so long (assuming college players are required to have an annual physical exam before they are allowed to play). Perhaps there is a very good explanation for his delayed diagnosis. But this is what we do know right now-- universities and the NCAA have been exploiting 18, 19, 21 and 22 year-olds for generations when these same institutions should have been protecting their interests.This is wrong people! WRONG. Stop student-athlete exploitation. Now! Compensate athletes while they are still in college. Remember athletes like Isaiah Austin and the many athletes like him who came before and will more than likely come after. Postscript: There is a silver lining for Isaiah Austin. Prior to his Marfan diagnosis, Austin took out a $1 million insurance policy through a special program set up by the NCAA. Austin will probably receive this payout. :-) m.chronicle/article/Pay-for-Top-14-NCAA-Executives/124358/ usatoday/sports/college/salaries/ncaab/coach/?fullsite=true wiki.answers/Q/What_percentage_of_NCAA_basketball_players_make_NBA_teams answerparty/question/answer/what-percentage-of-highschool-boys-basketball-players-play-in-college-division-1 indystar/story/news/2014/03/27/ncaa-approaching-billion-per-year-amid-challenges-players/6973767/
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 04:21:26 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015