Play for pay

[RC Vikings]

I'm against paying college athletes for playing sports but what is the downside of letting agents pay these kids while in school. It takes away the thought you would have to pay them all if you only paid some of them and the line is so blurred any more between pros and amateurs that I don't see where that matter any more.

[creekster]

I'm against paying college athletes for playing sports but what is the downside of letting agents pay these kids while in school. It takes away the thought you would have to pay them all if you only paid some of them and the line is so blurred any more between pros and amateurs that I don't see where that matter any more.

It would be the demise of college athletics as we know it now. Agents would likely create their own respective 'farm' schools and would recruit to those schools their own handpicked stars for grooming for the pros.

[LiveCoug]

Only a select few would ever see a dime from agents, so it would create a bad division between players.

[RC Vikings]

It would be the demise of college athletics as we know it now. Agents would likely create their own respective 'farm' schools and would recruit to those schools their own handpicked stars for grooming for the pros.

If you had the QB at Florida wouldn't you push another QB on your payroll to a different school for the exposer.

[RC Vikings]

Only a select few would ever see a dime from agents, so it would create a bad division between players.

These kids already know who the stars are and who is getting paid down the road.

[beelzebabette]

How does one distinguish between agents and boosters?

[il Padrino Ute]

How does one distinguish between agents and boosters?

Agents are lawyers and work for boosters.

[RC Vikings]

How does one distinguish between agents and boosters?

That is a good question. I need to think about that one.

[creekster]

That is a good question. I need to think about that one.

WHy? What doifference would it make? None unless you are thinking baout limiting the number of agents.

[RC Vikings]

WHy? What doifference would it make? None unless you are thinking baout limiting the number of agents.

I guess it wouldn't matter where the money came from just not from the school itself.

[beelzebabette]

I guess it wouldn't matter where the money came from just not from the school itself.

That turns college athletic programs into the New York Yankees if boosters can buy the athletes they want.

[RC Vikings]

That turns college athletic programs into the New York Yankees if boosters can buy the athletes they want.

Every school is going to have some big boosters. For even the best players people would have a limit to what they would pay a kid to go to school there. BYU71 may be putting some TE through school.

[NorthwestUteFan]

UNLV (sort of) got around it back in the day because thier top players - Grandmama (Larry Johnson), Greg Anthony, Stacey Augmon, etc - were not scholarship players, and thus were allowed to hold a 'job'. (NCAA regs typically forbid a player from holding a job during the season).

This 'job' was working as a valet at certain local casinos. The fans were told, "Larry Johnson is working at the xyz casino Thursday night. Come out and show your support...".

Boosters would roll up in their cars, hand him the keys, and a few hundred bucks as a 'tip', then go into the casino. Same thing when they would leave, give him a LARGE tip and hop in the car. Lather, rinse, repeat multiple times over a few hours, and the dude is hauling in some serious cash.

It was all unorganized, of course, and most 'boosters' in that scenario were simply 'fans'. Some gave more than others, but the opportunity was there to get some face time with the athlete, maybe smile for a picture, and press some flesh.

Then I guess you have to understand the Vegas way of life. Every service deserves a tip. Buy a hot dog and a drink at a high school football game, and you need to leave a tip.

FWIW, the NCAA was forced to pay Tarkanian $2M to cover legal costs and punitive damages associated with the 'scandal' (which was technically 'legal' according to NCAA regs).

p.s. if the NCAA was TRULY interested in getting agents and money out of colleges, they should work with the NFL and NBA to institute a one year BAN for any agent caught breaking the rule. Take their license for a year.

I don't have any idea how you get booster money out of the equation, however, because as I said above most boosters are simply fans with big wallets and enthusiasm.

They will always find a way to get money into the hands of players...

[NorthwestUteFan]

On topic answer

Paying players to play will be the BCS on hyper steroids. The big-budget schools will utterly rule sports, no question about it.

[pellegrino]

How does one distinguish between agents and boosters?

agents have to go through a registering/licensing process for their respective leagues.