Tank McNamara by Bill Hinds for October 08, 2013

Maybe I’m being too obvious, or naive, but if the football program can’t pay it, drop the team.

160 years ago, the ‘ole Massas on the plantations made very much the same argument. My response to Tank’s question would be, “Legalize Boosterism.” (Though I suspect not having to “gift” these players under the table might take some of the fun out of being a Booster.)

Sell advertising on the jerseys and helmets.

You mean do what they do already, right?

How about allowing each student athlete to be able to hold an outside job up to US$15,000 per year beyond their scholarship? That right there ends the VAST majority of the NCAA violation problems.

They’ll raise prices on tickets, PSLs and booster club fees.

Raise tuition is always the schools solution.

It’s a fairly safe bet that neither the caller nor his kids are attending college (or they’ve already finished.)

With the massive money generated by the NCAA it should very easily be able to afford paying salaries to the players

okay, let’s pay them – but cap the payment at the cost of tuition and room/board – oh, and they’ll have to pay taxes on it.

We are long overdue to overturn the NCAA as currently constituted, and institute a club athletic system as is practiced overseas, particularly in Europe. An approximately 70% reduction in athletic scholarships means that those awards can go to true scholar-athletes who demonstrate genuine need and genuine commitment to complete their educations. No more question of ‘amateur’ athletes in giant, moneymaking university athletic departments- those departments can go strictly commercial, with no ties (or significantly reduced ties) to their namesake schools.

Just pay ’em. Whatever they can bring on the open market. -And NO NEED to fool around with that eligibility stuff or qualifying for college. NO NEED for them even to be enrolled or go to class.-Eliminate all the recruiting rules and there will be no cheating.