Really dtroutma? Our nation is headed for the toilet and you honestly want to point to Sports as an example What exactly about the superbowl exemplifies the fall of our great nation? While we are at it, by all means debt free pitch in with your reasoning that people who choose to watch the superbowl have no life.
Quite simply, aside the physical destruction of so many young people, and up through ‘pros" in participating in this “sport”, the fact that the highest paid state employees in all but I believe three states, are FOOTBALL coaches, not professors, Deans, or even University Chancellors can match their pay and “benefits”. Without better education, and less emphasis on football, our education system is, as it long has been, at serious risk to promote football, instead of physics THAT is the “toilet”. Just as one example of how long it’s been going on, my university took away the physics and chemistry lab budgets to buy new uniforms for the football team. That was long ago, but my alma mater is playing in a playoff game tonight which I won’t watch, but more folks will be hooked on that college game, than getting an education. Which; speaking of folks who are only qualified for minimum wage jobs, because they lack education….
No idea where your alma mater is but that is certainly the exception rather than the rule. The reality is that schools with good football teams tend to have better overall academics as well. For many schools, including my alma mater the football program not only pays for itself but also helps fund other areas of the university leaving more money for the various colleges. The myth that football programs are funded with money not earned via the sports program itself is grossly over used and incorrect in all but a few ridiculous cases of mismanaged universities. As for injuries, many more kids are injured every day across this country on skateboards than playing football, but as usual people want to be lazy and target what’s highly visible to them instead of actually digging for facts on their own to get to the truth. If you’re truly concerned with injuries why not conduct research on all injuries to youth across the nation, find out the actual leading culprits and target those? Most people won’t because the actual culprits are not glamorous and in the spotlight every day.
^^patonb: already have, in working with the disabled community to bring programs to folks to increase safety, like getting snowboarders and skiers (especially kids) to wear helmets(22 years on National Ski Patrol), also water safety, like don’t dive into “unkown waters”, and others, like ATVs (that cause a huge number of injuries), etc.
Hmm, Fresno State, they played Utah last night, and “football funds and benefits the education programs” is indeed a total myth. Scholarships are another example of the misplaced emphasis on “sports”, not just football, instead of education. I’ll grant that some students ARE indeed “scholar athletes”, but they’re a very small minority of those picked for their athletic prowess.
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
Nothing says “America” like the Stupid Bowl. (And nothing better exemplifies why the nation is headed for the toilet!)
paytonb over 10 years ago
Really dtroutma? Our nation is headed for the toilet and you honestly want to point to Sports as an example What exactly about the superbowl exemplifies the fall of our great nation? While we are at it, by all means debt free pitch in with your reasoning that people who choose to watch the superbowl have no life.
paytonb over 10 years ago
These explanations could prove to be more interesting that watching the superbowl itself.. can’t wait.
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
Quite simply, aside the physical destruction of so many young people, and up through ‘pros" in participating in this “sport”, the fact that the highest paid state employees in all but I believe three states, are FOOTBALL coaches, not professors, Deans, or even University Chancellors can match their pay and “benefits”. Without better education, and less emphasis on football, our education system is, as it long has been, at serious risk to promote football, instead of physics THAT is the “toilet”. Just as one example of how long it’s been going on, my university took away the physics and chemistry lab budgets to buy new uniforms for the football team. That was long ago, but my alma mater is playing in a playoff game tonight which I won’t watch, but more folks will be hooked on that college game, than getting an education. Which; speaking of folks who are only qualified for minimum wage jobs, because they lack education….
paytonb over 10 years ago
No idea where your alma mater is but that is certainly the exception rather than the rule. The reality is that schools with good football teams tend to have better overall academics as well. For many schools, including my alma mater the football program not only pays for itself but also helps fund other areas of the university leaving more money for the various colleges. The myth that football programs are funded with money not earned via the sports program itself is grossly over used and incorrect in all but a few ridiculous cases of mismanaged universities. As for injuries, many more kids are injured every day across this country on skateboards than playing football, but as usual people want to be lazy and target what’s highly visible to them instead of actually digging for facts on their own to get to the truth. If you’re truly concerned with injuries why not conduct research on all injuries to youth across the nation, find out the actual leading culprits and target those? Most people won’t because the actual culprits are not glamorous and in the spotlight every day.
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
^^patonb: already have, in working with the disabled community to bring programs to folks to increase safety, like getting snowboarders and skiers (especially kids) to wear helmets(22 years on National Ski Patrol), also water safety, like don’t dive into “unkown waters”, and others, like ATVs (that cause a huge number of injuries), etc.
Hmm, Fresno State, they played Utah last night, and “football funds and benefits the education programs” is indeed a total myth. Scholarships are another example of the misplaced emphasis on “sports”, not just football, instead of education. I’ll grant that some students ARE indeed “scholar athletes”, but they’re a very small minority of those picked for their athletic prowess.