Whether or Not College Athletes Should Be Paid

In the United States of America we take our athletics very seriously. This is especially true for college athletics. The sense of pride we get when we are watching our favorite team or our alma mater is amazing. We cheer so hard for these kids because what we are watching is pure; none of it is an act. College athletes play these sports because of their immense love of the game. But connected to its popularity comes with new questions. The most popular argument is whether these athletes should receive the money that they are generating. While it is true that these sports, especially basketball and football, are bringing in tremendous amounts of revenue, we should not begin to pay them. Let's look at these so called university presidents who are paying these athletes. Their real jobs are to create top class universities to give kids educations. Are they really doing that by spending money to make sure they have the best football team? I don't think so. It is time for this argument to stop and for these presidents and the higher ups in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) to step up and stop paying these kids. College athletes should remain what they really are; student athletes.

While it is true that the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) has never allowed its athletes to be paid, it has still been done. The most common example of this is called "pay to play". "Pay to play" is where high school athletes are offered money by college boosters to attend their respective institutions. A recent example of this is the story of Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Newton was the 2010 Heismen Trophy winner as the most outstanding college football player. Once Newton left school, however, a report came out from a former Mississippi State University booster who said that Newton was offered $180,000 to attend that institution. This shows just how far some universities will go in order to attract high profile athletes. A similar example to this was the case of the Southern Methodist University Mustangs. In 1989 SMU was charged with paying over $60,000 in order to keep athletes from turning professional. There are many other examples of "pay to play' scandals that the NCAA does not even know about. This is a huge problem that has to be fixed. High school athletes growing up have seen these types of actions, and many others, and see the opportunity to make money. We are setting a terrible standard for these kids if we allow them to be paid.

Many analysts argue that since these athletes bring so much attention and revenue to their universities they should be allowed to reap the benefits. Colleges profit millions of dollars from TV deals, merchandise and ticket sales and appearances in important games like the Bowl Championship Series or the Final Four and the athletes don't see a penny of it. Even though it all may seem unfair, as long as one remembers that an education