Many of us sports fans know the pageantry and spirit of college sports is unlike any other because money isn't involved... yeah right!
With the recent allegations and proven idiocy displayed by "The" Ohio State University and "The U," this issue has been brought to the forefront more than ever with the exception of SMU in 1987, but even Eric Dickerson's Mustangs didn't carry the prominence of the Buckeyes and 'Canes.
There is a simple solution to these problems that many are missing and it's not rocket science to figure out.
As for Miami's infractions, that was just stupidity with accepting hookers and rings and all that kind of stuff, so really they made their bed and now will die in it.
Ohio State's is more of a touchy subject. First off, coaches should be given absolutely NO leash and the university should have ZERO tolerance of accepting gifts and recruiting violations, one time and your gone, period.
The selling of the memorabilia by Terrelle Pryor and others is what I have the main issue with. Okay, so some say that college athletes should be paid... baloney!
These kids get FREE educations because of what they can do with their bodies and god-given talent, whereas kids like myself got into school for our minds, and get very little financial assistance.
I do, however, believe that these players, such as Pryor, should 100 percent be allowed to sell their name and memorabilia, after all it is America, land of the FREE, and the stuff is THEIRS!
I also believe that the schools should support them and allow autograph signings on campus. For example, I attended UT at the same time as NFL safety Eric Berry. Eric was as hot of a commodity as I have ever seen, everyone wanted a picture of him or an autograph and would have paid for it, heck I did.
UT should have allowed Berry to set up a table on pedestrian walkway or outside the stadium and charge people to sign things and for pics, with zero money going to UT and all profits to EB.
This is an honest way for kids who have enough talent to profit off of their name and ability. The NCAA and institutions across the country should allow this and have zero problems with it.
Say I want to sell my textbook, or my UT shirts/clothes, it is the same thing and in the case with Pryor, his conference ring and gold pants were HIS, it is his right as an American to do what he pleases with them.
The recruiting violations and car and house payments that the friend of the program made for Pryor are reprehensible and absolutely should not be tolerated and should be punished, but if people want these kids to get "paid," then to me this selling their name and likeness at university sanctioned events is the best and most ethical way of doing so.
