John Oliver: March Madness and the Student Athlete

SamFisher · Mar 21, 2015

FV Santiago said: ↑

NCAA mens basketball and NCAA football are simply the minor leagues of the NBA and NFL, respectively. The "student athletes" representing 95% of the players in NCAA basketball and football have absolutely no business whatsoever in college (note that for many other sports this isn't the case). Their academic scores and credentials are typically at the very bottom of the universities that they represent and their graduation rates are abysmal. They aren't students, they are minor league athletes.

That said, "student athletes" willingly choose to enter into this agreement by entering school. The attraction is an education (ticket out of poverty) and a chance at professional sports. The NCAA and the fans have created a very nice system to benefit themselves -- and the NBA and NFL let it happen and as a result they don't have to invest in minor league teams as do MLB teams. If "student athletes" want to get paid, then they shouldn't enroll in college. Go to Europe or Asia like Emmanuel Mudiay or Brandon Jennings.
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And there lies the problem for Major and Trader Jorge.

Once you portray players as freely bargaining away their labor in exchange for something, the whole NCAA system collapses as its in violation of about a zillion different antitrust and labor laws.

There's a reason why the NCAA adheres to the student athlete fiction - it's to avoid making the one you just made which is a surefire loser

Rocket River · Aug 24, 2015

I saw someone post a piece by him and it reminded me that I have to get caught up

Been watching so much other stuff

Rocket River

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John Oliver: March Madness and the Student Athlete

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