Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Should professional sports agents be allowed to sign, advise and support college athletes?

6 comments:

Andrew said...

It depends on where the line is drawn. I think they can sign college athletes. They should not be able to advise or support them. They aren't professionals, and to be treated as such violates the amateur status of NCAA athletes.

Tim said...

I think they should just bar code a baby's forehead at birth, then give the family lots of money.

Cate said...

i'm with andrew. ncaa athletes are amateurs. if you are good enough and old enough to go pro, do it. can't have it both ways.

Unknown said...

no...college athletes can be egotistical and greedy enough on their own without the help of an agent to puff them up.

John said...

Wow, yeah I'm going to get all ranty on this one.

Let's be honest, we are only talking about football and basketball here. Also, of those guys, just a fraction are good enough to have a shot at the pros.

The rules are if you talk to an agent, you are done. Total bullshit. These guys are making coaches and AD's millionaires.

Listen, if as a college person I have a reasonable shot in my professional school to say, go to work for a financial firm...I can talk to job prospects all throughout college. Coaches HAVE agents and are talking to them about leaving for other schools or the NFL/NBA at the same time they are lying to kids saying they'll stay at that college.

I understand why people want the line drawn at not getting any sort of gifts (though I could go off on another rant on that).

However, any college athlete should have the right to be advised by any good damn person out there about their professional future. The system we have in place means shady agents who give shitty advice are the only ones really talking to these guys. It's the college's duty, if they are making millions off these guys, to ensure they get sound professional advice on their futures...agents, academic advisors, former players, the whole thing.

Not allowing this is continuing a system on near-free labor. It's one of the many bullshit failures of the NCAA...the most corrupt athletic association in American sports.

Cate said...

john, at any major school with a halfway decent sports program, there is an entire small army devoted to helping athletes. all of them, not just the football and men's basketball teams although those 2 sports do get extra special treatment. people work full-time year round to support these kids. you are kidding yourself if you think athletes are denied anything. a free college education in exchange for playing a sport you love isn't a bad deal.