Dilemma of College Athletics
ATHLETICS are a part of the
American way of life.
And supposedly this explains
why, at all levels of American edu-
cation, there are full-scale athletic
programs working at a fever pitch
to turn out winning teams. *
But this certainly cannot ex-
plain, or at least explain rationally-
why the colleges and universities
of the United States are mixed up
in the midst of a topsy - turvy a
athletic scheme that defies any
reasonable explanation.
The present collegiate athletic
eet-up throughout the country has
many ills, and all of them are
BIG: big money, big recruiting,
big scholarships, and big alumni.
THE BIG MONEY has both good
and bad sides, but the bad all
too often are foremost. It is only
natural that athletics should pay
for themselves, and in some cases
provide extra money that can be
put into inmprovement of school
athletic plants...
However, shen the money toes
isto the "slush fund for providingA
the players a little "profit," and
when the money becomes so im- Bigness is perhaps the maior cause of present collegiate athletic ills, the author says. It includes big money, big recruiting, big scholar-
portant that it is "win at all costs," ships, and big alumni, And the problem is complicated by the wishes of the ever-present, cheering, ticket-buying public.
then things have gone too far.
And they have at many schools in lems with the present collegiate
the country. athletic set-up, but certainly the
BIG recruiting has become a BIG MONEY problem is the root
necessary evil ini ainsost every of the foremsost evil.
l"agueor " fhSchools Must Soon Make a Choice:
States where the coaches are try- NATURALLY, there is a good
ing to compete with other major side to this question
college teams. Many boys are able to get a rofessiona l
It has come to the point where college education they would not or n iateztr
the coaching staff is selected for have without athletic influence.
recruiting ability rather than Either they would not have been
coaching a ility; same isen ar- - ble to get in, or they would isotI he L t r
even eniployed as full time rc- have be us able to afford it, or
cruiters. they just would not have been
interested without athletics to in- "
TRUE, schoolI fine from the spire th . a atEnal Equalization Plan
high school athletes' stand- College athletics also serves the
point, since they get free excur- purpose that college in general is
sions to many campuses in the supposed to. It prepares a great
country-if they arc good enough. number of athletes for a future
But from the colleges' stand- l occupation-whether it be in pro-
point it is a waste of time and fessional athletics or in coaching
money that certainly could be and physical education work.
better spent -if only there was Athletics on the college level is I' .11 N JONES
another way to keep sip with the also the best, and in many cases
rivals. (Contmiuei ei Next Page)
' And, of course, BIG recruiting -- -
leads to BIG scholarships. The . -
idea is to get the athlete, and u- ?522r:x ' ~S °~_V. _'," g ug ) _ 7 hy G ri
nothing will sway him like money.
Give him all of the expenses of the
school-tuition, room and board,
books, other expenses-and then
pay him two dollars an hour for Y
turning out the lights in the field C
house, and he may come to your
college.
If that will not work, promise
him a big car upon gradu tions l C
a "gift, and lie probably will Co m lC m o t -
" come.
And if the BIG scholarships can-
not cover the necessary expense,
any "big time" university will have
the BIG alumni standing by to 3 Compared with most formal wear, the ease and
make up the difference. Certainly
they will be able to pay the bills
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There may be some other prob-
RlanTone is pors dito 6 n comfort. Our soft construction entirely
Alani Jones is sports editor
of The Michigan Daily. . O
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