NCAA To Allow Some Cash?!

[gh]

Press release from USOC the other day noted that as part of the $174 million it has targeted for "athelte support and NGB funding" for the quadrennium ending w/ next year that it will be paying $25,000 for gold medals, $15,000 for silvers and $10,000 for a bronze.

The big news came later in the release, where it says, "The NCAA has approved college athletes for receiving Operation Gold funds from the USOC."

That's a start! Now if such a modernized view on athletics can only be expanded to the World Champs and other places where track athletes can pick up much needed funds.

[Guest]

Re: NCAA To Allow Some Cash?!

Of course, football coaches will throw a fit that their athletes don't have a chance at this money, so they'll cut more track programs so that football players can get more of their fair share of the institutional resources.

[blacklily]

Re: NCAA To Allow Some Cash?!

Why should any NCAA athletes get paid? Their scholarship (which many non-athletes would love to have) IS a form of payment, & can improve their long-term life many times over. Not to mention the costs of training them & schlepping them to meets.

[Guest]

Re: NCAA To Allow Some Cash?!

If the college band's ace tuba player is in school on a music scholarship wouldn't you be aghast if the NCMA (National Collegiate Music Associtation--I just made that up) said he couldn't make summer money by playing with Uncle Otto's Oom-Pah-Pah Band?

Why should athletes be held to a different standard than the rest of the student body?

[Guest]

Re: NCAA To Allow Some Cash?!

how does this work, do you only get paid at the national meet or which meets, If I read it right this will come into effect until next year right?

[abinferno]

Re: NCAA To Allow Some Cash?!

>Why should any NCAA athletes get paid? Their
>scholarship (which many non-athletes would love
>to have) IS a form of payment, & can improve
>their long-term life many times over. Not to
>mention the costs of training them & schlepping
>them to meets.

Yeah right, do you know how many track scholarships there are? I've been all-conference my freshman and sophomore years, and went to NCAA's last year. I don't get a penny. I plan on qualifying for US nationals next year, and if I earn money competing I should be able to claim it. NCAA compliance rules are anachronistic and worthless. The olympic amateurism went out the window long ago. It's time NCAA followed suit.

[Guest]

Re: NCAA To Allow Some Cash?!

<Yeah right, do you know how many track scholarships there are? I've been all-conference my freshman and sophomore years, and went to NCAA's last year. I don't get a penny. I plan on qualifying for US nationals next year, and if I earn money competing I should be able to claim it. NCAA compliance rules are anachronistic and worthless. The olympic amateurism went out the window long ago. It's time NCAA followed suit.>

Abinferno - I actually agree with Blacklily on this one. I too ran well in college, and turned down money several times during my career - but you have to take the "let athletes get paid" argument to it's logical conclusion - play it out over ten years.

If collegiate athletes can keep their winnings - I can see MANY great athletes either staying in school (i.e. Gatlin) and many more distance stars coming in from overseas to get an education (free, since they will get the athletic scholorships) while earning money roaming Europe in the summer. You would be able to keep your winnings, but be prepared for a MUCH more difficult time ever earning an athletic scholorship.

Morceli, Gatlin, etc. leave school because they want the money - if you let them keep it while in college they may stay - and before you know it you can't even get to NCAA Nationals.

That said, I like the idea of letting a guy like you keep a small amount of winnings (say up to $3000 per year) to keep you hungary.

Good luck this year.