The Newest Degree Plan At Your Favorite University
"I’m going to major in Athletics."
This is the response that many college athletes--I would say the vast majority at D1 schools--should give when asked what they are majoring in. Not "General Studies". Not "Business". Not "Nutrition". Athletics should be a major at colleges, available for student-athletes who are seeking a career in professional sports.
Stop snickering at my reference to professional college athletes (we’ve been down the road before that college athletics is not an amateur sport) as student-athletes. They are. They can be both professionals and students as the same time, just like any intern is in any other college of study. In fact, read that last sentence again:
Now insert any other career/degree/life path/etc. and tell me that that sentence doesn’t work:
That’s right people. It’s no surprise that many of the finest college athletes in the world come to school to try to play in professional sports as soon as possible. The problem is that, for some reason that I don’t understand, we see this as a negative.
Why? What’s wrong with someone having a dream, and coming to a school to learn to better their skills so they can achieve that dream in the near future? Isn’t that what colleges exist for?
College athletes do learn at college, right now—-it’s why there are age limits in the NBA and NFL drafts. It’s because kids are too raw, are too ignorant to succeed on the highest level at that age. They need more training, both mentally and physically. They need to learn the nuances to their game at a level in between high school and the professional. And, like all 18-22 year olds, the most important lesson they need to learn is how to be an adult, and the rights and responsibilities that come from being an adult.
What is wrong with having athletes at a college learning this? It should be absolutely nothing. Instead, we stick to this archaic notion that students must major in "something", so most take joke degrees that they do as little as possible in while they pursue the career that does mean something to them: athletics. Instead, we have the "athletes can’t get any money from anyone ever" nonsense that leads to countless dollars and man-hours wasted watching whether these kids get a new car or not.
Correct me if I’m wrong here: if I, a member of the College of Business at OSU, had received a car from L-3 Communications because they thought I had such excellent potential as a Financial Analyst, would I have been kicked out of school? Would I have not been allowed to return to my Business classes? What about the savant Chemist who has already made incredible breakthroughs on a substitute for Fossil Fuels? When the Government or private businesses give him money, grants, etc., is he expelled?
Of course not. That would be ludicrous! Well, then, why do we do the exact same thing when dealing with athletics? There’s no reason for it! All three involve young people learning to better themselves for future careers. Stop wasting everyone’s time! Let these kids come to school and learn what they want to learn to do.
"But Michael," I can hear millions saying, "what about those kids who don’t make it to the pros? Who go out and don’t get drafted and have wasted four years and have no education to show for it? What happens to those poor, hopeless souls?"
My response is the same both to those millions, and for the athletes themselves: "Grow up."
That’s right, grow up. It’s not your job to save everyone, and quit pretending that you give a shit about these people. Do you care about the Engineering student who can’t make it, flunks out, and gets a job at McDonalds? What about the Art major who really just isn’t that good, but manages to get his degree, and then finds that there is no way he will ever earn a living with his art? What have you done to help those people, oh millions of people?
And as for the athletes themselves, they are 18 when they come to college, meaning they are adults, and are legally not only capable, but responsible for making their own decisions. They know the risks—-the odds of playing for a premier professional sports league are incredibly low (though not as low as the common man thinks. "Professional" sports--meaning you can make a living playing said sports--includes Europe and a myriad of less glamorous professional leagues. You can also use your experience to become a trainer or a coach. The cupboard is not completely bare if you don’t make it to the NBA, NFL, or MLB), just like the odds of being a famous artist or writer are incredibly low for all the Liberal Arts majors out there. But they have the opportunity to come to college, fully devote themselves to their craft, and maximize their skills in their chosen field. Again: this is the purpose of a university.
As for the NCAA, they will not become extinct by initiating this plan. An important part is to ensure the continued allowance of double majors, or to allow those student-athletes who want to prepare for a life outside of sports to major in another field. I’m not saying that coaches are scumbags who would immediately tell kids that they have to major in Athletics only in order to have their full and undivided attention, but…well, yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. It will be the NCAA’s job to ensure that coaches don’t pressure or browbeat these kids into focusing solely on athletics if they want to focus on more than one area of study. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Finally, I’m also not recommending that student-athletes never attend a class; like every college, they should have a curriculum designed to give them the skills they will need to succeed as an adult in their field of study. Here’s a list of potential classes, and no, I’m not kidding about any of these:
Don’t laugh. All of these are INCREDIBLY useful pieces of information to the modern athlete. Say 6 hours of classes a week, and have a degree plan just like you would for any other College. How many sad stories about the poor kid who fought his way out of the ghetto, got drafted, squandered his money, and ended up right back in the ghetto would be avoided if athletes took these courses in college? Ask pro athletes like Clayton Holmes that.
This needs to happen. It’s best for the colleges, who are continually mired in ridiculous corruption allegations about recruiting practices, player payments, and eligibility requirements. It’s best for the fans of college athletics, who are all tired of such scandals. And most importantly, it’s best for the students, who instead of being forced into another generation’s idea of what a college student should look like, get to come to school and prepare for the career they’ve chosen.
It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.
This is the response that many college athletes--I would say the vast majority at D1 schools--should give when asked what they are majoring in. Not "General Studies". Not "Business". Not "Nutrition". Athletics should be a major at colleges, available for student-athletes who are seeking a career in professional sports.
Stop snickering at my reference to professional college athletes (we’ve been down the road before that college athletics is not an amateur sport) as student-athletes. They are. They can be both professionals and students as the same time, just like any intern is in any other college of study. In fact, read that last sentence again:
"Athletics should be a major at colleges, available for student-athletes who are seeking a career in professional sports."
Now insert any other career/degree/life path/etc. and tell me that that sentence doesn’t work:
"Business should be a major at colleges, available for students who are seeking a career in professional businesses."
"Architecture should be a major at colleges, available for students who are seeking a career in architecture."
"Art should be a major at colleges, available for students who are seeking a career in the art world."
That’s right people. It’s no surprise that many of the finest college athletes in the world come to school to try to play in professional sports as soon as possible. The problem is that, for some reason that I don’t understand, we see this as a negative.
Why? What’s wrong with someone having a dream, and coming to a school to learn to better their skills so they can achieve that dream in the near future? Isn’t that what colleges exist for?
College athletes do learn at college, right now—-it’s why there are age limits in the NBA and NFL drafts. It’s because kids are too raw, are too ignorant to succeed on the highest level at that age. They need more training, both mentally and physically. They need to learn the nuances to their game at a level in between high school and the professional. And, like all 18-22 year olds, the most important lesson they need to learn is how to be an adult, and the rights and responsibilities that come from being an adult.
What is wrong with having athletes at a college learning this? It should be absolutely nothing. Instead, we stick to this archaic notion that students must major in "something", so most take joke degrees that they do as little as possible in while they pursue the career that does mean something to them: athletics. Instead, we have the "athletes can’t get any money from anyone ever" nonsense that leads to countless dollars and man-hours wasted watching whether these kids get a new car or not.
Correct me if I’m wrong here: if I, a member of the College of Business at OSU, had received a car from L-3 Communications because they thought I had such excellent potential as a Financial Analyst, would I have been kicked out of school? Would I have not been allowed to return to my Business classes? What about the savant Chemist who has already made incredible breakthroughs on a substitute for Fossil Fuels? When the Government or private businesses give him money, grants, etc., is he expelled?
Of course not. That would be ludicrous! Well, then, why do we do the exact same thing when dealing with athletics? There’s no reason for it! All three involve young people learning to better themselves for future careers. Stop wasting everyone’s time! Let these kids come to school and learn what they want to learn to do.
"But Michael," I can hear millions saying, "what about those kids who don’t make it to the pros? Who go out and don’t get drafted and have wasted four years and have no education to show for it? What happens to those poor, hopeless souls?"
My response is the same both to those millions, and for the athletes themselves: "Grow up."
That’s right, grow up. It’s not your job to save everyone, and quit pretending that you give a shit about these people. Do you care about the Engineering student who can’t make it, flunks out, and gets a job at McDonalds? What about the Art major who really just isn’t that good, but manages to get his degree, and then finds that there is no way he will ever earn a living with his art? What have you done to help those people, oh millions of people?
And as for the athletes themselves, they are 18 when they come to college, meaning they are adults, and are legally not only capable, but responsible for making their own decisions. They know the risks—-the odds of playing for a premier professional sports league are incredibly low (though not as low as the common man thinks. "Professional" sports--meaning you can make a living playing said sports--includes Europe and a myriad of less glamorous professional leagues. You can also use your experience to become a trainer or a coach. The cupboard is not completely bare if you don’t make it to the NBA, NFL, or MLB), just like the odds of being a famous artist or writer are incredibly low for all the Liberal Arts majors out there. But they have the opportunity to come to college, fully devote themselves to their craft, and maximize their skills in their chosen field. Again: this is the purpose of a university.
As for the NCAA, they will not become extinct by initiating this plan. An important part is to ensure the continued allowance of double majors, or to allow those student-athletes who want to prepare for a life outside of sports to major in another field. I’m not saying that coaches are scumbags who would immediately tell kids that they have to major in Athletics only in order to have their full and undivided attention, but…well, yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. It will be the NCAA’s job to ensure that coaches don’t pressure or browbeat these kids into focusing solely on athletics if they want to focus on more than one area of study. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Finally, I’m also not recommending that student-athletes never attend a class; like every college, they should have a curriculum designed to give them the skills they will need to succeed as an adult in their field of study. Here’s a list of potential classes, and no, I’m not kidding about any of these:
* Basic English: Make sure that everyone can read. I’m not talking Shakespeare, but a basic, solid grasp of the English language.
* Basic Math: Same as above, Mathematically.
* Finances: Teach kids about money, taxes, and credit. Teach them if you build a house, you have to pay taxes on it. Teach them how credit works, and how having a credit card affects your whole life. Teach them the basics about Risk in investments, so when shady agents or advisors want to squander their fortunes they know to say no. Teach them about setting up a budget, and that you can’t give money to everyone.
* Sex Ed: Teach them what a condom is, and how to use it. Teach them about STD’s, how they can get them, what each means, and how serious each is. Teach them about birth control. Teach them about abortion and how it affects the buddy (remember, female athletes are taking this, too). Teach them the fallacies of many rumors that most people laugh at, but far too many believe (if you pull out, she can’t get pregnant, before/after/during her period she can’t get pregnant, AIDS isn’t a threat anymore, etc.).
* Legality: Address the common legal problems that athletes face. What legal pitfalls should I avoid when looking for an agent? What are my rights if I get a woman pregnant? What happens if my agent or I don’t pay my taxes? What am I actually signing when I sign my first professional contract with X sports league?
* Public Relations: How do I talk to the media? What should I say and what shouldn’t I say? How do I treat national media versus local media? Practice interviewing and develop good interviewing techniques.
Don’t laugh. All of these are INCREDIBLY useful pieces of information to the modern athlete. Say 6 hours of classes a week, and have a degree plan just like you would for any other College. How many sad stories about the poor kid who fought his way out of the ghetto, got drafted, squandered his money, and ended up right back in the ghetto would be avoided if athletes took these courses in college? Ask pro athletes like Clayton Holmes that.
This needs to happen. It’s best for the colleges, who are continually mired in ridiculous corruption allegations about recruiting practices, player payments, and eligibility requirements. It’s best for the fans of college athletics, who are all tired of such scandals. And most importantly, it’s best for the students, who instead of being forced into another generation’s idea of what a college student should look like, get to come to school and prepare for the career they’ve chosen.
It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.
posted by Michael Pondrom at 9:28 PM
4 Comments:
I'm going to admit that I've always thought it was a joke that athletes majored in "Communications" or "General Studies" and thought they should be forced to pick a "real" degree so that they could contribute to society. But you know what? I never really thought about it and you're ABSOLUTELY 100% spot on. Every single piece of your argument is totally brilliant and after reading it.... for ANYONE to think otherwise, or try and argue against it, is ridiculous. Great post, thanks for opening my eyes
- Tone Loc
Communications! That's a another great joke degree. Thanks Tone! You da man.
Michael
Yeah I agree.
But I've never really been to college.
Do you want to talk soon about my D.C. trip? it was nuts.
-john
As an employee for a Division I college athletic department, i also agree. i think that along with all the great points you make about the subject, it would also raise the graduation rates of athletes, which raises the rates for the student body in general. and even those athletes who leave school early to begin their careers will want to come back to keep learning how not to throw away their money and how to achieve financial freedom. Great post.
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