They Play Like Adults but Read like 5th Graders

[LSU]

How many college students who enter college actually read at a college level?

I would think most of them.

 

[RobBase]

The problem is that these kids have zero self respect. They get put on pedestals for being college athletes, cool. They should also be mocked and stigmatized for being retarded. Maybe if they felt dumb, they'd work harder at being smarter.

 

[jdwills126]

I am actually surprised it was as high as the 8th grade level.

A minor league system would fix this problem. Guys that go to college with no intention on getting an education but working on their game is all to common.

Is it any wonder how so many of these guys get in trouble or go bankrupt.

 

[john01992]

this just reaffirms my belief that one day all the presidents/chancellors are going to say "enough is enough"

i think the b10 with all the power & wealth that that conference has throws in the towel first. they have a lot of good options where they can re add U of chicago, ditch the NCAA and form a more academic oriented league with the Ivy league and include schools like NYU & MIT.

It all comes down to the b10 feeling that it can continue their mission statement without FBS CFB. after watching the rugby championships I believe that the b10 can. granted it won't be like it is today with 24/7 espn coverage, but they will be big enough to get coverage and will do so in a way that brings integrity back to the sport.

there is a tsunami that is about to hit CFB. players getting paid & the concussion epidemic are lose/lose options for the schools and they might feel that its best to get out of those obligations now while they still can and still have the resources to build a new league rather then deal with the upcoming clusterfuck.

if the b10 can successfully team up with the ivy and build a league with a couple other major academic schools. that will certainly ruffle the feathers of the president/chancellors at notre dame, UNC, duke, USC, UCLA, vandy, rice, stanford, cal, etc. who will be viewed as "not taking academics seriously enough" and will be pressured to make a move and eventually that league becomes a 30-50 team league with all the major academic schools from FBS and the other big name academic schools like NYU, Emory, John Hopkins etc.

this basically gives two separate college football leagues. while 1 league is better athletically. I think from a market perspective they will be relatively equal and simply be two different brands of FB that the nation will watch.

could this actually happen? maybe, maybe not. everyone else is predicting the sport to go on the path of more & more like a pro league. but I think some sort of backtrack is inevitable.

 

[4down20]

As someone who got wait-listed at UNC as an out of state student, I can tell you that it is a little disheartening to know that some clown who reads on a 4th grade level got in ahead of me because of his physical gifts. I can understand that athletes play by a different set of rules, but if you're not even mentally competent to make it through middle school, you do not deserve to be given a free pass at a prestigious university.

They're getting a 'opportunity' to hone their football skills. They're already way too far behind the curve to make anything of the 'educational opportunity' you're speaking of.

But, you being wait-listed had nothing to do with them. It's not as if they were taking your spot. If anything, they would have been taking the spot of another football player who was more qualified academically, but went to a lesser school because of less football skill.

And there is a difference in getting an opportunity and getting a free ride. I don't have a problem with the opportunity, a free ride I do.

 

[4down20]

You dont see a problem with 18 year olds reading at the level of 10 year olds?

That isn't what I said. Are you on a 5th grade reading level too?

I don't have a problem with them getting the opportunity for college, so long as they actually learn and improve. If they make it to college and never learn beyond that, then that is a problem.

 

[john01992]

That isn't what I said. Are you on a 5th grade reading level too?

I don't have a problem with them getting the opportunity for college, so long as they actually learn and improve. If they make it to college and never learn beyond that, then that is a problem.

spoken like a true alabama fan

 

[ckhokie]

But, you being wait-listed had nothing to do with them. It's not as if they were taking your spot. If anything, they would have been taking the spot of another football player who was more qualified academically, but went to a lesser school because of less football skill.

It does effect me, though. UNC doesn't have an exact number of athletes to admit every year. Some athletes are offered Greyshirt offers, some are preferred walk-on status, there are athletes that are offered academic scholorships, etc. It isn't just about a set number of scholarship players and that is that. The school has a target number of students to admit, as well. If more spots are taken by athletes, someone else isn't getting admission. The athlete population and general student population admission numbers are not mutually exclusive.

In my statement, I noted that athletes don't have the same set of standards, and I am well aware that my requirements to get into UNC and those of a 4* WR aren't going to be the same. All I said was 'it's disheartening' to know that being so close to a spot in the school, I could have very well lost out to not only someone who doesn't value an education, but someone who may not even be playing, on a team, or even enrolled anymore.

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

spoken like a true alabama fan

Easy now. We can't all be white yuppies, in white yuppie towns, doing white yuppie things while pissing on all folks who aren't white yuppies.......Mountain bike wheels still need spokes and axles to turn.....ahem.

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

It does effect me, though. UNC doesn't have an exact number of athletes to admit every year. Some athletes are offered Greyshirt offers, some are preferred walk-on status, there are athletes that are offered academic scholorships, etc. It isn't just about a set number of scholarship players and that is that. The school has a target number of students to admit, as well. If more spots are taken by athletes, someone else isn't getting admission. The athlete population and general student population admission numbers are not mutually exclusive.

In my statement, I noted that athletes don't have the same set of standards, and I am well aware that my requirements to get into UNC and those of a 4* WR aren't going to be the same. All I said was 'it's disheartening' to know that being so close to a spot in the school, I could have very well lost out to not only someone who doesn't value an education, but someone who may not even be playing, on a team, or even enrolled anymore.

There is a certain unfairness about it. With that said, the same unfairness extends to athletes who bring in millions in revenues and get a $40,000 education in return. Fact is it is a fucked up system with fucked up results.

 

[ckhokie]

There is a certain unfairness about it. With that said, the same unfairness extends to athletes who bring in millions in revenues and get a $40,000 education in return. Fact is it is a fucked up system with fucked up results.

such is life. I knew the truth was probably bad, I guess I just didn't realize it would be SO bad.



At least I didn't end up being a UNC football fan.

 

[Smart]

It does effect me, though. UNC doesn't have an exact number of athletes to admit every year. Some athletes are offered Greyshirt offers, some are preferred walk-on status, there are athletes that are offered academic scholorships, etc. It isn't just about a set number of scholarship players and that is that. The school has a target number of students to admit, as well. If more spots are taken by athletes, someone else isn't getting admission. The athlete population and general student population admission numbers are not mutually exclusive.

In my statement, I noted that athletes don't have the same set of standards, and I am well aware that my requirements to get into UNC and those of a 4* WR aren't going to be the same. All I said was 'it's disheartening' to know that being so close to a spot in the school, I could have very well lost out to not only someone who doesn't value an education, but someone who may not even be playing, on a team, or even enrolled anymore.

Meh....it's a fair complaint for non-revenue sports, but the money football brings in adds to the school's reputation and allows them to improve education and offer more academic scholarships. It's not as if UNC's size would be the same without football and basketball (like you assume). And normally, admissions for non-revenue sports aren't that much different than the general population.

If you want to get angry about anyone, blame it on legacies or affirmative action admits.

 

[Wild Turkey]

Well the problem with that is schools will just make it so that more of their "student" athletes graduate by lowering the standards for graduation for that specific segment...

With how competitive recruiting and CFB is, not to mention the amount of revenue generated by it, most schools would definitely play it fast and loose with graduation rates if it meant additional schollies...

I don't doubt that but should we not do anything based on the perception it won't help? Seems to me you set policy and deal with cheaters later.

 

[Wild Turkey]

How many college students who enter college actually read at a college level?

The bar for a college reading level isn't that high most of our children will hit it easily by 8th grade if not before. Both mine were reading at a collegiate level by 5th grade but my wife is a librarian so if you want to live in my house you learn to read fast!

 

[4down20]

spoken like a true alabama fan

So you have a problem with kids getting opportunities in life?

 

[uncfan103]

As someone who got wait-listed at UNC as an out of state student, I can tell you that it is a little disheartening to know that some clown who reads on a 4th grade level got in ahead of me because of his physical gifts. I can understand that athletes play by a different set of rules, but if you're not even mentally competent to make it through middle school, you do not deserve to be given a free pass at a prestigious university.

They're getting a 'opportunity' to hone their football skills. They're already way too far behind the curve to make anything of the 'educational opportunity' you're speaking of.

I agree with what you're saying, but at the same time I don't think it's the fault of the university. They have minimum GPA requirements, they're not willing to accept anyone. If the kid is "making" good grades in high school how does the university know whether or not the player is suited to attend the school? I don't think anyone associated with the university thinks illiterate athletes should be admitted, but I'm assuming that somehow these kids made good enough grades on their ACTs, SATs, and in high school to be admitted to several schools besides just North Carolina. I'm also sure there were other athletes that were unable to make the grades necessary to play at UNC.


I think it's an opportunity for students to go to college, but if the student couldn't work hard enough in high school and middle school to learn how to read they don't deserve to continue receiving opportunities to do so. If you don't work hard enough you shouldn't be admitted because your talented, but I don't think players are being given an opportunity to come to the school and learn to read (unless it's being given to them beginning in middle school)

 

[broncosmitty]

All these words are hurting ma brain. More GIFs please.

 

[7Samurai13]

There is a certain unfairness about it. With that said, the same unfairness extends to athletes who bring in millions in revenues and get a $40,000 education in return. Fact is it is a fucked up system with fucked up results.

You do know that Alabama spends an average of nearly $200k per year for each and every one of it's scholarship players right? Between free room, board, books, education, spending money, then there is the potential to make millions.

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

You do know that Alabama spends an average of nearly $200k per year for each and every one of it's scholarship players right? Between free room, board, books, education, spending money, then there is the potential to make millions.

A report released earlier this month is estimating the University of Minnesota spent just under $200,000 for each scholarship football player from 2011.
According to the Knight Commission report, the University of Minnesota spent $199,826 annually for each scholarship football player.
The commission report totals the expenses of running a major division one football program.
The Star Tribune reports even the $1.92 million in salary and benefits paid to the Gophers head coach was factored in, those costs are about $22,556 dollars per player for Jerry Kill and former Gopher coach Tim Brewster.
Other expenses included are $8,393 for the lodging and meals associated with team travel; $6,510 dollars for equipment and $12,402 to pay the wages, benefits and bonuses for the football program’s support staff.
According to the commission, the primary goal of the database is to enable administrators, researchers, policymakers, taxpayers, fans, and others to compare trends in spending on core academic activities with spending on athletics in public Division I institutions.
William E. “Brit” Kirwan, chancellor of the University of Maryland and co-chairman of the Commission said, “College athletics has the potential for so much good, but the current trajectory of spending is unsustainable. We already see levels of spending at some universities that require them to divert substantial resources from their core academic responsibilities.”
What is startling about the Knight Commission report is that the University of Minnesota is below the median for the Big Ten. The median amount spent in Big 10 Conference schools is over $210,000 per football player.
At the high end, the commission says Ohio State spends over $456,000 on each of its football players.
The report also shows how much each of the institutions spent per full-time equivalent student. The report says the U of M invested $20,688 per student. That is more than the Big 10 median which is just under $19,000, according to the Knight Commission report.
“We are hopeful this online database will help university leaders and policymakers develop practices and policies that bring better balance to athletic expenditures within the broader institutional missions,” said Kirwan.
According to the Star Tribune, despite the high costs Gopher football remains a big moneymaker for the university. Football operating expenses totaled $16.9 million in 2011, while revenue for the year was $30.5 million. Football was even more profitable in 2012, expenses were $16.2 million and revenue was twice as much at around $33 million.

Report: U of M spends nearly $200,000 a year per football player - Rick Kupchella's - BringMeTheNews.com

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

Note how that number is reached. Cmon, man. Honesty matters.