BY ADAM SHLOMI
Texas A&M Johnny “Football” Manziel walks into a club on a Saturday night. The bouncer lets him in, as age isn’t a factor if you’re a Heisman winner. Girls stare, guys are envious and the smile on his face shows his enjoyment; he is basking in the glory of his carefree life. Other than his athletics, Johnny Football has few worries because his life mostly takes care of itself. What makes him so different from us? He’s really good at throwing a football. Unfortunately, his life mirrors just about every popular athlete in the NCAA. High school and college athletes receive unfair benefits.
Academics are often dealt with unfairly for athletes. Players at major programs are all given free tutors, as colleges are willing to dedicate resources. Chris McFoy, a wide receiver at University of Southern California, sees four tutors regularly as well as a learning specialist. Despite the term “student athlete” for many NCAA athletes’ academics simply aren’t a priority.
As long as they’re able to compete on the field, they don’t worry about competing in the classroom. This is showcased by the majors they select. Most college students tend to study what they’re passionate about or what will make them the most money. Athletes, on the other hand, tend to take the easiest route academically. At Kansas State, 34% of the football team studies social science as their major, compared to 4% of the entire student population. Is this because football players are incredibly excited about where social science is headed? According to Steven Cline, a former defensive lineman at KSU who is now a social scientist, it’s because his academic advisor told him that was the easiest path. Cline’s situation is not unique. This is a trend seen all across the nation. For athletes school isn’t motivating factor but rather an obstacle.
Now is a better time than ever to be a student athlete. As online classes become increasingly popular, athletes now don’t even have to bother showing up to class and can dedicate more time to their athletic schedules.
However, athletic advantages can even extend further than the academic world by interfering in legality. For normal students getting arrested can lead to you being put on disciplinary probation or getting kicked out of the school. However, not one of the thirty-one football players who got arrested at UF during Urban Meyers tenure had anything to worry about. College athletes in a premier sports program know they’ll never get in trouble because the university doesn’t want to jeopardize the team. Athletes become more out of control as they see they can get away with whatever they want. This creates a culture of undisciplined athletes and a bunch of peers who envy their immunity. Being given a privilege that the rest of a student population lacks because of your skills on the field is truly unfair.
The entire system that college athletes participate in is flawed because they constantly get away with both unfair academic and disciplinary policies. Athletes avoid jail time simply because they can run really fast or throw really far. Athletes are put on a pedestal that should not exist.
