Athletes have such an edge

[Anonymous]

So let’s crap all over the athletes for being successful and taking advantage of the opportunities those in higher education provide them.

[Anonymous]

Athletes do not have an "edge." Athletes are in a different competition for a different educational product. My college boyfriend played D1 football. He was not having the educational experience the rest of us were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So let’s crap all over the athletes for being successful and taking advantage of the opportunities those in higher education provide them.

Well, no... I was making a point about why historically Jews are underrepresented in football as compared to, say, baseball, but since we're here, perhaps you can tell us whether you've always been an antisemite? Or did you gradually come around after immersing yourself in the lacrosse community?

[Anonymous]

But why do athletes get housing preference? It makes no sense that at a non-sports school like William & Mary the freshman athletes get dibs on the few air conditioned dorms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't most recruited athletes end up teaching sports in high school? I have never met a doctor or surgeon who was previously an athlete. Perhaps we move in different circles.

This is perhaps the dumbest question I’ve seen on DCUM. We definitely move in different circles.

+1

That was remarkably dumb.

Hmmmm....touched a nerve there didn't I?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So let’s crap all over the athletes for being successful and taking advantage of the opportunities those in higher education provide them.

Well, no... I was making a point about why historically Jews are underrepresented in football as compared to, say, baseball, but since we're here, perhaps you can tell us whether you've always been an antisemite? Or did you gradually come around after immersing yourself in the lacrosse community?

DP here. I read your post as you thinking that your Jewish community was superior to any community that valued sports. So who is anti what?

Let's not digress into name calling, ok?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So let’s crap all over the athletes for being successful and taking advantage of the opportunities those in higher education provide them.

Nobody is crapping over athletes or devaluing athletics as such. We are however questioning the wisdom and basic fairness a system that offers a massive tax loophole to the billions of sports-entertainment dollars that are laundered through colleges - the same system that siphons money away from disadvantaged students and into the pockets of the highest paid "public servants" in nearly every state.

"Taking advantage" is such a tell. It's one thing to say, Yeah, it's a dumb system, but it is what it is and I'm going to make the best of it. It's another thing entirely to spout off a bunch of uninformed claptrap and pretend that there's any real justification for a system that boils down to -- as you suggested -- "taking advantage."

Imagine thinking "you're just jealous" is a half-decent argument. Not really serving the "scholar-athlete" narrative with that one, dear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think I’ve ever met an orthopedic surgeon who wasn’t either a college athlete or in the military

And ask doctors what the jokes are about orthopedic surgeons (as a medical specialty).

Hint: They are known to need brute more than brains.

[Anonymous]

This is just a troll.

[Anonymous]

Why does anyone on this endless thread care about athletes and colleges?

I'll answer: because (1) their kid isn't an athlete and they're convinced that this somehow affects their kid's admissions chances, or (2) they themselves weren't athletic and they're still insecure about it.

They're wrong about (1) and pathetic about (2)

[Anonymous]

What annoys me is the special treatment and perks the athletes get once in the school.

Athletes at my Ivy League school got free one-on-one tutoring and were allowed to skip classes and were given special notes and videos of the classes they missed. I had to work many hours at my exhausting work study job to make money. I would have liked a tutor to help make up for the time I also was too “busy” to study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So let’s crap all over the athletes for being successful and taking advantage of the opportunities those in higher education provide them.

Nobody is crapping over athletes or devaluing athletics as such. We are however questioning the wisdom and basic fairness a system that offers a massive tax loophole to the billions of sports-entertainment dollars that are laundered through colleges - the same system that siphons money away from disadvantaged students and into the pockets of the highest paid "public servants" in nearly every state.

"Taking advantage" is such a tell. It's one thing to say, Yeah, it's a dumb system, but it is what it is and I'm going to make the best of it. It's another thing entirely to spout off a bunch of uninformed claptrap and pretend that there's any real justification for a system that boils down to -- as you suggested -- "taking advantage."

Imagine thinking "you're just jealous" is a half-decent argument. Not really serving the "scholar-athlete" narrative with that one, dear.

Oh, please. Don't get all high and mighty on us. This is not why you care. See previous answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So let’s crap all over the athletes for being successful and taking advantage of the opportunities those in higher education provide them.

Well, no... I was making a point about why historically Jews are underrepresented in football as compared to, say, baseball, but since we're here, perhaps you can tell us whether you've always been an antisemite? Or did you gradually come around after immersing yourself in the lacrosse community?

DP here. I read your post as you thinking that your Jewish community was superior to any community that valued sports. So who is anti what?

Let's not digress into name calling, ok?

You're right, it was wrong of me to falsely accuse them of being a lacrosse parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't most recruited athletes end up teaching sports in high school? I have never met a doctor or surgeon who was previously an athlete. Perhaps we move in different circles.

This is perhaps the dumbest question I’ve seen on DCUM. We definitely move in different circles.

+1

That was remarkably dumb.

Hmmmm....touched a nerve there didn't I?

Interesting take. I attended a Midwestern HS with about a 60/40 white/black enrollment, mostly working class with some middle class (journalists, professors, research scientists). There were a number of former pro athletes on the school staff. Nearly all had gotten injured in their pro careers, sadly during an era where they were shot up with pain killers and pushed back out on the field. They now had a teaching load and all of them were head/assistant coaches. They were great role models and kept some of the student athletes busy and out of trouble. A few of the athletes went on to pro careers - two of them very, very successful and one a household name. But there were many who had no prospect in playing in college, but ended up enrolling in and graduating from college because of these coach mentors.

I don't expect every athlete - or every college student - to be able to operate on a spine or a knee. But I really appreciate when former athletes inspire a range of students with a range of academic/athletic abilities to be the best they can be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What annoys me is the special treatment and perks the athletes get once in the school.

Athletes at my Ivy League school got free one-on-one tutoring and were allowed to skip classes and were given special notes and videos of the classes they missed. I had to work many hours at my exhausting work study job to make money. I would have liked a tutor to help make up for the time I also was too “busy” to study.

The athlete was also exhausted and wasn't getting paid any money.