Yeah, Gold Bombers sounds like a foot powder.

A High School class mate of mine played in the NFL. His rookie season, his team just made it into the playoffs and ended up playing a heavily favored team. His team ended up winning in overtime.

I saw a mutual friend a few days after the game and said our classmate must be pretty excited to have won.

My friend replied that he had actually talked with our classmate and said yes he was happy, but also a little disapointed because our classmate had made plans to go to the Rose Bowl the following weekend with another rookie on the team and they had to cancel their plans fot their next playoff game.

So here I am thinking how emotionally involved I was watching this game and my classmate made other plans already expecting to lose.

At 22 I realized that for many players it is just a job. Sure they would like to win, but if they don't they move on. Many fans seem to me, to be much more emontionally attached to the teams they follow than the players themselves.

Mark.

There's a lot of truth to what you say Malackym. I've had scores of scholarship athletes in my classes over the years. Almost to a T they all want out--the scholarship is just a means to an end. One fellow who played football played in a bowl game, his last college game ever. He said "As I flew away on the plane after the game, I felt like a slave that had been manumitted."

Are you seriously telling me there's a football player who knows what manumission is?

Yes, he was prelaw at the time. I don't know if he finished law school or not. We lost touch.

There was an OSU football player who was pre med. At half time after he had broken his hand, the team Dr said we'll just set it cast it and pad it so you can go out and play the second half. He quit playing.

When you think about the amount of money Schools make on Big time collage football, players could almost be considered slaves.

Mark.

Worse than slaves; they lose their value completely when their four year eligibility is up. Then they get tossed aside, unless they are given some charity degree.

Only a handful of the largest schools show a net profit. By the time you factor in the full costs of fielding a D-I team the ticket sales and tv contracts often don't cover the costs.

But the players are not slaves. They are getting a college education (or an opportunity for a college education) in exchange for playing a game. They are heavily recruited and privileged regardless of academic qualifications. Meanwhile students with better academic skills are working minimum wage jobs trying to meet next semester's tuition bill.

The football player has the advantage. They play their last game their senior year and still have the spring semester to focus and enjoy themselves. The kid working the minimum wage job is still going to work.

The athlete is given some time off of practice during the summer month while the minimum wage kid is busy trying to get enough hours for fall tuition and books.

If an athlete has difficulty in my class a phone call from me to the athletic department results in the athlete getting a tutor. Any other student? I have no one to call and even if I did they have no resources to aid that student. Tough luck for the non-athlete.

Athletes are a privileged class at any school that thinks they derive revenue from the athletics. They are not slaves, they are mercenaries who are well paid for their services.

spock, your criticism has merit, but I think it is too simple. I used to tutor athletes and I have them in my classes, and a fair number of them will never graduate. They are not cut out for college, and are being used solely for their athletic skills. There is also wear and tear on the body. I had one student who could pitch a fastball at 90 mph. Unfortunately, his body just couldn't take the stress, and he had constant back problems. One day he was scheduled to pitch, but for days before he was in agony from his back. He was lying on the trainer's table with acupuncture needles and other medical stuff in him to try to get him healed up--in walked the coach who asked one question. "Doctor," he said, "Can this young man pitch today?" Not "how is he?" or anything like that. When the answer was negative the coach turned around and walked out. Not a word of sympathy or encouragement. This young man never graduated and never made it to the big leagues. They pumped up his dreams to exploit him.

One a bright note, the football player did graduate from law school and is now a civil rights attorney. I guess his time as a slave gave him perspective.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/The-sad-tale-of-Ray-Williams-10-year-NBA-vet-no?urn=nba,253262

Another sports millionaire on the streets. Interestingly, no drugs are reported. Apparently the guy really is a hard-luck story.