Reply #10: They've got their summers like everyone else.

[democracyindanger]

I don't dispute that they make a lot of money for schools (Schools can't sell jerseys with names, BTW). I don't dispute that football takes up a lot of time (but I was in student government, and that ate up a bunch of time as well). And let me imagine wearing FREE Nikes for a second. Okay. Big deal.

But let's come at it this way: Say players are paid. What's the pay scale? Is it uniform throughout the NCAA? Will schools in expensive cities like Cal or Stanford get to pay more than schools in cities with low costs of living like Madison or Boulder? How will that *not* affect a recruit's choice? Will the pay be based on performance? If a player goes down with an injury and is unable to participate for a majority of a season, wouldn't it be appropriate to not pay him? What if he doesn't make grades? Or are you proposing dropping the facade altogether and doing away with any scholastic requirements? If so, what do state schools do? Wouldn't taxpayers have a say about whether or not a huge chunk of the school is invested in what amounts to a semi-pro football league?