Reply #11: Universities should not be in the big-time sports business

[Phredicles]

The educational mission and the goal of being competitive in intercollegiate sports conflict with one another often enough than one, too often the former, ends up being compromised. The result is corruption and a loss of credibility for educational institutions.

But since there is so much $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ involved, I can't see universities getting out of the sports biz. So I agree with democracyindanger. A university education costs some $150,000-$200,000 these days, but scholarship athletes have it available to them for free. Paying them on top of this is an insult to non-athletic students.