Note from Juanyeh Thomas

[ramblinjacket]

I don’t disagree but regular students don’t represent the school in a formal way. The GTAA licenses branding and marks from Tech and many of those rules are designed to uphold the value if the mark. For example, you wouldn’t want, “I’m Josh Nubaum, WR for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. And after a hard fought game, I head over to the Cheetah ... 60 dancers on five stages. No cover with your ticket stub. And the absolute best in food at Alluvia Restaurant”.

So there have to be some rules.

What are the rules if the quote was “I’m Josh Nubaum, math major at Georgia Tech. And after a hard fought combinatorial analysis exam, I head over to the Cheetah ... 60 dancers on five stages. No cover with your proof of any final. And the absolute best in food at Alluvia Restaurant”?

I'm good with the same rules for both the regular student and the student athlete.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I certainly did not mean to. In fact, I meant the exact opposite. I believe it is very, very complicated with lots of reasons contributing, but I work with students (I have for about 20 years now). So many of them don't have men in their lives to be the example and to love them unconditionally. I have tried to do that where I could. But, you are right about it being very complicated many times.

Just a note to say that a lot of the guys I have worked with while they were in middle and high school were living at our local baptist home because their parents either did not want them or made extremely bad choices so that the young guy was better off physically and mentally not living with them - so, so sad. Sometimes, their pain and hopelessness is so, so great by the time I meet them.

I could tell from Coach Dixon's tweet that he wanted to be a male leader and example for Bryce. I so wish he would have been given that opportunity - it might have made a huge difference. (it might have not, but I am still on the side it would have)

Thank you for what you do.

 

[Technut1990]

Not arguing either, good conversation.

I am not trying to solve anyones hardship problems directly. I just think contrived obstacles to individuals solving their own problems should not exist. So schools can choose whatever contribution in whatever fashion they want to make. Same as they do or should do with other students. I am not insisting they pay student athletes although that should be an option available, same as other students. Similarly student athletes should be free to go get jobs, ask for handouts, sell their autograph, get endorsement deals or whatever. Same rights and treatment as the rest of the student body. That doesn't sound like too much to ask.

I can accept that logic, no student should be denied the right to legally work to support themselves or to supplement things during college.

Matter of fact some of the dancers on the 5 stages which have been mentioned are exercising that right. Not that I want to see any of the football players dancing on a stage, but you know what I’m saying

 

[Technut1990]

Do not disagree with this but you do not need a college degree to be a real estate investor... Dewberry could have not gone to college and done the same exact thing

Dewberry played for the Calgary Stampede for 2 or 3 years after Tech, before he started his business. I think he probably utilized his Tech connections and his money from his pro days as well as the reputation of his Tech degree so I’m thinking the free education had value, if not the money in the private sector he definitely turned his years of football into money.

 

[Vespidae]

What are the rules if the quote was “I’m Josh Nubaum, math major at Georgia Tech. And after a hard fought combinatorial analysis exam, I head over to the Cheetah ... 60 dancers on five stages. No cover with your proof of any final. And the absolute best in food at Alluvia Restaurant”?

I'm good with the same rules for both the regular student and the student athlete.

There’s no licensing involved. If the GTAA were part of Tech, it would probably work. But the State of Georgia requires athletics to be separate and therefore subject to licensing.

To complicate it further, all promotion using terms and likenesses have to pay royalties to Tech through NCAA Collegiate Licensing.

There is no easy answer as it varies by state AND public vs private.

 

[jacket_fan]

Nice try, only 3 stages.

Are your absolutely sure? lol

 

[jacket_fan]

This has been an interesting thread. Very good opinions on both sides. Nice to see cogent points and no name calling.

 

[dtm1997]

Are your absolutely sure? lol

That doesn't include E-Room, but, yeah, he's sure.

 

[Sidewalking]

Can't have your cake and eat it too. The free education is the value SA's get for playing. If families back home need assistance right now.......Get a job and put school off until later. Or start a class action lawsuit against the NFL for age discrimination.

 

[Vespidie]

Can't have your cake and eat it too. The free education is the value SA's get for playing. If families back home need assistance right now.......Get a job and put school off until later. Or start a class action lawsuit against the NFL for age discrimination.

This is my take as well. The idea of being treated like a prima donna in HS should should reap financial benefits in college is absolute BS in my opinion. The one thing I will say and I think this was your intention also is that if families back home need assistance, then THE remaining family needs to do what is necessary to assist themselves back home. Take personal responsibility for one's own survival.

 

[dtm1997]

Can't have your cake and eat it too. The free education is the value SA's get for playing. If families back home need assistance right now.......Get a job and put school off until later. Or start a class action lawsuit against the NFL for age discrimination.

This is my take as well. The idea of being treated like a prima donna in HS should should reap financial benefits in college is absolute BS in my opinion. The one thing I will say and I think this was your intention also is that if families back home need assistance, then THE remaining family needs to do what is necessary to assist themselves back home. Take personal responsibility for one's own survival.

So we have two votes in favor of the murky business of bags being dropped without income tax liability.

 

[Vespidie]

So we have two votes in favor of the murky business of bags being dropped without income tax liability.

EVERYBODY eventually gets theirs, and to think otherwise is just naive.

 

[dtm1997]

EVERYBODY eventually gets theirs, and to think otherwise is just naive.

That's my point. I'm in favor of moving to the Olympic model and letting every student athlete get what they can based on market forces and paying taxes on it.

Your post said you're against financial benefits in college. Well, that mentality has helped support the seedy underbelly of bag dropping.

 

[Vespidae]

Can't have your cake and eat it too. The free education is the value SA's get for playing. If families back home need assistance right now.......Get a job and put school off until later. Or start a class action lawsuit against the NFL for age discrimination.

I think it’s more than that.

SA’s don’t just get a tuition grant. They also get out of State fees waived. Professional strength, training and nutrition. Tutoring. Leadership training. Letterman Club. Etc etc etc.

I would bet the value of what an SA receives is far beyond what the average student gets.

Re the NFL, I don’t see any HS athlete having the body to absorb the blows an NFL player is likely to absorb. A better option is some kind of AAA team.

 

[LongforDodd]

I think it’s more than that.

.....

Re the NFL, I don’t see any HS athlete having the body to absorb the blows an NFL player is likely to absorb. A better option is some kind of AAA team.

Just kinda' thinking out loud...what percentage of high school senior athletes would forego a college degree to join a league of AAA teams and are there enough bodies to create a decent league of AAA teams?

 

[WrongShadeOfGold]

Just kinda' thinking out loud...what percentage of high school senior athletes would forego a college degree to join a league of AAA teams and are there enough bodies to create a decent league of AAA teams?

Depends on how it is marketed and managed but I could see that being a huge draw for those that don't want to "play school". Especially if it gave them as good of a chance to make the NFL as college does. Add to that the fact that they would be getting paid, probably not much but still, and I could see this becoming popular.

 

[Ibeeballin]

This is my take as well. The idea of being treated like a prima donna in HS should should reap financial benefits in college is absolute BS in my opinion. The one thing I will say and I think this was your intention also is that if families back home need assistance, then THE remaining family needs to do what is necessary to assist themselves back home. Take personal responsibility for one's own survival.

1) The word free is being thrown around way too loosely. The education is not “free”

2) why do you think this conversation even exist? It’s because EVERYONE else is having their cake and eating too except the athlete starting from the top down.

 

[Skeptic]

So now the school is responsible for supporting the "families back home"? Think about how tough it would be, and is for thousands of "families back home" if they had to pay for his education. I have no problem with a stipend fr the athlete on top of the scholarship money, though it is uneven in its application -- the bigger schools pay more in stipends, it seems, which surprises nobody -- but if it becomes adopt-a-family then we have seen that in Reggie Bush and no doubt others. If it comes to that then football needs to go away.

 

[ramblinjacket]

So now the school is responsible for supporting the "families back home"? Think about how tough it would be, and is for thousands of "families back home" if they had to pay for his education. I have no problem with a stipend fr the athlete on top of the scholarship money, though it is uneven in its application -- the bigger schools pay more in stipends, it seems, which surprises nobody -- but if it becomes adopt-a-family then we have seen that in Reggie Bush and no doubt others. If it comes to that then football needs to go away.

Why not simply start with removing the obstacles that keep the students from providing for their families themselves?

 

[Vespidae]

Why not simply start with removing the obstacles that keep the students from providing for their families themselves?

Does anyone legitimately think an SA is going to generate enough money to provide for their family back home? I think most will try to get a YouTube channel or hawk something, but make even $10K is a huge stretch.

So let the NFL pay players … just like ROTC does. Get admitted to Tech, the NFL will pay your education, books, and fees AND … give you $2 grand a month. If you graduate AND make it through tryouts, you owe the team who drafts you 4 years with an option for a 5th. And you can do whatever you want to make money as long as it doesn't negatively impact Tech or the NFL. Let the NFL sort out what positions get paid at what rate.

If this is really about money … let it be about money.