The Shame of College Sports

   The first paragraph caught my attention where I can just imagine a potential football star having lunch at Denny's with a business man. The two are talking, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary until you see something is passed under the table between the two. It looks like a paper sack. It doesn't take an expert to figure out that its money. If I was an athletic football star, I wouldn't hesitate to take some one's money if it was offered to me. The article goes on to say that student athletes generate billions of dollars for universities and private companies while earning nothing for themselves. Is this a scandal? Sonny Vaccaro a Marketing agent for a corporation told a closed hearing at the Willard Hotel in Washington,D.C., in 2001, "I'm not hiding."  "We want to put our materials on the bodies of your athletes, and the best way to do that is buy your school. Or buy your coach." Soon the thought of an image from the Cartoon Network as Vaccaro dressed all in red with a red briefcase and two horns emerging from his head came to mind representing someone evil. Bryce Jordan, the president emeritus of Penn State asked Vaccaro a question. "Why, should a university be an advertising medium for your industry?" He represents all that is good about academia (Jordan) who has a halo above his head. Vaccaro did not blink and then responded. "They shouldn't, sir." he replied. " You sold your souls, and you're going to keep selling them. You can be very moral and righteous in asking me that question, sir," Vaccaro added with good cheer, " but there's not one of you in this room that's going to turn down any of our money. You're going to take it. I can only offer it." The silence in the audience fell silent. The halo above Bryce Jordans head went, "POOF", then disappeared. The truth of this matter back then is true today: corporations offer money so they can profit from the glory of student athletes, and colleges and universities grab it. It is big business, and big revenues for all who take part.