Re-segregation?

Last week sports talker Jemel Hill suggested that 5 star black athletes attend black universities.  The sports world went wild saying Hill was calling for re-segregation of universities. 

I don’t think that was the aim.  Hill – pretty much an idiot who got canned from ESPN for her refusal to subordinate her political opinions to her opinions on sports – was asking black athletes to attend black colleges to bring sports dollars to those institutions.

First, that seems a worthy goal. If 5 star athletes going to black colleges bring in the bucks, great!

Second, aren’t there enough athletes to spread the wealth?  Yes. More than enough.

That’s kind of the problem.  Are there enough 5 star black athletes willing to forego the NFL/NBA showcase the big 5 conferences provide?  I doubt it. There’s too much money involved in big time college sports for the smart athlete to pass up.  These guys get noticed in the big conferences. They will NEVER get the exposure playing at a black college.

Third, more fans crowd into the Shoe in Columbus on any given weekend than average black college can expect in a season. As result, the big 5 conferences build fantastic state of the art facilities, hire the top coaches and doctors to develop athletes. If a 5 star athlete wants stay 5 star, he wants to get to one of the bigs that will develop his talents.   

Forth, it’s telling Hill didn’t ask 5 star athletes to attend black universities to get a better education.  Sadly the quality of education or any aspect about education never entered Hill’s calculation.

That reminds me of Cardel Jones’ comment.  Jones was the 3^rd string QB at The Ohio State University who led them to a national championship.  Jones once famously said, “I didn’t come to Ohio State to play college.”

Can’t college athletes be expected to do both?  Apparently not.  The term “student athlete” is largely a joke at the big 5 conferences.  Everyone - TV, student body, faculty, alumni, the public at large - knows it. Why is the myth perpetuated?

There’s a movement afoot to force universities to pay college athletes.  Unless they are going to pay top physics recruits, music students, etc. to attend, they shouldn’t pay athletes.

The NFL started out with teams that would barn storm the country playing exhibition games.  Maybe that could be a showcase for athletes that don’t want to “play college.”  I do not understand why college athletics – much of it funded by the public – acts as the feeder for the NFL/NBA without a nickel of compensation.

Last, there is something a bit racist about Hill calling for just black athletes to move over to black colleges.  If it’s just about bringing money to the university, why not encourage white athletes to do the same?

Had someone other than a race baiting fool like Hill made this suggestion, it would get a more serious discussion, but the current dynamics of college sports means the idea is dead on arrival for now.        

We’ve still got it

Absolute must, must, must read.

Chemo day

Sadly, today is chemo day - #15.  That means light to non-existent posting for couple of days.  Keep the suicide hotline number with you at all times and struggle through the interruption as best you can.