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Woody: Time to treat college athletes like pros
NCAA rules
at heart of
UNC mess
Seldom have so few done such damage to so many.
The college football careers of Marvin Austin, Greg Little and Robert Quinn are over because the University of North Carolina players accepted gifts with a total retail value of about $24,000.
That's barely a decent
showcase on The Price is Right.
What a shame three athletes sullied their reputations and hurt their university for so little.
What this trio did - accept gifts from an agent, then lie about it to the NCAA - was wrong.
But their problem also is the NCAA's problem.
There are too many talented athletes, too much greed and too many opportunities to slip money and gifts to players.
UNC deserves praise for not completely turning its back on these players. They will be allowed to keep their scholarships.
But the Tar Heels' solution to the overall problem is not the answer.
From now on, North Carolina will require players to sign out for holiday breaks and extended absences from campus.
Are electronic ankle bracelets and monitored cell phone calls and e-mails far behind?
The NCAA says athletes are not entitled to benefits that are unavailable to other students.
That's fine. But athletes should not be subject to excess scrutiny in their private lives.
A physics student on an academic scholarship is not subject to 24-hour surveillance by the science department.
What happened in Chapel Hill could happen at any campus.
A former agent, Josh Luchs, has told Sports Illustrated he paid 30 college football players between 1990-96 from such schools as Arizona, UCLA, Southern California, Tennessee, Colorado, Michigan State and Illinois.
Eight players confirmed Luchs' story.
Punitive action is not the answer. The NCAA needs to be proactive, not pro-punishment.
Increasing the discretionary funds involved in a scholarship should be considered.
Agents and athletes should be allowed to consult throughout the year and not feel as if these are clandestine meetings with representatives of foreign governments.
Some college players have millions of dollars at stake.
It is naive to think inexperienced young men, particularly football players, can make decisions on an agent and whether to stay in school in the brief time between the end of their eligibility and when preparation for the draft must begin.
Coaches are professionals and have the luxury of calling agents every day, if they wish. College stars deserve the same opportunity.
Stadiums and arenas are full because fans want to see players perform, not watch coaches diagram plays.
Some will say the system worked at North Carolina. Miscreants were caught. The university will adapt.
In fact, the system is broken.
It will remain so until athletes in major college sports are recognized for what they are, professionals, and are treated accordingly.
Contact Paul Woody
at (804) 649-6444 or Pwoody@timesdispatch.com
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