T he hypocrites, also known as the NCAA, and members of the U.S. Congress, otherwise known as crooks and politicians, have criticized Nick Saban’s $4 million salary. The U.S. House of Representative’s Ways & Means Committee has pledged hearings next month on the possibility of removing the tax exemption for college athletics. It looks like Congress is offended someone is looting more money from a government institution than they are.
Apparently, the war on terror, saving Social Security and promoting the general welfare are all less important than holding hearings on how much Alabama or Notre Dame pays someone to coach college football.
And the sanctimonious NCAA is willing to pretend it cares. According to this story from Channel 13, “The NCAA president said the skyrocketing salary of today’s college coach is the most important issue in collegiate athletics..â€
Only an academic would say that. The problems of drug abuse, steroids, alcohol, gambling, misogyny, and cheating are far more important than the salary of a coach. How much Saban earns doesn’t ruin lives, but those other issues do. And those other issues have become systemic in college athletic programs. Football players are being arrested for everything from theft to drugs to rape to public intoxication, but a coach’s salary is more important to the NCAA?
College athletics is big business run by a morally bankrupt organization. If Congress wanted to reform college athletics, it should focus on tearing down the NCAA.
Of course, that won’t happen. The NCAA and Congress have much in common—neither is really intersted in solving any problem. They both, like a Hobbesian Leviathan, want to increase their power at the expense of others.
Here, Here, Here! I couldn’t have said it better.
I’m shocked. A Bama fan that uses “Hobbesian Leviathan” as an analogy? You must have gotten your degree from Vandy.
thats good ole yellow journalism from our beloved “capstone reporter” CR