in particular Football.. And I LIKE
college football. BUT it's not a sport any more.. it's PRO BALL
Who believes in the myth of big-time college sports anymore? The polite fantasy of the student-athlete playing gratefully for pride and tuition has been stripped away by an overwhelming financial reality that became too big and rich to ignore. The hypocrisies can be seen from outer space, and public opinion—not to mention the courts—are catching up.
Who believes in the myth of big-time college sports anymore? The polite fantasy of the student-athlete playing gratefully for pride and tuition has been stripped away by an overwhelming financial reality that became too big and rich to ignore. The hypocrisies can be seen from outer space, and public opinion—not to mention the courts—are catching up.
Still, college sports remain mostly disinterested in pulling back the
curtain. The show remains the thing, and most of us remain intrigued by
the show, even if it requires a certain, artful reality distortion. If
you’re going to obsess over, say, major-college football, it’s useful if
you ignore the conflicts, exploitation and awkwardness and (at least
temporarily) give yourself over to the illusion.
Celebrate the wins. Howl over the losses. Buy an officially licensed T-shirt; do a shot from an officially licensed Jell-O mold. Don’t go hunting too hard for the truth.
But every so often, the truth can’t help but slip out.
“It’s no longer about education,” Snyder continued. “We’ve sold out to the cameras over there, and TV has made its way, and I don’t fault TV. I don’t fault whoever broadcasts games. They have to make a living and that’s what they do, but athletics—that’s it. It’s sold out.”
This was admirably honest, as the 75-year-old Snyder is known to be. But within a few weeks, the coach’s sellout comments were pushed aside for the sellout itself. The college season began. The inevitable rah-rah arrived, as did the national fever over rankings and the newly created football playoff, reported to be worth around a half billion annually in TV rights.
The show would not stop.
Celebrate the wins. Howl over the losses. Buy an officially licensed T-shirt; do a shot from an officially licensed Jell-O mold. Don’t go hunting too hard for the truth.
But every so often, the truth can’t help but slip out.
“It’s no longer about education,” Snyder continued. “We’ve sold out to the cameras over there, and TV has made its way, and I don’t fault TV. I don’t fault whoever broadcasts games. They have to make a living and that’s what they do, but athletics—that’s it. It’s sold out.”
This was admirably honest, as the 75-year-old Snyder is known to be. But within a few weeks, the coach’s sellout comments were pushed aside for the sellout itself. The college season began. The inevitable rah-rah arrived, as did the national fever over rankings and the newly created football playoff, reported to be worth around a half billion annually in TV rights.
The show would not stop.
The best moments in college sports are when the people in power get so fed up, they actually tell the truth.
online.wsj.com|By Jason Gay
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