College Athletes for Hire Essay Example
In the area of collegiate sports, there have been numerous heated debates about the integrity of many things concerning the NCAA and how it handles legal and ethical issues. Two well renowned scholars tackle this issue in their co-authored book entitled
"College Athletes for Hire, The Evolution and Legacy of the NCAA's Amateur Myth" written by Allen L. Sack and Ellen J. Staurowsky. In their book, the authors enlighten the reader on such issues as athletic scholarships, professionalism in college sports, and favoritism for athletes as well as many more important legal, and ethical issues that we as a country need to address. In this paper I will not do a standard book report by simply regurgitating the information I read in their book. Instead I will try my best to give you my opinion of the issues previously mentioned, and finally what the authors feel should be done to remedy this dilemma as well as my own opinion on the matter, but first I will discuss the issues involved in athletic scholarships. "It is not whether an activity is perceived to be enjoyable that distinguishes employment from leisure. Rather it is the presence or absence of instrumental constraint," ( p.4 ). This quote from the book best describes the problem of athletic scholarships as they exist today. Instrumental constraint is basically the control, or constraint of material rewards and resources, or in this case room and board or extra spending money for athletes receiving scholarships based on their athletic performance. The whole point of athletic scholarships are to free the already over taxed athlete from worrying about getting a full time job in order to pay for classes, spending money, and
room and board, on top of the full time job of school, and sports. But the dilemma is not in the money or in the scholarship itself; instead it lies in the eligibility and ethics of the issues. Take for instance Joe Schmoe, a well-rounded basketball player for the University of
"College Athletes for Hire, The Evolution and Legacy of the NCAA's Amateur Myth" written by Allen L. Sack and Ellen J. Staurowsky. In their book, the authors enlighten the reader on such issues as athletic scholarships, professionalism in college sports, and favoritism for athletes as well as many more important legal, and ethical issues that we as a country need to address. In this paper I will not do a standard book report by simply regurgitating the information I read in their book. Instead I will try my best to give you my opinion of the issues previously mentioned, and finally what the authors feel should be done to remedy this dilemma as well as my own opinion on the matter, but first I will discuss the issues involved in athletic scholarships. "It is not whether an activity is perceived to be enjoyable that distinguishes employment from leisure. Rather it is the presence or absence of instrumental constraint," ( p.4 ). This quote from the book best describes the problem of athletic scholarships as they exist today. Instrumental constraint is basically the control, or constraint of material rewards and resources, or in this case room and board or extra spending money for athletes receiving scholarships based on their athletic performance. The whole point of athletic scholarships are to free the already over taxed athlete from worrying about getting a full time job in order to pay for classes, spending money, and
room and board, on top of the full time job of school, and sports. But the dilemma is not in the money or in the scholarship itself; instead it lies in the eligibility and ethics of the issues. Take for instance Joe Schmoe, a well-rounded basketball player for the University of