Around campus I have gotten some responses today about my column.

The most recurring comments have been:

1) But they’re amateur athletes

2) How are we supposed to pay them? Where is this money coming from

And it really makes me angry to hear this.

First off, the only reason they are amateur athletes is because the NCAA bestows them with the title amateur athlete. They put in all the work of a professional, but they receive little to no benefits.

But what about the free education they’re getting?

Well yes, some of them take advantage of that, and that’s great. I support student athletes. But official stats released from the NCAA say that 40% of the nation’s Division I football teams are graduating less than 60% of their players. To me that sounds like a decent percentage are being paid in an education that they don’t even want.

Now who pays whom? Well first off I think it all starts off with royalties. Currently college athletes are not allowed to make money off of their own talent and likeness. The NCAA doesn’t let them do it.

Take this scenario for instance. If you are to go out and buy a #42 Illini basketball jersey right now, are you buying just any Illini basketball jersey? No! You’re buying specifically a Brian Randle jersey, but Brian Randle is not allowed to make a cent off of his own jersey. Why is that fair?

The NCAA and its institutions are able to exploit an athlete’s likeness and give him absolutely nothing in return for his jersey sales under the guise that he’s an amateur athlete and are thus not allowed to get paid. But once again, they don’t have to be amateur athletes; the NCAA just says they are.

Now as far as actual programs paying their players I think the best way to do it is have a scale set up for all of Division I saying that a starter who has played or started for a certain amount of years is entitled to making a certain amount of money. In addition, if a player wins a special award he should get a bonus.

So, for instance, let’s say that Rashard Mendenhall wins the Heisman trophy this year; the NCAA pays him a bonus for winning that award.

The last argument I get that really gets me angry is that they are already earning stipends and getting free stuff thrown at them from boosters. These arguments come from the same people that are calling them amateur athletes! I’m sorry, I can’t accept the fact that because athletes are getting paid illegally by boosters that’s the reason that the NCAA shouldn’t pay them. I hope that under my plan by signing contracts and earning money these under the table deals involving boosters could be stopped once and for all. I think they’re despicable.

Last, I want to apologize to the women’s soccer team. Regardless of the fact that you really don’t earn a lot of money for the school, you are still a great group of people and wish you all the best of luck.

Cheers and go Illini!

Kevin Spitz