Daniel Miller It has been said that Miller is
the person he is today because he probably held leadership
positions in high school. E-mail him at dnmiller@ucla.edu if you think
leadership connotes arrogance.
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An upsetting problem plagues UCLA’s Athletic Department,
and has beleaguered collegiate athletes for years. Oppressive
rules that do not allow collegiate athletes to accept gifts, extra
benefits, and representation from agents prevent a smooth
transition from collegiate to professional athletics. This sad fact
ensures that many a collegiate sports hero’s career will be
hurt because he will be tempted by one of these irresistible perks
and face a Draconian punishment.
These harsh and unjust rules damaged the UCLA athletic program
this year when two superstars, tailback DeShaun Foster and
women’s volleyball, basketball and track athlete Kristee
Porter, had their collegiate careers cut short and interrupted,
respectively. They were irrationally and unreasonably punished when
it came to light that they had received extra benefits.
It is impossible to expect a highly talented college athlete
competing in a sport such as football or basketball to be able to
refuse the temptation of free luxury automobiles and the inviting
voices of sports agents calling them, promising apparel contracts
and shoe deals. Yet, when these athletes accept the gifts and
privileges that are constantly being thrust upon them, they are
punished harshly ““ often they are not allowed to continue to
play at the collegiate level, and even worse, the prospects for the
athletes’ professional careers may be diminished.
I think that everyone in the sports world would agree that this
problem threatens the livelihood of athletics, and the pain that it
inflicts on collegiate athletes is almost already too intense to
alleviate. Let it be known that while the problem seems only
to affect a small number of athletes, I propose a remedy to the
National Collegiate Athletic Association’s most egregious
error that will help to make collegiate athletics more enjoyable
for everyone who participates.
This problem weighs heavily on my heart, so I have spent a great
deal of time deliberating on the matter, with the ultimate goal of
finding a solution that will make life easier for the athletic
stars at UCLA and every other major university in the land.
With this in mind, I suggest that collegiate athletes should be
allowed to accept any gift they desire from whomever they wish, and
be represented by any agent they choose. In addition to this, every
collegiate athlete will receive an annual stipend of $30,000 to be
used at his or her leisure and discretion. Athletes will be
encouraged to spend this money on anything from very expensive
Giorgio Armani clothing to new 20-inch rims for the car he or she
just received from an actor-slash-friend.
Additionally, music companies should be encouraged to give
collegiate athletes record deals, and if necessary, music video
production and promotion for athletes’ musical careers should
be subsidized by the NCAA.
Finally, universities should provide their star athletes with
vacation homes in exotic locales, stocked with cases of Cristal and
video games. Obviously, rule adjustments will have to be made to
accompany this new plan; however, its implementation will usher in
a new, more enlightened era for athletics.
Star athletes in college will be rightfully prepared for the
world of professional sports, learning valuable lessons through
their reception of costly sport utility vehicles from agents and
boosters, and from negotiating endorsement contracts with
nutritional supplement companies.
The transition to high profile organizations like Major League
Baseball and the Women’s National Basketball Association will
be smoother for collegiate stars, and they will avoid mistakes and
pitfalls that professional rookies frequently encounter when they
are first exposed to all that money.
The lifting of current regulations will not impact collegiate
athletics to a great degree. High profile sports stars would still
receive the most special benefits, but they would do it legally
without the fear of punishment.
Agents will be able to court the young men and women that they
cannot legally get their hands on now. Across the board, every
university with a sports program will benefit from this
proposal.
With the greatest sincerity I declare that I have no vested
interest in the proposal that is presented here. I am only
motivated by my love for athletics and for my school.
I am not the only proponent of this plan. I recently spoke
with a respectable friend from USC who heartily endorses my
recommendation, noting that it would do wonders for his
school’s athletic program.
There are those that argue that the commercialization of
collegiate athletics has already destroyed its spirit and that this
proposal would be the deathblow. They say that stars of
collegiate athletics should be patient and avoid monetary
temptations ““ safe in the knowledge that they will be
rewarded with riches, success and the satisfaction of doing things
the right way following their graduation.
Pay no attention to those with these dissenting perspectives, as
they are missing the point. This proposal will rightfully make
money the focus of collegiate athletics, which will serve as
adequate preparation for making an unbelievable amount of money at
the professional level.
After all, that is what it’s all about.