Athletics spending is irresponsible

Discussion of the Falcon football team.
SmurK
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AN INVESTMENT?!?!?!

Post by SmurK »

Education is an investment that pays of both for oneself and the community.

Athletics may or may not pay off for anybody but the athletes (who don't get the whole college experience) and the coaches. And the studies that have been done show that this assumption that it does pay off is not true. Studies of hundreds of institutions and tens of thousands of students and alumni are hard to go against with good, old intuition.

Something worries me about someone who suggests spending $2000 in money I don't have on a program that has no proven return at all for anyone but some coaches/athletic directors is an investment. How is that an investment?

And, yes, I am learning more about the NCAA and the athletics department. It's a bit to take in overnight. Give me a few weeks, and I will return. Have faith in the power of numbers to cause change, such as a decrease in salaries and scholarships. It can happen. But it probably won't because in this day in age, people don't even get off the couch to lend a helping hand to the future of America, especially when the game is on.
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Schadenfreude
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Re: AN INVESTMENT?!?!?!

Post by Schadenfreude »

SmurK wrote:But it probably won't because in this day in age, people don't even get off the couch to lend a helping hand to the future of America, especially when the game is on.
No.

It probably won't happen because, at some point, people are gonna get off the couch.

People like me.

I'm not on your side.
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BGDrew
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Re: AN INVESTMENT?!?!?!

Post by BGDrew »

SmurK wrote:Education is an investment that pays of both for oneself and the community.

Athletics may or may not pay off for anybody but the athletes (who don't get the whole college experience) and the coaches. And the studies that have been done show that this assumption that it does pay off is not true. Studies of hundreds of institutions and tens of thousands of students and alumni are hard to go against with good, old intuition.

Something worries me about someone who suggests spending $2000 in money I don't have on a program that has no proven return at all for anyone but some coaches/athletic directors is an investment. How is that an investment?

And, yes, I am learning more about the NCAA and the athletics department. It's a bit to take in overnight. Give me a few weeks, and I will return. Have faith in the power of numbers to cause change, such as a decrease in salaries and scholarships. It can happen. But it probably won't because in this day in age, people don't even get off the couch to lend a helping hand to the future of America, especially when the game is on.
Do you want to know the #1 reason BG has seen an increase in enrollment on its Freshmen class? Straight out of the mouth of Ol' Sid Rib himself: "The success of the Football team."
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Post by Zom »

Yes, it is indeed an investment. That's my judgement call, and I am happy it is not one that I do not have to rely on an accountant for, thank god. Or, evidently, an investigating journalist.

For those that believe education extends to skills and disciplines beyond a text book, the conventional option provides opportunities that few people get anywhere else in the world. If you have no worldly experience in this respect, you should probably get some, because I think it would help your perspective on this topic enormously.

Really, if you feel so strongly, go get your degree online. You can concentrate on pure studying without the distraction of wasting time interacting with such a thing as a student body, and at the end of it, you'll get a piece of paper. That's all anyone is there for in the first place, is it not?
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Re: AN INVESTMENT?!?!?!

Post by Falcon30 »

SmurK wrote:Education is an investment that pays of both for oneself and the community.

Athletics may or may not pay off for anybody but the athletes (who don't get the whole college experience) and the coaches. And the studies that have been done show that this assumption that it does pay off is not true. Studies of hundreds of institutions and tens of thousands of students and alumni are hard to go against with good, old intuition.

Something worries me about someone who suggests spending $2000 in money I don't have on a program that has no proven return at all for anyone but some coaches/athletic directors is an investment. How is that an investment?

And, yes, I am learning more about the NCAA and the athletics department. It's a bit to take in overnight. Give me a few weeks, and I will return. Have faith in the power of numbers to cause change, such as a decrease in salaries and scholarships. It can happen. But it probably won't because in this day in age, people don't even get off the couch to lend a helping hand to the future of America, especially when the game is on.
Would this forum exist without athletics? No. Would I have met my wife? No. (how's that for proof of a benefit, and I am NOT the only one.) Would I be able to buy a BGSU hat at Lidz? Would a "BGSU hat" exist? Even the most academically intense school i know is partially defined by their athletic programs. Ask a Kenyon College grad about their swimming programs.

I volunteer more than you apparently do, BTW, because I will spend 6-15 hours a week volunteering this school year AND I watch BG football!

I don't like your reasoning because you can translate it to any 'fringe' activity that is not your definition of 'academics' like marching band, dance groups and other clubs.
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Re: AN INVESTMENT?!?!?!

Post by transfer2BGSU »

BGDrew wrote:Do you want to know the #1 reason BG has seen an increase in enrollment on its Freshmen class? Straight out of the mouth of Ol' Sid Rib himself: "The success of the Football team."
Success of our football team is one reason for our increased enrollments. But there are many reasons for our successful enrollment.
"The name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back" -Herb Brooks
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