Athletes with Agents

it never used to be common noise, athletes with agents, but it seems like every second there is a new scandal about a student athlete being in cohoots with an agent. Reggie Bush started the fire but ever since the sanctions against USC came down its been breaking news after breaking news. is it becuase its now a bullseye and everyone is on edge? or is just that kids are a lot stupider these days? (yes, i used the word stupider for dramatic effect). Everyone's quick to give the coaches a lot of guff, and yes... it might be wise for them to include a day of "don't be an asshole and ruin our team" lectures, but its not their fault. its not even their job. self respect, responsibility and ownership are the things a college aged student learns from their parents.



Is it the Agents fault? about as much as it is the car salesman's fault you bought a lemon. he made it sound exotic, but you were stupid for buying it. Is it the fault of the student athlete. With regards to Reggie Bush, that just sucks for everyone. who do you penalize? Can't penalize the coach, he flew the coop to Seattle. can't chastize the player, he's too busy celebrating a world championship, and you can't penalize the Agents because this isn't a court of law. so what happens, the current students, fans, and athletes get screwed out of a chance for greatness.

So what do we do?

Lets assume this is going to happen no matter what. Its happened in the past (Chris Carter) its happening now (everyone in the SEC), it will happen in the future. so how do we make the playing field level, how do we keep it conducive to team chemistry, how do we make it legitamate.

Enter Hampsterdam. in season 4 of HBO's "The Wire" Major "Bunny" Colvin had a radical idea to, not legalize drugs, but decriminalize drugs. he pushed all of the drug trafficking to sections of Baltimore that were uninhabited and away from the parts of society trying to succeed. it was monitored: no weapons were allowed, there was on site medical testing and informational kiosks and active good doers there to make sure there was a quality of life in this new area. what happened? the rest of the city streets and corners were able to stay alive and thrive and enjoy peaceful existence. was it pretty everywhere? no but... it worked.

I say let them sign. if an agency is willing to put their money into a kid, they absolutly should be able to... but that kid gets no scholarship. no funding, no meal plan, NO help from the school. if its allowed, they will and only the cream of the crop will eve have the chance to have agents becuase if they're going to foot the bill for college, they aren't going to waste it on a bust. then more walk-on kids can get scholarships, more families can be helped out and maybe we can get back to playing college football as opposed to college politics.

Is it a pretty solution, absolutly not but... it'll work, and even if it doesnt... at least SOMETHING is being done