On the mythology of the "student-athlete"
Do universities provide "student-athletes" with a proper education in exchange for their athletic performance on the field? I suppose it depends on the sport. But for the high-profile, high-profit sports, it is not clear that athletes are getting what they deserve from the university. Football and basketball athletes who participate on high-profile teams, the ones we watch on TV, are engaged in a highly profitable activity ( Final Four rakes in more advertising dollars than the NFL playoffs ) - but due to NCAA rules, the profits do not trickle down to the athletes - they require college profit centers student-athletes to remain "amateurs." Scholarships are provided to these student athletes, of course - many of these highly skilled athletes are provided full-ride scholarships to excellent universities. But are student-athletes getting a good deal?