Paying College Football Players Won't End Corruption

The other night, Tim Tebow was on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and after plugging his book, talk eventually turned to the mess at Ohio State.

Tebow’s basic point was that players should just get a little bit more (money) so they can go to Outback to eat or buy a scooter to get around campus.

Now I actually agree with Tebow on the money issue. These schools are making millions, while the players get next to nothing, so why not pay them something? I know I’m not alone thinking that way. In fact, it may be the least original thing I’ve ever written.

However, I also believe that even if you pay the players, you’re still going to get scandals like the one at Ohio State. Whatever money you pay players, there will always be a handful who will want more.

The fact is, players aren’t going to get pro money. Steve Spurrier recently said coaches could pay players $300/per game. While I’m sure that would go a long way for a lot of players, that’s not going to stop the shenanigans.

Think about it, Terrelle Pryor wasn’t just trading swag for tattoos, he was getting sweet deals on several used cars. Several? This included a Nissan 350Z. Something tells me $300 for a scooter wasn’t going to satisfy Pryor.

Remember this isn’t a isolated incident, Pryor was just the last guy to get caught. USC had to banish Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo from their record books over the cash and gifts they received from agents. Chris Webber was taking money since the eighth grade from Ed Martin. Marcus Camby took 30K, gifts and prostitutes. Even Sir Charles Barkley admitted to taking money in college. I can keep going, but I think you get the idea.

For these guys and many more, this isn’t just about getting enough money to eat at Outback, this is about living a lifestyle they believe they deserve. While I support college players getting paid, I have little pity for these type of guys.

I didn’t come from money. Yet in college I could often be found in a steak house (Texas Roadhouse). That’s because I was working at one, roughly 35+ hours a week, while going to school full-time, paying for my own car, apartment and tuition/books, all while trying to convince the girlfriend I never had time to see not to leave me.