I <3 Joe Paterno so much.

[Alice]

I wish I would have known that.  I would have sent half my paycheck to Cedric Benson to help him out in school.

[eo000]

I wish I would have known that.  I would have sent half my paycheck to Cedric Benson to help him out in school.

don't feel too bad. they do get $500 a month for living expenses.

[Alice]

I wish I would have known that.  I would have sent half my paycheck to Cedric Benson to help him out in school.

don't feel too bad. they do get $500 a month for living expenses.

Okay, I won't.  But it would have been a good excuse to get a piece from him.

[eo000]

I wish I would have known that.  I would have sent half my paycheck to Cedric Benson to help him out in school.

don't feel too bad. they do get $500 a month for living expenses.

Okay, I won't.  But it would have been a good excuse to get a piece from him.

they can't carry guns on campus.

[Alice]

I wish I would have known that.  I would have sent half my paycheck to Cedric Benson to help him out in school.

don't feel too bad. they do get $500 a month for living expenses.

Okay, I won't.  But it would have been a good excuse to get a piece from him.

they can't carry guns on campus.

Didn't he go to Texas? I thought they were all about the guns in TX.

[Bennyhana]

It's unfortunate, because I love to watch professional Football, but I completely abhor everything in the athletes' lives that lead up to it.

Come to think about it, I kinda abhor the athletes themselves sometimes.  I think that professional athletes should each get paid $100,000/year (and ticket and concession prices should come down appropriately, so the owners aren't exploiting the players) and STFU about it.  That way your favorite players would have a chance of staying on your favorite team, you could actually afford to take your family to the game, and there wouldn't be this ridiculous bullshit in college, where athletes are treated like royalty because they might get paid 8 figures one day.

[eo000]

It's unfortunate, because I love to watch professional Football, but I completely abhor everything in the athletes' lives that lead up to it.

Come to think about it, I kinda abhor the athletes themselves sometimes.  I think that professional athletes should each get paid $100,000/year (and ticket and concession prices should come down appropriately, so the owners aren't exploiting the players) and STFU about it.  That way your favorite players would have a chance of staying on your favorite team, you could actually afford to take your family to the game, and there wouldn't be this ridiculous bullshit in college, where athletes are treated like royalty because they might get paid 8 figures one day.

yeah, but what about the backup o-lineman that won't even get a sniff of pro money? why shouldn't he be able to earn while in college?

and you don't think that if you're better at your job than someone else, that you shouldn't get paid more than that person? or that you shouldn't be able to look elsewhere for a better paying job? sounds communist.

[Bennyhana]

It's unfortunate, because I love to watch professional Football, but I completely abhor everything in the athletes' lives that lead up to it.

Come to think about it, I kinda abhor the athletes themselves sometimes.  I think that professional athletes should each get paid $100,000/year (and ticket and concession prices should come down appropriately, so the owners aren't exploiting the players) and STFU about it.  That way your favorite players would have a chance of staying on your favorite team, you could actually afford to take your family to the game, and there wouldn't be this ridiculous bullshit in college, where athletes are treated like royalty because they might get paid 8 figures one day.

yeah, but what about the backup o-lineman that won't even get a sniff of pro money? why shouldn't he be able to earn while in college?

and you don't think that if you're better at your job than someone else, that you shouldn't get paid more than that person? or that you shouldn't be able to look elsewhere for a better paying job? sounds communist.

There are plenty of actors in college who will never see money for acting, either, and no one pays them.  They do it because either they're vain assholes, or they can't stop themselves from doing it.  Trust me, somewhere there is a backup o-lineman that will never play pro that would do it even without a scholarship.

Yes, it does sound communist.  And I hate having communist ideas.  Too bad the system is so broken and out of hand that I don't really think there's another option to save the whole damn thing from going into the toilet.

[eo000]

It's unfortunate, because I love to watch professional Football, but I completely abhor everything in the athletes' lives that lead up to it.

Come to think about it, I kinda abhor the athletes themselves sometimes.  I think that professional athletes should each get paid $100,000/year (and ticket and concession prices should come down appropriately, so the owners aren't exploiting the players) and STFU about it.  That way your favorite players would have a chance of staying on your favorite team, you could actually afford to take your family to the game, and there wouldn't be this ridiculous bullshit in college, where athletes are treated like royalty because they might get paid 8 figures one day.

yeah, but what about the backup o-lineman that won't even get a sniff of pro money? why shouldn't he be able to earn while in college?

and you don't think that if you're better at your job than someone else, that you shouldn't get paid more than that person? or that you shouldn't be able to look elsewhere for a better paying job? sounds communist.

There are plenty of actors in college who will never see money for acting, either, and no one pays them.  They do it because either they're vain assholes, or they can't stop themselves from doing it.  Trust me, somewhere there is a backup o-lineman that will never play pro that would do it even without a scholarship.

Yes, it does sound communist.  And I hate having communist ideas.  Too bad the system is so broken and out of hand that I don't really think there's another option to save the whole damn thing from going into the toilet.

those actors are allowed to get jobs in college. athletes aren't.

[ReBurn]

Not true. There's running drugs and protection rackets.

[Bennyhana]

It's unfortunate, because I love to watch professional Football, but I completely abhor everything in the athletes' lives that lead up to it.

Come to think about it, I kinda abhor the athletes themselves sometimes.  I think that professional athletes should each get paid $100,000/year (and ticket and concession prices should come down appropriately, so the owners aren't exploiting the players) and STFU about it.  That way your favorite players would have a chance of staying on your favorite team, you could actually afford to take your family to the game, and there wouldn't be this ridiculous bullshit in college, where athletes are treated like royalty because they might get paid 8 figures one day.

yeah, but what about the backup o-lineman that won't even get a sniff of pro money? why shouldn't he be able to earn while in college?

and you don't think that if you're better at your job than someone else, that you shouldn't get paid more than that person? or that you shouldn't be able to look elsewhere for a better paying job? sounds communist.

There are plenty of actors in college who will never see money for acting, either, and no one pays them.  They do it because either they're vain assholes, or they can't stop themselves from doing it.  Trust me, somewhere there is a backup o-lineman that will never play pro that would do it even without a scholarship.

Yes, it does sound communist.  And I hate having communist ideas.  Too bad the system is so broken and out of hand that I don't really think there's another option to save the whole damn thing from going into the toilet.

those actors are allowed to get jobs in college. athletes aren't.

Guess what?  I don't give a fuck.  Those athletes get to play in brand new multimillion dollar facilities, and they have had everyone's head up their ass since they were in High School.  So fuck them.  Fuck them up their coddled asses.

[Bennyhana]

The reason why those athletes aren't allowed to get jobs is because there are too many people willing to help them break the rules.  If you can't handle the responsibility, you don't get the freedom.

[Bennyhana]

I don't think it needs to be said at this point, but Paterno is A-okay in my book.  Next time someone fucks up, they should be cleaning the urinals.

Being good at a sport does not give you the right to carry yourself like a jackass.

[eo000]

It's unfortunate, because I love to watch professional Football, but I completely abhor everything in the athletes' lives that lead up to it.

Come to think about it, I kinda abhor the athletes themselves sometimes.  I think that professional athletes should each get paid $100,000/year (and ticket and concession prices should come down appropriately, so the owners aren't exploiting the players) and STFU about it.  That way your favorite players would have a chance of staying on your favorite team, you could actually afford to take your family to the game, and there wouldn't be this ridiculous bullshit in college, where athletes are treated like royalty because they might get paid 8 figures one day.

yeah, but what about the backup o-lineman that won't even get a sniff of pro money? why shouldn't he be able to earn while in college?

and you don't think that if you're better at your job than someone else, that you shouldn't get paid more than that person? or that you shouldn't be able to look elsewhere for a better paying job? sounds communist.

There are plenty of actors in college who will never see money for acting, either, and no one pays them.  They do it because either they're vain assholes, or they can't stop themselves from doing it.  Trust me, somewhere there is a backup o-lineman that will never play pro that would do it even without a scholarship.

Yes, it does sound communist.  And I hate having communist ideas.  Too bad the system is so broken and out of hand that I don't really think there's another option to save the whole damn thing from going into the toilet.

those actors are allowed to get jobs in college. athletes aren't.

Guess what?  I don't give a fuck.  Those athletes get to play in brand new multimillion dollar facilities, and they have had everyone's head up their ass since they were in High School.  So fuck them.  Fuck them up their coddled asses.

so because the schools built mulitmillion dollar facilities, the athletes worked hard to hone their abilities, and others have idolized them along the way, they shouldn't be able to get a part time job.


there was a whole lot more i had in here, but why bother. you've stated you don't care.

[Beefy]

It's not just a football phenomenon, it's a societal thing.  Look at Britney Spears.  I have no doubt she has put in the time, sweat, and effort to get to where she's gotten.  But just as we like to build up our bombastic, self-important douchebags, we also like to tear them down.  And to some degree, they'll have earned that resentment from the public.

Nothing's gonna change.

I'd have more respect for such people if they kept some aspect of their life grounded in normal human reality, like a part time job or such.  Go volunteer in a hospice or something.

[Bennyhana]

It's not just a football phenomenon, it's a societal thing.  Look at Britney Spears.  I have no doubt she has put in the time, sweat, and effort to get to where she's gotten.  But just as we like to build up our bombastic, self-important douchebags, we also like to tear them down.  And to some degree, they'll have earned that resentment from the public.

Nothing's gonna change.

I'd have more respect for such people if they kept some aspect of their life grounded in normal human reality, like a part time job or such.  Go volunteer in a hospice or something.

So here's the question:  Was it like this 200 years ago?  And if not (as I suspect), why not?

[Jessie]

What about Roman Gladiators?  How were they treated in society?

[Jessie]

Never mind.

The Romans' attitude towards the gladiators was ambiguous: on the one hand to be a Gladiator was the ultimate social disgrace and in fact they were legally designated as infamia (loss of certain public rights);[10] but on the other hand, some successful gladiators rose to celebrity status and even those of senatorial and equites families seemed to join up as gladiators (the Larinum decree under Tiberius banned those of such status from becoming gladiators, which implies that this must have been happening[11]). Being a Lanista was a very lucrative business, but it also was viewed as among the lowest professions on the social scale and well below prostitution, although paradoxically if the Lanista had other sources of income he carried no stigma at all. Likewise if the Gladiator took no fee for fighting then the legal stigma of infamia did not apply and the Gladiator legally lost no social status although remaining publicly disgraced.

[Beefy]

It's not just a football phenomenon, it's a societal thing.  Look at Britney Spears.  I have no doubt she has put in the time, sweat, and effort to get to where she's gotten.  But just as we like to build up our bombastic, self-important douchebags, we also like to tear them down.  And to some degree, they'll have earned that resentment from the public.

Nothing's gonna change.

I'd have more respect for such people if they kept some aspect of their life grounded in normal human reality, like a part time job or such.  Go volunteer in a hospice or something.

So here's the question:  Was it like this 200 years ago?  And if not (as I suspect), why not?

I'll take a stab at this.  Just one dude's thoughts and such.

I think perhaps it wasn't like this 200 years ago, and that was because as a culture we weren't as reflexive and self-aware.  Sure, there was still corruption and douchebags and such, but it came in different flavors.  And that behavior by and large certainly wasn't lauded and encouraged by the majority of the population.  It was something to keep to whispers when discussing.

Now we've grown and learned a lot about ourselves.  We've been around long enough to be able to look back and study how our culture has changed.  As we have become more self-aware, we've also become more callous.  We simply don't care as much about the gray middle areas of life.  We love the stories of those rising, and those being torn down, because they're the most sensational.  Additionally, as technology marches on and on, finding new ways for us to connect, it's also driving us apart in ways, and so where we were once taught that certain behaviors weren't acceptable around others, we now don't have to adhere to that since we're not actually in the same room.  And then so these folks who have grown to be without these inhibitions are now raising children without these inhibitions.  And the mass populace eats it up because it keeps them from being bored and it makes them feel better about themselves to say, "Well, if I had access to all that power, money, and idolatry, I certainly would have handled it more respectably."

[manosax]

I don't think it needs to be said at this point, but Paterno is A-okay in my book.  Next time someone fucks up, they should be cleaning the urinals.

Being good at a sport does not give you the right to carry yourself like a jackass.

AMEN Brother!

[ReBurn]

What about Roman Gladiators?  How were they treated in society?

Quite often they were treated to lions.

[DownSouth]

Jealous much?

[VikingJuice]

I like what Joe-Pa Stands for.  The man's been working at as head coach since many of our parents were toddlers.  He works hard, he seems to play by the rules, and he manages to do well in his profession while still coming across as an average/humble guy in interviews.

I do think college athletes should either be paid a small sum to defer costs of attending college or be allowed to work at school sanctioned, monitored, jobs where illegal monies can't be funnelled in readily.  Most people don't realize that NOT all scholarships pay for everything for an athlete.  NOT all athletes are pampered douchebags.  NOT all athletes attempt to circumvent rules and regulations.  MOST in fact do not go on to careers in the pros.  MANY, perhaps even MOST, do seek an actual education with their scholarship endeavors.

[manosax]

There are those that are a part of a high profile team like Penn St Football where most of the members of the team are on full rides.  Well, most of the starters at the very least.  I have told some of my HS students that a soprts scholarship can get them a free or nearly free education.  I'm sure that there are some programs where they pay for their tuition, housing and all of their meals.  That would make sense from a control aspect.  Heck, I would want my players eating what the team nutritionist told them to to optimize their health and performance. 

[VikingJuice]

There are those that are a part of a high profile team like Penn St Football where most of the members of the team are on full rides.  Well, most of the starters at the very least.  I have told some of my HS students that a soprts scholarship can get them a free or nearly free education.  I'm sure that there are some programs where they pay for their tuition, housing and all of their meals.  That would make sense from a control aspect.  Heck, I would want my players eating what the team nutritionist told them to to optimize their health and performance. 

I agree.  Unfortunately, most college athletes eat in the general eating area where you have a meal card and full access to every variety of fried unhealthy crap.  If I were a university giving out scholarships to athletes, I'd want them supervised by a nutritionist too.