Church Voices

From here.

USC has self-imposed* major penalties for infractions involving former player O.J. Mayo. According to this article, an events promoter funneled cash and goods to Mayo while Mayo was at USC. As penalty, USC will have to forfeit all its wins from the 2007-08 season, it must return the NCAA tournament money it received when Mayo was on the team, and it won’t be able to participate in post-season tournaments this year.

Mayo currently plays in the NBA and Tim Floyd, the USC coach during the period in question, resigned last spring. While you can’t say those two get away scot-free (Tim Floyd’s reputation is damaged, for instance), the people who arguably bear the brunt of these sanctions - current coach Kevin O’Neill, his staff, and the current USC players - had little to do with what apparently went down with Mayo. If a man knows that a third party will have to pay the penalty if he breaks the rules, he’s more likely to break the rules. Tails, I win. Heads, you lose.

Its no longer even an interesting question to consider whether or not talented college players at big time athletic programs are receiving benefits for their services because so many are. A more interesting question is whether or not this is a moral or ethical breach. Before taking that question on, its necessary to take a little bit broader look at the situation.

The first thing to note is that the system is rigged against the player. For some reason the NBA (which is a union shop) has been allowed to keep players who have reached the age of majority from seeking employment. If God happens to have gifted you with extraordinary athletic prowess you are not allowed to work in the NBA for one year after high school graduation. That means you spend a year working for nothing at the NCAA level while schools make millions off your work. What’s more the NCAA regulations work against athletes in favor of schools at every turn. Scholarships are no longer 4 year affairs, rather they’re 1 year renewable contracts so if a new coach comes in and doesn’t like a player he’s out with no guarantee of tuition, or if a player hurts himself badly enough he can no longer play no he loses the ability to pay for school as well as the prospect of a pro career.

Also, keep in mind, so long as a player doesn’t do something like lie under oath about benefits received (I’m looking at you Chris Webber) receiving these benefits aren’t illegal.

The question here isn’t one of fairness (it isn’t fair) or legality (it isn’t illegal), but one of morality. Is it wrong for an athletically gifted player to be paid for his work?