Comments on: Haunted: A Review of The Blind Side http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2006/11/haunted-a-review-of-the-blind-side/ Economic Thinking about Baseball Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:16:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jonathan http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2006/11/haunted-a-review-of-the-blind-side/comment-page-1/#comment-13040 Jonathan Wed, 15 Nov 2006 22:15:15 +0000 http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2006/11/haunted-a-review-of-the-blind-side/#comment-13040 I have great sympathy for your NCAA critique, but I think you go a bit too far in your solution. While it is true that the members of a Division IA football team do not resemble the rest of the student body in far more than weight, a purely mercenary team with no connection to the school other than as a salaried employee would lay bare a comforting, if false, myth and would probably do great damage to the sport. First, a lot of schools would just choose not to compete... if not immediately, once they came to grips that they were paying people to fail. Second, alumni relish whatever tenuous connection their halcyon days had with the stalwarts they see on campus. The myth of amateurism probably gets a lot of butts in the seats. My favorite line was when Pepper Rogers, Georgia Tech "graduate," was named head football coach. He was asked whether Tech could be nationally competitive given its requirement that all students take calculus. His answer: "Sure. My players can cheat their way through just like I did." Believe it or not, answers like that bind alumni closer.... I have great sympathy for your NCAA critique, but I think you go a bit too far in your solution. While it is true that the members of a Division IA football team do not resemble the rest of the student body in far more than weight, a purely mercenary team with no connection to the school other than as a salaried employee would lay bare a comforting, if false, myth and would probably do great damage to the sport. First, a lot of schools would just choose not to compete… if not immediately, once they came to grips that they were paying people to fail. Second, alumni relish whatever tenuous connection their halcyon days had with the stalwarts they see on campus. The myth of amateurism probably gets a lot of butts in the seats. My favorite line was when Pepper Rogers, Georgia Tech “graduate,” was named head football coach. He was asked whether Tech could be nationally competitive given its requirement that all students take calculus. His answer: “Sure. My players can cheat their way through just like I did.” Believe it or not, answers like that bind alumni closer….

]]> By: Phil Birnbaum http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2006/11/haunted-a-review-of-the-blind-side/comment-page-1/#comment-11721 Phil Birnbaum Sat, 11 Nov 2006 05:23:13 +0000 http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2006/11/haunted-a-review-of-the-blind-side/#comment-11721 >"Screw grades, screw class, and screw scholarships—pay these kids the money they are generating for these schools." Amen! I often liken the NCAA to institutionalized slavery. It is only a slight exaggeration. >”Screw grades, screw class, and screw scholarships—pay these kids the money they are generating for these schools.”

Amen! I often liken the NCAA to institutionalized slavery. It is only a slight exaggeration.

]]> By: Tom http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2006/11/haunted-a-review-of-the-blind-side/comment-page-1/#comment-11276 Tom Wed, 08 Nov 2006 17:18:13 +0000 http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2006/11/haunted-a-review-of-the-blind-side/#comment-11276 JC, Your criticism of the NCAA is spot on. What is maddening to me is that despite the special treatment these athletes get at their schools, as you rightly point out, they are being exploited. I'm not sure exactly what the revenues for college sports are, but it's undoubtedly huge. There are a lot of people making a LOT of money off these athletes, and to call them amateurs is a farce. My objection to the whole industry has caused me to give up watching college sports, and it's great to hear you articulate a lot of my objections. Your review was also a pretty effective advertisement for the book. You should ask for a referral fee. JC,

Your criticism of the NCAA is spot on. What is maddening to me is that despite the special treatment these athletes get at their schools, as you rightly point out, they are being exploited. I’m not sure exactly what the revenues for college sports are, but it’s undoubtedly huge. There are a lot of people making a LOT of money off these athletes, and to call them amateurs is a farce. My objection to the whole industry has caused me to give up watching college sports, and it’s great to hear you articulate a lot of my objections.

Your review was also a pretty effective advertisement for the book. You should ask for a referral fee.

]]> By: Kyle S http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2006/11/haunted-a-review-of-the-blind-side/comment-page-1/#comment-11258 Kyle S Wed, 08 Nov 2006 16:30:26 +0000 http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2006/11/haunted-a-review-of-the-blind-side/#comment-11258 Nice review. I completely agree with your stance on the NCAA; whenever I complain that players should be paid, people look at me like I'm crazy and proclaim that they should be grateful for the free education. *sigh* I'm glad to see that Oher is playing well and still on track for the NFL. He was Freshman All-SEC last season and is Ole Miss' starting left tackle this year. Nice review. I completely agree with your stance on the NCAA; whenever I complain that players should be paid, people look at me like I’m crazy and proclaim that they should be grateful for the free education. *sigh*

I’m glad to see that Oher is playing well and still on track for the NFL. He was Freshman All-SEC last season and is Ole Miss’ starting left tackle this year.

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