This week Tim Tebow went viral again. This time, he was very expressive and passionate about the new Fair Pay to Play Act. Tim Tebow says that the passion and the opportunity to play for the College of your dreams should be enough. The former University of Florida Gator said on First Take that, if we start to pay them then it will ruin College Sports.
I don’t disagree with the former,first round pick and Heisman trophy winner. Tebow’s reality is very different from the majority of College student athletes. Most of these athletes don’t have families to sent them money. I’m not saying that Tebow was pampered but it’s clear as day that he has a distorted view on what’s happening. Although I do understand that paying players can cause an issue with recruiting, it may not be all that bad. Hear me out Tim & co. Since when you were in college, you patented the term Tebowing.
Nobody is asking schools to dish out millions, even though they can clearly afford it. The players are asking for bare minimum in order for these big schools to profit off their likeness and names. Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney signed a 10 year deal worth $92 million and Nick Saban will get paid $8.3 million this year. How can anyone justify that when Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence is the main attraction and doesn’t get paid a dime? That we know of. Let’s say that the NCAA allows a maximum of 500$ a week paid to D1 student athletes, every player receives the same amount. Kind of a like a Universal Basic Income (thanks Andrew Yang #YangGang). Recruiting wouldn’t change if the number is Universal and standardized. Alabama, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Butt Fuck State and whichever other D1 school would have the same amount of money allocated to player salaries. I use the word salary because that’s what it is. The players will Play to get Paid. American universities already charge way too much for tuition. Praise Canada! Creating a pay structure will only offer more of incentive to perform in and out of the classroom.
Tebow’s heart is in the right place, i feel like it always is. He’s an extremely honest person and nobody every questions his judgments. But even a broken clock is right twice a day and in this moment, Tim Tebow is clueless. Just because you sold a lot of shirts and never wanted the money doesn’t make extortion of young players trying to make a life for themselves right. Pride for your school does not replace broken bones, injuries and eventual CTE.