<p>With few exceptions, most athletes in D1 revenue generating sports, and even many in other sports, aren’t able to truly devote themselves to serious academic work. Their coaches and institutions monopolize nearly all of the productive hours in a day, and frankly, those who’ve had the experience first hand also understand that a great number of them are not particularly well treated in these athletic programs. People fixate on the value of the scholarships and handful of “success” stories, but it’s mostly just a ruse. These athletes don’t receive the same depth of educational opportunities as non athletes. Their main purpose is not to be educated, but to entertain and generate revenues for their institutions. Scheduling conflicts? Could you imagine a player missing practice one or two days a week because he had to be in lab? He’d be off the team in a heartbeat. In fact, most are directed away from the most demanding academic work to make sure they have more time for athletics. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t go as far as saying their exploitation is intentional, but it is clearly a systematic problem that leaves far too many of these kids used up and unprepared for life after their tenure on the team with nothing to show for the time they were quite literally owned by their coaches and the institution for which they played. This, after having generated big $$$$ for their universities. </p>
<p>I don’t know what the right answer is, but I see the current system as being inherently unfair once you pull off the window dressing and look at the circumstances realistically and honestly. It’s very exploitive and inequitable.</p>