Recent Comments

Is it true Searles has connections to the Bronco organization?

I can kind of see the appeal now. I hadn't thought about it that way.

Guys, let's Focus on what's really important here.

Too much money is focused on college sports. What about academics?

VT's athletics bring in a revenue between $60-$70 million/year. VT's research budget is around $450 million. Athletics is a marketing tool for the university.

Major professional sports in this country have salary caps. Why not colleges?

I'd like this idea at the surface, lots of details would have to be worked out though.

Who bears the burden of paying for big time college sports? Who should be paying?

Fans, TV networks, students, alumni, state tax dollars (public schools). As long as students don't pay too much, I think this is fine.

One big problem is the commercialization of college sports. The product, mainly football, has become subservient to the commercial interests and their big money. They are leveraging the emotion of School Pride into big revenue. They are using essentially slave labor (amateurs) to make big profits. The commercial interests, outside of a few scholarships provided as PR, are the winners. So are the big name coaches and even the assistants.

It's definitely a broken system. The system works fine for 98% of its participants, however, the 2% of players who don't fit the system generate over 100% of the profit.

When does the focus return to the student? The desire to remain competitive in big time sports makes the costs go up for everyone at a school, not just the sports fans.

Student ticket costs at VT aren't bad. I think it should be changed to a point system where students get credit for attending non-revenue sports, and said points can be redeemed for better/cheaper/guaranteed seats, but that's another issue.

I think the focus is on the student. Bowl/Kickoff game/Lottery Tix/Season tix are discounted, or free. North Endzone was build purely for students (I know it sucked last year, but two years ago I remember doing anything and everything to sneak in there). I've had classes and labs rescheduled for Thursday night games. How is it not about the student?

To end the arms race I think all revenue in all NCAA sports should be divided equitably among all schools and conferences. Every school will have a budget and all schools should share in the benefits. Donors can either send their dollars to the NCAA, who will provide funding to every school that participates, or their donation will reduce what the NCAA sends to a school.

I don't think that's fair at all. If I want to make a donation, I want to make a donation to Virginia Tech, and I don't want one penny going to UVA!!!! I'd be ok with a 'salary cap' where all donations/revenue over the cap go to support a school's academics.

you're just such a different person from who you are at 13 compared to 18, i was at least. i know it's not unprecedented and it does speak highly of the kid but who knows, he might not even like football five years from now.

Some people here just don't get jokes. Especially ones that are about rape, demographics, and borderline sexism(both ways). So make off color jokes and ones about bad things at your own risk.

This is true, just a little "butthurt" about getting my first downvote.

Been a long day...

Don't really consider this a "flip". When we first got his commitment, it was already known that if OSU offers, he would go. Now that he got the offer he wanted, and the coach recruiting him is gone, seems like a no brainer.

I wish the kid the best.

pretty sure Tyrod wasnt offered until high school. The first I remember it happening was when Lane Kiffin offered David Sills a scholarship in 8th grade, and it was so shocking at the time that it was all over the news.

Fun fact, Sills is now just a 3* QB who despite 'committing' to USC is now projected to go to Michigan
247 D Sills

Completely agree. The college football "arms race" is getting out of hand. It will only go as far as the market will allow. If the market from those making the money is tapped out, I don't like the idea of burdening students who are making negative $$$ per year for that extra 10 mil.

Hasn't tuition at VT doubled in the last 5-10 years?
And yet the starting salary at my company and many others is the about the same now as it was when i graduated in 2007.

I thought this was the new recruiting van.