Just Some Thoughts

 

Answer this for me…How many times in your lifetime have you heard a collegiate athlete speak out in a negative way about his or her coach?  Now in comparison how many times have you heard a professional athlete speak out about their coach, teammates or the front office?  From firsthand experience I will tell you, when a reporter put a microphone in my face and asked, “What do you think about Tubby Smith?”  I didn’t care what was going on I was going to say something positive because I knew my playing time, scholarship and my future basically rested in Coach Smith’s Hands.  Personally, I really don’t know why reporters even ask these questions.  There have been many times during my career at Kentucky I felt one way but said something else to the media.  I talk to the guys all the time and they tell me things that they would never say to the media.  I wonder if college athletes (all of them) spoke to the media like they speak to their teammates, family and friends, how different would the college athletic atmosphere be.  That brings me to my next question…

 

 Is it right for college coaches to get paid mega millions based upon how well 18-22 year old college amateur athletes perform on the basketball court or football field?  And trust me they think like that.  During the four years I played under Coach Smith he let us know that it was his “livelihood and the lively of the assistant coaches also.”  And I do not doubt it is college coaches’ lively hood.  I understand this is their job and someone has to do the job.  But people these “student-athletes” aren’t working for fortune 500 companies.  While I was at the University of Kentucky Tubby Smith was getting Paid $2,500,000 a year.  I was getting paid a whopping $15,000 a year for my tuition.  Something doesn’t add up here.  By no means am I advocating “student-athletes” get paid anymore than their college tuition but by god when you are getting paid 2.5 million a year how can you have the nerve to say that this is your livelihood and I’m responsible for it.  Just a though I’ll let you all debate.

 

 And little word on Politics.  Obama wants to take out the bowling alley in the White House and put a basketball court in.  That’s enough for me.  Ballaaaa!