Getting Paid

College players having agents? No way.  College players being paid and receiving gifts? Oh my god!!!.  I am obviously being facetious.  This weeks Sports Illustrated featured former agent John Luchs admitting to paying college football players.  In all honesty, are we really that surprised?  Those that believe college players are not being paid by agents are clueless.  How do you think these agents get the guys to sign with them once they turn pro?  They are obviously giving them something.  Why else would the player choose the agent once they became a professional.  I laugh when these stories come out and people react with such shock and denial.  Are we that naive of a society?  

One of the players accused of taking money is former Ohio State Buckeye and current Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes.  Holmes has denied taking any money or benefits.  I doubt he is telling the truth.  Why wouldn't he take the money and benefits? Many of these athletes come from poor families and have never come close to any type of wealth.  Athletics is their way out and they want to be paid.  If they get a major injury in college, they are screwed.  One injury can cost a player millions of dollars.  If an agent can give these players something, it is very difficult for them not to accept it.  These are young kids and they do not know any better. 

The NCAA makes billions of dollars from college football.  The players that are making money for the schools see none of it.  The colleges will say they provide them with an education, but we all know most players are not there for the education.  The players agents are going after are can't miss pros.  They are going to school to become professional athletes.  As long as the colleges are not paying players, the NCAA should stay out of it.  Additionally, this is something they will never be able to stop.  It is impossible to prevent agents from going after players.  The NCAA really needs to find more important things to do than worry about football players having agents.