Sports Random, Random

[ti-amie]

Unless you are playing a sport such as badminton, every single kid that goes into college with a sports-scholarship is going there with nothing more than the ambition of joining the big leagues once he is out. The system is singularly American; I can't think of any universities here in South America where college games are televised and a university makes a profit from that.
It cuts both ways. Sure, as you say, most of the athletes do not play for the love of the game. But certainly the Universities do not have athletic programs for that same lost love. There is no need to talk about how Alabama plays football "for the love of the game"; they have a football program because it provides them with that obscene amount of money.
The love for the game will not disappear. I do not believe that every professional athlete out there is playing solely for the money. You have used Leilah Fernandez as an example yourself: she obviously loves the game, so her primary goal is not profit. But she is also deserving of the money she makes, because she is very good at what she does. Every other athlete in the world could be the same. As a matter of fact, I would say that those that love the sport they play are more successful than those that don't.
Plus: not every college athlete makes it to the pros. So they should get some reward for the years that the helped that university make money. Because after their senior year, many of them have to get real jobs. And many do.

Yes. And many of those with pro dreams can't make the transition from college to the pros. Also many end up injured and can't play. Let them get something that's not under the table for their efforts.

[Suliso]

Unless you are playing a sport such as badminton, every single kid that goes into college with a sports-scholarship is going there with nothing more than the ambition of joining the big leagues once he is out. The system is singularly American; I can't think of any universities here in South America where college games are televised and a university makes a profit from that.
It cuts both ways. Sure, as you say, most of the athletes do not play for the love of the game. But certainly the Universities do not have athletic programs for that same lost love. There is no need to talk about how Alabama plays football "for the love of the game"; they have a football program because it provides them with that obscene amount of money.
The love for the game will not disappear. I do not believe that every professional athlete out there is playing solely for the money. You have used Leilah Fernandez as an example yourself: she obviously loves the game, so her primary goal is not profit. But she is also deserving of the money she makes, because she is very good at what she does. Every other athlete in the world could be the same. As a matter of fact, I would say that those that love the sport they play are more successful than those that don't.
Plus: not every college athlete makes it to the pros. So they should get some reward for the years that the helped that university make money. Because after their senior year, many of them have to get real jobs. And many do.

Is that really so for those who play anything other than football, basketball and tennis?

[JazzNU]

Is that really so for those who play anything other than football, basketball and tennis?

No. Maybe that's the impression from the outside, but it certainly isn't the reality. I'd mention other sports than this, there's the possibility of going pro, but not necessarily for big money. Even so, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, golf, volleyball, and hockey should be added to the list. Track and field, depends on your definition of pro, but that's another one. Even so, much more than a super majority are well aware they are not going to the pros and don't have delusions of thinking they'll reach that level. Most football and basketball players don't think that either FYI. Only the best of the best on college teams know they've got any version of a shot. The NCAA commercial is always true here, almost all will go pro in something other than sports. And they know it.

[Deuce]

Money - and the evils which accompany it - is the reason I prefer to watch young kids play sports.
Watching a little league baseball game, or a youth hockey or soccer or football game, etc., where the kids are, say, under 13 years old, is bliss. Because these kids aren't thinking about what kind of paycheck they might be getting in the future. They literally play for the love of playing the game. It is the game in its purest form. As it should be - and as I feel it was meant to be - before big business took over sport.

Junior tennis, to a lesser extent. Yes, the kids are playing because they love it (mostly, with the exception of those kids whose parents are living vicariously through them and pushing them way too hard - but that happens in all sports). It's just that in tennis, because it's an individual sport, and a well known one, kids are getting endorsements at a young age. And even if this doesn't (officially) pay them any money, there is free equipment, etc., and this gives them an appetite for material reward, which, sadly, has a tendency to override the reward of simply competing to the best of one's ability, and gaining happiness and satisfaction from that alone.

[skatingfan]

Top badminton players make low 6 figures, just saying.

[JazzNU]

[Deuce]

He was driving at twice the speed limit. 85 mph (135 km/h) in a 45 mph (72 km/h) zone. If he were the only person on the roads, I’d say fine - stupid, but fine - he’s only risking his own life. But there were other people on the roads that day. That makes his speeding very much NOT fine - and extremely selfish.

Excessive Speeding the Cause of Tiger Woods Crash

Of course he won’t be charged with dangerous driving - because he’s ‘famous’. If he would have killed another driver when his speeding SUV crossed over onto the oncoming traffic lane, they’d also very likely find a way to NOT charge him with vehicular manslaughter. Because he's 'famous'.
But you can bet your ass that if Mr. or Mrs. John Q Public were in that vehicle instead of a ‘celebrity’, he or she would be charged. And if the crash were public knowledge, he or she would be crucified in the court of public opinion for being a very selfish danger to society. And rightly so.

But because this guy can hit a little ball well, his selfish and dangerous behaviour is completely excused by the majority - and by the media. And this is at least his second time having troubles while driving - a few years ago, he was caught behind the wheel while under the influence of something. They say it was 'pain pills' or some such - but the details are (deliberately?) very sparse and murky.

Celebrity culture is insane. And very unhealthy.
The double standard that society employs for ‘celebrities’ is pure and absolute BS.

[the Moz]

^^ Nice vitriol

[ptmcmahon]

Agreed...but it is also the 100% truth.

[the Moz]

Agreed...but it is also the 100% truth.

Agreed

[Deuce]

You know it's not your day when...

McIlroy's Errant shot hits...

[ptmcmahon]

Good news people! It’s not Tigers fault!

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports ... e-in-crash

He just accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the break and wound up instantly going 40 mph over the speed limit! Those celebrities do the darnedest things!

[ponchi101]

I really don't know if I would want those kind of news to come out. How does it make you look when you, apparently, can't tell the BRAKES from the GAS? And you are a world class athlete?
I can already hear the jokes about "He can't drive..."

[JazzNU]

Hitting the gas when you mean to hit the brake is fairly common actually. Cited as the cause of thousands of accidents every year.

[ponchi101]

Oh, it goes even more than that. All modern AUTOMATIC transmission vehicles have a safety device that will not let you shift into DRIVE unless you are pressing the brakes. That was due to an accident and subsequent lawsuit by a woman that claimed that her Audi 100 (1980's) had lunged forward and caused her accident when she shifted into DRIVE. No engineers in the world could replicate the event, and all agreed on one thing: the woman had stepped on the gas as opposed than the brakes.
It is very common. But not to Tiger Woods.