I don't care about players getting scholarships and in many cases the
players do rightfully deserve them.  But I would like to mention some-
thing that was both amusing and frustrating.
 
A football player that I knew here (Div. I-AA in football, UMaine), told
me that if it weren't for his scholarship to play football, he wouldn't
be in school.  Not because of the money, but simply because he hated
school.
 
 
What was ironic about this, and he thought so too, was that he didn't
want to be in school (except for football), and he got to do it for
free.  Myself, who wanted to be in school, could barely afford it and
needed to stress about expenses.  I've even taken a couple of years of
absence to save the money to be here.
 
I am not sour about this, I just wanted to point out some inadequacies
that may exist in the current system.  Should coaches offer
scholarships only to those players that can demonstrate a definite
desire to learn more than just the sport they are involved with?
 
Sure, quality players are going to bring more fans and money.  But is
that the only thing we should ask of the student/athlete?
 
I suppose the plus side of my story may be that a guy who wouldn't have
gone to school got an education to use later.  I just wonder though if
there may have been another player somewhere, with the same talents and
less money, that may have been happier for the chance to further his
education.
 
Ben