Are college athletics good or bad?

Piobaire · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by HORNS

Seriously. I'm sure U of Michigan would LOVE to have an enrollment full of people like ComboOrgan.

Actually, U of Mich is a great example of a public university that has a serious football program and serious academics. I know graduates from their law and medical schools (both consistently ranked as the cream of the crop) who, in their 40s, continue to wear "Go Blue" type stuff.

Duraak · Sep 19, 2010

I'm a 4th year undergrad at UMich. We recently built a $228 million stadium renovation that already paid for itself. Our football program always makes money. My tuition goes up every year anyway.

I love Michigan football. My saturdays in the fall live and die by football. But on sunday, I do homework, get good grades, apply to graduate school, etc. But come on. College is about more than academics. Don't be such a nerd.

And do you really think people applying to top schools don't know Michigan's academic reputation? I got into better ranked schools than UM, but chose Michigan because of the tradition, the football, the hockey, the town. Things besides academics matter to prospective students too. There's a reason I didn't go to Dartmouth.

Go Blue.

deadly7 · Sep 19, 2010

Why do people have this dichotomy that a life outside academics only implies sports, or a life outside sports only involves academics? That's the general sense I'm getting in some of these posts.

rjakapeanut · Sep 19, 2010

there's too many posts to respond to and i'm on my macbook at a cigar lounge so i'm just going to make a few statements that should address most of the issues raised here.

1.) most institutions lose money on athletic programs. this is a fact. i can go find the proof when i get home, but the guy on the front page posted a good few links, too. the confusing part about it is that these institutions do not report things correctly, and they fudge the numbers to make it look as though they do profit from it. they don't. very few places profit from it.

2.) piobaire, no, LSU doesn't make money. i'm not one of the lazy/uneducated college students of which you speak. where do i get my information? why, none other than the president of the LSU system. the president.

they, like every other institution, fudge the numbers.

but these institutions lose money.

rjakapeanut · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by StephenHero

It doesn't ******* matter if you think people aren't worthy of yourself just because they like football while you'd rather disassemble Apple IIe's or not ********. What matters is that sports are the most visible means for public awareness of your school and the benefits they provide the school has an enormous impact on the school's size, educational quality, applicant pool, capital fundraising, etc.

see the only flaw with that problem is that the athletics actually don't help improve educational quality. they hurt it. so that's where we're differing in opinion.

Piobaire · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by rjakapeanut

there's too many posts to respond to and i'm on my macbook at a cigar lounge so i'm just going to make a few statements that should address most of the issues raised here. 1.) most institutions lose money on athletic programs. this is a fact. i can go find the proof when i get home, but the guy on the front page posted a good few links, too. the confusing part about it is that these institutions do not report things correctly, and they fudge the numbers to make it look as though they do profit from it. they don't. very few places profit from it. 2.) piobaire, no, LSU doesn't make money. i'm not one of the lazy/uneducated college students of which you speak. where do i get my information? why, none other than the president of the LSU system. the president. they, like every other institution, fudge the numbers. but these institutions lose money.
Ah, so all data we present is bogus? Okay, carry on. No use talking about it further. Btw, glad to hear you're not a lazy college student. I'm sure studying at the cigar bar is optimal.

Texasmade · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by rjakapeanut

see the only flaw with that problem is that the athletics actually don't help improve educational quality. they hurt it. so that's where we're differing in opinion.

So you don't think a lot of the top students in Texas choose UT Austin because of the football/atheltic program? I guarantee you it's because of the football program that UT Austin is able to attract so many of the top students in Texas.

How do I know this? Many of my friends in high school were in the top 5% and chose UT Austin because of this.

Piobaire · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by Texasmade

So you don't think a lot of the top students in Texas choose UT Austin because of the football/atheltic program? I guarantee you it's because of the football program that UT Austin is able to attract so many of the top students in Texas.

How do I know this? Many of my friends in high school were in the top 5% and chose UT Austin because of this.

You data is not good. Only the kid has solid data.

Texasmade · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by rjakapeanut

there's too many posts to respond to and i'm on my macbook at a cigar lounge so i'm just going to make a few statements that should address most of the issues raised here.

1.) most institutions lose money on athletic programs. this is a fact. i can go find the proof when i get home, but the guy on the front page posted a good few links, too. the confusing part about it is that these institutions do not report things correctly, and they fudge the numbers to make it look as though they do profit from it. they don't. very few places profit from it.

2.) piobaire, no, LSU doesn't make money. i'm not one of the lazy/uneducated college students of which you speak. where do i get my information? why, none other than the president of the LSU system. the president.
they, like every other institution, fudge the numbers.

but these institutions lose money.

How do you know the president isn't fudging the numbers then? If you can't trust audited data, (I'm assuming the athletic department gets audited along with the rest of the school) then how can you trust the university president.

Duraak · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by rjakapeanut

see the only flaw with that problem is that the athletics actually don't help improve educational quality. they hurt it. so that's where we're differing in opinion.

I'm confused here. How do athletics hurt educational quality? Plenty of Michigan students live their lives as though football doesn't exist and still get a great education. How are they damaged because football exists?

HORNS · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Actually, U of Mich is a great example of a public university that has a serious football program and serious academics. I know graduates from their law and medical schools (both consistently ranked as the cream of the crop) who, in their 40s, continue to wear "Go Blue" type stuff.

Yes, I know that - those alumni which you are referring to are not what I am talking about.

rjakapeanut · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by Duraak

I'm confused here. How do athletics hurt educational quality? Plenty of Michigan students live their lives as though football doesn't exist and still get a great education. How are they damaged because football exists?

those students would have better teachers, libraries, equipment etc. if the athletics didn't exist.

also piobaire i'm not saying i'm the only one who knows whats up. but it is common knowledge that ALL institutions adjust their books to show that they're profiting from the football programs etc.

they're not. when i get home i'll find you interviews and articles about it. it's been going on for a long time.

also piobaire you silly bear stop trying to hurt my feelings. you're still my favorite poster!

i'm not studying the cigar bar -- i'm watching brett favreeeee.

Piobaire · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by Texasmade

How do you know the president isn't fudging the numbers then? If you can't trust audited data, (I'm assuming the athletic department gets audited along with the rest of the school) then how can you trust the university president.

Auditors are in on it. You know CPAs; they're all for sale.

rjakapeanut · Sep 19, 2010

the more sarcastic you are piobaire the harder i get

Piobaire · Sep 19, 2010

Originally Posted by rjakapeanut

the more sarcastic you are piobaire the harder i get

Your threads tend to crack me up. If you had ever led an organization that receives an audit, and how seriously auditors take themselves, the eff'ing FASBs, etc., you'd know how funny the concept of "fudged" numbers are.

Are college athletics good or bad?

Not left of center?

Active Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Not left of center?

Stylish Dinosaur

Not left of center?

Stylish Dinosaur

Active Member

Stylish Dinosaur

Distinguished Member

Not left of center?

Distinguished Member

Not left of center?

FEATURED PRODUCTS

Similar threads

Featured Sponsor

Definitely full canvas only

Half canvas is fine

Really don't care

Depends on fabric

Depends on price

Forum Sponsors

Forum statistics

FOLLOW STYLEFORUM ON: