Ok, I’ve thought about this long and hard and I’ve come with this proposal for the NCAA: Start allowing kids to take money from schools, alums, agents, whomever they want. Allow as much money to be given to the kid as the kid can get. Allow the kid to continue to get money while in school.

Now immediately you say this is wrong. But, I ask why is it wrong? It is wrong because the NCAA says it is wrong. But, is there something inherently evil in getting paid to do something? Nope. In fact, getting paid to do things is how our whole society works.

Anyway, before you dismiss this idea, consider these points.

1. The whole idea of amateur athletics died a long time ago about the time the Olympics started allowing pro athletes to compete. These kids are making millions for their schools so why should they not reap some of the benefits?

2. The NCAA has not been able to stop the payment of student athletes. They have just forced people to be more creative, more under the table and even more involved with the criminal element. This needs to stop.

3. If it were out in the open then schools would have a fair chance to compete, or meet the offer of other schools. Right now a school trying to play fair as at a disadvantage to schools that cheat.

4. By making it legal you would end all this snooping around schools going against each other, calling the NCAA etc. All the schools going against each other, turning each other in etc., has created some bad blood.

5. A whole lot of kids in poverty could get their families out of the hood and into a better life. Right now even when a kid gets money he has to keep it on the down low. If it were legal a lot of poor folks could probably get home mortgages based on the money their kid is earning at college.

6. Kids would more likely stay for the full 4 years and who knows maybe even get a degree.

Now, if they were to make it legal I think all the money would need to be funneled directly through the athletic department so it is in public view. Boosters giving big bucks, say 200k, could give it to the athletic department and get a tax write off in the process as long as the money did not go towards their own kid. In fact giving a tax break would just about insure there was no more under the table money. And kids would need to pay taxes on the money too. I mean right now no one is paying taxes on this under the table stuff.

Actually, this whole idea would stimulate the economy and up the tax revenue all at the same time.

I know it is crazy but it would sure make things a lot easier. I think Bama would fair very well in this kind of environment. I mean we came up with the money to expand the stadium pretty easily and I think we could generally outbid most other schools, certainly we could outbid Auburn.

Alright, how do you feel about this idea?