Does Intercollegiate Athletics Equal Knowledge? :: Argumentative Persuasive College sports Essays

Does Intercollegiate Athletics Equal Knowledge? We live in an age where economic gain at the easiest means possible is desired. For many this want of economic status depends heavily on their completion of college. A degree can lead to higher wages and greater job opportunities. But, there is another class that is in a boat all their own: student-athletes, males in particular. Many male athletes leave college in hopes of joining the professional field. But, many times leaving school before graduation can have negative effects. Ironically, many athletes that complete their education do not come out with the knowledge necessary. Thus, we need to ask the question, can collegiate athletes benefit from finishing their education before pursuing professional careers. For college athletes, the opportunity for a university education is as important as playing intercollegiate sports. False. According to Murray Sperver, author of College Sports Inc., â€Å"formal and informal studies indicate that most college athletes in big-time programs hope to play their sport at the professional or Olympic level, and they regard college as their path to the pros or the national team.† Many athletes devote countless hours to their sports, thus resulting in an inability to obtain a serious means for academics. For many high school athletes the academic quality of a university does not hold near as much precedence over the quality of a universities athletic program. Although professional athletes make up only three percent of the entire population, this seems to be irrelevant to those athletes choosing colleges. A dream may have more power than reality. The NCAA stands behind there motto that athletics are also students and that their primary purpose in education is to receive an education, which results in obtaining a degree. Yet, according to College Sports Inc., â€Å"at a third of American colleges and universities with major men’s basketball programs, fewer than one in five players ever graduate.† The NCAA blames these low graduation rates as the result of athletes dropping out of school because of professional contracts. Many institutions, like UNLV have been accused of giving their athletes questionable degrees. In other words, many institutions â€Å"graduate† these athletes before they actually earn their degrees. As stated in The Los Angeles Times, â€Å"UNLV graduation ceremonies showed [men’s basketball coach] Tarkanian with all five of the six seniors from this years team, all in caps and gowns.