Blue Owl Brewing
Doesn't Care Where Money Comes From, It Shouldn't Be Spent
RECEIVED Sun., Jan. 25, 2009
Dear Editor,
I saw on the news yesterday that Baylor (that college in Waco) has just unveiled a new $34 million athletic complex. Something like 93,000 square feet of space just for athletic students … oh, I mean student-athletes. OK, am I wrong, or was there just a report about the rising cost of college tuition? I believe it said that during a recession, the cost of tuition goes up more, and the money spent on educating our students has gone down. Why are we building this sports complex now? Actually, why are we building it at all. Baylor is not exactly the pinnacle of college football. It is one of the schools that probably would have faired better in I-AA the last 10 years. They went 33-93 in their current division. The report on the new complex said that it will attract new, more talented athletes. Baylor, the only way you will attract better football players in this area is if the University of Texas, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M start having lots of losing seasons. Please don't tell me that Baylor has an excellent … men's water polo team … or whatever. Football brings in some money; none of the other sports are filling 80,000-seat stadiums.
I said it about the White House china [Postmarks, Jan. 16], and I'll say it again: I don't care where the money for the sports complex came from. Our schools from kindergarten through college are wasting money on things that won't prepare the students for getting a job!
Don't think I am just solely picking on Baylor. The amount of money spent on college sports stadiums and coaches is just sad. We have teachers making $40,000 and coaches making $2.5 million. Yes, I know, those coaches and teams bring money into the schools. That's great, but let's spend the money on education. In the old days, students that could play football could play as long as they kept their grades up … in real classes. Now we have developed classes that allow them to pass as long as they keep playing ball. At UT, it appears they are considered to be good students if they are able to make it through the season without getting arrested.
Bottom line, we are falling behind as a country. You know how when money is short, you have to cut out some fun activities? It's that time for our colleges.
I saw on the news yesterday that Baylor (that college in Waco) has just unveiled a new $34 million athletic complex. Something like 93,000 square feet of space just for athletic students … oh, I mean student-athletes. OK, am I wrong, or was there just a report about the rising cost of college tuition? I believe it said that during a recession, the cost of tuition goes up more, and the money spent on educating our students has gone down. Why are we building this sports complex now? Actually, why are we building it at all. Baylor is not exactly the pinnacle of college football. It is one of the schools that probably would have faired better in I-AA the last 10 years. They went 33-93 in their current division. The report on the new complex said that it will attract new, more talented athletes. Baylor, the only way you will attract better football players in this area is if the University of Texas, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M start having lots of losing seasons. Please don't tell me that Baylor has an excellent … men's water polo team … or whatever. Football brings in some money; none of the other sports are filling 80,000-seat stadiums.
I said it about the White House china [Postmarks, Jan. 16], and I'll say it again: I don't care where the money for the sports complex came from. Our schools from kindergarten through college are wasting money on things that won't prepare the students for getting a job!
Don't think I am just solely picking on Baylor. The amount of money spent on college sports stadiums and coaches is just sad. We have teachers making $40,000 and coaches making $2.5 million. Yes, I know, those coaches and teams bring money into the schools. That's great, but let's spend the money on education. In the old days, students that could play football could play as long as they kept their grades up … in real classes. Now we have developed classes that allow them to pass as long as they keep playing ball. At UT, it appears they are considered to be good students if they are able to make it through the season without getting arrested.
Bottom line, we are falling behind as a country. You know how when money is short, you have to cut out some fun activities? It's that time for our colleges.
Steven McCloud
