Starving Student Athletes

[IUNorthwesternGrad 3]

I just picked up on this one.

 

Shabazz Napier, point guard for The University of Connecticut's men's basketball team, recently told reporters he understands why athletes at Northwestern need a union, as he sometimes has to go to bed "starving" because he cannot afford food.

 

"We as student athletes get utilized for what we do so well. We are definitely blessed to get a scholarship to our universities, but at the end of the day, that doesn't cover everything. We do have hungry nights that we don't have enough money to get food and sometimes money is needed," the senior told reporters. "I think, you know, Northwestern has an idea, and we'll see where it goes."

 

 

Full article here.

 

Let the discussion begin.........

[BlueDevil 8,655]

I saw this last night and it seemed to me first glance that he over exaggerated to an extent. Maybe I am wrong. I don't know him or his situation.

[All_Hoosiers 873]

Starving is such a strong word.


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[Hovadipo 54,963]

Yeah sometimes I REALLY want Taco Bell, but I can live without it.


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[djsalway 4,161]

So why can't they get a loan to cover a meal plan through their universities? As a kid paying over $100,000 in debt once I get out of here, I could only wish for a scholarship that covered those expenses. I'm completely over the whole "athletes being paid" discussion.

[Bigdaddy76 111]

OK here is what gets me! Not sure about ya'll but I had to pay for my education. My parents did not. I got a Pell grant and loans. I was NOT on the campus meal plan, I was not in a dorm. I worked my arse off 30 to 40 hrs a week to get by. There were weeks at a time when I ate nothing but Ramen noodles. I am sure that I am not alone on this, as I have heard several say the same thing. Would I have liked to take my girl out for a pizza on the weekend? Absolutely! You go to college to get an education. Part of that education is learning that you are not gonna be able to do certain things because you don't have the money. Its a big part of what makes us who we are as adults. I do realize that these kids make a lot of money for the schools, I get that. But don't tell me that you go to bed hungry. Has anyone seen the training tables that these kids eat at? Its not a standard meal plan that the general student body gets I promise you. These guys are treated like kings! Give me a break about not getting anything out of your scholarship! Sheesh!  

[IUNorthwesternGrad 3]

I was a student athlete and paid for my education at IU and NW graduate school. GI bill helped some but that cost me 3 years in the service. That was not playing a sport BTW. I did receive some scholarship money but I wasn't in an "elite" sport and I never starved.

 

Now, here is what U of C where Napier attends had to say.

 

"Shabazz Napier, like all our scholarship athletes, is provided the maximum meal plan that is allowable under NCAA rules. UConn does not have a cafeteria devoted specifically to student-athletes, but they have access to the same cafeterias which are available to all our students," Phil Chardis said in a statement.

 

 

The alternate viewpoint comes from John Calipari here.

 

Many years ago I saw an ESPN feature highlighting the U of K basketball team. These players are treated as if they are Kings. I don't like John Calipari, I think his programs are all suspect at the least. However, if he's spot on with his analysis at Kentucky then maybe athletes should receive some food, drink and snack bonus. Three meals a day is not enough for athletes in sports like basketball, swimming, football, wrestling - fill in the blank - any sport that requires expenditure of large amounts of calories.

 

Indiana basketball, at least in the past, had a private dining facility beyond that I don't know about meals and extras.