It’s not just the colleges, and it’s not just the NFL; it’s a reflection of the entire, corrupt system that produces elite athletes for pro football and basketball.
It literally begins on the playgrounds. Once upon a time, Little League, Pop Warner football and community basketball leagues were a place for kids to learn the game, have fun and be mentored by adults who actually cared about the kids and their futures (off the playing field).
Now, the scouts and coaches are trolling those leagues—and junior high schools—looking for the next five-star recruit. And if a kid has the raw talent, there is an entire network of camps, summer leagues, and athletic tutors who can help them develop those skills.
Look at AAU basketball; it is little more than a developmental program for the colleges and the NBA. Promising basketball players spend much of their free time (and virtually the entire summer) playing against teams made up of other elite prospects. More than a few AAU coaches have six-figure endorsement deals with the shoe and apparel companies. Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and the rest see it as a good investment. If the coach discovers the next LeBron, he might be able to convince him to endorse their product. If a kid’s family can’t come up with the money needed to fund a summer on the AAU or camp circuit, it can easily be arranged—if the youngster had enough talent.
Same thing in football. Your favorite college team has camps during the summer, and various athletic website host seven-on-seven or “elite” sessions for the most promising players. Naturally, the results are heavily publicized and many of the events are timed to coincide with periods when coaches can contact recruits.
And what does this process teach young athletes? You’re gifted; you’re special. You have talents that exceed mere mortals and you’re destined for greatness. Let someone else pay your way—you’re entitled. Academics? Just do enough to get by and qualify. You’re part of that one percent who will get rich in the game and then, who needs a college degree.
Women? Part of the spoils. There for the taking. There are groupies on the AAU circuit and on every college campus, so help yourself. Remember, you’re a star athlete. You’re special. You’re entitled.
Making matters worse, many of these kids grew up in single-parent homes and their only male role models were rappers, gang-bangers and their coaches. In some cases, it’s hard to tell who was the worst influence. Throw in our corrosive pop culture and you’ve got young men with no moral compass; a sense of entitlement that defies human comprehension, little education and an abiding belief that the rules apply to someone else.
Mushnick’s column is little more than convenient scape-goating; the creation of athletic thugs begins well before they hit a college campus. Clearly, big-time collegiate sports plays a role, but they don’t bear sole responsibility for creating criminals in the NFL, NBA or any other pro league.