Pendulum

I'm old enough now that I've seen the pendulum swing too far in both directions on ever-so-many issues.

For example, the pendulum is overdue for its return swing in regard to "big business" owning the government. Among superpacs, political campaigns, and lobbyists gone wild, the political scene is rather skewed. And that's just one example.

I'm pleased to see another pendulum on the downswing. NCAA's rules for college athletes are beyond absurd. How did it get so bad that University of Connecticut's Shabazz Napier had to go to bed "starving" many nights because he can't afford food?

It's true. It's a violation to provide any food for a college athlete. If practice runs late (which is often) and a player misses the on-campus food service, nobody can give that player so much as a potato chip. Check it out here:

It's especially ironic because a college's football and basketball teams bring in insanely large amounts for colleges. Coaches for a Division I team are the highest paid person on the campus. ("Need a loan, Dean? I can spare a few hundred grand.")

True, a player or two might make it to the pros. But wait wut? There are dozens of others who don't? Their bodies got beaten up every week? They made multi-millions for the college? Yet they can't even afford a suit for job interviews?

Hmmm. If you get a 'full ride' chemistry scholarship you only have to keep your grades up. They don't take it away if you don't happen to invent something. If you break your leg you don't lose the scholarship. If you take a part-time job for spare change to buy some jeans, good for you.

The way the pendulum is swinging, college players are finally going to get a respectable stipend. Good! They more than deserve it.

But what are we going to do with all these rules? The NCAA spend a lot of time devising restrictions and penalties for these violations.

I have it! Let's get the NCAA to write rules for Congress! ("What's this? A $100,000 contribution with no name attached? You have to sit out this term, Congressperson! And that bill you passed last term is revoked!")

The only problem would be those $1000-a-plate dinners. On-campus food service might get grumpy if the guests are late.