I do worry for the future of amateur athletics in general

Oct 30, 2019, 8:29 AM

Obviously it is an antiquated notion now, but people used to play sports for the love of the game...for the love of competition. Kids played 3, sometimes 4, sports in an academic year, and every sport had a distinct season. Childhood was simple, and fun.

The world has changed since I was a kid. I changed my major three times between my last class in high school and my first class at Clemson. A generation later, and the schools have my kids on a "career track" starting in SIXTH GRADE. Sports are year round, "travel ball" now, and kids are encouraged to (sometimes forced to) specialize in one sport. Colleges and agents are initiating contact at the middle school level. Kids are put under intense pressure to "make bank" and "take care of the family". Facilities, coaching staffs and salaries, and ticket prices are spiraling out of control. Increasingly, all athletics are "all about the Benjamins". I am sure there are plenty of athletes who no longer even love playing their chosen sport...that it has become a job, a burden, even in high school or college.

I will always love college football, and Clemson athletics, and I hope that college sports are relevant until long after my children's children are gone. But I am afraid we are sliding further and further down a slippery slope.

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Let's MAKE SPORTS GREAT AGAIN!

Remember the good ole days?

I loved 1965 when we scored a total of 117 points in 10 games.
I loved it when TV games were rare. Did we have 1 regular season televised game in the entire 1960s?
Seems odd to recall the old days when Clemson had all white ball players doesn't it?
The games were more fun back when Death Valley only seated 44,158 fans, wasn't it?
I liked being able to park right in the grove of trees next to the Calhoun Mansion, didn't you?
Between 59-77 when we played in ZERO bowl games, the regular season was just more valuable.
The stretch between 68-76 when we posted 1 winning season made us stronger, didn't it?
And who can forget the glory years of Hootie Ingraham?
Remember when NO ONE sat on the hill and you could throw a frisbee there during the games?
Remember when the team walked out of the West End Zone locker room instead of running the hill?

Yep, let's turn the clock back and prohibit the jocks from making money while on scholarship.

Make Sports Great Again!

I do worry for the future of amateur athletics in general

Yep, let's MSGA!

LOL I was a kid in the 70s and 80s

Re: LOL I was a kid in the 70s and 80s

Those that came up until 1977 were TRUE FANS. Mostly Alums.***

we have drifted far from the Corinthian Ideal:

Re: I do worry for the future of amateur athletics in general

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