Big shock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.foxsportssouthwest.com/fox-sports-networks/story/Foster-I-was-getting-money-on-the-side-i?blockID=942181&feedID=3742

Johnny Manziel might have become the poster child of the "should college football players get paid" argument this summer, but it's comments coming from a player a couple hours south of College Station today that are drawing new headlines.

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster admitted to accepting money during his senior season at the University of Tennessee in a new documentary, Sports Illustrated reported on Friday.

In the EPIX documentry, "Schooled: The Price of College Sports," Foster explains his reasons for taking payments while playing college football.

"I don't know if this will throw us into an NCAA investigation - my senior year, I was getting paid money on the side," Foster said in a video posted on SI.com. "I really didn't have any money. I had to either pay the rent or buy some food. I remember the feeling of like , 'Man, be careful.' But there's nothing wrong with it. And you're not going to convince me that there is something wrong with it."

The outspoken Foster, one never afraid to speak his true feelings, believes that the money the schools make off the players is enough justification for payments to be issued to the students.

"Our stadium had like 107,000 seats," Foster said. "107,000 people buying a ticket to come watch us play. It's tough just like knowing that, being aware of that. We had just won and I had a good game, 100 yards or whatever. You go outside and there's hundreds of kids waiting for you. You're signing autographs, taking pictures, whatever.

"Then I walk back, and reality sets in. I go to my dorm room, open my fridge and there's nothing in my fridge."

Foster said he warned his coaches about his lack of resources.

"There was a point where we had no food, no money," Foster said. "So I called my coach and I said, 'Coach, we don't have no food. We don't have no money. We're hungry. Either you give us some food, or I'm gonna go do something stupid.'"

"He came down and he brought like 50 tacos for like four or five of us, which is an NCAA violation. But then, the next day, I walk up to the facility and see my coach pull up in a brand new Lexus. Beautiful."

Foster's comments could not come at a worse time for Tennessee.

A Yahoo! Sports report last week accused five SEC players of accepting impermissible benefits, including Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray.

I saw this earlier and every time I read something like this I say to myself that I hope no student athlete of any sports program at Michigan is taking money or favors illegally but the reality is that there probably is. sigh

I don't want get in this too much, but these kids are getting paid. They are getting a free education!! They don't have to pay for food they can eat at the dining hall. They don't pay for books. I am sorry it is bullshit. Then you also have title IX......if the guys are going to get paid then the girls will have to be paid. The schools are providing the kids with an opportunity to not only have a chance of developing into a professional player but also get a degree that will last them long after there playing days. Ok I said my piece, sorry for the rant.

umichfaninpa wrote:

I don't want get in this too much, but these kids are getting paid.   They are getting a free education!!  They don't have to pay for food they can eat at the dining hall.  They don't pay for books.  I am sorry it is bullshit.  Then you also have title IX......if the guys are going to get paid then the girls will have to be paid.  The schools are providing the kids with an opportunity to not only have a chance of developing into a professional player but also get a degree that will last them long after there playing days.  Ok I said my piece, sorry for the rant.

And even those that don't make it in the NFL which is the vast majority, will have doors opened and extra advantages for years to come in things like sales and marketing positions because they played football at Tenn or UM. If they can walk and talk at all they will have many opportunities that say, the average history grad won't.

'shoes

Agree with you 2 1,000,000%

Sorry, I say screw these guys that think they're ENTITLED to money just because the schools make money.

Guess what idiots, (the players), people will be making money off of you your entire life. Get used to it. People don't hire you at any job so they can pay you for nothing. Fucking idiots.

Shoes and joe,

Thanks for adding to it......I agree and planned on adding something similar but was tired of typing!

I know an ex-player that grew up in Detroit and had one pair of sneakers from 9th to 12th grade. When he became a wolverine, he was getting new shoes left and right. Sure, he wasn't getting "paid", but he was getting $1,000 in benefits in shoes alone. Let's not even talk about their free shirts, shorts, pants, hoodies, etc.

When you go out with Michigan football players, they (and their guest ) cut to the front of every line. I'm sure you guys experienced one of those ridiculous long Ann Arbor lines before. Well, UofM football players don't. Then, they get free drinks at every bar. They get free food after the bar. It is just a whole different world of privileges when you are a D1 student athlete.

I could go on and on and on about the perks student athletes get.

hailtoyourvictor wrote:

I know an ex-player that grew up in Detroit and had one pair of sneakers from 9th to 12th grade. When he became a wolverine, he was getting new shoes left and right. Sure, he wasn't getting "paid", but he was getting $1,000 in benefits in shoes alone. Let's not even talk about their free shirts, shorts, pants, hoodies, etc.

When you go out with Michigan football players, they (and their guest ) cut to the front of every line. I'm sure you guys experienced one of those ridiculous long Ann Arbor lines before. Well, UofM football players don't. Then, they get free drinks at every bar. They get free food after the bar. It is just a whole different world of privileges when you are a D1 student athlete.

I could go on and on and on about the perks student athletes get.

we have to assume your are talking about BWC.... regardless, I know that they get a free education and doors open post football but the problem is that they kids (athletes) don't view that as being paid. for some reason they don't feel like a free education to a top university is compensation enough for a possible torn ACL or a broken ankle. that's where the issue starts.

maybe if kids actually got bills for school then had to go somewhere to get those bills paid because they are a scholarship student athlete they may realize that the compensation is in fact large. they don't get bills like the average student so they don't realize the monetary value of their services.

Good point sandy. This is not alike the vast majority of people who have their income taxes withheld from pay checks. Psychologically they think of their pay as their net take home pay. If everyone got their actual pay and then had to write checks to the government to pay taxes (as with the self-employed), they would be more sensitive to how the money is spent.

'shoes

This angers me in so many ways. Real nice, Foster, talk about throwing your school and coaches under a bus. Of course, the NCAA is going to investigate those comments. Yes, your school is going to get in trouble. There is no way that schools could pay every college athlete on scholarship. You can't pay one sport and not all of them. Plus, someone like Foster or a Manziel would want to be paid more than others because they are stars. How do you justify paying them so much and not giving a third string left tackle just as much. He too might not have much money, but he's not a star so screw him.

The comment about the coach coming to practice driving a Lexus sent me ranting bad words, also. Poor Foster had to eat a taco while his coach drives a nice car. That coach has a college degree, he had to work himself up to that position, he probably spent many a day not having enough money for things and now Foster, who is now making millions, begrudges him for having a nice car. What a piece of crap, he is.

Foster, think about all the poor kids that don't have enough money to even go to college. Think they would love to have the opportunity you were given, for free?

I saw 'hails comment about the freebie's the football players get, it's that way with every major sport (some more than others though). The hockey guys never had to wait/pay either. I tagged along with them frequently so I sponged off of the freebie's. I've also seen soccer players, swimmers, wrestlers, baseball players, etc. get freebie's but just not as much. Basically if your presence in an establishment will make others go there you'll get things complimentary. Those things aren't from the school but still.

I remember specifically one time a few players, myself, and a few other of their friends (maybe 8 people total) went out for one of the players 21st Birthday. The tab came to $275, it was comp'd...

TheBigHouse wrote:

...The comment about the coach coming to practice driving a Lexus sent me ranting bad words, also.  Poor Foster had to eat a taco while his coach drives a nice car.  That coach has a college degree, he had to work himself up to that position, he probably spent many a day not having enough money for things and now Foster, who is now making millions, begrudges him for having a nice car.  What a piece of crap, he is...

+1