College players Unionizing...

[imnofish]

I'd be happy with better scholarships all around not just for athletes

Great point, Mark.  I look at the debt that good students are racking up today and it makes me sad. 

[bigG]

Doesn't have to be hefty debt. Sounds like your daughter figured it out, Fish. My Valedictorian is going affordable and will kick tail!

There are unreal deals in WI public education. I know, our tax dollars should pay for unaccountable education. It can also pay for the real deal. Even Scott can see that. He'll claim the idea as his own; but WI has opportunity. One teacher candidate per year, the last four years , here. Money's on the trades right now. The pendulum will swing and MN will be ahead. Just predicting. Just remember, we used to compete with MN and IA (even beat them them regularly). If we come out ahead, I'll eat my words. It'll be the fault of the public schools if we lose, though; so it's  perfect bet for those experts in education; and bad for us dopes who just work there.

To be a cop , about $4k. Surgical tech. $7k. Licensed carpenter, 3-4$k, HVAC, the same. We offer good value here. Should offer more $$, and that will make up for the gap between us and MN. That and bonuses for the best teachers. That ,and- the many tools our governor has offered us, should put us over the top. Right?

Watch and see. I'll keep thumpin', like Ghetto; knowing full well those self-proclaimed are our superiors; and we know nothing to them. I spent last night with such parents. All experts. Yes, GOP addicted to rainbows and unicorns; like the hippies. What will happen if we get thumped by liberal hippies? Float further right?

Probably wouldn't hurt if we floated to some real right, and not GOP right. That's what dinks it up. Won't happen until the right goes right and not GOP; and Dems decide they're crew is a puppet show.

[imnofish]

Yes, technical college is a great value, which both of my kids discovered.  Some kids were meant to do jobs that require different (and more costly) training, though.  We need people in those careers, too, so helping them afford it will benefit us all.  One thing I think we need is more financial assistance from those who will be hiring them.  Need more engineers?  Then invest in cultivating them!

[bigoil]

You still didn't answer why no athletic scholarships but you did get a good jab in.

[bigG]

You still didn't answer why no athletic scholarships but you did get a good jab in.

I'm cool if the athlete has the scholar side covered.

I think many programs justify scholarship athletes.

Be nice to see a bit more of that love for more scholars, though, than just athletes.

It could easily be argued, though, that certain athletes make more money for the U; so there ya go.

[ramjet]

You still didn't answer why no athletic scholarships but you did get a good jab in.

I'm cool if the athlete has the scholar side covered.

I think many programs justify scholarship athletes.

Be nice to see a bit more of that love for more scholars, though, than just athletes.

It could easily be argued, though, that certain athletes make more money for the U; so there ya go.

I agree with G here my daughter had to work hard and shop around allot to get the recognition of being in the top 1% in the Nation on her College entrance exams (yes she only took it once) but alas UW Oshkosh came to the table helped out some and she will graduate next year with zero debt. But Colleges do far less for academic achievement than sports and it is sad to see on many levels.

[imnofish]

You still didn't answer why no athletic scholarships but you did get a good jab in.

I'm cool if the athlete has the scholar side covered.

I think many programs justify scholarship athletes.

Be nice to see a bit more of that love for more scholars, though, than just athletes.

It could easily be argued, though, that certain athletes make more money for the U; so there ya go.

I agree with G here my daughter had to work hard and shop around allot to get the recognition of being in the top 1% in the Nation on her College entrance exams (yes she only took it once) but alas UW Oshkosh came to the table helped out some and she will graduate next year with zero debt. But Colleges do far less for academic achievement than sports and it is sad to see on many levels.

I agree.  Seems that the funding sources have pretty much dried up for that, over the past 30 years.  It's great that your daughter was able to find someone willing to work it out, as she obviously deserved it.  Personally, I'd like to see more employer investment in these students, rather than throwing short-term money at guest workers from around the world. 

[ramjet]

You still didn't answer why no athletic scholarships but you did get a good jab in.

I'm cool if the athlete has the scholar side covered.

I think many programs justify scholarship athletes.

Be nice to see a bit more of that love for more scholars, though, than just athletes.

It could easily be argued, though, that certain athletes make more money for the U; so there ya go.

I agree with G here my daughter had to work hard and shop around allot to get the recognition of being in the top 1% in the Nation on her College entrance exams (yes she only took it once) but alas UW Oshkosh came to the table helped out some and she will graduate next year with zero debt. But Colleges do far less for academic achievement than sports and it is sad to see on many levels.

I agree.  Seems that the funding sources have pretty much dried up for that, over the past 30 years.  It's great that your daughter was able to find someone willing to work it out, as she obviously deserved it.  Personally, I'd like to see more employer investment in these students, rather than throwing short-term money at guest workers from around the world.  

There are many programs it takes a commitment from the student to work for those companies for period of time in order for them to recoup (Mnbadger  ) the investment.

Academic Excellence Scholarship is prime example of the program gutted of money and now although the title is very rewarding what was once a free ride for four years in Wisconsin College is watered down to $2500.00 year yes its nice to have that but how did we go from trying to keep the brightest and best in the State to not really caring about what they can give back by staying in our State and going to the Wisconsin Colleges. (before anyone jumps on Walker on this the degradation of funds started before Walker) Now that said I give Oshkosh great credit for stepping it up and helping those who are achieving academically.

[bigG]

WI Covenant is another.

You're right, though, Academic excellence should be a full ride to a state school , IMHO. Gotta reward excellence.

Props to Oshkosh. I notice, in my neck, little private Viterbo does an amazing job of luring the excellent and hooking up with business and other placement to get young adults ready for real-world experiences.

This is not at all a Walker issue. I'll say, our education in WI keeps falling; little by little. I do worry about our prowess.

I find the technical college system has really upped its game; though at taxpayers' expense. I have no problem paying taxes for something that gives back, though.

[imnofish]

My daughter-in-law earned the Academic Excellence Scholarship.  It paid her tuition, but not her books, room and board, etc.  Never was a free ride.

[ramjet]

WI Covenant is another.

You're right, though, Academic excellence should be a full ride to a state school , IMHO. Gotta reward excellence.

Props to Oshkosh. I notice, in my neck, little private Viterbo does an amazing job of luring the excellent and hooking up with business and other placement to get young adults ready for real-world experiences.

This is not at all a Walker issue. I'll say, our education in WI keeps falling; little by little. I do worry about our prowess.

I find the technical college system has really upped its game; though at taxpayers' expense. I have no problem paying taxes for something that gives back, though.

I find no issue with some tax dollars going to tech schools or even Public Schools as long as there is accountability. Much of what we argue about would be gone if the Evers Funding plan was adapted.

You are correct it should be free ride and Fish what you a are not taking into account is that many of the Colleges would throw in room and board to the recipients that went there college. I did not state that so thats my bad but that was part of my free ride scenario...Oshgosh did some of this for my Daughter and it helped her and it helper her brother because of the money she saved he gets a free ride as longs the grades are at level that we determined.

[bigG]

I agree about the Evers plan, or even a variation, so the GOP Messiah could take credit. There are other, much more pressing issues, though.

We just had a voucher school (Milwaukee) hit the road quick because they were allowed to exist sans accountability. I thought you were for vouchers. You're smarter than that. I just don't get that about you.

Just want great academic kids to have opportunity, good trade kids to have opportunity, etc. Let the hardest workers prevail. Gotta grow up sometime.

At the university level, I suppose D1 needs it's money makers. This is why I delight when great scholar athletes can love their sport and be offered college opportunities without being owned.

This past year I've watched fewer pro sports on TV and replaced them with live HS and college action in my area. Much more fulfilling.

If elite college athletes unionize, I'm outie. Pro football, great. That's their profession.

I guess we're lucky in WI to have so many nice smaller schools. MN and Iowa, too.

[TomM]

Big Ten Monday mailbag
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/98158/big-ten-monday-mailbag-32
By  Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
I'm currently driving around Michigan, getting a close-up look at the Wolverines and Spartans this spring. I still found a little time during my Mitten State adventure to answer a few of your emails in this shortened mailbag. Keep those questions coming, and I'll try to do a longer one on Wednesday.

Iowatvman from Cedar Rapids writes: With the vote to allow players to unionize, how does this affect Title IX at the universities? Now that they have to pay out for football, which pays for many other sports, will women's rowing, wrestling, men's and women's gynmastics, etc. go by the wayside?
Brian Bennett: It's important to note that the ruling by the Chicago district of the National Labor Relations Board applies only to Northwestern football players, and it specifically dealt with issues at a private university. Also, Kain Colter and CAPA have stressed that they didn't push for unionization in order to receive salaries. They have said they're looking for the right to bargain for their practice and living conditions and receive medical care protections, not to get paid.

Still, you'd have to think that eventually any college players' union would get around to asking for a bit more of the financial pie, and even some of the medical benefits the Northwestern effort seeks would cost money. There seems to be little reason why a non-revenue sport at Northwestern or another private school also couldn't petition for a union and use this ruling as a precedent, especially because those athletes also spend so much time working on their sports. And then what happens? It's clear that there are a whole lot more questions than answers right now on this union story, but it is fascinating.

Glenn K. from Leesburg, Fla., writes: Regarding your mention about Dan Wetzel's article revealing that Gene Smith received an $18K bonus for his victory (uh, I mean a wrestler's victory) in the NCAA wrestling championships, maybe you should rephrase your comment to read, "that tells you everything you need to know about OSU sports." In mentioning other examples of gross exploitation, Wetzel didn't name any other B1G school. Did Dave Joyner receive an extra bonus for having two national champions, as well as the team championship in wrestling? Are there other B1G schools whose AD gets similar bonuses? I would venture to say that there are probably bonus clauses in all of their contracts, as are also in coaching contracts. But I wonder if they are comparable to Smith's freebies that he gets for not doing one Dang thing to earn it. Not to mention his obscene salary.

Brian Bennett: Glenn, I can assure you that these types of bonuses -- not just for championships but things like NCAA tournament berths and academic benchmarks -- are commonplace in athletic directors' contracts all across Division I. Smith is by no means alone when it comes to those bonuses, and as the CEO of one of the largest athletic departments in the country at Ohio State, his salary is commensurate with the demands and marketplace. I have absolutely no problem with Smith negotiating the very best deal he could get, just as any of us would do. But at a time when athletes are suing the NCAA over the use of their images for a video game, or when the cost-of-attendance stipend can't get passed, or when players are going so far as to unionize to protect their own rights, that bonus simply doesn't look good.
Kenny from Cincy writes: Almost baseball season, and your Cards are going down this year. I have a simple question, yes or no, because this seams to be the Big Ten's main question ... Is this Ohio State's year?

Brian Bennett: How dare you besmirch the birds on the bat. Vengeance will be swift. Anyway, I'm not quite sure what you mean by whether it's "their year" for the Buckeyes. I'm going to assume you mean a national championship, or at least a a College Football Playoff berth, because a Big Ten title isn't unexpected in Columbus (though it would actually be Urban Meyer's first). Ohio State has a lot of questions, which include four new starters on the offensive line, unproven backs and receivers and a defense that needs to make a major improvement without its two best players from 2013 (Ryan Shazier and Bradley Roby). For me, those are too many questions to consider the Buckeyes a legitimate national title contender at this point. But as usual, they will have at least as much overall talent, if not more than everybody in the Big Ten. I trust in Meyer and his coaching staff. And having a great quarterback like Braxton Miller goes a long way. So I'm sure as heck not counting them out.

Arik from Chicago writes: I always find the back and forth on whether Maryland coming to the B1G is good for this side or that side, for this reason or that. Often the answer seems to come to this: The B1G gets a good market, Maryland gets a pile of money. I thought I'd share my thoughts as a double Terp (undergrad and grad school). Here's what won me over: the Big Ten Committee on Institutional Cooperation. As important as sports are to me, other than the money, the competition will probably stay about the same -- in the last decade, we've shown we're capable of beating or losing to just about any team at any time, no matter how good or bad a season either side is having. Now in academics, the B1G (with the CIC) has something unique that the ACC just can't offer. But the B1G wins, too -- bringing in a public ivy with huge research agreements with dozens of national and federal institutions (DoD, NOAA, NASA, FDA, NIST...) can't hurt.

Brian Bennett: Arik, you make some good points about the academic side of things here. Adding Maryland and Rutgers to the mix only adds to the league's brain power, and administrators from those schools are excited about the new research opportunities. Of course, football and demographics drove the train with this expansion move, or else the Big Ten would have been looking to raid the actual Ivy League, not the Atlantic Coast and American Athletic conferences.

[imnofish]

WI Covenant is another.

You're right, though, Academic excellence should be a full ride to a state school , IMHO. Gotta reward excellence.

Props to Oshkosh. I notice, in my neck, little private Viterbo does an amazing job of luring the excellent and hooking up with business and other placement to get young adults ready for real-world experiences.

This is not at all a Walker issue. I'll say, our education in WI keeps falling; little by little. I do worry about our prowess.

I find the technical college system has really upped its game; though at taxpayers' expense. I have no problem paying taxes for something that gives back, though.

I find no issue with some tax dollars going to tech schools or even Public Schools as long as there is accountability. Much of what we argue about would be gone if the Evers Funding plan was adapted.

You are correct it should be free ride and Fish what you a are not taking into account is that many of the Colleges would throw in room and board to the recipients that went there college. I did not state that so thats my bad but that was part of my free ride scenario...Oshgosh did some of this for my Daughter and it helped her and it helper her brother because of the money she saved he gets a free ride as longs the grades are at level that we determined.

UW-Eau Claire did not do that for my daughter-in-law, who is a lifetime 4.0 student.  Guess they are stingy.

[littleguy301]

BigG, unions are certainly as big a lobbiests as the NRA. I would guess a lot more money goes to the democrat party from unions than the NRA gives to republicans. I get what you are saying, but there are many similiarities as well. Just from opposite ends of the political spectrum.

well Fan actually my Union gives to both parties any politician that supports the ideals and best interest of our brotherhood.

Did you Fan that my Organization actually provides training and safety training for its members and families they make the work place safer by providing training that financed through membership dues.......

My union provide training with my membership dues also.

My union gives 61% of its money to the Dems, 29% to Republicans and 9% to the independant party in my area. Not sure of the 1% that is left but I am thinking that the other 3 get some % of the 1%

So now where are we at in what give to who and what training they get.