Maryland Does Something Right

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Feel free to merge this into another thread, but this didn't seem to easily segue to me. As I frequently call out the Terps for their (numerous) mistakes, it only seems fair to give them their due when they do something that seems squarely in the interest of the student athletes. (http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/11376184/maryland-terrapins-guarantee-athletic-scholarships)

Would love to see other schools follow suit.

Go Duke!

[brevity]

And the world replies, "What? What did they do? Tell us something! Why do I have to click the link to find out?"

Excerpt:


The University of Maryland says it will start guaranteeing scholarships to students-athletes until they graduate, regardless of injury or on-field performance.

Maryland announced Tuesday that the guaranteed scholarships will begin this November. They will go to athletes in all [sports], not just the so-called revenue sports of football and basketball.

[BD80]

And the world replies, "What? What did they do? Tell us something! Why do I have to click the link to find out?"

Excerpt:


The University of Maryland says it will start guaranteeing scholarships to students-athletes until they graduate, regardless of injury or on-field performance.


Regardless of academic performance? It could take a few of those jock terps many, many attempts to pass some courses required for a degree.

[mgtr]

Well done, Terps. Although things may not work out for all athletes, your heart is in the right place.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

And the world replies, "What? What did they do? Tell us something! Why do I have to click the link to find out?"

Excerpt:

Apologies for burying the lead. Or, just not including it.

At any rate, hard to see this as anything other than a good move. Especially in a day and age of sketchy Coach Cal who shuffles players out of the program when he arrived and the notorious "gray shirting" that is becoming more popular in football.

[MulletMan]

Regardless of academic performance? It could take a few of those jock terps many, many attempts to pass some courses required for a degree.

I think you need to re-read the article... it says regardless of injury or on-field performance.

[Henderson]

Well done, Terps. Although things may not work out for all athletes, your heart is in the right place.

I can't really give them any credit for this. They've been bleeding basketball players. No one wants to play there. So they added an incentive.

When the supermarket can't get anyone to buy the ludefisk ice cream, it offers incentives to get people to buy it. I don't pat the supermarket manager on the back.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I can't really give them any credit for this. They've been bleeding basketball players. No one wants to play there. So they added an incentive.

When the supermarket can't get anyone to buy the ludefisk ice cream, it offers incentives to get people to buy it. I don't pat the supermarket manager on the back.

Guess I am less cynical than you are. I don't think anyone picks a college scholarship offer thinking "well, if I get injured, I will still be covered." Doubt it would qualify as a recruiting advantage, but rather taking care of their student athletes.

Would love to see other schools follow suit,

Side note: I assume they would reclassify their scholarships? Otherwise, it would affect their caps, right?

[throatybeard]

Maryland Does Something Right!

Going away?

I agree.

[Henderson]

Guess I am less cynical than you are. I don't think anyone picks a college scholarship offer thinking "well, if I get injured, I will still be covered." Doubt it would qualify as a recruiting advantage, but rather taking care of their student athletes.

Would love to see other schools follow suit.

I'm not as cynical about such a policy generally. It's not just the risk of injury that hangs over a scholarship athlete, but the possibility the athlete will get "bumped" for a better player. I too would like to see other schools follow suit. Without a multi-year scholarship guarantee, it would be hard to justify a "two and through" NBA policy. I'm just not patting MD on the back here, because I don't think the players' interests are foremost for the terps.

Forcing kids to take longer (often winter) trips to the upper- and western-midwest, away from friends and family who may have otherwise been able to drive to games just to generate $$ makes clear the school's primary interest. Miami is a long way from College Park, it's true, but it's 200 miles closer than Lincoln, 100 miles closer than Minneapolis, and it's Miami. And Miami is as far as a Maryland athlete would have to travel in the ACC. Most ACC schools are much closer and a reasonable drive for parents of a mid-Atlantic kid. Over the course of a season, we're talking about thousands of extra travel miles that, as a practical matter, are beyond the reach of most of the parents. And that doesn't include the usual non-conference games teams typically take. MD has really screwed its current recruits with the move (explaining in part the mass exodus of MD basketball players). Recruiting Midwestern players doesn't really help, because for their families the home games at College Park become untenable trips.

So: Good policy for the wrong reasons. Like the supermarket discounting ludefisk ice cream. No back-patting from me.