Regarding "NCAA investigating Manziel" (Monday front page), Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel becomes the latest student athlete to fall victim to one of the more disreputable public organizations in American society: the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Started back in 1906 by Teddy Roosevelt to promote safety in college athletic programs, it has since metamorphosed into an agency with but two apparent goals: 1) Divvying up the billions in profits generated by our college student athletes every year; and 2) Investigating and punishing student athletes who try to get even a tiny slice of the action.
Even as they destroy the academic and professional careers of student athletes for "offenses" like signing a jersey for cash, the NCAA laughably continues to call itself a "non-profit organization". NCAA president Mark Emmert made $1.7 million in 2011, a 50% increase from his predecessor in in 2009. Some non-profit. Is this is the man who will stand in judgment of Johnny Manziel?
The NCAA's expectation that student athletes not only work for free but be exposed to injury and death while the NCAA profits is not just unethical, it is downright disgraceful. If the NCAA was judged by the same laws which regulate wages, hours and workplace safety that govern all American businesses, there is little doubt their practices would be illegal.
It is high time for the NCAA itself to be investigated, and reformed.
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