(09-18-2013 03:07 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(09-17-2013 11:15 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  

(09-17-2013 11:05 AM)blunderbuss Wrote:  

(09-17-2013 10:37 AM)CougarRed Wrote:  And yet, 14% of college students across America are black.

It seems that schools who do not play Power 5 football are doing a helluva lot better attracting those students than the Power 5 football schools are.

And yet, 12.6% of the American population is black. If anything they're attending college at a higher rate than one would expect. So what's the problem exactly? I'm not seeing how this is a G5/P5 issue really.

Then to get true diversity in college sports, we will have to reduce the number of African Americans, playing football and basketball.

If you wanted to project racial equality in basketball, a 12 man team would have 5 white guys, 4 hispanics, 2 black guys, and then a rotation of asian, indian, and other minorites for the last spot. To make it completely equitable, half the players would be women.

More than half of the basketball players on scholarship already are women. NCAA scholarship limits are 13 for men's hoops and 15 for women's hoops.

(09-18-2013 02:57 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(09-18-2013 10:27 AM)firmbizzle Wrote:  I think there is a problem when adults care more about a black kid playing football than going to math class. What is the message being sent? In reverse, an Asian kid is steered toward math and away from the football field. The P5 schools can find qualified black football players but can't find qualified black students? Those qualified black football players didn't sprout up from the ground. They were trained. Time and resources were invested in those kids to become good football players. Time and resources should be invested in underserved areas(regardless of color) by state funded institutions.

Time and resources are wasted when there is a distinct lack of 'want to' on the students and parents part. Kids/parents who are interested in education find ways to get what they need. The tools exist all around, one just needs to pick them up.

So if a 5'3" 130lb kid is struggling in school because of a "lack of want to", does he get as much attention as a 6'6" 255lb kid that is struggling in football because of a "lack of want to"?

(09-18-2013 06:22 PM)firmbizzle Wrote:  

(09-18-2013 02:57 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(09-18-2013 10:27 AM)firmbizzle Wrote:  I think there is a problem when adults care more about a black kid playing football than going to math class. What is the message being sent? In reverse, an Asian kid is steered toward math and away from the football field. The P5 schools can find qualified black football players but can't find qualified black students? Those qualified black football players didn't sprout up from the ground. They were trained. Time and resources were invested in those kids to become good football players. Time and resources should be invested in underserved areas(regardless of color) by state funded institutions.

Time and resources are wasted when there is a distinct lack of 'want to' on the students and parents part. Kids/parents who are interested in education find ways to get what they need. The tools exist all around, one just needs to pick them up.

So if a 5'3" 130lb kid is struggling in school because of a "lack of want to", does he get as much attention as a 6'6" 255lb kid that is struggling in football because of a "lack of want to"?

Yes he does. For all the railing we do against teachers in the 21st century, their still exist educators who are concerned about the intellectual health of their students. In your scenario is their any real difference between a library and a weight room, tutor and strength coach, summer ball and Sylvan Learning Centers? The problem between your two hypothetical kids is the motivational tools that can be leveraged to breakthrough said apathy.

The only immediate reward for the student is more work. Thus you need to also instill in him a future time orientation that emphasizes the long term benefits of education. For your athlete, the rewards for breaking out of his doldrums are immediate. He can be the BMOC, get the girls as well as receive attention from various collegiate programs promising him more of the same.