Etan Thomas Destroys the NCAA

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Far too many high profile people in sports are afraid to open up their mouths and shake the status quo. There seems to be an unspoken agreement amongst the sports elite that going against the grain isn’t good for one’s “brand.” Etan Thomas isn’t one of those people. We can use a heck of a lot more people like Etan Thomas.

In his most recent column on Hoops Hype, the former Syracuse center dissected the fraud that is the NCAA. Here is what Etan said in his column with regards to Kansas State player Jamar Samuels being suspended during the NCAA Tournament last year for taking $200 from his AAU coach:

$200 in comparison to $10.8 billion that the NCAA brings in through television funds from the March Madness tournament alone. These types of figures make it possible for the lavish salaries of everyone we don’t pay to watch. Mark Emmert, the president of the NCAA, which is strangely considered a “non-profit”, keeps his salary as leader of the NCAA a secret, but it’s thought to be near $2 million a year. He has 14 vice presidents, each of whom make at least $400,000 annually.

For his full column click here.

Thomas is 100% correct in his article. When it comes from a man who went through the fire it holds a heck of a lot more credibility than from any outsider. This isn’t the first time Etan has spoken about the NCAA and it certainly won’t be the last. For those who aren’t familiar with Thomas, he is one of the most outspoken professional athletes on the planet. He isn’t a blowhard either, like many of the political nuts you see on cable TV. He actually uses logic and reason in his arguments. Something often lost in today’s political climate.

Whenever he speaks, we ought to listen. Even if you disagree with his position, it’s best to come back with something educated as opposed to calling him a pinko socialist, which is generally the response Etan receives from his detractors. Anyways the point is that college sports is corrupt, everyone and their mother can agree on that. The next step is to speak about how to make these changes. It would be interesting to see what solutions Etan has in mind.

Ari Russell
As a college sports fanatic, Ari Russell leverages 15 years of experience and irony to bring you an unrivaled experience. Ari provides unconventional insight with his in-depth college sports knowledge. He is the former Executive Producer of College Sports Programming on Sirius XM Radio.