I don't agree, but we can at least table it:

The Football Major

Let's get serious, folks. Most of the players who fill football and basketball rosters at Division One schools are NOT legitimate students. Many would not be at their universities were it not for their athletic ability.

There are entrance requirements for regular students and then there are the entrance requirements for athletes. There is usually a huge gap between the two.

Now, in my book, there is nothing wrong with that. What's wrong is that we try to pretend that there's no difference.

We celebrate the concept of the student-athlete and expect players with NFL talent to also do well in useless (to them) majors like sociology or public policy and management.

I say it's time we cut all this nonsense out.

If you are football player, you should be able to major in football.

After all, if you are a gifted cello player, you come to a music school to major in cello. Why can't Brandon Cox major in quarterback?

Heisman Pundit makes a good case for his proposal, noting that football players with football or sports-related majors are not all that different from people with music majors etc.  They're following a curriculum that involves practice and an understanding of their field of study.

It would certainly abate some of the childish crowing about the great numbers of sociology, human development and basket weaving majors found within the rolls of major football teams.

Personally, I hope athletes would pursue more traditional majors and continue the facade of "student-athletes".  But there's something very libertarian and realist about HP's proposal that I cannot ignore.

As it is we're setting up many a young man and woman to fail with the status quo, pigeonholing them into pursuits they may not give a hoot about if not for needing a degree to stay eligible.

At least with more realistic degree options an extra ounce of choice is inserted into the process, and an athlete can pursue his or her true interest and calling and suffer the consequences if they fail along the way.  That's life.  For whatever reason there's a strong impulse within society to regulate a great amount of behavior and outcomes instead of letting people chase their interests right or wrong.  Perhaps a football (or athletics/sports) major is a check against that impulse.

I'm reminded of the story of former Notre Dame tight end Joey Hiben who ditched the football program to pursue a degree in the ultra-demanding architecture program.  To his credit the kid made an interesting choice and will face the consequences of that decision.  I think he was smart, as it's almost impossible to balance such a demanding pursuit with the demands of year-round football at major programs like Notre Dame.  He didn't choose football, but many others do, and it's a touch unfair to demand of them a pursuit they may not have great interest in.