"Consumer fraud is commonly defined as deceptive business practices that cause consumers to suffer financial or other losses. The victims believe they are participating in a legal and valid business transaction when they are actually being defrauded."
A discussion about players sitting out bowl games is what got me started, but the transfers of basketball players really led me to this. The NCAA has legalized a form of consumer fraud in their bring "free agency" to college sports.
I basically quit caring about professional baseball and then football many years ago. When I was a kid, I could tell you who played every position first on the SF Giants and then when the A's came to Oakland, the A's. The players and the teams represented me, my home town area, and the fans who supported them. Free agency killed that. They became mercenaries with their only allegiance to the dollars they could make. They came and went like thieves in the night. They no longer gave a rat's ass about me, the town or the fans who supported them. But, at least they were honest about it. Those who paid to see them knew what the players and teams thought. The only thing that mattered was the bottom line, the money made. Most fans continued to believe that the players cared for something other than just the money, and some players still did. It was about character and integrity. They felt that they owed the fans more than a day's work for a days pay, as fans were more than just customers. No one shops at Wal Mart because of their love of the employees. But sports and fans had more than a customer relationship. Kind of. Over the years, the line has blurred. Contracts holding players in a town for at least a few years kept the belief that there was a connection that meant more than just a paycheck between players and fans. Not enough for me. I no longer could convince myself that the players actually cared about my town, me, or the fans, other than the money we paid. But like I said, it was honest and above board.
That brings me to college sports. My love of the university of Texas at El Paso come directly from the life changing difference it made for me and my family. It meant the difference of being not just able to survive financially, but the be successful and able to have a good life for myself and my family. And it wasn't just because I paid my tuition. They took a chance on me, and helped me enormously along the way. I will be forever grateful for it. Although a teacher isn't making big money, I found ways to contribute back to the school I love. And I found the teams to put my love in and to root for. The fact that they rarely won football games was just the way it went, because loyalty and support wasn't because of a winning record. Basketball was much easier because we won, but still, it was about loyalty and love of my school that made me a fan of UTEP teams. Winning just made it more enjoyable.
Now, they NCAA is busy taking that away. They are basically making mercenaries of the players. The difference is, their is a measure of fraud involved, that the NCAA allows and the school and players are a part of. Let me see if I can make it more clear as to the fraud. If you were the producer of a play and you sought financial support to produce it from investors, telling them it would have ten of the top drawings stars of stage and screen in the starring roles, but then on opening night it had none of those stars on stage, but had their stand-ins saying the lines, you would be looking at prison time. The investors would demand their money back. The people who purchased tickets would demand their money back. And the district attorney would be getting charges ready for the court case to follow. The Sun Bowl and other bowl games are selling tickets to a show promising ticket purchasing public a chance to watch great players only to find out that second team players will be playing instead. I have letters from the President of UTEP asking me to donate money to support teams with an implied understanding that I will be helping to support a person to attain the financial success that I did and hopefully with a love and loyalty to my school, when in fact the money is going to supplement a minor league player with no love, no loyalty, and no connection to the school I love. That is fraud. The NCAA is not only allowing it to happen, it is providing cover for it, in a fraudulent way, I might add. The university president is signing off on it and the school is going along with it.
From that, I say fuck you! I shout fuck you, you fucking scumbag to the players who come here only for the dollars while accepting the support fraudulently. I have no use for them, and I say don't let the door hit you where the Lord split you to each and every one of the worthless bastards. I hope that they get a career ending injury for their trouble as a reward for their mercenary existence and a measure of justice for their lack of honor and integrity. To the players who would sit out of a bowl game, the same thing.
I understand that I am old and that this in how it is nowadays. That doesn't make it right. I understand that it may be that my thoughts could be seen as un-Christian like. Maybe. Maybe it is justice and fairness. Maybe it is Old Testament. I don't know. But I know that dishonor, and disloyalty should not be rewarded lest it begets more dishonor and disloyalty and perhaps some clear lessons might help get things back to right.
End of old man rant.
Happy New Year to all of those who deserve it and have earned it. Go piss up a rope those who deserve and have earned that!
