An additional piece of advice is not to cultivate a sense of superiority over people who are into sports. Following sports is ultimately silly, but no more silly than being really into movies, or celebrity gossip, or anything else that isn't going to improve you as a person.

And looking down on those people will make you insufferable.

Noam says sports take our minds off of important things, and I agree. http://www.alternet.org/noam-chomsky-why…
That said, I will not give up my Husky football season tickets until the day I die.
Sports is a diversion, we just need to make sure we're not always diverted.

@1 I can't speak for UW specifically, but the vast majority of NCAA Div 1 schools run their sports programs at a huge loss (subsidized by tax payers and tuition). The best argument they can make is that the men's football program helps pay for other, less popular sports.

The notion that college football is simply an extracurricular activity for student enrichment or that its purpose is in any way pedagogical is completely absurd.

It's absolutely ridiculous to say that the UW Football program takes away from the University's ability to fund undergrad ed. The football program operates entirely on its own revenue, and some of the extra revenue is used to fund the non-revenue sports, including women's programs that WOULD need to use general university money if not for football.

If you dislike UW football because of the injuries or lack of payer play(which will be changing soon enough)...fine. But don't claim it's because football pulls money from the university.

Did not go to college, but will always cheer on UW WSU EWU WWU CWU Gonzaga etc...

God DAMN, what an insufferable pansyass.

The ancient Greeks -- with their love of athletic competition -- were such d-bags.

I'm not really sure why thinking that certain football players (for example, Ndamakong Suh, Brandon Merriweather, or other notorious headhunters) are thugs makes you a racist.

uninformed and terrible journalism. although i don't see any argument [in this oped] with evidence as to why college football players should be paid, i would support some level of compensation based on the writer's claims if this writer promised to never publish anything again. did you get your heartbroken by a red sox fan spike?

Spike, I appreciate your take on sports and the fanatics drawn to them. 40 years ago I recall turning around, looking up into the stands, and wondering what exactly the connection those screaming folks had with me and my team mates? I was lucky to play college ball. I did not have the talent or desire to play professional ball. My football skills gained me a fine college education which in turn gained me access to a professional career. I mention all this so as to be transparent in my bias: I like football.
To the point: despite the popular and effective marketing of the "12 Man" and similar ploys to sell tickets, fanatics have little to no effect on the outcome of games. Sure, illegal procedure penalties can be attributed to the volume of noise produced by drunken louts and loutettes, but no player I have ever known really plays for anyone besides himself and his team mates. Pete Carol is not going to ever turn, look into the stands, and say "Hey you, no the fat drunk beside you. Get in there and block for Unger, he needs a blow."
Like wise, those journalists writing about the game, sorry man this is probably you, who have never played the game have no credibility with any current or former player. The best I can say about your sports pieces Spike is that you do not "sniff jocks" (at least I hope not and if you do, man that's your thing), the worst, you don't know what the fuck you're talking about.