Look, I played D3 soccer. Nobody paid me. Nobody paid my teammates. And guess what? We still showed up at 6 AM for practice. We still balanced classes, homework, and travel. The idea that college athletes are some exploited class is just wrong. Most college sports lose money. The NCAA reported only 25 programs actually turn a profit. You want to pay every athlete? Fine. But who pays the women's water polo team? The men's track squad? You're talking about a tiny fraction of athletes — the football and basketball stars — who already get full scholarships worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. That's compensation. A scholarship covers tuition, room, board, books. That's $50,000-$80,000 a year at top schools. Throw in training facilities, coaching, medical care, and travel. You're already getting paid. It's just not cash in hand. And here's the real issue. Paying athletes turns them into employees. That kills the amateur model. No more student-athlete. Just athlete who happens to take a class. You want that? I don't.

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