Sooner coach Brent Venables is fine with players earning some 'short-term' NIL cash, but what about six- and seven-figure deals, because they're coming, too
It’s dizzying, this whirlwind caused by the rush of the mighty wind of the dollar coming out now in college sports. From ‘72-‘77 (red shirt year due to injury) I was a full scholarship track & field athlete for OU, including the privilege of eating in the athletic dining hall…except for Sunday’s evening meal. The dining hall was closed that one time a week, but we were compensated $15 a month to enable us to find a suitable meal. (That doesn’t sound like much today, but apparently it equates to nearly $100 in today’s buying power! Who’d’ve thunk it?) I never wanted for food—or anything else—in my college career and I felt humbled and grateful to have that opportunity to be educated while competing in high level competition in a sport I loved. (Indeed, my first job was at The Norman Transcript in the advertising department.) Money was never a draw or impediment for me; perhaps that was a blessing of being in a so-called “minor sport” (who could ever call the original Olympic sport “minor,” right?). But it paid for my college education and got me started on a career path that lasted 45 years until retirement last summer. I will forever be grateful to OU for the opportunity to represent them, even as it gave me a boost to enter into the rest of my life.
Thanks for continuing your good work here, Clay. 👏 Looking forward to reading more.
It’s dizzying, this whirlwind caused by the rush of the mighty wind of the dollar coming out now in college sports. From ‘72-‘77 (red shirt year due to injury) I was a full scholarship track & field athlete for OU, including the privilege of eating in the athletic dining hall…except for Sunday’s evening meal. The dining hall was closed that one time a week, but we were compensated $15 a month to enable us to find a suitable meal. (That doesn’t sound like much today, but apparently it equates to nearly $100 in today’s buying power! Who’d’ve thunk it?) I never wanted for food—or anything else—in my college career and I felt humbled and grateful to have that opportunity to be educated while competing in high level competition in a sport I loved. (Indeed, my first job was at The Norman Transcript in the advertising department.) Money was never a draw or impediment for me; perhaps that was a blessing of being in a so-called “minor sport” (who could ever call the original Olympic sport “minor,” right?). But it paid for my college education and got me started on a career path that lasted 45 years until retirement last summer. I will forever be grateful to OU for the opportunity to represent them, even as it gave me a boost to enter into the rest of my life.
Thanks for continuing your good work here, Clay. 👏 Looking forward to reading more.