Editorial writers just jealous of athletes

Quite the bone-headed editorial sir. The athletes are "slaves." Excuse me - no one forces them to play the game. That would be slavery. Mr. Tebbs recently quit the basketball team , I didn't see the bloodhounds sent out to bring him back into the fold.

Those who play the game, love the game. If they didn't, they wouldn't put up with the endless work outs, the tight schedules, the discipline that is required to maintain themselves at a peak performance level, allowing them to participate and compete at the level to which they have risen by their own hard work and choice.

Your idea is simply that because some rise to the professional level, while others do not. So what's the point. You may never rise to the level of CNN Journalist, you may end up in Casa Grande writing for some podunk newspaper - does that mean the Wildcat should be abolished and paid professionals should be hired to fill your shoes? After all, your publication generates money from advertisers, does it not?

Does the Wildcat operate at a loss each year or is this publication a profit-making organization within the university system? Where does the money come from to operate your publication?

What makes college sports great is the amateur athlete. It buys an education for many that would never have the chance to go to school otherwise.

Not all athletes make it to the Pac-10 level of competition, many only get to go to the little colleges, NAU and similar schools.

There are over 250 colleges that compete at the Division I level. Those are the elite of the

athletes. What of the thousands that play at Division II and III, should they be abolished as well?

Get your head out of your dark place and quit being so jealous of the talents that these players have.

Bill Baker
Tucson resident