Tim Tebow reignites heated debate on whether college athletes should be paid
Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow says college athletes should not stand to gain financially from merchandise sale; reaction from Fox News contributor Lawrence Jones, editor-in-chief at Campus Reform.
Fox News’ Lawrence Jones played defense against Tim Tebow on “The Daily Briefing," disagreeing with the former star quarterback's recent comments about whether college athletes should be paid.
“It’s easy for Tim Tebow, who I have a lot of respect for, to say that when he grew up with so much privilege in his household to be able to fend for himself,” Jones said on Monday.
Jones’ comments came after Tebow said last week he does not believe college athletes should be paid.
"When I was at the University of Florida, I think my jersey was one of the top jerseys around the world ... and I didn't make a dollar from it, but nor did I want to," he told ESPN's "First Take" last week. "Because I knew, going into college, what it was all about."
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"Now we're changing it from 'us' from 'we' from 'my university,' being an alumni where I care, which makes college sports special, to 'OK, it's not about us, it's not about we, it's about me.'"
He continued: "Yes, I know we live in a selfish culture, where it's all about us, but we're just adding and piling it on to that. Where it changes what's special about college football.
"It's about your team. It's about your university. It's about where my family wanted to go. It's about where my grandfather had my dream of having Florida win an SEC championship. And you're taking that away so young kids can earn a dollar. And I feel like that's just not where college football needs to go."
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In response, Jones said on Monday: “Many of the people that come in these athletes, many that look like me, that is their ticket out of their community where they’re struggling with poverty,
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“I know he [Tebow] wants to look at it as just having fun; it’s fun and survival for those kids that are trying to make it.”
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