The distinctions between college athletics and college classrooms is almost too absurd to think about right now: at least I’ve never had to *pay* for photocopies, but yeah, over $2 million for football seems extreme.  And I agree that the players should get truly paid, but I shudder to think of what that will do to an already corrupt institiution such as college recruiting.

Here’s a final thought, which I’m not going to put in an extra post, as there’ve been more than enough this evening:  Nick Saban has a reputation in Baton Rouge as being a bit of an asshole (pardon my graphicness).  Not in the sense of being a bad guy, so much, as in the sense of being all business, in a state that’s way too much laissez les bon temps roulez to understand that kind of sensibility.

So what moves me in this victory, is (a) all-business actually pays off (I’m looking at you, New Orleans Saints), and (b) Saban’s voice cracking repeatedly in the post-game interviews, talking about how much he loves those guys, was just sweeter than hell.

Okay, so is he worth $2,200,001?  Not when the faculty in the English department still have to pay for their own photocopies.  But I like him anyway.  If we could just go ahead and acknowledge that college sports are in fact semi-pro, and pay the players appropriately, I wouldn’t begrudge him much of what’s coming his way next year.