We Might be Better Off if we Treated Academics Like Sports

It might sound like I hate sports. Not true, I'm just largely indifferent unless a Chicago team is in the finals but I understand the "bread and circuses" role of American sports culture.  

My main problem with American youth sports culture is that I've seen too many students who are only moderately talented student-athletes come to school and fail exams because they had no time or energy left after going to practice all week and I wondered if it was really worth it.

Incidentally, in the old days we just called student-athletes students. There was no need for a new hybridized word because there was no special treatment.

In fact, I sometimes think that we would be better off  if we treated academics like sports: In sports you don't get to participate without meeting a minimum standard and some demonstrated commitment.

Can you imagine how much nonsense could be dispensed with if academics used the same standard? Wow!