Univ. of South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier yesterday “suggested players receive $300 per game to pay for expenses, a cost that would come out of the coaches' pocket,” according to Rachel George of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. Spurrier: “I doubt if it will get passed, but as a coach in the SEC, we make all the money as do universities, colleges, and we need to get more to our players." Florida's Will Muschamp, Alabama's Nick Saban, LSU's Les Miles, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, Ole Miss' Houston Nutt and Tennessee's Derek Dooley all “signed Spurrier's proposal that was presented to the athletic directors at the SEC Spring Meetings.” George writes although the proposal “was more of a gesture than something the conference is likely to pass, Spurrier wanted to make a point” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 6/2). Kentucky coach Joker Phillps said that the idea “was well received by the coaches, but he wasn’t ready to sign off on it because it wasn’t a standard deal.” Phillips said that the “importance of the proposal” is that it “should stir the debate about helping student-athletes financially.” Phillips: “One of the things is we had a dialogue with it. We’ve talked about having a way to put up money to allow the prospects to get some type of expense money” (ESPN.com, 6/1). Florida AD Jeremy Foley said, “I don’t think you’re going to see anybody give a stipend to an individual. I think this cost of attendance conversation is going to continue and I think that will probably gain some momentum” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 6/1). SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said that he “believes Spurrier's proposal was symbolic.” Slive: "I think the gesture was one of thinking about student-athlete welfare." NCAA President Mark Emmert said, "Paying players by game doesn't make any sense to me at all. Are you going to pay them based on every game they go to? Are you going to do the same thing with women's volleyball? And why $300? If you're just paying them for a game, why not $3,000?" (Columbia STATE, 6/2).
