By: Marilynn Sandoval
“We need to get rid of the football team to put money elsewhere in our school.” This is the Facebook comment I see on almost every post about budget issues.
When someone says we should eliminate football, it gets me really mad. Not only because some of my great friends at this University are on the football team. But because I don’t think people realize that getting rid of the football team would probably mean a drop in the number of African-American students. Portland State after all prides itself in being diverse.
When I asked my African-American friend on the football team if he would have gone to college without a football scholarship, he immediately answered “no.” If it wasn’t for football, getting a higher education would have been extremely hard financially on his family. He said that his mother was blessed that a football team picked him up and helped pay for his education.
My friend now has the chance to continue his studies and play the sport that he loves. By going to college, he also has a shot at an NFL spot in the future. These are the kind of stories that should be considered when someone says they want to get rid of a sport here at Portland State University. Think about the athletes, rather than your own personal dislike of sports.
What are your thoughts on this?