It’s about time: Athletes get unlimited meals

Division I athletes finally have access to unlimited meals and snacks.

They will be able to eat as much as they want, whereas before they were limited with their number of meals.

Tyler Conway, a columnist for Bleacher Report said “Whereas previously student-athletes were afforded only three meals per day, they will now have unlimited access to meals provided by on-campus facilities. The privilege will extend to walk-on athletes as well”.

It’s 2014. Why did the NCAA all of a sudden come out and make this big announcement?

I believe it’s because of Shabazz Napier, the senior point guard at Connecticut. He made some comments after a game about going hungry.

“I feel like a student athlete,” Napier said. “Sometimes, there’s hungry nights where I’m not able to eat, but I still gotta play up to my capabilities.”

If an athlete is expected to compete in a basketball or football game, shouldn’t they be entitled to as much food as they want? I believe Napier was referring to the limited hours the dining areas are open for him to eat. Just like at USD, the eating areas are only open at certain times. If he has to play a game at night, he isn’t able to eat afterward.

The NCAA decided to allow athlete’s unlimited meals and snacks so it would look good on their part. They knew if they didn’t do something after Napier made those comments they wouldn’t hear the end of it.

If student athletes could get paid, the NCAA wouldn’t have to worry about providing them with food. Athletes would be able to eat wherever and whatever they wanted to.

Mark Emmert, president of the NCAA, was recently on Mike and Mike, a sports television program and discussed what they considered the difference between a meal and a snack. “It was literally the case that a bagel was defined as a snack — unless you put cream cheese on it. Now it becomes a meal. That’s absurd.”

It is absurd, but so is actually doing something about once an athlete brings it up.

It’s interesting how Emmert discussed that maybe schools should start competing on who can provide the best food. “So let’s compete over who can provide the best nutrition for a student-athlete. We compete over who can give them the best locker room.”

Is it really too much to ask for from the NCAA to allow athletes to have access to unlimited meals and snacks as well as proper nutrition?