--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I worry when athletes are simply used by…" description: "\"I worry when athletes are simply used by their universities to produce revenue, to make money for them, nothing to show at the back end. I grew up with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b07/arne-duncan-11784_athletes_i-worry-when-athletes-are-simply-used-by_1544588.png" --- # I worry when athletes are simply used by their… ![“I worry when athletes are simply used by their universities to produce revenue, to make money for them, nothing to show at the back end. I grew up with a lot of players who had very, very tough lives after the ball started bouncing for them. And that's why I'm going to continue to fight.” quote by Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b07/arne-duncan-11784_athletes_i-worry-when-athletes-are-simply-used-by_1544588.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b07/arne-duncan-11784_athletes_i-worry-when-athletes-are-simply-used-by_1544588.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b07/arne-duncan-11784_athletes_i-worry-when-athletes-are-simply-used-by_1544588.png) > “I worry when athletes are simply used by their universities to produce revenue, to make money for them, nothing to show at the back end. I grew up with a lot of players who had very, very tough lives after the ball started bouncing for them. And that's why I'm going to continue to fight.” [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Athletes are exploited for profit, leaving them vulnerable after their careers end. **In simple terms:** Athletes are used for money, not cared for. Key Takeaway Support athletes beyond their playing days. Themes sports exploitation education Mood concerned advocacy Type policy advocacy When to use this quote - college sports - professional leagues - post‑career planning Key Concepts economics social justice career transition Questions to Reflect On - How can universities balance revenue and athlete wellbeing? - What safeguards protect athletes after retirement? A Different Perspective Financial incentives can conflict with athlete welfare. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athletes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletes/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [When you play against dirty players or very tough players, it's easy to escape because you know what they're going to do. 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That's one of the tough things about the NFL - it's so physically tough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-allen/i-really-do-care-about-the-health-of-the-players-that-s-one-of-the/) [Paul Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-allen/) > [I think you can do that specifically with players - you can be tough on them, expect a lot from them, but not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-flores/i-think-you-can-do-that-specifically-with-players-you-can-be-tough-on/) [Brian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-flores/) > [I was determined to make Renaissance Man Food Services and Herschel's Famous 34 major players in a very tough industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herschel-walker/i-was-determined-to-make-renaissance-man-food-services-and-herschel-s/) [Herschel Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herschel-walker/) > [It's hard when you lose your best players. It's tough. I'm not going to lie. It makes you think, 'What if they didn't leave?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-fonte/it-s-hard-when-you-lose-your-best-players-it-s-tough-i-m-not-going-to/) [Jose Fonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-fonte/) > [State governments generate less revenue in a recession. As state leaders struggle to make up for lost revenue, legislatures tend to cut funding for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/state-governments-generate-less-revenue-in-a-recession-as-state/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [I'm in this sport for a long time and I'm going to continue to fight with my whole heart and put on a show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-benavidez/i-m-in-this-sport-for-a-long-time-and-i-m-going-to-continue-to-fight/) [Joseph Benavidez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-benavidez/) > [Myself is thus and so, and will continue thus and so. And why fight it? My balance comes from instability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/myself-is-thus-and-so-and-will-continue-thus-and-so-and-why-fight-it/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“But you go through with it, continue to fight, because you hope one day it won’t be like this. Life can be so cruel.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/but-you-go-through-with-it-continue-to-fight-because-you-hope-one-day/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [I am pretty good at arithmetic, and I know that the fight in front of us is a very, very steep fight. But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-am-pretty-good-at-arithmetic-and-i-know-that-the-fight-in-front-of/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [We must continue our fight to ensure that Federal, State, and local authorities have the resources and support necessary to combat this growing epidemic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-lewis/we-must-continue-our-fight-to-ensure-that-federal-state-and-local/) [Ron Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-lewis/) > [You have a number of choices. You could continue to always fight against people who are really distractions. They're people in the cheap seats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/you-have-a-number-of-choices-you-could-continue-to-always-fight/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [“Success can be defined as how hard you continue to fight when they tell you that the battle is over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-boyer/success-can-be-defined-as-how-hard-you-continue-to-fight-when-they/) [Mark W Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-boyer/) ## More by Arne Duncan > [ I just think we can't do enough of this \[student exchanges\]... And when you get young children traveling internationally, I think they come back… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/i-just-think-we-can-t-do-enough-of-this-student-exchanges-and-when/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Other countries haves passed us by. They're outworking us. They're outcompeting us. We have got to wake up and we have got to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/other-countries-haves-passed-us-by-they-re-outworking-us-they-re/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [We all have a role to play - the President, Congress, parents, students and schools - in making college affordable and keeping the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/we-all-have-a-role-to-play-the-president-congress-parents-students/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [States should not balance their budgets on the backs of students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/states-should-not-balance-their-budgets-on-the-backs-of-students/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Borrowing to pay for college used to be the exception; now it's the rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/borrowing-to-pay-for-college-used-to-be-the-exception-now-it-s-the/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Far too many of our children today, our students, need remedial education. We have been lying to them. They're not really ready for college.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/far-too-many-of-our-children-today-our-students-need-remedial/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Whether it's in an inner-city school or a rural community, I want those students to have a chance to take A.P. biology and A.P.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/whether-it-s-in-an-inner-city-school-or-a-rural-community-i-want/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [So instead of watching TV, we read every night together as a family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/so-instead-of-watching-tv-we-read-every-night-together-as-a-family/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Surveys show that many talented and committed young people are reluctant to enter teaching for the long haul because they think the profession is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/surveys-show-that-many-talented-and-committed-young-people-are/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Almost 24 million children - one in three - are likely growing up without their father involved in their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/almost-24-million-children-one-in-three-are-likely-growing-up-without/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [We've seen more reform in the last year than we've seen in decades, and we haven't spent a dime yet. It's staggering how the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/we-ve-seen-more-reform-in-the-last-year-than-we-ve-seen-in-decades/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [I believe that education is the civil rights issue of our generation. And if you care about promoting opportunity and reducing inequality, the classroom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/i-believe-that-education-is-the-civil-rights-issue-of-our-generation/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Historically the Department of Education hasn't been doing enough to drive the sustainability movement, and today, I promise that we will be a committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/historically-the-department-of-education-hasn-t-been-doing-enough-to/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [State governments generate less revenue in a recession. As state leaders struggle to make up for lost revenue, legislatures tend to cut funding for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/state-governments-generate-less-revenue-in-a-recession-as-state/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [We have had this massive effort on K-12 reform, raising standards, great teachers, great principals, turning around chronically failing schools, raising the bar, huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/we-have-had-this-massive-effort-on-k-12-reform-raising-standards/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) [Explore all 58 Arne Duncan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) ## More Athletes quotes > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [Whether it's basketball, football, baseball, you like meeting other athletes to see how their jobs work, and everything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-gaudreau/whether-it-s-basketball-football-baseball-you-like-meeting-other/) [Johnny Gaudreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-gaudreau/) > [I'd just like to see athletes awake. And aware. There's so much going on and so much to know... We stay in our little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-teter/i-d-just-like-to-see-athletes-awake-and-aware-there-s-so-much-going/) [Hannah Teter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-teter/) > [Professional athletes die twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/professional-athletes-die-twice/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [It's important for closet gay athletes everywhere, not just at the professional level, but more importantly athletes at the younger level in high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fujita/it-s-important-for-closet-gay-athletes-everywhere-not-just-at-the/) [Scott Fujita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-fujita/) > [Theres that initial reticence for some athletes to take you seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-guerrero/theres-that-initial-reticence-for-some-athletes-to-take-you-seriously/) [Lisa Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-guerrero/) > [I think athletes in general, your days are numbered. Any time you can kind of learn and grow from an entrepreneurship standpoint and ownership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ingram-ii/i-think-athletes-in-general-your-days-are-numbered-any-time-you-can/) [Mark Ingram II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ingram-ii/) > [Athletes can not look the same and be great in their individual sport. The example I like to use is Gabby Douglas. She could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-carter/athletes-can-not-look-the-same-and-be-great-in-their-individual-sport/) [Michelle Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-carter/) > [“Athletes, we were supposed to just be there, and in class I made it a point that I was prepared for every exam, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/athletes-we-were-supposed-to-just-be-there-and-in-class-i-made-it-a/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included, use performance-enhancing drugs, enough so that the problem must be tackled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-runners-included-use/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [I always tell young athletes the same thing, 'Wherever you go, whatever you do, what must your top priority be? Running.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/i-always-tell-young-athletes-the-same-thing-wherever-you-go-whatever/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [The most important thing to me is to inspire all these athletes in the next generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobin-heath/the-most-important-thing-to-me-is-to-inspire-all-these-athletes-in/) [Tobin Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobin-heath/) > [Somewhere behind the athlete you have become, and hours if practice is a little girl who picked up a ball, fell in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/somewhere-behind-the-athlete-you-have-become-and-hours-if-practice-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Athletes love challenges, and golf is something you can never master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-horry/athletes-love-challenges-and-golf-is-something-you-can-never-master/) [Robert Horry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-horry/) > [My concentration level blocks out everything. Concentration is why some athletes are better than others. You develop that concentration in training and concentrate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-concentration-level-blocks-out-everything-concentration-is-why/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 601 Athletes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I worry when athletes are simply used by their universities to produce revenue, to make money for them, nothing to show at the back end. I grew up with a lot of players who had very, very tough lives after the ball started bouncing for them. 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