The "Free Education"" remark was a joke. My dd played in a program that was terrible until she and her recuriting class went there. By her Junior Year, her image was on a billboard in our area advertising the school. She was an "ambassador" for the school and was asked to give tours, speeches to alumni for financial support of the school ... All of that for the "free education" of which had to be divided between athletic and academic. Those academic awards have stiff requirements and so, if your grade falls while representing the school while on the road and not attending class, you lose them. That happens each year to the majority of players in the program. My dd was able to keep hers and graduated with honors. That program is now a national power and currently ranked #7 in the nation.
Per Bernie. Hell no. I believe that you bust ass and earn what you want. I believe that our society is in grave danger with the entitlements we give. We allow our children to have excuses for failure instead of reasons for success. BTW, while somewhat different, I coached Baseball in the former Soviet Union. While the philosophies of Socialism and Communism are different, the goal to have everyone be equal is not. Equal? What a pathetic concept!