The joke is on him...they're not spending THEIR money on any of it

[Buzz Killington]

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/alabama-ad-ruffles-feathers-remark-college-student-spending-habits/

Alabama AD criticizes student athletes for spending money on “tattoos and rims”

Alabama AD Bill Battle gathered yesterday with other college administrators, including NC State AD Debbie Yow, for the IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. The forum served as an opportunity for them to discuss stipends given to student-athletes.

And the panel did a lot of criticizing of the spending habits of those student-athletes, according to syracuse.com.

Debbie Yow: "you try to teach student-athletes about financial literacy but know you failed when u see them on their new hoverboard" #SBJIAF

— Jason Belzer (@JasonBelzer) December 9, 2015

Battle then added “tattoos and rims” to the list.

According to al.com, even though the comment got a good laugh from the conference attendees, it created a huge backlash elsewhere.

“It was frivolous statement that was meant to be cute,” Battle said.

He attributed the origin of the statement to the Jim Tressell scandal that forced Tressell out as Buckeyes head coach in 2011.

“The thing that students in general, not just athletes, spend money on is those kinds of things sometimes,” Battle said. “That’s what we hope to educate our student athletes that those are not wise investments, and they ought to be spending their money on those that add to the experience or the collegiate experience.”

In light of all the heat Alabama is receiving over removing Tide RB Derrick Henry’s tattoos from his award photo, the comment was in bad taste and only added to the criticism of the university.

In-state student athletes at Alabama currently receive a stipend of just over $4,000 per year, while out-of-state Crimson Tide athletes receive a little more than $5,000 per year. This is all coming from the $30 million profit that the Alabama athletic department made last year.

Battle takes home $620,000 per year, and the assistant coaching staff takes home upwards of $5.2 million. But the players only get a few thousand?

According to USAtoday.com, schools are trying to help student-athletes along by providing financial training along with the stipends, but it’s hard to tell the difference it has made.

[The Prowler]

Maybe someone should send this web link to Bill Battle...better yet, send to Debbie Yow maybe with a statement, do you think Student-Athletes can do all of this to their vehicles on a $4,000-$5,000 stipend, per year...without some outside "help"?

http://suitgate.blogspot.com/?m=0

[Snaggletiger]

Jay Jacobs was there.

"We don't have to worry about how our players spend their stipend money. We're cutting the payments out and using that money to construct a big-ass statue of myself to be put right next to Cam's". 

[CCTAU]

When they only pay a fraction of the cost of those tattoos and rims, why not "buy" them.

I mean, hell, the damn Charger was free.