By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – There supposedly are two sides to every argument, but I’m struggling to understand the side against student-athletes making money from their Name, Image and Likeness.

I’m struggling to understand because it makes no sense.

That side of the argument is short-sighted, outdated and probably fueled, in some cases, by jealousy, hate and prejudice.

Felicia Goodson, who is the mother of Iowa All-Big Ten running back Tyler Goodson posted on Twitter a response from someone who apparently was upset that her son, and Iowa teammates Dane Belton an Tyrone Tracy Jr., held an autograph singing event at a downtown Iowa City restaurant this past Sunday.

Fans were encouraged to bring up to two items that the players would sign for $20 per item.

Sadly, what seemed like a fool-good, harmless event drew the following response on Facebook:

“This is why I’m officially done with these kids in college football. “They have become self-entitled jerks looking to making a quick buck. They are 18-22 year old kids playing a game, nothing more nothing less. Who do they think they think they are charging people $20.00 for their autograph?”

It’s hard to know whether the response was fueled more by stupidity, hate or the fear of change.

Why is it that a music student can make money off his or her name, image and likeness and nobody seems to care? Some even applaud it.

But when a student-athlete does the same thing, it brings out the misinformed who mostly just hurl insults because that’s all they have as an argument.

College sports changed dramatically on July 1 when student-athletes were allowed to make money from their name, image and likeness.

The decision, in addition to being long overdue, was fair and just, especially considering all the money being generated by big-time college sports, particularly in football and men’s basketball.

Some coordinators now make more than $1 million annually, while the top 10 highest paid college head football coaches make from $8.4 million (Nick Saban) to $5.2 million (Steve Sarkisian) annually.

And more power to them if the market can sustain those outrageous salaries.

Big-time college football is big-time business, but for far too long, the student-athletes were unfairly limited in how they could profit.

Student-athletes were always told to be satisfied and happy with having their tuition, room and board and meals paid for with a scholarship.

And while there is a lot of value in a full-ride athletic scholarship, it still is a tiny piece to a massive financial puzzle.

It apparently is okay for a head coach to make millions, but a student-athlete who wants to cash in on his or her name, image and likeness while he or she still can is an entitled jerk, according to some.

If that isn’t a double standard then what is a double-standard?

Most student-athletes only have a small window of opportunity to make money from their name, image and likeness, because once they leave college, their popularity will fade.

And those who are against student-athletes being paid for their name, image and likeness don’t have to purchase anything. Nobody is being forced to buy anything. That’s how a free market works.

But to call them entitled jerks is a mean, stale cheap shot.

To say they’re playing just a game is foolish because big-time college football is much more than just a game.

It’s a multi-million dollar business that relies heavily on the blood, sweat and tears from the student-athletes who put in countless hours to reach their potential, and for the sake of winning.

They also perform in front of millions of paying fans, and on television where the amount of money being generated is stunning.

My hope is that Tyler Goodson, Dane Belton and Tyrone Tracy Jr., made a few bucks on Sunday, and had fun interacting with the fans.

All three are fine examples of Hawkeye football, on and off the field, and if some fans want to spend money for them to sign their apparel, what’s wrong with that?

Student-athletes have been exploited for far too long, especially in football and men’s basketball. But now, thankfully, those days have passed and there is no longer a double-standard.