Gratitude and Affinity Cannot Be Compelled

Let’s start by defining a word. From Merriam-Webster.com:

gratitude

 noun

grat·​i·​tude | \ ˈgra-tə-ˌtüd  , -ˌtyüd\

Definition of gratitude: the state of being grateful

(Looks closer.)

(Looks closer again.)

Nope. I see nothing in there that says that gratitude is something that can be compelled. Typically, you are genuinely grateful for something. Otherwise, you’re going through the motions.

So when I saw this piece in the Acadiana Advocate out of Louisiana, well, my eyes started to roll out of my head.

UL football coach Billy Napier requires scholarshipplayers to be RCAF donors, per new rule.

Let me give you the lede graphs because I still can’t believe it either:

“UL football coach Billy Napier unveiled a new team rule in his normal mid-week August camp press conference Wednesday.
Starting with the beginning of this school year, all scholarship UL football players will be required to be a minimal level $50 member of the RCAF. The rule will be optional for walk-on members of the squad.
 ‘It’s all about gratitude,’ Napier said.”

[Update: That original lede was scrubbed as was the link. The new link is here. The new lede reads:

“UL football coach Billy Napier unveiled a new team initiative in his normal mid-week August camp press conference Wednesday.
Starting with the beginning of this school year, all scholarship UL football players will be encouraged to be a minimal level $50 member of the Ragin' Cajun Athletic Foundation. The move will be optional for walk-on members of the squad.
‘It’s all about gratitude,’ Napier said.” ]

RCAF stands for Ragin’ Cajun Athletic Foundation. The tagline in huge typeface on their website says, “Preparing Leaders, Inspiring Champions.” 

Below that, it states that, “Since 2009, The Ragin’ Cajuns Athletic Foundation (RCAF) has been providing financial support for student-athletes across Louisiana’s 16 sports. Under the RCAF umbrella, you are able to invest and enrich lives through many avenues.”

So the scholarship players…some of whom are brokety broke…are going to be compelled to give $50 to the RCAF…which will then trickle back down to them. They are being told to “invest” in themselves.

But wait! The football players will get 0.5 priority points for their minimum $50 donation. They’ll also get a window decal, online recognition, eNewsletters, an exclusive Ragin’Cajuns gift…and of course, their $50 donation is tax deductible.

Huzzah!

After the Advocate story came out, a statement from assistant AD for communications Patrick Crawford was released that said that the initiative was not mandatory and, according to a piece in Athletics Business, that, “[S]tudent-athletes will be encouraged to join the RCAF at the introductory level during their college careers, an initiative the program and its coaching staff supports in order to give back to the foundation that has done so much to support the Louisiana football team and the department of athletics.”

(Of course, anyone with a little bit of sense will realize that if your coach “encourages” to do something, it’s almost the same as requiring it.)

This notion that you can force someone to feel affinity for an institution by compelling them to give money that they may or may not have is naïve at best. The idea that the players are not grateful is preposterous.

It reeks of some folks feeling like these young men, man of whom are African-American, aren’t showing enough deference to the people holding the purse strings. That may not be their intent, let me be clear; they really may think that this is the best way to build affinity for the institution. But that is how this whole scenario and “encouraged” rule reads.

It seems to me that a better way to build affinity is to ensure that the players have an enjoyable experience as part of the program. Winning helps, but treating them as men makes a difference. Making sure that they are part of the growth of the program and have a voice in some of the decisions makes a difference. Ensuring that they make it through the program physically and mentally healthy makes a difference.

That’s what build affinity. That’s what makes someone want to donate when they get into a position to donate when their playing days are over.

The compelled giving route probably will not.