Should Justin Combs (Puffy's son) give up his scholarship?

[servechilled81]

(Reuters) - The son of rap impresario Sean "Diddy" Combs is embroiled in a firestorm for accepting a football scholarship from UCLA that critics say should go to a more needy student, but the 18-year-old cornerback says he earned the award.

Justin Dior Combs, whose father topped a Forbes list of hip hop's wealthiest this year with a net worth estimated at $550 million, comes to the California school from the private, Catholic Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle, New York.

The younger Combs' scholarship to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, and play on the football team will provide $54,000 a year toward his education, with that money coming from what the athletic program generates, not from taxpayers, the school said.

That has not stopped some critics from questioning whether the money might not be better spent.

The younger Combs, in response to a CNN story about his scholarship, took to Twitter on Tuesday to say that he earned the scholarship. "Regardless what the circumstances are, I put that work in!!!! PERIOD," he wrote.

"Regardless of what you do in life every1 is gonna have their own opinion," Combs, who played in nationwide high school all-star game in Arizona in January, said in a follow-up post.

UCLA said in a statement that unlike need-based scholarships for academics, the school's sports scholarships are awarded strictly on the basis of athletic ability.

"Athletic scholarships, such as those awarded to football or basketball players, do not rely on state funds," UCLA said. "Instead, these scholarships are entirely funded through UCLA Athletics ticket sales, corporate partnerships, media contracts and private donations from supporters."

UCLA hands out about 285 full athletic scholarships each year.

At the NBC News opinion website TheGrio.com, blogger Jay Anderson asked whether paying for his son's education should be the obligation of the elder Combs.

"By taking a scholarship that he earned, but could likely afford on his own, (Justin) Combs is taking a spot away from a player who might elect to go elsewhere ... which in theory would hurt the team as a whole," Anderson wrote.

In 2010, Combs gave Justin a Maybach car worth about $360,000, according to media reports. The rap star defended the purchase in an interview on ABC program "Nightline" saying, "I think it's appropriate to give my kids whatever I want to give my kids."

Sean Combs' business ventures include high returns from his investment in Ciroc vodka as well as clothing lines Sean John and Enyce, his record label Bad Boy, the marketing company Blue Flame and numerous tech start-ups. As a rapper, his top recordings include "I'll Be Missing You" and "Coming Home."

Has any other rich kid been asked to give up a scholarship?  Why him?

LET THAT BOY COOK!

 

[zmoney3]

nope, not if he actually earned it based on his football ability

 

[oh you mad]

If he EARNED it then no. 

 

[heliumclinton]

No, people need to mind their business and just make sure their kid gets a scholarship.

 

[trelvis tha thrilla]

He earned it. Not the first rich kid to receive a scholarship. I still dont see why this is a big deal.

 

[airthompson]

He can ball and deserves it, even though his pops is paid.

 

[703 hwy]

Nope, and Wilbon made some great points yesterday on PTI about this. No offense, but do rich white kids give up their scholarships to Ivy league schools and such?

 

[bamazing]

no

 

[atlsfinest]

He's not the first rich kid to get a scholly to a school, it happens all the time (look at Ivy leagues and kids of athletes, etc.) No one is doubting whether or not he earned it or not, its whether or not he truly needs it. I think he should play and give the scholly back to the school in hopes that they can provide an opportunity for someone who truly needs it.

 

[supremeape]

Originally Posted by Oh YoU MaD

If he EARNED it then no. 

that's key, and for some reason i doubt he did.

Think about it, if you are a US college where profit is everything, having Puffy's son will bring in a good amount of revenue.

 

[yvespo3]

Race is the only reason this is questioned.

 

[milestailsprowe]

Yea his DAD is rich but this is a scholarship made for attracting good football players. He does not need to give it up

 

[oidreez]

Originally Posted by ATLsFinest

He's not the first rich kid to get a scholly to a school, it happens all the time (look at Ivy leagues and kids of athletes, etc.) No one is doubting whether or not he earned it or not, its whether or not he truly needs it. I think he should play and give the scholly back to the school in hopes that they can provide an opportunity for someone who truly needs it.

This. It's like I already know what the answers are gonna be in these types of threads.

 

[blackmagnus514]

No, he earned it.

If he was a blue blood or something, no one would even care.

 

[cj863]

Originally Posted by yvespo3

Race is the only reason this is questioned.

 

[yeerp]

never.

 

[stay lurkin]

Originally Posted by oidreez

Originally Posted by ATLsFinest

He's not the first rich kid to get a scholly to a school, it happens all the time (look at Ivy leagues and kids of athletes, etc.) No one is doubting whether or not he earned it or not, its whether or not he truly needs it. I think he should play and give the scholly back to the school in hopes that they can provide an opportunity for someone who truly needs it.

This. It's like I already know what the answers are gonna be in these types of threads.

That would be a great and noble thing to do. Help someone else out

 

[Sonny Corinthos]

Originally Posted by zmoney3

nope, not if he actually earned it based on his football ability

  
I agree

 

[thegoldenchild]

Originally Posted by SupremeApe

Originally Posted by Oh YoU MaD

If he EARNED it then no. 

that's key, and for some reason i doubt he did.

Think about it, if you are a US college where profit is everything, having Puffy's son will bring in a good amount of revenue.

couldnt be more right!!! sounds like another romeo miller USC signing..

 

[blakep267]

Originally Posted by Stay Lurkin

Originally Posted by oidreez

Originally Posted by ATLsFinest

He's not the first rich kid to get a scholly to a school, it happens all the time (look at Ivy leagues and kids of athletes, etc.) No one is doubting whether or not he earned it or not, its whether or not he truly needs it. I think he should play and give the scholly back to the school in hopes that they can provide an opportunity for someone who truly needs it.

This. It's like I already know what the answers are gonna be in these types of threads.

That would be a great and noble thing to do. Help someone else out

pretty much. i dont think it should be taken away, but its not like puffy( yeah, puffy) needs it anyway. It probabl wouldve just been good PR if the son didnt say anything about it on twitter and him and his "dad" refused it or just donate 54 grand to a scholarship foundation or something

 

[oidreez]

i think fame has more to do with it than race. If it was justin beiber i probably would be saying the same thing

 

[spiceman80]

I don't understand how him receiving a football scholarship based on his athletic ability has anything to do with his pops. It's not like he got b/c his dad is P Diddy. The kid can ball point blank. What is this talk of giving to someone more needy? If someone else has the talent worthy of $54,000 scholarship then that person would have it, if not at UCLA then somewhere else. This isn't a charity or something, makes no sense.

 

[oh you mad]

"Romeo Miller paid for his own tuition at USC, so that the school would be able to use the athletic scholarship money towards another player."

No Limit>Bad Boy

 

[patrick bateman]

Originally Posted by Oh YoU MaD

"Romeo Miller paid for his own tuition at USC, so that the school would be able to use the athletic scholarship money towards another player."

No Limit>Bad Boy

Master P > "Puff daddy"

 

[blakep267]

Originally Posted by Spiceman80

I don't understand how him receiving a football scholarship based on his athletic ability has anything to do with his pops. It's not like he got b/c his dad is P Diddy. The kid can ball point blank. What is this talk of giving to someone more needy? If someone else has the talent worthy of $54,000 scholarship then that person would have it, if not at UCLA then somewhere else. This isn't a charity or something, makes no sense.

its just that at this point in time in our country, nobody really wants to hear about the rich getting even more handouts, especially a black guy. That probably eats people up