I have no doubt that the "they're exploited" crowd would be up in arms if the standards were raised. It would be called racist and unfair to all of those out there "whose only road out of poverty runs through college sports." While I'm fundamentally opposed to lowering those standards, there's no question that it throw a bone to many poor athletes and broadens access to college for them. In fact, the more standards are lowered for the athletes, the more it undermines the already tenuous argument that they are exploited.