NCAA is sitting a dangerous president with decision

[jbcarol]

Rachel Bachman ‏@Bachscore 20h
Media's country song to NCAA: If loving you is wrong, then I don't want to be wrong.

[jbcarol]

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN 22h
USC AD Pat Haden on NCAA's Miami decision: "We have always felt our penalties were too harsh. This decision only bolsters that view"

[jbcarol]

Jay Bilas ‏@JayBilas 17h
NCAA says, ad nauseam, it doesn't rely upon precedent. Then, it calls UM's sanctions "unprecedented." Wow. http://usat.ly/1gBptKW

[jbcarol]

Report that the NCAA suspended a Colgate player for one season for playing in a family member's church league for three games (they only had four).

[Hogs-n-Roses]

The whole ordeal about rules changes needed is a farse. All they had to do is enforce the rule in place with Cam Newton to begin with. The rule stated clearly that if a player or anyone else shops the player, he is ineligible. They just created a loophole like tOSU and NCAA did for the sugar bowl.

[jbcarol]

Report that the NCAA suspended a Colgate player for one season for playing in a family member's church league for three games (they only had four).

NCAA reversed their decision.

Caved again as soon as the story hit the press.

[jbcarol]

Paul Finebaum ‏@finebaum 43 mins
On possible power shift in the NCAA, @drridpath said it has already begun, "Mark Emmert has almost become a ghost."

[jbcarol]

Jay Bilas ‏@JayBilas ·20 hrs
Remember when NCAA Prez said it was wrong to sell team merchandise? Never mind. http://bit.ly/1h9hWNk

[jbcarol]

Am I the only one who sees Net Worthy and thinks of the Seinfeld episode about being sponge worthy?

http://www.sagerock.com/blog/sponge-worthy

[kingofdequeen]

has anyone posted "thanks obama" yet?

[jbcarol]

Seth Emerson ‏@SethEmerson ·10 hrs
Ramogi Huma, head of the player's union movement, was on Colbert Report last night. And boy does he come off better than Mark Emmert.

Seth Emerson ‏@SethEmerson ·10 hrs
Of course, most inanimate objects come off better explaining themselves than Mark Emmert.

[Cotton]

Athletes are "taking seats from paying students."

http://deadspin.com/the-askemmert-q-a-is-going-poorly-1564610605?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow


@JayBilas: NCAA President says athletes are "taking seats from a paying student." Wow.

@bomani_jones: all this "emmert really just works for the presidents" ignore that he is of that tribe. he IS them. how stupid are y'all, really?

@Andy_Staples: Whoever writes his talking points must hate him. RT @JayBilas: NCAA President says athletes are "taking seats from a paying student." Wow.

If you have twitter go search #AskEmmert and you'll be laughing for an hour straight. Here's an example:

@jmaz: #AskEmmert Started calling my household employees "student-servants" and stopped paying them. All good, right?

[Fatty McGee]

This.  Is.  Awesome. 


https://twitter.com/search?q=%23askemmert&src=hash

[forrest city joe]

Fire him. he is a Nick Saban Lap Dog. fire him.

[ricepig]

Let them eat cake??

[RazorPiggie]

Athletes get enough stuff as it is.

[Bebop]

Fire him. he is a Nick Saban Lap Dog. fire him.

He is the one who hired at LSU, right? I'm pretty sure he is. I bet the NCAA will never sniff around Bama's program while Emmert is there.

[forrest city joe]

He is the one who hired at LSU, right? I'm pretty sure he is. I bet the NCAA will never sniff around Bama's program while Emmert is there.

You got that right. he hred Saban at LSU. and look what happen.   http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2013/04/02/ncaa-president-emmert-previous-cases-uconn-lsu/2047607/

[Atlhogfan1]

Not funny.  Let the athletes start having to meet the same academic requirements and standards other students do for admittance to their universities and pay their own way if they can't qualify for scholarships and see how many still use terms like servants and slavery. 

They aren't taking seats as universities can let in additional students for the most part.  He has a point but that comment didn't explain it well. 

[code red]

Athletes get enough stuff as it is.

This

[RazorPiggie]

This

And I HIGHLY doubt Shabazz Napier was going to bed hungry. Those guys can get food whenever they want as long as it isn't in the middle of the night.

[radioheadhog]

This.  Is.  Awesome. 


https://twitter.com/search?q=%23askemmert&src=hash

Dude, seriously? You think this is awesome? You must be a young 'un.

[nextlevel]

Not funny.  Let the athletes start having to meet the same academic requirements and standards other students do for admittance to their universities and pay their own way if they can't qualify for scholarships and see how many still use terms like servants and slavery. 

They aren't taking seats as universities can let in additional students for the most part.  He has a point but that comment didn't explain it well. 

Spot on.

Several of these athletes get into schools that outside of playing sports they would have no chance of being accepted into that school.

For schools who have caps on incoming classes, they are indeed taking seats from paying students.

[Marshfieldhog]

I agree with him, athletes think they have it so bad. Please...the problem is SOME athletes don't value the free education ,room and board, and food. It's adds up to a lot of money.

[nextlevel]

I agree with him, athletes think they have it so bad. Please...the problem is SOME athletes don't value the free education ,room and board, and food. It's adds up to a lot of money.

Well, it has come out recently that athletes are being forced into "worthless" degrees because of the time commitments to the sport.

If you believe that, I would ask you to explain the Kansas QB who earned his MBA a few years back, or any number of student-athletes who have earned "hard degrees" like engineering, pre-law, etc. or were able to finish Graduate school before their eligibility ran out.

On a similar note, Joeckell (sp?) is said to be transferring from aTm to SMU because he was denied admission into the graduate program at aTm for a lack of meeting the requirements. If that is true, aTm is setting a standard that should be followed, making waivers and bending rules for athletes does nothing but potentially devalue the degrees of the other students.

All students and student-athletes are suppose to be equal, that is the NCAA's motto correct?

[arkbadger]

I agree with him, athletes think they have it so bad. Please...the problem is SOME athletes don't value the free education ,room and board, and food. It's adds up to a lot of money.

I'm not saying I disagree with you, but what other option do they have?  you say they are essentially being "paid" with a scholarship (again, I don't necessarily disagree) but what if they don't want to go to school?  they want to play basketball, football, etc right?  the NBA & NFL won't let them do that.  so instead of letting them go play a sport they have to go to school and get "paid" with something that they don't even want.

I'm not sure what you do for a living, but let's say I pay you in wooden nickles instead of dollars, how much would you enjoy it?

it's easy to say that they are getting fairly compensated with scholarships, room & board, etc., until you start to look at what other options they have.

[nextlevel]

I'm not saying I disagree with you, but what other option do they have?  you say they are essentially being "paid" with a scholarship (again, I don't necessarily disagree) but what if they don't want to go to school?  they want to play basketball, football, etc right?  the NBA & NFL won't let them do that.  so instead of letting them go play a sport they have to go to school and get "paid" with something that they don't even want.

I'm not sure what you do for a living, but let's say I pay you in wooden nickles instead of dollars, how much would you enjoy it?

it's easy to say that they are getting fairly compensated with scholarships, room & board, etc., until you start to look at what other options they have.

They want to play pro sports.

There isn't a right to play pro sports.

If you want to be a professional in a field that requires a degree, you do not have the right to work in that field without said degree.

Basketball players do not have to attend college, they can go straight over-seas which has been done. I'm not sure about the CFL's age requirements, but that is a possible avenue for football players.

[ZERO]

Well, it has come out recently that athletes are being forced into "worthless" degrees because of the time commitments to the sport.

Being "forced" implies that they were interested or capable of majoring in math or engineering. I'm sure some are, but many athletes major in Kinesiology and the likes simply because it's what they know and what they're interested in.

[arkbadger]

They want to play pro sports.

There isn't a right to play pro sports.

If you want to be a professional in a field that requires a degree, you do not have the right to work in that field without said degree.

Basketball players do not have to attend college, they can go straight over-seas which has been done. I'm not sure about the CFL's age requirements, but that is a possible avenue for football players.

having the right to do something isn't what's at hand here though.  instead of being allowed to play a professional sport they instead are in all sense of the word forced to not only attend a university where they aren't paid, they have to go to classes they don't want to go to and live in a place they don't want to live.  if they are going to make them go to school, even for a year, why is compensating them with something besides a degree such an issue?  by making them go to class they don't want to be in, and live in a dorm they don't want to stay in, are they not hurting not only the athlete, but also other students who are interested in that spot in class, or that place to live?

and yes, basketball players have the option to go oversea's, but you can't count those success stories on your hands.  so now you are telling an 18 year old kid who wants to play basketball that his options are 1.) go to "school" for a year and don't get compensated at all, oh, and also go to class, live in a dorm and follow these rules, or 2.) go over to Germany and live for a year away from all of your family and friends, and oh, did I mention they don't speak English there either?

[Kenny Hawgins]

Well, it has come out recently that athletes are being forced into "worthless" degrees because of the time commitments to the sport.

If you believe that, I would ask you to explain the Kansas QB who earned his MBA a few years back, or any number of student-athletes who have earned "hard degrees" like engineering, pre-law, etc. or were able to finish Graduate school before their eligibility ran out.

On a similar note, Joeckell (sp?) is said to be transferring from aTm to SMU because he was denied admission into the graduate program at aTm for a lack of meeting the requirements. If that is true, aTm is setting a standard that should be followed, making waivers and bending rules for athletes does nothing but potentially devalue the degrees of the other students.

All students and student-athletes are suppose to be equal, that is the NCAA's motto correct?

Very few have the ability to do that.  It amazes me that some are even in college.  I have students turn in papers and expect that they'll get an 'A' just for turning it in because they received that sort of "special" treatment in high school, simply by virtue of being a good athlete. 

Ultimately, there are a lot of athletes who are forced into worthless degree programs by their coaches, just to keep them eligible.  It's embarrassing but a lot of the guys you watch on tv may end up with a worthless piece of paper because they went to class regularly.

[nextlevel]

having the right to do something isn't what's at hand here though.  instead of being allowed to play a professional sport they instead are in all sense of the word forced to not only attend a university where they aren't paid, they have to go to classes they don't want to go to and live in a place they don't want to live.  if they are going to make them go to school, even for a year, why is compensating them with something besides a degree such an issue?  by making them go to class they don't want to be in, and live in a dorm they don't want to stay in, are they not hurting not only the athlete, but also other students who are interested in that spot in class, or that place to live?

and yes, basketball players have the option to go oversea's, but you can't count those success stories on your hands.  so now you are telling an 18 year old kid who wants to play basketball that his options are 1.) go to "school" for a year and don't get compensated at all, oh, and also go to class, live in a dorm and follow these rules, or 2.) go over to Germany and live for a year away from all of your family and friends, and oh, did I mention they don't speak English there either?

The amount of athletes who sign with a school and the amount who make it to the NBA or NFL is a vastly different amount of figures.

Everyone of these athletes who sign with a school are given a life changing opportunity, if they are so short sighted to see only pro aspirations is athletics, that is no one's problem but their own.

[SPAL]

I'm not saying I disagree with you, but what other option do they have?  you say they are essentially being "paid" with a scholarship (again, I don't necessarily disagree) but what if they don't want to go to school?  they want to play basketball, football, etc right?  the NBA & NFL won't let them do that.  so instead of letting them go play a sport they have to go to school and get "paid" with something that they don't even want.

I'm not sure what you do for a living, but let's say I pay you in wooden nickles instead of dollars, how much would you enjoy it?

it's easy to say that they are getting fairly compensated with scholarships, room & board, etc., until you start to look at what other options they have.

So in essence, your first paragraph hit the nail in the proverbial head. They aren't going to school because they want to, they go because they want to use it as a stepping stone to a professional league. So basically, they are taking seats from paying students. You agree with Emmert.

I do too.

[arkbadger]

The amount of athletes who sign with a school and the amount who make it to the NBA or NFL is a vastly different amount of figures.

Everyone of these athletes who sign with a school are given a life changing opportunity, if they are so short sighted to see only pro aspirations is athletics, that is no one's problem but their own.

I would like to live in this magical world that you live in where every person walking the earth has the ability to earn a college degree.  yes, they are given a life changing opportunity, that isn't the point.  again, you are forcing them to do something they don't want to do, and maybe aren't smart enough to do.  you can offer someone all the scholarships and academic help in the world, but if they aren't smart enough to make sense of it what good does it do them?  how is that any type of compensation? 

no one is saying that a scholarship isn't valuable.  it has zero to do with being short sighted, offering a scholarship to someone who doesn't want it is like offering filet mignon to a vegetarian.

[SPAL]

Fire him. he is a Nick Saban Lap Dog. fire him.

Joe advocating somebody should be fired? Never saw this coming.

[arkbadger]

So in essence, your first paragraph hit the nail in the proverbial head. They aren't going to school because they want to, they go because they want to use it as a stepping stone to a professional league. So basically, they are taking seats from paying students. You agree with Emmert.

I do too.

I take it you pick cherries for a living?

[nextlevel]

I would like to live in this magical world that you live in where every person walking the earth has the ability to earn a college degree.  yes, they are given a life changing opportunity, that isn't the point.  again, you are forcing them to do something they don't want to do, and maybe aren't smart enough to do.  you can offer someone all the scholarships and academic help in the world, but if they aren't smart enough to make sense of it what good does it do them?  how is that any type of compensation? 

no one is saying that a scholarship isn't valuable.  it has zero to do with being short sighted, offering a scholarship to someone who doesn't want it is like offering filet mignon to a vegetarian.

There is no rule requiring them to have attended college for either league.

In the NBA they have to be one year removed from graduating HS, meaning they can go over seas, they can go to college for a year, or they can hire a professional trainer and spend a year getting ready for the draft in basketball.

In football they have to be 3 years removed, you would have to check into the age requirements of the various leagues lower than the NFL, the CFL, arena leagues and various other semi-pro leagues around the country, or they also have the option to stay out of school and train for 3 years.

Their training would be paid for by an agent, who they are more than free to sign with at anytime, to be repaid once they sign a pro contract. The reason why they do not do this is the amount who who possess pro potential and are sure locks to play in the NBA and NFL is a very minuscule amount.

They are not indentured servants being forced to pay off a debt via attending college. They choose too because doing so, having access to the facilities and training it provides, and the exposure of the games played increases their value and potential to pro teams.

[SPAL]

I would like to live in this magical world that you live in where every person walking the earth has the ability to earn a college degree.  yes, they are given a life changing opportunity, that isn't the point.  again, you are forcing them to do something they don't want to do, and maybe aren't smart enough to do.  you can offer someone all the scholarships and academic help in the world, but if they aren't smart enough to make sense of it what good does it do them?  how is that any type of compensation? 

no one is saying that a scholarship isn't valuable.  it has zero to do with being short sighted, offering a scholarship to someone who doesn't want it is like offering filet mignon to a vegetarian.

Not really. Even most vegetarians can see the benefits of eating red meat. They know about the good things, the iron, vitamins, minerals, myoglobin, etc. They just believe the bad outweighs the good, unless of course they do it for religious purposes. You are saying the kid doesn't want the steak because he has dysphagia and can't consume it, not because he doesn't like the steak.

[SPAL]

I take it you pick cherries for a living?

Yes, I work for Dole.

[PorkSoda]

I'm not saying I disagree with you, but what other option do they have?  you say they are essentially being "paid" with a scholarship (again, I don't necessarily disagree) but what if they don't want to go to school?  they want to play basketball, football, etc right?  the NBA & NFL won't let them do that.  so instead of letting them go play a sport they have to go to school and get "paid" with something that they don't even want.

I'm not sure what you do for a living, but let's say I pay you in wooden nickles instead of dollars, how much would you enjoy it?

it's easy to say that they are getting fairly compensated with scholarships, room & board, etc., until you start to look at what other options they have.

I would like to live in this magical world that you live in where every person walking the earth has the ability to earn a college degree.  yes, they are given a life changing opportunity, that isn't the point.  again, you are forcing them to do something they don't want to do, and maybe aren't smart enough to do.  you can offer someone all the scholarships and academic help in the world, but if they aren't smart enough to make sense of it what good does it do them?  how is that any type of compensation? 

no one is saying that a scholarship isn't valuable.  it has zero to do with being short sighted, offering a scholarship to someone who doesn't want it is like offering filet mignon to a vegetarian.

I think you make some good points.

however, I don't think you can/should change the college game for student athletes who don't want to be students.  If they (pro-leagues) want to make a separate development league that athletes can go to out of high school until they are physically developed enough for the pros, then I'm all for it.  however I don't think turning the college game into a semi pro league is a sensible path.

[arkbadger]

I think you make some good points.

however, I don't think you can/should change the college game for student athletes who don't want to be students.  If they (pro-leagues) want to make a separate development league that athletes can go to out of high school until they are physically developed enough for the pros, then I'm all for it.  however I don't think turning the college game into a semi pro league is a sensible path.

not disagreeing at all.  some middle ground has to be found.  I think a lot of the reason that pro leagues don't want to start developmental leagues is monetary, as in, they won't make any off of it.  it's been tried for years and just doesn't work.  I don't think anyone wants to see college athletics go away, but it has to change or there will be chaos and most people won't like it.  I'm just not under the impression that compensating student athletes will be the end all of college sports like some do.

[PorkSoda]

not disagreeing at all.  some middle ground has to be found.  I think a lot of the reason that pro leagues don't want to start developmental leagues is monetary, as in, they won't make any off of it.  it's been tried for years and just doesn't work.  I don't think anyone wants to see college athletics go away, but it has to change or there will be chaos and most people won't like it.  I'm just not under the impression that compensating student athletes will be the end all of college sports like some do.

I agree, a development league will probably fail, as it will be filled with all kids that couldn't make it in college.  the college game has a lot more resources to put into stadiums and coaching staffs, etc.

However, I'm firmly against changing the college game anymore than minimally such as allowing for some small stipends or something like that.  Kids go to college to learn the sport.  if they are good enough then the will make it to the pros, if not they still have their degree.  there are thousands of kids every year who vie for a chance to get into that system.  how is it not good enough?  I don't see anyone turning down scholarships to take their skills elsewhere.  no one is forcing them to accept a scholarship to play a game.  they are there to learn so that they might make it in the profession of their choice.  they are not ready for the pros any more than any HS student is ready to become a lawyer or doctor. 


why do coaches get millions of dollars?  cause they already completed college and established themselves in as elite members of their profession.  same with administrators.  what makes some punk high school kid think they should get that without the years of hard work that coaches and administrators put into to getting to where they are.?


the poor me, I'm a slave to the system mantra is BS.  go work at mcdonalds or walmart for minimum wage and see what its like to be a slave to the system.  I can hear the cashiers now.  why do CEO's get paid millions when I'm the one ringing up all the sales.  without me they wouldn't be selling anything.

[nextlevel]

Every single one of these young people have the option to enter the real world and earn a pay check after graduating HS, but the mean ole NCAA forces them to attend class and play a game for free.

I really do not get the sense of entitlement in this whole issue. If they have it so bad, go get a real job.

[PorkSoda]

"When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Everyone of these athletes who sign with a school are given a life changing opportunity, if they are so short sighted to see only pro aspirations is athletics, that is no one's problem but their own.

Every single one of these young people have the option to enter the real world and earn a pay check after graduating HS, but the mean ole NCAA forces them to attend class and play a game for free.

I really do not get the sense of entitlement in this whole issue. If they have it so bad, go get a real job.

Thread.  Over.

[arkbadger]

Every single one of these young people have the option to enter the real world and earn a pay check after graduating HS, but the mean ole NCAA forces them to attend class and play a game for free.

I really do not get the sense of entitlement in this whole issue. If they have it so bad, go get a real job.

if it was entitlement why did they quit making NCAA games using the likeness of players?  while I agree that a sense of entitlement exists, asking to be compensated a little bit because they are making millions for a "non-profit" organization isn't exactly entitlement.  if someone was using your likeness without you asking all while making millions of dollars is it entitlement to ask to get paid for it?

is the sense of entitlement the whole reason you are so up in arms about this?  I am generally curious.  you say "if they have it so bad, go get a real job" but then wouldn't they be wasting their talents by selling shoes down at Payless?  kids are recruited and play sports because they have a talent, why not compensate them a little bit for that talent?

[nextlevel]

if it was entitlement why did they quit making NCAA games using the likeness of players?  while I agree that a sense of entitlement exists, asking to be compensated a little bit because they are making millions for a "non-profit" organization isn't exactly entitlement.  if someone was using your likeness without you asking all while making millions of dollars is it entitlement to ask to get paid for it?

is the sense of entitlement the whole reason you are so up in arms about this?  I am generally curious.  you say "if they have it so bad, go get a real job" but then wouldn't they be wasting their talents by selling shoes down at Payless?  kids are recruited and play sports because they have a talent, why not compensate them a little bit for that talent?

What got the NCAA in trouble was using the likeness of players who went on to have pro careers, not the current players, if you read all the paper work a player signs you will see why this was an issue with past players and not current.

The players are compensated, they are provide a free education, meals, access to world class training facilities, trainers, coaches, and tutors.

Like I said, if the NCAA is so bad, they can pay for their own training and trainers until they meet the age requirements set by each professional league, they do not have to attend a college to have access to this type of training, they do not have to attend college to go pro in sports.

They attend college because all the above is provided in the scholarship for free. Agents are not going to invest in but a small percentage of "can't miss guys" to sit out and wait for the age requirement to be met, but for that percentage it is an avenue they can certainly take, they will also have the free time to get a job so they have money in their pocket when they are not training, then they do not have to worry about things that get in the way of their pro sports dreams like classes and studying.

[Cotton]

"I hate their sense of entitlement. They shouldn't be compensated at all. It's a privilege."

Says the people that weren't good enough to play college sports. Give me a break. These players as a whole are worth Billions of dollars and we're talking about giving them a few thousand. That's a crumb of the pie.

I'm gonna stop paying my house maid and just give her room and board for her work. That's fair right? I mean she could get a job to pay for her room and board on her own but since I'm giving her all she needs to make it by, that's all I should pay her right?? Too bad theirs labor laws against that, but we can call them "student-athletes" and not have to compensate them at all.

Are they suffering? No not at all. Is the system fair? No not at all. Is there a better option? Absolutely. It's 2014, lets use some progressive thinking here.

[RazorPiggie]

What got the NCAA in trouble was using the likeness of players who went on to have pro careers, not the current players, if you read all the paper work a player signs you will see why this was an issue with past players and not current.

The players are compensated, they are provide a free education, meals, access to world class training facilities, trainers, coaches, and tutors.

Like I said, if the NCAA is so bad, they can pay for their own training and trainers until they meet the age requirements set by each professional league, they do not have to attend a college to have access to this type of training, they do not have to attend college to go pro in sports.

They attend college because all the above is provided in the scholarship for free. Agents are not going to invest in but a small percentage of "can't miss guys" to sit out and wait for the age requirement to be met, but for that percentage it is an avenue they can certainly take, they will also have the free time to get a job so they have money in their pocket when they are not training, then they do not have to worry about things that get in the way of their pro sports dreams like classes and studying.

As well as all the free Hog NIKE clothing you can ask for.

[thirrdegreetusker]

Well, it has come out recently that athletes are being forced into "worthless" degrees because of the time commitments to the sport.

If you believe that, I would ask you to explain the Kansas QB who earned his MBA a few years back, or any number of student-athletes who have earned "hard degrees" like engineering, pre-law, etc. or were able to finish Graduate school before their eligibility ran out.

Eddie Sutton produced about the same number of doctors as he did NBAers. So it can be done. Burlsworth, the Bequettes.........it can be done.

[PorkSoda]

if it was entitlement why did they quit making NCAA games using the likeness of players?  while I agree that a sense of entitlement exists, asking to be compensated a little bit because they are making millions for a "non-profit" organization isn't exactly entitlement.  if someone was using your likeness without you asking all while making millions of dollars is it entitlement to ask to get paid for it?

is the sense of entitlement the whole reason you are so up in arms about this?  I am generally curious.  you say "if they have it so bad, go get a real job" but then wouldn't they be wasting their talents by selling shoes down at Payless?  kids are recruited and play sports because they have a talent, why not compensate them a little bit for that talent?

you seem to be mistaking students for employees.  they are not the same thing, nor should they be.  If they want a piece of the pie, they can found a college and build an athletic program and get their piece.  all the people and organizations that are making millions have completed their education and established themselves as elites in their industry.  not a single college student has done that yet.  but by attending college they are setting themselves on a path that they could one day accomplish it.