Bitching About NIL

[WhiteTrash]

What "others" is the current system "unfair" to?

Others are those who don't have the ability to be students at a school.

[rgoode57]

No doubt we are rapidly approaching the point where no one will even pretend to be a student / athlete anymore and players will become mere employees of the universities. I fully accept that as inevitable. Not that anyone will notice, but when it happens, I will cease to be a college hoops fan because it will then be college hoops in name only.

There is something so appealing about the concept of purely amateur athletics that I find it very sad to see it so casually discarded.  Too bad there is not a way to find the balance between NIL, which many players sorely need, and amateurism. But, I have now lived too long to think that, where money is involved, there are any well conceived, balanced solutions.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

No doubt we are rapidly approaching the point where no one will even pretend to be a student / athlete anymore and players will become mere employees of the universities. I fully accept that as inevitable. Not that anyone will notice, but when it happens, I will cease to be a college hoops fan because it will then be college hoops in name only.

There is something so appealing about the concept of purely amateur athletics that I find it very sad to see it so casually discarded.  Too bad there is not a way to find the balance between NIL, which many players sorely need, and amateurism. But, I have now lived too long to think that, where money is involved, there are any well conceived, balanced solutions.

We didn't have what you describe prior to NIL—the new system just doesn't allow one to look the other way or pretend otherwise. 

[Lennys Tap]

Wouldn't have been a loss.  Never won a natty with him

You're thinking of Markus. Never won a single NCAA tournament game with him.

[Uncle Rico]

What is America's fascination with amateurism?  That it's noble to be good at something and do it for free?  Fine.  Universal healthcare across the board.  Farmers grow crops for free.  Cops protect for free.  Teachers teach for free. 

American Puritanism, man.  Don't get paid for being good at a leisure activity.  But love capitalism and other forms of greed

[Uncle Rico]

You're thinking of Markus. Never won a single NCAA tournament game with him.

Like Sam Hauser's college career at MU and Virginia.  Program killer.

[Jay Bee]

What is America's fascination with amateurism?  That it's noble to be good at something and do it for free?  Fine.  Universal healthcare across the board.  Farmers grow crops for free.  Cops protect for free.  Teachers teach for free. 

American Puritanism, man.  Don't get paid for being good at a leisure activity.  But love capitalism and other forms of greed

Your definition of "free" is not appropriate

[WhiteTrash]

No doubt we are rapidly approaching the point where no one will even pretend to be a student / athlete anymore and players will become mere employees of the universities. I fully accept that as inevitable. Not that anyone will notice, but when it happens, I will cease to be a college hoops fan because it will then be college hoops in name only.

There is something so appealing about the concept of purely amateur athletics that I find it very sad to see it so casually discarded.  Too bad there is not a way to find the balance between NIL, which many players sorely need, and amateurism. But, I have now lived too long to think that, where money is involved, there are any well conceived, balanced solutions.

What you perceive as being balanced, other perceive as being oppressive, restrictive and anti-free market or anti-American.

[WhiteTrash]

Your definition of "free" is not appropriate

I agree. I think he was making a point in that post, but it was lost on me.

[Uncle Rico]

Your definition of "free" is not appropriate

Spare me the college education B.S.

America's fascination with amateurism extends well beyond college athletic scholarships.  Professional golfers were treated like lepers for a long time by the country club set.  Professional sports careers were once looked at as a low form of career. 

[Uncle Rico]

I agree. I think he was making a point in that post, but it was lost on me.

We're the only country in the world obsessed with amateurism

[wadesworld]

Let the young kids entertain us for free so the rich white TV execs can swim around in cash.  Ah, I too miss those days.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Others are those who don't have the ability to be students at a school.

I'm honestly confused. Who doesn't have the ability to be students at a school?

[Uncle Rico]

Let the young kids entertain us for free so the rich white TV execs can swim around in cash.  Ah, I too miss those days.

bUt tHeY pLaY FoR ThE nAMe oN the fRoNt of the jErSeY

[Uncle Rico]

Y'all mad about NIL could focus your energy on the ones that could have regulated it decades ago but instead hid behind the shield of amateurism with a complicit public, half of which today is terrified by the educated.

Nah, it's the athletes at fault who aren't grateful for that education we're all terrified of.  Certainly not the NCAA, the institutions or TV.  Definitely not them.

[WhiteTrash]

I'm honestly confused. Who doesn't have the ability to be students at a school?

I don't know if they have a list of prospects that don't qualify academically. Many go the JC rout and drop out even if they have D1 ability. Even a year or 2 at the JC level will not generate the pay at D1, so they are missing out on earnings due to academics.

We know that if Derrick Rose didn't have someone take the ACT for him he would not have played at Memphis.

I don't understand the strange fascination with the truly elite players when it comes to NIL, pay for play and academic requirements. I concede that top 100 basketball players will "find a way" to get eligible, but how many players who could play at Eastern Michigan get passed over for other who have qualified? People seem to think whatever happens at Duke or Alabama is the reality for all college athletes.

[Uncle Rico]

I don't know if they have a list of prospects that don't qualify academically. Many go the JC rout and drop out even if they have D1 ability. Even a year or 2 at the JC level will not generate the pay at D1, so they are missing out on earnings due to academics.

We know that if Derrick Rose didn't have someone take the ACT for him he would not have played at Memphis.

I don't understand the strange fascination with the truly elite players when it comes to NIL, pay for play and academic requirements. I concede that top 100 basketball players will "find a way" to get eligible, but how many players who could play at Eastern Michigan get passed over for other who have qualified? People seem to think whatever happens at Duke or Alabama is the reality for all college athletes.

Would scoop exist without basketball?  College athletics is as robust as it is because of the athletes, not the institutions

[WhiteTrash]

Would scoop exist without basketball?  College athletics is as robust as it is because of the athletes, not the institutions

That is an interesting question; do we watch because of players or the school?

[Uncle Rico]

That is an interesting question; do we watch because of players or the school?

The players.  Without high level athletes, no one is paying TV rights.  It's why DIII and the such aren't on TV, why non-revenue sports aren't on TV.

[The Sultan]

The players.  Without high level athletes, no one is paying TV rights.  It's why DIII and the such aren't on TV, why non-revenue sports aren't on TV.

I mean, no one would be watching it if it would just minor league either.  The college / university has a brand that drives the audience too.

[The Sultan]

No doubt we are rapidly approaching the point where no one will even pretend to be a student / athlete anymore and players will become mere employees of the universities. I fully accept that as inevitable. Not that anyone will notice, but when it happens, I will cease to be a college hoops fan because it will then be college hoops in name only.

There is something so appealing about the concept of purely amateur athletics that I find it very sad to see it so casually discarded.  Too bad there is not a way to find the balance between NIL, which many players sorely need, and amateurism. But, I have now lived too long to think that, where money is involved, there are any well conceived, balanced solutions.

I doubt student athletes will ever be employees because of the liabilities involved.

There is absolutely nothing appealing about amateurism IMO. I actually think its perverse. And I think the majority of people agree with my POV since college football ratings are off the charts this year.

[Dr. Blackheart]

We're the only country in the world obsessed with amateurism

The country of Greece is on line one.

[Uncle Rico]

I mean, no one would be watching it if it would just minor league either.  The college / university has a brand that drives the audience too.

Brands in college athletics are changing on a yearly basis.  Hello, Colorado.  What was Oregon before Nike money?

Nebraska football used to be a brand.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I don't know if they have a list of prospects that don't qualify academically. Many go the JC rout and drop out even if they have D1 ability. Even a year or 2 at the JC level will not generate the pay at D1, so they are missing out on earnings due to academics.

We know that if Derrick Rose didn't have someone take the ACT for him he would not have played at Memphis.

I don't understand the strange fascination with the truly elite players when it comes to NIL, pay for play and academic requirements. I concede that top 100 basketball players will "find a way" to get eligible, but how many players who could play at Eastern Michigan get passed over for other who have qualified? People seem to think whatever happens at Duke or Alabama is the reality for all college athletes.

I really don't see any of this as unfair or any way that this will somehow lead schools or congress to championing turning student athletes into employees. "Let's get rid of hundreds of thousands of athletic scholarships because the tiny handful of potential players who can't qualify academically at the lowest D1 schools but may be good enough to play sports there?" There are paths to eligibility for students who don't qualify right out of a grad school. There are also leagues they can join that don't have academic requirements.

[The Sultan]

Brands in college athletics are changing on a yearly basis.  Hello, Colorado.  What was Oregon before Nike money?

Nebraska football used to be a brand.

Nebraska football is a brand. There are thousands of people in the stands and millions watching on television. You take that Nebraska name off the front, and have them play in some off-campus site in Lincoln, do you think anyone is watching?  Of course not, because then its just minor league football.

Look, I get that the players are a valuable part of the process and should get paid what the market demands, but a lot of that market demand is based on who the player is playing for. You can't really dispute that.