FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

My only comment is they opened Pandora's box.
Hope they like what comes with being accountable, when players get their DUI, or questionable actions and lose their Scholly we will see how smart they think they are. This opens the door for Universities to "cut" players whom are a bust as it is always easy to find a way to show player broke a few rules. Just think how the Universities will work this angle, man these guys will be paid more than most of us, between under the table monies and educational, housing costs, oh yes the mom or dad just became a "adviser" or adjunct Prof. maybe a trainer or "quality control"
I trust it fails, yet if it hopefully it raises a little more accountability in the NCAA, they are a joke.

And don't leave out the impact it will have on high school athletes that will now do even less in school because they see college football as their pay day.

Universities would still have to follow scholarship restrictions and the dreaded academic progress rate (aka  APR).  Too low of a grade for too long and you are ineligible for the post-season.

[emma17]

My only comment is they opened Pandora's box.
Hope they like what comes with being accountable, when players get their DUI, or questionable actions and lose their Scholly we will see how smart they think they are. This opens the door for Universities to "cut" players whom are a bust as it is always easy to find a way to show player broke a few rules. Just think how the Universities will work this angle, man these guys will be paid more than most of us, between under the table monies and educational, housing costs, oh yes the mom or dad just became a "adviser" or adjunct Prof. maybe a trainer or "quality control"
I trust it fails, yet if it hopefully it raises a little more accountability in the NCAA, they are a joke.

And don't leave out the impact it will have on high school athletes that will now do even less in school because they see college football as their pay day.

Universities would still have to follow scholarship restrictions and the dreaded academic progress rate (aka  APR).  Too low of a grade for too long and you are ineligible for the post-season.

This is one of the problems- unintended consequences.  How do any of us know what rules will be in place as college athletes become employees and are alllowed to negotiate their revenue rights as some people would like to see?  Will we see EEOC claims when the second string QB sues for racial discrimination?  How about an age discrimination lawsuit when the senior QB is passed over for the slightly lesser ready Sophomore QB?  Unintended consequences.
If we just stick to the real issue- Improve the commitment of all people to education.  Let all that flows from rule making first be filtered through the sole goal of college kids earning college degrees. 

There are improvements that can be made to the current scholarship system that don't require a court battle over the student athlete's status as an employee.    They should be students without gray area. 
Change the rules on eligibility to the pro ranks for those kids that simply don't want to earn a degree. 

[formerd3db]

ExTartan:

I obviously disagree with you on many of these various aspects involved with "the issue".

And, yes, it is the second time I played that "card" regarding Colter.  You can't deny that if he really wanted to go the pre-med route, he would have found a way to do it and make it work.  I think I know a little more about that aspect than you (no disrespect intended towards you, my friend ) and I simply doubt that Coach Fitzgerald would not have helped him and/or supported him if that is what he wanted to do.  While we obviously don't know all the specific details in his situation, the history at Northwestern and  circumstantial evidence simply do not support Colter's allegations.  If there was/is any evidence, he should publically state ALL the facts in regards to his situation...at the very least, it is the right/ethical thing to do.

I also think that emma, D306 and sac have pointed out some situations that are legit and could very likely happen (of course speculation is difficult, but usually ends up being correct in many instances-aka Obamacare !).  But D306 scored the TD with his great comment of the age-old but tested cliché phrase when he said "They've opened Pandora's Box".  All I can say is "look out"! I've pretty much stated my opinions on this entire issue, so I'll try to refrain from making any further comments for the discussion (I said, I will try, didn't promise ).     

[D306]

OK so I thought I would only have a brief comment on this subject. well shot that idea down
Look at this NCAA Basketball Tourney.
Someone please try to convince me that any of the UK "student athlete's" ( or many other one and done schools/players ) even make an attempt to show up in class. I do not blame them that is the process to get into the NBA now. A "unholy" arrangement with the NBA and Universities.
They all went there for 1 semester by the time grades come out or end up on some type of failing grades review at school ( 2 consecutive failing semesters while taking reduced schedule and basket weaving) they will be on to the NBA. This is not all of the "one and done" players yet what is the motivation to be a student? If they know this is just a 1 year free ride and pre NBA interview.

College sports on the highest level have sold their souls for money. 18-19 year old kids are running the game as I laugh at the lengths schools go to recruit these guys.
Sad as sports teach many lessons and offer opportunities to many whom had limited access to a quality education ( I am a prime example), or would have to do it the "old fashioned way" part time while working.
I am not delusional to think everything is / was perfect in Major College sports yet there is little doubt things are out of hand now. NCAA rules are restrictive and un equally applied while out of date to the current pace of life and technology as well.

[emma17]

OK so I thought I would only have a brief comment on this subject. well shot that idea down
Look at this NCAA Basketball Tourney.
Someone please try to convince me that any of the UK "student athlete's" ( or many other one and done schools/players ) even make an attempt to show up in class. I do not blame them that is the process to get into the NBA now. A "unholy" arrangement with the NBA and Universities.
They all went there for 1 semester by the time grades come out or end up on some type of failing grades review at school ( 2 consecutive failing semesters while taking reduced schedule and basket weaving) they will be on to the NBA. This is not all of the "one and done" players yet what is the motivation to be a student? If they know this is just a 1 year free ride and pre NBA interview.

College sports on the highest level have sold their souls for money. 18-19 year old kids are running the game as I laugh at the lengths schools go to recruit these guys.
Sad as sports teach many lessons and offer opportunities to many whom had limited access to a quality education ( I am a prime example), or would have to do it the "old fashioned way" part time while working.
I am not delusional to think everything is / was perfect in Major College sports yet there is little doubt things are out of hand now. NCAA rules are restrictive and un equally applied while out of date to the current pace of life and technology as well.

It needn't be over-complicated. Make college all about getting a degree. Once that is THE reason for its existence, all else will fall in place.

[wally_wabash]

OK so I thought I would only have a brief comment on this subject. well shot that idea down
Look at this NCAA Basketball Tourney.
Someone please try to convince me that any of the UK "student athlete's" ( or many other one and done schools/players ) even make an attempt to show up in class. I do not blame them that is the process to get into the NBA now. A "unholy" arrangement with the NBA and Universities.
They all went there for 1 semester by the time grades come out or end up on some type of failing grades review at school ( 2 consecutive failing semesters while taking reduced schedule and basket weaving) they will be on to the NBA. This is not all of the "one and done" players yet what is the motivation to be a student? If they know this is just a 1 year free ride and pre NBA interview.

College sports on the highest level have sold their souls for money. 18-19 year old kids are running the game as I laugh at the lengths schools go to recruit these guys.
Sad as sports teach many lessons and offer opportunities to many whom had limited access to a quality education ( I am a prime example), or would have to do it the "old fashioned way" part time while working.
I am not delusional to think everything is / was perfect in Major College sports yet there is little doubt things are out of hand now. NCAA rules are restrictive and un equally applied while out of date to the current pace of life and technology as well.

It needn't be over-complicated. Make college all about getting a degree. Once that is THE reason for its existence, all else will fall in place.

Billions and billions of dollars makes it complicated, unfortunately.   

[ExTartanPlayer]

Someone please try to convince me that any of the UK "student athlete's" ( or many other one and done schools/players ) even make an attempt to show up in class. I do not blame them that is the process to get into the NBA now. A "unholy" arrangement with the NBA and Universities. They all went there for 1 semester by the time grades come out or end up on some type of failing grades review at school ( 2 consecutive failing semesters while taking reduced schedule and basket weaving) they will be on to the NBA. This is not all of the "one and done" players yet what is the motivation to be a student? If they know this is just a 1 year free ride and pre NBA interview.

Oh, I agree with you that Kentucky's collection of one-and-done kids year after year is making a mockery of the notion that these championships are played by "student-athletes."  However, I don't blame the kids, or even John Calipari, for what they're doing in the current system.  He recruits kids that want to play professional basketball, many of them as quickly as possible.  The NBA's age limit prevents them from doing so straight out of high school.  Under the current system, going to "college" to play "college" basketball is by far the most attractive option.  I posted this exact comment on the previous page, just copying here because it's relevant to this comment.

"I would actually favor expansion of the NBA Developmental League into a full-fledged Developmental League with a farm franchise assigned to each NBA team and no age restriction.  That way, 18-year-olds with designs on a pro career and no interest in college could pursue that immediately; those who desired a college education in additional to pursuit of a basketball career could attend college.

Part of the problem with that is that it would cost the NBA money and the NBA owners have no interest - the system, as currently constructed, works beautifully for them!  Their potential incoming stars go spend a year playing "college" basketball, develop fan followings and become celebrities in their own right, and THEN come to the NBA after a year.  It's a year's worth of free marketing for all of their potential stars.  The NFL, likewise, has no incentive to relax their age restrictions or start a farm system for the same reason - they LOVE the current system, where their players enter the league after a few years of college stardom.  Think of how many Johnny Manziel #2 jerseys will be sold within days of his being drafted by an NFL team owing to his massive popularity.  Why would they change the system when it works great for them already?"

[jknezek]

Yep. ExTP has it on the head. How many people can name a minor league baseball player? Even if you could, it is nowhere near the star potential of a college football player, a college basketball player, or even the star college baseball player. The D1 system is a free minor league for the professionals, with a massive marketing budget and tv exposure, and they are perfectly happy about the side benefits. Big time college basketball and football has very little to do with promoting student athletes. That's not to say there aren't a lot of student athletes, even a vast majority, taking advantages of the scholarships to get a good college education. In football, especially, I believe this to be true. Not so much in basketball, check out the transfer rates of D1 basketball players and tell me they aren't spending more time jostling for playing space then class time!

But the fact is, the NCAA D1 system is broken. There are two ways to fix it. Drive it back to a student run enterprise, which faces problems from fans who have grown used to the level of competition and product on the field, or push it toward a professional minor league, which faces problems from people who believe in student athletics and amateurism. The hybrid system that exists right now, where the product is professional but the people are amateurs obligated to so things that they have little or no interest in doing, is a failure.

Personally I think the professional leagues should pay for and maintain their own development leagues. This works in baseball, hockey, and soccer both nationally and globally. Globally it woks in basketball, volleyball, rugby, and almost all individual sports like tennis and golf have tiered professional systems. American football and basketball should have to put up their own money and create a system of development leagues as well. The NCAA should mandate the baseball rule across all sports. You can go to a professional league out of h.s. if you want and they will pay you. If you go to college, you stay at least 3 years before becoming professionally eligible again. Further, those schools should be HARSHLY judged on the kids that enroll on their performance in class over those 3 years and the remaining eligibility. Kids that choose college should not be doing so just to give themselves more time to develop athletically, but to do so in order to earn a degree. The APR should be bostered and strictly enforced.

[badgerwarhawk]

Adam Silver, the current NBA commissioner, is on record saying that he would prefer a two year waiting period rather than the current one year.  Of course it would have to be negoiated with the NBA players association before anything could change and it doesn't really solve the problem. 

That doesn't mean that the NCAA is completely powerless to implement change.  If the NCAA were to count all of the players including the one and done athletes it wouldn't be long before a program like Kentucky would be ineligible for post season play.  My hunch is that would change their recruiting significantly.  As it stands now those players are only counted if they leave the university in bad academic standing.  This is one of two exceptions.  So they take nonsense courses the first semester and establish their academic standing.  Then they drop out before the second semester grades are final and they've left the university in good academic standing and aren't counted.

 

[wally_wabash]

Adam Silver, the current NBA commissioner, is on record saying that he would prefer a two year waiting period rather than the current one year.  Of course it would have to be negoiated with the NBA players association before anything could change and it doesn't really solve the problem. 

That doesn't mean that the NCAA is completely powerless to implement change.  If the NCAA were to count all of the players including the one and done athletes it wouldn't be long before a program like Kentucky would be ineligible for post season play.  My hunch is that would change their recruiting significantly.  As it stands now those players are only counted if they leave the university in bad academic standing.  This is one of two exceptions.  So they take nonsense courses the first semester and establish their academic standing.  Then they drop out before the second semester grades are final and they've left the university in good academic standing and aren't counted. 

I think the NCAA and the NBA really need to work together more than they are currently to find a system that benefits basketball as a whole.  That said, the NCAA's problems are certainly not the NBA's problems and vice versa.  The NCAA could, in theory, harshly penalize schools who have players turn professional after a year or two...but why?  Why would the NCAA, who has sold the rights to their tournament for BILLIONS of dollars (and the presidents of member institutions, whose conferences both profit immensely from their own television networks and from broadcast rights sold to national networks like ESPN, CBS, and Fox) not want centerpieces like Carmelo Anthony, Anthony Davis, Jabari Parker, Wiggins, Derrick Rose, John Wall, Kevin Durant, etc. etc. etc. from being part of their entertainment product even if only for a year?  You want those stars, even for one season...they are worth millions (which apparently then gets largely distributed amongst powerful-but-talentless administrators). 

[emma17]

I get the billions of dollars part of it, yet I believe a "degree first" emphasis is the way to address this without continuing unintended consequences. 
I'm not so sure the NBA would lose money in the long run anyway.  If all of Kentucky's players stayed in college another three years, it's not as though ticket sales in the NBA suffer.  Yes, there would be marketing losses as jerseys  aren't sold.  However, imagine three years down the road when these Kentucky basketball players graduate and then enter the draft.  I'll tell you one thing for sure, the NBA would gain at least one new fan- me.  I don't even watch the NBA anymore.  Let me follow a kid play over four years in college and then have him join the Bulls- I'll be watching the NBA again.  And I've no doubt whatsoever there are many, many people just like me that would love the watch the NBA again.

[D306]

Great Comments everyone +1 for all

Karma helps with the UConn win last night
I hate to see Calipari and Kentucky rewarded for flat out ignoring any kind of education program being involved.
He has had former 2 schools wins vacated, yet we honor him for continuing to play the edges of the NCAA rules.

Emma I agree NBA basketball is unwatchable, I do not and could not care about the "league"
Homer calls, walking, carry, travel, offensive charging are all part of the star treatment that makes the game stand around the perimeter and watch the superstar go one on one
I play slight attention to the playoffs and finals. At least the effort increases and there is a little defense played at that point.

OTA have started, spring ball is complete or in process for some schools, we are waking up from a LOOONG Winter

Great to see the interaction on the website

[jknezek]

Before you start giving uconn karma for their basketball team you need to dig deeper. Arguably one of the worst programs from an academic standpoint in the last 10 years. I think something like one graduate over that time. The Huskies are as pitiful if not more than any major college basketball program. Just another scholar athlete joke in the NCAA

[badgerwarhawk]

UConn was actually ineligible to participate in the post season last year due to their APR ranking.  They appealed and applied for a waiver but the request was denied by the NCAA. 

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7562956/ncaa-denies-connecticut-huskies-request-apr-waiver-2013-postseason

[jknezek]

Here's a good summation of UConn's academic woes, although it does point out that they are getting better:

http://articles.courant.com/2013-10-24/sports/hc-uconn-men-1025-20131024_1_uconn-men-gsr-basketball