College basketball fraud trial: We're at this pt because NCAA is ethically bankrupt

BleedGopher

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per Wetzel:

The NCAA, however, would rather say that a family – or any family of a kid who might (but with no guarantee) play college hoops – remain poor (or poorer) because … well, just because.

That’s all this is. You can’t help your family with the bills. You can’t earn money to put away for your future. You can’t get your mother into a better apartment. You have to wait and hope the same opportunity is there later.

We, however, can switch jobs and renegotiate contracts and take millions and millions in Adidas dollars.

Why? Who knows? Is there concern the shoe company would then have a say in the player’s college decision? Well, that’s been going on for decades. Are they worried this will somehow “ruin” the player? Please check your paternalism and puritanism.

No, this is about control, including controlling finances. A college scholarship is compensation and is not worthless. However, it is only applicable when the athlete arrives on campus. At the very least, the NCAA should be hands off until enrollment.

Amateurism may not do much for the kids, but it sure is lucrative for the coaches, conference commissioners and athletic directors who cling to it.

For people such as NCAA president Mark Emmert, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby to deny Tugs Bowen a job, to tell him and his family they need to keep scraping by in Saginaw because there is some nobility in being an amateur, is ethically bankrupt.

They should be shamed, but it’s a shameless lot. Emmert and the others lack even the courage to come to Lower Manhattan to listen to the reality of the sport and the families and the kids that have made each of them generationally wealthy. They’d rather stay away, bury their head in the sand and commission some “blue ribbon” committee headed by Condoleezza Rice to tell them whatever predetermined truth they are desperate to hear.

Rinse, repeat, cash the check.

A multinational corporation allegedly went to Saginaw and offered a high school sophomore a glorious opportunity. It could help him. It could help his family. It could help his future.

The NCAA finds this objectionable, a bad and terrible thing that must be stomped out, even prosecuted.

It seems like the wrong people are on trial here.

https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball-fraud-trial-point-ncaa-ethically-bankrupt-191446567.html

Go Gophers!!
 


If you need money that much, go play in Europe, China or the G-League. If you are going to be a superstar, Nike or Adidas will pay you handsomely while you ply your trade on the way to the NBA.
 

If you need money that much, go play in Europe, China or the G-League. If you are going to be a superstar, Nike or Adidas will pay you handsomely while you ply your trade on the way to the NBA.

+1


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If you need money that much, go play in Europe, China or the G-League. If you are going to be a superstar, Nike or Adidas will pay you handsomely while you ply your trade on the way to the NBA.

Yep, I agree. College is just one way to get to the NBA, but not the only way. In hockey some players go the college route, some play in the Canadian junior leagues. Basketball players can do the same, where the other leagues are ones that you list. I do think college players should get a very small amount of cash, like $25/week, so they can at least pay for a movie ticket; but not the big dollars that some want thrown their direction. I'll get off my soap box now...
 


I get why these journalists cry "justice" when talking about hard stories like this, but as has been noted, these can't miss prospects have other options if they want and/or need the money. One these days, though, I want them to address the issue of how the money will be distributed among thousands of players in D-1 who have no chance of ever being paid to play. They cry foul on the handful of players who really do have options, but never address the vast majority who don't.

As part of my Monday cynicism, I'll put out that they want the stars to get paid so they will go to college and not the pros to save their own butts in covering the game. If the top 30-50 guys a year abandoned college, it would decrease the quality immeasurably, reducing popularity, and eliminating jobs for the people covering the game. All in their self-interest.
 

I get why these journalists cry "justice" when talking about hard stories like this, but as has been noted, these can't miss prospects have other options if they want and/or need the money. One these days, though, I want them to address the issue of how the money will be distributed among thousands of players in D-1 who have no chance of ever being paid to play. They cry foul on the handful of players who really do have options, but never address the vast majority who don't.

As part of my Monday cynicism, I'll put out that they want the stars to get paid so they will go to college and not the pros to save their own butts in covering the game. If the top 30-50 guys a year abandoned college, it would decrease the quality immeasurably, reducing popularity, and eliminating jobs for the people covering the game. All in their self-interest.

Starting with Kevin Garnett in 1995 through 2005 essentially the top players did not step foot on campus. NCAA hoops thrived as did the coverage of it.
 

The NCAA should just allow them to gain income from endorsements/autographs/etc. Doesn't even need to be a direct distribution from the NCAA. It might even lead to kids staying in school longer. If they can make a little money while in school then there is less of a financial pressure to leave early. Problem solved.
 

Real talk though is Louisville going to get the death penalty?

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A big-name coach will no longer be coaching by the end of the week. He’s in deep doo-doo, and his school will have no other option than to fire him, with cause.
 

A big-name coach will no longer be coaching by the end of the week. He’s in deep doo-doo, and his school will have no other option than to fire him, with cause.

God I hope it’s Bill Self, but I’m thinking you’re referring to McDermott or Sean Miller.
 

A big-name coach will no longer be coaching by the end of the week. He’s in deep doo-doo, and his school will have no other option than to fire him, with cause.

Hodger, you are getting really cryptic in your old age. Come on, tell us WHAT you know, not just THAT you know! I'm assuming it is someone whose name has come up in the trial or the FBI investigation.
 

Starting with Kevin Garnett in 1995 through 2005 essentially the top players did not step foot on campus. NCAA hoops thrived as did the coverage of it.

I'll push back on that with the fact that in that era, we were talking about less than ten players a year. In today's environment, there are more opportunities for an 18 year old to make decent money and it would likely take 25-40 players a year, rather than five or ten. I think that would affect the quality of the game. Additionally, I think most of us old farts will attest to the fact that the quality of play in college has declined since the best players spend less time in college now. There may still be a bunch of money the NCAA makes, but the product isn't as good for obvious reasons. I still don't have any sympathy for the press whining about players getting paid.
 



Hodger, you are getting really cryptic in your old age. Come on, tell us WHAT you know, not just THAT you know! I'm assuming it is someone whose name has come up in the trial or the FBI investigation.

Will I see you in Chicago in March? Looking forward to the Big Ten Tournament again after a two-year absence!

Check your PM.
 

A big-name coach will no longer be coaching by the end of the week. He’s in deep doo-doo, and his school will have no other option than to fire him, with cause.

I don't know if it will happen by the end of the week. But Sean Miller, Dana Altman, and Greg McDermott all had better have their houses in order.
 

The NCAA should just allow them to gain income from endorsements/autographs/etc. Doesn't even need to be a direct distribution from the NCAA. It might even lead to kids staying in school longer. If they can make a little money while in school then there is less of a financial pressure to leave early. Problem solved.

I think that idea is better in theory than in practice. The assumption is that the big stars would receive income from major shoe endorsements and that would put them on par with their worth. That in practice wouldn't be so bad, but in reality at schools like Alabama every player, every recruit would have lucrative endorsements from day one from every car dealership, restaurant and construction company in the state of Alabama. Not sure the businesses in many other areas, Minneapolis included, would kick in to keep up with the football or basketball hotbeds.
 

I think that idea is better in theory than in practice. The assumption is that the big stars would receive income from major shoe endorsements and that would put them on par with their worth. That in practice wouldn't be so bad, but in reality at schools like Alabama every player, every recruit would have lucrative endorsements from day one from every car dealership, restaurant and construction company in the state of Alabama. Not sure the businesses in many other areas, Minneapolis included, would kick in to keep up with the football or basketball hotbeds.

Maybe. Obviously it's never been done so we don't really know. I think it's a better solution than what is currently in place, and also better than each player getting a check from the NCAA each month or something along those lines. Maybe you limit it to 2 endorsements per player and limit the amount that is allowed. (Not necessarily suggesting that, more just thinking out loud.)

I agree that there would be issues when it came to the top recruits, but I think you are overestimating the resources in the state of Alabama. They aren't going to be able to drop a few hundred grand on every player who walks through the door. Maybe a top 10 recruit could pull in some serious cash, but IMO the amount of money we are talking about for most recruits would be something we could match in the Twin Cities. In most cases we are maybe talking about use of a vehicle for free from a car dealership, and a couple thousand dollars a month for appearances/commercials/etc from other local businesses. Unless we are talking about shoe/apparel companies (which are national/international brands that wouldn't be specific to one locale, and would only be interested in the top 1% of college athletes) the money isn't going to get too crazy.
 

Will I see you in Chicago in March? Looking forward to the Big Ten Tournament again after a two-year absence!

Check your PM.

Thanks. Yes, I'll be in Chicago this year. We'll have a good crowd with us this year after a two year decline where we were down to five or so. Our group will be up in the teens this year. Chicago is easy tog et to and easy to find a place to stay for a lot of us. Will your parents and bride be with you?
 

Thanks. Yes, I'll be in Chicago this year. We'll have a good crowd with us this year after a two year decline where we were down to five or so. Our group will be up in the teens this year. Chicago is easy tog et to and easy to find a place to stay for a lot of us. Will your parents and bride be with you?

Parents yes, bride no. She's going with me to Kansas City for Midwest Region semis & finals. Pretty safe bet we'll see her Jayhawks there.
 



Right. $125k/year contract and access to NBA training facilities.

I can't see how most elite bball prospects wouldn't be interested in at least exploring that. Will be interesting to know how many of these per year will be given out. Would you rather go to Duke for 1.5 semesters, have to be bothered with going to class enough to pass, don't get paid anything other than the FCOA stipend (so a few thousand at most), and pretty much have to spend all your time outside the class room at the practice facility or academic center .... or take the G-league deal?
 

Maybe. Obviously it's never been done so we don't really know. I think it's a better solution than what is currently in place, and also better than each player getting a check from the NCAA each month or something along those lines. Maybe you limit it to 2 endorsements per player and limit the amount that is allowed. (Not necessarily suggesting that, more just thinking out loud.)

I agree that there would be issues when it came to the top recruits, but I think you are overestimating the resources in the state of Alabama. They aren't going to be able to drop a few hundred grand on every player who walks through the door. Maybe a top 10 recruit could pull in some serious cash, but IMO the amount of money we are talking about for most recruits would be something we could match in the Twin Cities. In most cases we are maybe talking about use of a vehicle for free from a car dealership, and a couple thousand dollars a month for appearances/commercials/etc from other local businesses. Unless we are talking about shoe/apparel companies (which are national/international brands that wouldn't be specific to one locale, and would only be interested in the top 1% of college athletes) the money isn't going to get too crazy.

There is already a huge disparity between the haves and the have-nots. If these "elite" players feel so entitled, why doesn't the NFL allow them to go straight to the Pros. They are already getting allowances and a free education (that is, if they want to play skool).
 




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