Former Gophers football player Pete Najarian is a member of the seven-member advisory board of the new College Football Players Association.

[BleedGopher]

per STrib:

College athletics has undergone major changes in 2021, with the easing of transfer rules and student-athletes now being able to profit off their name, image and likeness. Another change came Tuesday, with the launching of the College Football Players Association (CFBPA), a group that will advocate for more rights for college football players.

Jason Stahl, founder and executive director of the association, started the venture to "make sure that college football players are finally organized to have a collective voice in the decision-making within their sport.''

"In the summer of 2020 college football players called for the creation of a CFBPA while returning to play in the midst of a pandemic,'' Stahl said in a statement. "Today, that dream become reality.''

Stahl, who has held teaching, research and administrative positions at the University of Minnesota, was involved in efforts to organize U of M graduate students in 2004-05 and was an activist in the university's faculty unionization work in 2015-17.

The CFBPA has established a website (cfbpa.org) and began recruiting prospective members Tuesday. There will be four membership categories available: active college football players with eligibility remaining ($24 per year), high school players who might play in college ($12 per year), parents of players ($20 per year) and past college football players ($50 per year).

The association also has set up a seven-member advisory board that includes former Gophers players Gaelin Elmore and Pete Najarian and former University of Minnesota regent Michael Hsu. Others could be added to the board in the future.

"The CFBPA will provide the megaphone for the players who have been ignored in the past and in the present,'' Hsu said in a statement.

College Football Players Association aims to give athletes a collective voice

Amid ongoing changes in college athletics, the CFBPA wants players to have a role in decision-making regarding the sport.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[#2Gopher]

Three roads on all this.

One heading where all parties succeed with no issues.
Two is where some people benefit and overall doesn't have a big impact.
Three is where college sports are ruined.

 

[DocfromDarwin]

Najarian should have been hired as AD!!

 

[#2Gopher]

Najarian should have been hired as AD!!

Don't think we could pay enough to do it.

 

[DocfromDarwin]

Don't think we could pay enough to do it.

Hey he was indicating interest at that time he’s got plenty of $$

 

[SMPLSGopher]

It's disappointing to see Pete Najarian give credibility to Jason Stahl's organization. I have no issue with a players' organization, but to have it run by someone like Stahl seems wrong. He has no experience in this area and it seems the only thing he's qualified to do is throw out baseless accusations that get him fired and make sure that his name is always printed front and center in any article about those accusations.

 

[Gopherube1]

I’m surprised Pete Najarian would join a Jason Stahl led group. Najarian on interviews always seems so positive. To me, Stahl seems VERY negative. Behind the scenes as a BOR, Hsu was very negative and unsettling. Did almost anything to make Pres Gabel and Mark Coyle’s job difficult. Disruptive.
Great organizations are typically not made up of those kinds of people.

 

[noamfromm]

I’m surprised Pete Najarian would join a Jason Stahl led group. Najarian on interviews always seems so positive. To me, Stahl seems VERY negative. Behind the scenes as a BOR, Hsu was very negative and unsettling. Did almost anything to make Pres Gabel and Mark Coyle’s job difficult. Disruptive.
Great organizations are typically not made up of those kinds of people.

Agreed. I respect Elmore and Najarian and have little respect for Stahl and Hsu -- so I don't know what to make of the organization from a personnel perspective -- thought with Stahl at the helm I don't see any positive influence.

 

[Taji34]

It's disappointing to see Pete Najarian give credibility to Jason Stahl's organization. I have no issue with a players' organization, but to have it run by someone like Stahl seems wrong. He has no experience in this area and it seems the only thing he's qualified to do is throw out baseless accusations that get him fired and make sure that his name is always printed front and center in any article about those accusations.

He has experience with organizing though, which is likely where most of his contributions are. Helping set up the organizational structure such that the Players who join are supported and have the resources they need to organize as a unit.

I have mixed feelings about the articles and the wcco story, but that aside I think he is actually someone good to have as a resource in this players association.

My bigger concern, as I support the players association wholeheartedly, is that the 4 out of the 8 "administrative" positions in the association have ties to the U. If I were a player from another school I would definitely worry that issues and efforts brought up by U of M players would receive more preference and aid from that administrative structure than issues and efforts from players of other schools.

 

[GopherPete]

He has experience with organizing though, which is likely where most of his contributions are. Helping set up the organizational structure such that the Players who join are supported and have the resources they need to organize as a unit.

I have mixed feelings about the articles and the wcco story, but that aside I think he is actually someone good to have as a resource in this players association.

My bigger concern, as I support the players association wholeheartedly, is that the 4 out of the 8 "administrative" positions in the association have ties to the U. If I were a player from another school I would definitely worry that issues and efforts brought up by U of M players would receive more preference and aid from that administrative structure than issues and efforts from players of other schools.

The transfer portal is always an option

 

[SMPLSGopher]

He has experience with organizing though, which is likely where most of his contributions are. Helping set up the organizational structure such that the Players who join are supported and have the resources they need to organize as a unit.

I have mixed feelings about the articles and the wcco story, but that aside I think he is actually someone good to have as a resource in this players association.

My bigger concern, as I support the players association wholeheartedly, is that the 4 out of the 8 "administrative" positions in the association have ties to the U. If I were a player from another school I would definitely worry that issues and efforts brought up by U of M players would receive more preference and aid from that administrative structure than issues and efforts from players of other schools.

From what I can find he was involved in a (failed) unionization of grad students in 2004-5 as rank-and-file organizer - essentially just handing out flyers - and faculty unionization in 2019. I found quotes from him around that time, but am unclear what his specific role was. However I don't see evidence that he was involved in the leadership of either the union or unionization efforts in either case. Sure, he likely has some experience in what it takes to unionize, but it seems his view was from the ground floor and is not really relevant to leading a national union.

I'm not very familiar with the services a normal union provides, but based on their website I'd be surprised if anyone would choose to join. The membership page shows about the most abstract benefits possible. For players: direct advocacy, leadership opportunities, member surveys. For parents: a place to bring your concerns. I know it's still early, but I'm not really sure what the strategy is here..

 

[highwayman]

If Hsu is involved at any level, I'm against it.

 

[upnorthkid]

This seems like a grand way for players to get taken advantage of. I cannot see any way a player would want to get involved for something you’re paying a fee to that has no power and that you have no representation on

 

[Goldmember]

They have a .org website, so you know it’s totally legit. Seems like he deserves all this media coverage he’s getting. I mean he has a website and everything.

 

[FredCoxRocks]

He has experience with organizing though, which is likely where most of his contributions are. Helping set up the organizational structure such that the Players who join are supported and have the resources they need to organize as a unit.

I have mixed feelings about the articles and the wcco story, but that aside I think he is actually someone good to have as a resource in this players association.

My bigger concern, as I support the players association wholeheartedly, is that the 4 out of the 8 "administrative" positions in the association have ties to the U. If I were a player from another school I would definitely worry that issues and efforts brought up by U of M players would receive more preference and aid from that administrative structure than issues and efforts from players of other schools.

Stahl hates the U and Gopher football; Elmore left the U after the whole scandal and was never going to be a boat-rower; and Hsu just has a knack for being a dink when it comes to Gopher athletics, so I am confident there will be no favoritism.

 

[Taji34]

Stahl hates the U and Gopher football; Elmore left the U after the whole scandal and was never going to be a boat-rower; and Hsu just has a knack for being a dink when it comes to Gopher athletics, so I am confident there will be no favoritism.

Favoritism to players from the U =/= favoritism for the U or the U Athletics.