A Note to Agents, Corrupt ADs and Other Greedy People
If I were given the charge of cleaning up college sports, I would instantly become both the hero and the scourge of entire country.
I have a five-step plan that would solve all of the problems.
There is only one way to solve a problem that revolves around money, and that’s with more money.
There are rules in society that we all have to abide by, so why aren’t we applying them here?
Step One – Move the pot of the gold at the end of the rainbow. No more easy money.
I would work with NBA Commissioner David Stern to raise the NBA’s minimum age requirement to either 20 or 21 years of age. That would eliminate high school kids from dreaming that they can go directly to the pros from high school, and keep leeches away from them until they are at least adults. Nip those unrealistic dreams in the bud. It doesn’t make college mandatory, it rather subtly suggests it.
Step Two – Scholarships. The quality of academic scholarships needs to be increased. These kids need money to survive, so by raising the stipends they would be less likely to take money from strangers or ‘well-to-doers’. Also, the NCAA must enforce the parameters of these scholarships. In short, athletes will be paid.
Step Three – Official, above-board representation. The NCAA must set up a bureau to monitor students’ academic progress and to realistically assess their chances of pursuing a professional career in the NFL of NBA after their sophomore year. At that point, they will be assigned an agent. This means that agents have to be registered with the NCAA in order to represent a student-athlete.
Step Four – The NFL and the NBA will be prohibited to interview or contact any underage student that is not currently represented. The student must obtain permission from the NCAA bureau of professional advancement first so a representative can be assigned.
Step Five – Tighten up the penalties for funneling funds to students. No more internal investigations. The IRS and the FBI will be charged to investigate incidents where alumni illegally ‘donate’ funds directly to student-athletes. All donations must go directly to the athletic department.
Students attending college on a sports scholarship must fill out an annual tax return with the state and local government. The university will assist them in doing so. Any and all improprieties will be dealt with by the IRS with the full weight of the federal government behind them.
There you have it. They had their chance to right the ship, and did not.
So I did it for them. Greed was good while it lasted.
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4 months ago
In regards to step 2: Where will the money be coming from for these increased stipends?
from 4 months ago
They would have to come from donations by alumni - recordable donations
from 4 months ago
What about those universities who don't receive money from donations, or do not have the number of boosters needed to meet those stipends? I attend a rather small university, whose athletic program loses money on an annual basis (like countless other universities): how are we supposed to compete with schools more established and whom are able to garner the necessary funds for stipends? I think that you would then be looking at the death of the smaller schools, and you would in turn have in essence "bidding wars" for athletes, basically who can offer larger amounts of stipends. I understand the thought process of basically paying players, even through stipends, but I just think it is a very volitile situation that is just gonna throw gasoline on the flames.
Your article is very interesting though, completely different thought process than what has been presented in most places.
from 4 months ago
I would imagine there would have to be a ceiling or cap on the amount of money donated to college programs, right now I don't see that happening anytime soon..
The big schools are going to benefit regardless of we break this out, so an equitable solution is is needed -
that is most likely an improbability - no matter what system is put in place
my plan is to protect minors from being manipulated by professionals and hustlers who are looking for that quick payday
4 months ago
Initial thoughts:
Step One would eventually lead to a lawsuit, which the NBA would lose.
Step Two doesn't seem realistic. They can't just increase the value of scholarships for one or two sports, can they? Anything like that would have to be across-the-board, wouldn't it? I also don't think any realistic amount of money given to student-athletes would stop them from accepting "phat" gifts like SUV's to drive and $500 throwback jerseys.
Step Three begins similarly to an idea I've always held - that in place of an age limit, the NCAA & NBA should somehow be able to evaluate players and judge whether or not they are "ready" for the NBA - rather than letting every high schooler and underclassman enter the draft, they should essentially be "judged" by some kind of panel - scouts, ex-players, GM's, coaches, etc - and given a "yes" or "no" vote. LeBron James? You can skip college. Korleone Young? Sorry, you are not admitted to the NBA at this time. Kevin Garnett? You may come. Inevitably, a few Kwame Browns will fall through the cracks but at least they'll be taken care of financially, unlike so many stupid high schoolers in the past that made the worst decision of their life by entering the NBA Draft.
Step Five - I think the federal government's stance would be that they have more important things to worry about.
from 4 months ago
Obviously this is a basketball-centric problem because the NFL has an age requirement in place - 3 years removed from high school - Maurice Clarett found that out the hard way.
Why can't the NBA adopt that rule? Its not unconstitutional. It was challenged successfully by Clarett but overturned by a court of appeals. It died there after the Supreme Court refused to put it on their docket.
As for scholarships and their value...I failed to mention that they would be tied to potential and realized revenue per specific sport.
My point in gifting or donating is to crack down on the giver, not the taker. The giver knows what he's doing is wrong. The taker - most times - does not.
My last counterpoint is that the federal government should have oversight - the notion that young athletes have a better shot at professional soprts than they actually do - needs to be monitored. There has to be a set of rules or laws when dealing with minors and/or students.
4 months ago
I liked your ideas. Step 2 through 5 were great -- in general.
Step one is unconstitutional -- or something. No one should be forced to go to college. The rule now is stupid too.
one year is plenty! AND the one year rule is the reason someone like OJ Mayo ended up in college - -where he didn't want to be.
People have a right to pursue the NBA whenever they think it is possible - even if they're dreams are ridiculously farfetched.
College is not a farm program -- it is an institute of higher learning -- that's it!
Send this to Myles Brand straightaway!
1Love
4 months ago
I liked your ideas. Step 2 through 5 were great -- in general.
Step one is unconstitutional -- or something. No one should be forced to go to college. The rule now is stupid too.
one year is plenty! AND the one year rule is the reason someone like OJ Mayo ended up in college - -where he didn't want to be.
People have a right to pursue the NBA whenever they think it is possible - even if their dreams are ridiculously farfetched.
College is not a farm program -- it is an institute of higher learning -- that's it!
Send this to Myles Brand straightaway!
1Love
4 months ago
I like how you can be old enough to vote for the next president of our country or go to war dieing for them but yet you can't play professional basketball even when your talented enough.
I don't like your step 3 either, to ask that the NCAA associate themselves with sports agencies will create way too much problems, where the very same group making the rules of collegiate sports are associated with money problems related to the university and players, a very, very bad problem that will never occur for the NCAA's sake and image, corruption central, and we though the NBA official bribing was bad.
I also like to think that at that, if a basketball player is smart enough to not be in trouble by law enforcement, not ncaa enforcement, and is recieving good grades in college whose to say what they should and shouldn't do. NCAA players already consult their head coaches 95% of the time before their decision to go pro or declare for the draft and talk to their parents as well I believe they're responsible although some aren't but nobody is perfect.
Also the fact of the matter is that these NCAA players have to watch every second of every choice they make if one person finds out that they are cheating or not going to class etc. that's the end of their college career and pherhaps professional athletic career, so they always are watching out what they do. I also like how in a class of 500 everyone shows up to take a test and we make the assumption that every student is taking their test so the teacher can recognize each student personally, if many of the students are having someone else in that major take the test for them and one player, a player will get called out by the NCAA and made an example of in a system thats flawed as is.
I like a lot of points about this system that you've created but there's also a lot of problems that could really backfire.
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