Notre Dame Football: Will a Players Union Take Hold in South Bend?

The Domer Nation loved Jimmy Clausen. Jimmy Clausen didn't love them or the University of Notre Dame.

Clausen was a hired gun who left town early for a big bag of cash. I doubt he will ever receive a degree from Notre Dame.

Is there anything wrong with the former quarterback and his favorite target Golden Tate, who also left school early? Definitely not! They're just two examples of the modern blue-chip college football player.

Today's players go to college with one thing on their minds: making it to the NFL with a large signing bonus. The quicker, the better.

Today's players are interested in money. When the right agent/lawyer comes along to let them know just how much money they bring into their schools, don't be surprised if they form a players union and recoup what is rightfully theirs.

Don't be surprised if they overstep the NCAA and rewrite the rule book. Don't think this scenario can't play out!

Speaking of Notre Dame: They have a coach (Brian Kelly) who left Cincinnati last season to take over the Irish head coaching job. What happens if a Cincinnati player transfers to Notre Dame? That's right—he has to sit out a year!

Players can't work, accept free meals, or make one penny on jersey sales with their names on the back.

Now we've reached an era where huge television contracts are providing schools with big revenue. The Big Ten Network produced $200 million that was split up between the conference members.

ESPN has offered the SEC a record-breaking television contract, and there's been talk, on this website, of Notre Dame starting a network of their own.

The money is going to come pouring in like never before. With the money comes the reminder that it's the players who earn it. It's just a matter of time before they realize their worth.

The injustice being perpetrated on the players will be magnified because of the big money they make, but don't receive.

Is it right that a college coach makes millions and his players can't afford airline tickets for the holidays?

Notre Dame has always been one of the few schools that made a profit with their football program. It was never a matter of who played for them—fans rooted for the uniform and filled stadiums around the country to see them play.

Now the Irish have had a long stretch of mediocrity. They haven't been in the national championship picture in nearly 20 years. They need good players to reverse the trend.

Good players think differently than they did 20 years ago. Back then, hardly anyone left for the NFL after their junior year. 

Back then, no one talked too much about the financial limitations the NCAA placed on athletes—no one complained.

If a college football players union comes about, will the Notre Dame players listen?