Its not about the money......

by ALLBLUCAT on Jun 16, 2009 5:46 PM EDT

I know I am now seen as the resident psycho-killer/non-stop fit-throwing, hell-raising, NCAA hating jerk here at ASOB, so I guess I will continue to perpetuate the title with another blog of non-epic proportions.

IT IS TIME FOR THE NCAA TO GET IT"S ACT TOGETHER

In a story on ESPN by Jemele Hill, (one of my new favorite writers) we get to see the newest example of NCAA hypocrisy by way of the area of baseball. New baseball phenom Bryce Harper, has decided to get his GED 2 years before his scheduled graduation from high school, enroll at a Nevada junior college, and prepare himself for the 2010 MLB draft. The reason this is significant as Jemele notes, is because there is no money in it for the NCAA.

By no money, I mean that compared to a college football player or a college basketball player, Harper does not represent a big time financial gain for the NCAA, so they have remained suspiciously quiet about something that would cause a furor in the hoops world. Inside the article, which is littered with information concerning the position of "adviser" that Scott Boras, Sonny Vaccaro and others hold for college baseball players. Somehow it is OK for these guys to do this for baseball players, but for basketball players and football players it would be seen as something nigh on to the Black Sox scandal. This kind of NCAA picking and choosing who to comment on and who to leave alone smacks of something less than honorable on their part. Since baseball players sign with smaller bonuses and less up front money, (which I assume is due to their inferior union, beware Donald Fehr) the NCAA looks the other way when they feel like it is in their best (and by best I mean their bank account's best) interests to do so.

Why is this allowed? Why does the NCAA continue to operate like Caesar in Rome of old? Why do we continue to hear of inconsistencies with handling of issues, and professional sports unions that negotiate the beginnings of these young men's careers like they are their parents?

It's not about the money...............

Poll

Is it time for the NCAA to finally change their ways?

Yes, fix it or get a new governing body

32 votes

No, it's fine the way it is

1 votes

NCAA?? are they still around??

0 votes

Let's put Bobby Knight in charge of the whole thing!!

14 votes

47 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 17 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

I never felt so important

in my life. I voted and it went to 100%. WOW I did write important and not impotent?

Happy Days are here again The sky is all ways BLUE again Happy days are here again !

by oldcat73 on Jun 16, 2009 5:55 PM EDT reply actions

Glad I could oblige there oldcat.....lol.....

cant believe you didnt vote for Bob Knight though….lol

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Jun 16, 2009 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Dead Solid Perfect

Muchas gracias, ABC, for the piece, introduction to Jemele Hill and accepting my membership application to the PKNSFTHRNCAAHJ. Accompanying the application is this thought: Just wait until the CWS gains popularity and the TV contracts reach the correct threshold and NCAA will change their rules.

"The prosperity of commerce is now perceived and acknowledged by all enlightened statesmen to be the most useful as well as the most productive source of national wealth, and has accordingly become a primary object of its political cares."

--Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 12, 27 November 1787

by Wild Weasel on Jun 16, 2009 7:04 PM EDT reply actions

All they have to do is move the CWS to major venues. Put it in places

like the new Yankee Stadium….Wrigley….even GABP…..these new “Cathedrals to the American Pastime” would provide the way to make the CWS into a major TV and fan draw. Uh-Oh….now I have gone and thrown baseball under the bus…dont tell the NCAA…..lol

I am just tired of this non-stop holier than thou routine from the NCAA….there was a time when I would have loved to put Miles Brand in times square with a sign around his neck that said “I hate NY” and a Red Sox hat on….

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Jun 17, 2009 9:00 AM EDT up reply actions

CWS Belongs In Omaha

It’s a sellout (there) every year.

It’s tradition going back a along way.

by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 17, 2009 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Forty, I have to confess I have only seen 2 CWS games in my life and I cannot

remember for the life of me, do they have a 1st class facility there?…and if not, can they get one….I am all for tradition, I just wonder if they could get a bigger draw holding it in MLB-type facilities

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Jun 17, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Absolutely

The CWS venue is outstanding.

by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 17, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions

also - super regionals are well attended

and at colleges with top notch facilities.

however, as we have seen in basketball, the regional finals and final four – because of their popularity – have been limited to domes.

as the CWS grows in popularity, you can bet where there is the chance for more money, the games will move to venues with larger capacities……….

only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team

by memphis wildcat on Jun 17, 2009 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

I would say it represents a big time financial gain

for the area too, and its good to have those thngs in areas that typically dont see them. Seems a long way for travel, but that is present in any tournament-type situation.

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Jun 17, 2009 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions

Want to see all hell break loose?

Start an NCAA Player’s Association! With Sonny Vaccaro as union chief!

by Ontherocks on Jun 17, 2009 9:43 AM EDT reply actions

Careful....you're bordering on collusion there rocks....lol....

someone to represent the student-athletes in this equation???…..perish the thought….but wait, maybe you are on to something there……a separate but EQUAL body that represents no one’s interests but the student athlete…

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Jun 17, 2009 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm typically anti-union...

when there is sufficient market competition or choices for employees to exercise a change to better themselves. But where monopolies are involved and blatant exploitation of labor is the norm, a union is the only solution.

by Ontherocks on Jun 17, 2009 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Labor????LABOR????

are you suggesting these kids WORK?…..you mean they might actually be laboring on behalf of the University?……

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Jun 17, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm saying

that someone is profiting from their “efforts”, whatever term used to describe their value-added is of little consequence to the issue that they are in fact being exploited. Even future millionaires can be exploited, that isn’t exclusive to 8 year olds making Nikes.

Any attempt to argue that a scholarship is fair compensation is bunk anymore. The value added from the player to the NCAA is NOW far greater than the value of the scholarship. As the revenue and profit to the NCAA continues to grow at a greater rate than the value of a scholarship, the imbalance grows also as does the incentive to cheat.

by Ontherocks on Jun 17, 2009 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions