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Everything I have heard about the NCAA reminds me of the show Undercover Boss.  These people are so high up they have no idea how the foundation (the student athletes) actually works...what is good for them...or what is bad for them.  Just like the owner of Matchbox probably couldn't tell you how to make a matchbox car, this board doesn't seem to know the needs of the student athletes.

The NCAA is a cartel and they pay their cartel leader very well.  

Unfortunately, that isn't going to change soon until the public wants to do something about it....puts their foot down and rallys behind reform.  Don't count on the University Presidents jeopardizing their football and basketball revenue....essentially they are in business with the NCAA.   The Power Conference realignment that happened a few years ago didn't do squat as far as the NCAA goes.  The three Knight commissions efforts over the last 20 years made some changes around the edges but nothing substantial.  Efforts in the courts to get NCAA student/athletes considered employees, unionized or compensated for their likenesses has gone no where.   The NCAA is a tick....a parasite.  Their value is protecting themselves and their business partners at the expense of the college athlete. Until the population and Congress gets behind a movement to remove that tick, nothing more is going to happen. I'm convinced of it.  Meanwhile, Emmert and company keep cashing those checks on the backs of college athletes. The demand for college sports is through the roof and they are the only game in town.....today.  I can only hope for a brighter future. 

JMO.

 

 

fenwaysouth posted:

The NCAA is a cartel and they pay their cartel leader very well.  

Unfortunately, that isn't going to change soon until the public wants to do something about it....puts their foot down and rallys behind reform.  Don't count on the University Presidents jeopardizing their football and basketball revenue....essentially they are in business with the NCAA.   The Power Conference realignment that happened a few years ago didn't do squat as far as the NCAA goes.  The three Knight commissions efforts over the last 20 years made some changes around the edges but nothing substantial.  Efforts in the courts to get NCAA student/athletes considered employees, unionized or compensated for their likenesses has gone no where.   The NCAA is a tick....a parasite.  Their value is protecting themselves and their business partners at the expense of the college athlete. Until the population and Congress gets behind a movement to remove that tick, nothing more is going to happen. I'm convinced of it.  Meanwhile, Emmert and company keep cashing those checks on the backs of college athletes. The demand for college sports is through the roof and they are the only game in town.....today.  I can only hope for a brighter future. 

JMO.

 

 

Fenwaysouth, you seem so vague in your response.  Why don't you tell us how you REALLY feel about the NCAA.

That article was so general, I don't have many takeaways.  NCAA doesn't have athlete's health, well-being and education as a tenet of their being; it's really about the money....the sun is also really hot.

And to quote Dennis Dodd as a lead into the article, kinda like giving up 5 runs in the first inning.

Go44Dad - Its just not possible to put all of the things that should be improved into an article.  I don't remember where your son is on the journey, but I would say its easier to see once you've been in it (twice for us).

I'm thinking about their ads that go something like, 'Just about all of us are going pro in something other than sports.'  To me, that sounds like bragging about the 'student athlete.'  I don't think they really care much about that other than for maintaining their tax exempt status.

IF they're about the 'student athlete,' Why did it take a superstar guard on a national championship basketball team embarrassing the NCAA after the title game to wake up and start feeding their athletes dinner after practice?  Why does the NCAA constantly ship teams across the country for tournaments, often in the middle of final exams?  Why are the metrics they use for public consumption actually just front-story to herding athletes into easier majors?  Why do they not make 5-year scholarships mandatory (that would help the previous question)?  Why does it require the current coach approving a graduated athlete's transfer to another school for a Masters Degree and a final year of eligibility?  Why can't an invited walkon transfer without sitting out a year?  Why did it take so long to fund full cost of attendance?  Why have athletic scholarships been year-by-year for so long?  Why is it against the rules for a school to get a kid home when his/her parent passes and the kid has no money?

These are just a few.  There are many, many more.  It takes real effort by students and parents to overcome some of the things listed above.  The NCAA, IMO, is not very much about looking out for the student athlete.  Its largely lip service.  As fenway points out, its much more about making lots of money for so many D1 schools.

Why does anyone think the NCAA cares about players?

It was created by the institutions to protect the institutions interests....from the players.  So the question is why would foxes care about chickens other than to eat them?  They don't as long as there are endless chickens to eat.  In the NCAA's case, there are.

It might be the most heinous legal entity in the United States of America.  With that said, a more disingenuous group than University Presidents might be hard to find as well.  They are the true power behind the whole thing.

 

justbaseball posted:

Go44Dad - Its just not possible to put all of the things that should be improved into an article.  I don't remember where your son is on the journey, but I would say its easier to see once you've been in it (twice for us).

I'm thinking about their ads that go something like, 'Just about all of us are going pro in something other than sports.'  To me, that sounds like bragging about the 'student athlete.'  I don't think they really care much about that other than for maintaining their tax exempt status.

IF they're about the 'student athlete,' Why did it take a superstar guard on a national championship basketball team embarrassing the NCAA after the title game to wake up and start feeding their athletes dinner after practice?  Why does the NCAA constantly ship teams across the country for tournaments, often in the middle of final exams?  Why are the metrics they use for public consumption actually just front-story to herding athletes into easier majors?  Why do they not make 5-year scholarships mandatory (that would help the previous question)?  Why does it require the current coach approving a graduated athlete's transfer to another school for a Masters Degree and a final year of eligibility?  Why can't an invited walkon transfer without sitting out a year?  Why did it take so long to fund full cost of attendance?  Why have athletic scholarships been year-by-year for so long?  Why is it against the rules for a school to get a kid home when his/her parent passes and the kid has no money?

These are just a few.  There are many, many more.  It takes real effort by students and parents to overcome some of the things listed above.  The NCAA, IMO, is not very much about looking out for the student athlete.  Its largely lip service.  As fenway points out, its much more about making lots of money for so many D1 schools.

Thanks for this great post!

Dominik85 posted:

I think as long as college sports is making money nothing is going to change. There is only one thing that could change things - if a large number of universities decide that they don't want to subside student athletics anymore. But as long the programs are making money that is not going to happen.

Isn't there a very real question of "college sports making money" as well as "college sports losing money" which motivates the NCAA in its actions.
Over the past few weeks, Cal Berkeley  came out (again) with information on massive ($150M) deficits and the fact that their athletic program is using all of its revenue, all the revenue being subsidized by the University and is still running a deficit. A warning came for the athletic department that teams would not be cut (heard that before) but that revenues will likely be cut in significant ways.

One might think the gap between the haves and have nots is getting larger and larger.  Those who have and are getting more are motivated in ways which don't benefit the student-athlete.

Those on the other side are perhaps more desperate for $$$$ and at least equally motivated in ways which do not place the  the student athlete toward the top of the priorities, despite all the hype to the contrary..

The sad part is that for some who attend rich programs (thanks to football) life is better than for  those who don't.  Rich programs make life easier for the student athlete in all sports.

Somehow the NCAA needs to figure out how it can be balanced.

One thing about feeding teams on the road to championships that I heard. The NCAA only allots a certain amount of money per student. The school has the option to further subsidize.  

Shipping teams across the country is ridiculous. Lots of wasted money that could go to better use.

I see things the same way JustBaseball sees it.  And it goes further than college athletics, the NCAA rules pertain to young kids long before they ever get recruited.  

Lets imagine we happen to see an extremely talented athlete who comes from severe poverty.  He can really run, throw and hit but has a dime store glove and no baseball cleats.  We want to help this young kid by simply giving him a good glove, a couple bats and a pair of cleats.  You know, there is only one thing and one thing alone that makes this illegal, the NCAA!!!

But you know what,  where there is a will, there is a way.  Sometimes you just need to figure out the way without breaking the rules.

Hey, don't bash the NCAA too much, they're losing money according to this bit of news (he said with eyes glazed over!!):

"The NCAA suffered a total revenue decrease of more than $76 million during its 2015 fiscal year, according to an audited financial statement the association released Friday. However, distributions to Division I members increased $20 million. As a result, the NCAA operated at a loss of more than $9 million for the year — the first time the association has had an annual deficit in the 11 years for which USA TODAY Sports has compiled its financial statements. Prior to the 2015 fiscal year — which ended Aug. 31, 2015 — the association had never had an annual surplus of less than $10.9 million. -Steve Berkowitz, USA Today"

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