Super League

[USCJacket]

If this were true then they wouldn't have had to put any rules in to prevent it from happening. They just don't want to have to make those decisions, so now an anti-trust exempt organization is age discriminating against 18-21 year olds.

Odd take considering this rule has been in place for as long as anyone can remember and has already been challenged and upheld before. In fact, in 2003 Maurice Clarrett tried and briefly won, but eventually lost an anti-trust case against the NFL for draft eligibility to a three-judge appeals court panel.

The NFL & NFLPA agreed to the age limit again in 2020. So while another player could challenge the NFL in court again, it seems like a waste of time & money.

2019 article revisiting the Maurice Clarrett case.

15 years after the Maurice Clarett case, the NFL waiting game for Trevor Lawrence begins

Revisiting Clarett’s lawsuit against the NFL in the wake of Lawrence leading Clemson to the national title as a true freshman.

theathletic.com

 

[andrew]

Odd take considering this rule has been in place for as long as anyone can remember and has already been challenged and upheld before. In fact, in 2003 Maurice Clarrett tried and briefly won, but eventually lost an anti-trust case against the NFL for draft eligibility to a three-judge appeals court panel.

The NFL & NFLPA agreed to the age limit again in 2020. So while another player could challenge the NFL in court again, it seems like a waste of time & money.

2019 article revisiting the Maurice Clarrett case.

15 years after the Maurice Clarett case, the NFL waiting game for Trevor Lawrence begins

Revisiting Clarett’s lawsuit against the NFL in the wake of Lawrence leading Clemson to the national title as a true freshman.

theathletic.com

But the reason they have that rule is because otherwise teams would be drafting them. Not necessarily to play this year but to set themselves up for success in the future.

 

[ramblinwise1]

But how would that happen with only 32 NFL teams and 70 P5 teams and however many G5 teams? If it’s only one NFL team getting one college team, that would create a bigger disparity than what already exists.

No reason each NFL team couldn’t have more than one. Don’t most baseball teams have 3 minors at different skill levels. But even if each NFL just did one, it would a life saver for 32 colleges athletic programs and many of the Sec/big 10 teams might not lower themselves to do it and give up any control.

 

[USCJacket]

There is no way NFL teams are going to be affiliated to college teams as a minor league system. Not sure how this could even work in the first place. Every NFL team can’t be affiliated to Alabama, tOSU, Michigan, Texas, etc.

The NFL makes so much $$$ off the NFL Draft now from TV, etc getting “proven” CFB players, why would they risk a high pick on a 5* QB out of HS that may or may not pan out in CFB? The reward is not worth the risk. There are already enough 1st & 2nd round busts as it is today.

 

[USCJacket]

But the reason they have that rule is because otherwise teams would be drafting them. Not necessarily to play this year but to set themselves up for success in the future.

This isn’t baseball or basketball though. There isn’t enough quality football outside of CFB for a player to prove himself. The UFL, CFL, etc are minor league football leagues. But the amount of players going from those leagues to the NFL are slim.

Heck, the only one I can think of in the UFL (through 2 weeks) who will likely be on an NFL roster this summer is Kicker Jake Bates from the Detroit UFL team. Guy made a 64 yard FG that hit the net last week to win, and another 62 yard FG yesterday. Unbelievable leg.

Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates makes second 60-plus yard field goal in two weeks

Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates hit a 62-yard field goal one week after nailing a 64-yarder. The UFL star is attracting NFL attention as a result.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[andrew]

This isn’t baseball or basketball though. There isn’t enough quality football outside of CFB for a player to prove himself. The UFL, CFL, etc are minor league football leagues. But the amount of players going from those leagues to the NFL are slim.

Heck, the only one I can think of in the UFL (through 2 weeks) who will likely be on an NFL roster this summer is Kicker Jake Bates from the Detroit UFL team. Guy made a 64 yard FG that hit the net last week to win, and another 62 yard FG yesterday. Unbelievable leg.

Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates makes second 60-plus yard field goal in two weeks

Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates hit a 62-yard field goal one week after nailing a 64-yarder. The UFL star is attracting NFL attention as a result.

sports.yahoo.com

Yeah, it may not be a lot, but it would definitely happen, especially towards the later rounds. For example, there's definitely at least one team which would have taken a flyer on Arch Manning out of HS with a sixth round pick and developed him starting as a third string.

 

[USCJacket]

Yeah, it may not be a lot, but it would definitely happen, especially towards the later rounds. For example, there's definitely at least one team which would have taken a flyer on Arch Manning out of HS with a sixth round pick and developed him starting as a third string.

And as a 6th-7th round flyer pick, a player would make more in CFB through the NIL collectives.

 

[andrew]

And as a 6th-7th round flyer pick, a player would make more in CFB through the NIL collectives.

Fair point. It would probably get much more interesting after freshman year for the top players.

 

[ramblinwise1]

And as a 6th-7th round flyer pick, a player would make more in CFB through the NIL collectives.

True, but the NIL system isn't stable and I believe will disappear, replaced by revenue sharing via collective bargaining.

 

[GT98]

That’s not college football. That’s minor-league NFL, and I don’t give a rats ass about professional football. Bring back my college football please.

You gotta time machine to about 1953? Hasn't been an amateur sport for several decades now.

 

[andrew]

You gotta time machine to about 1953? Hasn't been an amateur sport for several decades now.

People always say things lke this but I think it's a bit of a strawman, because no one is saying money was not a part of the equation at all before -- it's a sliding scale.

If you go back to the 2000s, the majority of players on the majority of teams were not being paid large sums under the table. For most players, the choice of where to play was based on a combination of coaching staff, playing time prospects, school location/culture, and yes, even education quality. And for anyone who rolls their eyes at that last one, just consider why Calvin Johnson ended up with us instead of U[sic]GA or USC.

Even when money was involved, in most cases it wasn't the sole factor, because the sums often weren't large enough and it wasn't a transparent, efficient market. (Of course there are some exceptions...Cam Newton.)

Flash forward to today, and NIL money is a huge component for most of the starters on most programs. And not even just when you're deciding where to play initially; every single season players will look at where they can get the most money and go there.

CFB used to be like 80% amateur and 20% pro. Now that ratio has been flipped. It's valid to dislike that change from a fan perspective.

 

[Tampa Jacket]

You gotta time machine to about 1953? Hasn't been an amateur sport for several decades now.

Not true.

 

[GT98]

CFB used to be like 80% amateur and 20% pro. Now that ratio has been flipped. It's valid to dislike that change from a fan perspective.

I agree with a lot of your post, but I disagree on the ratio of 80/20 some 20 years ago. I’d put it more like 60/40. Collegiate athletics has been pretty corrupt going back to the early 80s, but now it’s the Wild West since it is out in the open.

Very few Calvin Johnson’s back then, a unicorn now.

 

[GT98]

Not true.

How so? Players have been getting paid since the 80s—see Walker, Oklahoma, SMU, etc. UNC created a whole fake major program to keep borderline illiterates eligible going back to a similar timeframe.

I think that many fans have this longing and nostalgia for a time that hasn’t existed in decades.

 

[andrew]

I agree with a lot of your post, but I disagree on the ratio of 80/20 some 20 years ago. I’d put it more like 60/40. Collegiate athletics has been pretty corrupt going back to the early 80s, but now it’s the Wild West since it is out in the open.

Very few Calvin Johnson’s back then, a unicorn now.

Potentially for the top teams. I'm not sure that a team like us was at that 40% pay ratio, but I could see it for U[sic]GA, Bama, etc.

 

[GT98]

Potentially for the top teams. I'm not sure that a team like us was at that 40% pay ratio, but I could see it for U[sic]GA, Bama, etc.

Yes, that is what I was referencing. The "top teams" were doing stuff under the table and now it's the wild west.

 

[WracerX]

I agree with a lot of your post, but I disagree on the ratio of 80/20 some 20 years ago. I’d put it more like 60/40. Collegiate athletics has been pretty corrupt going back to the early 80s, but now it’s the Wild West since it is out in the open.

Very few Calvin Johnson’s back then, a unicorn now.

I think a CJ is more likely to land at Tech now than before. At least now he can get some pay out of Tech.

Where the difference is going to be is a Darren Waller or a Gotsis. Guys who develop are likely not going to stay at Tech. The era of building up a program is done. The trend of the WF QB jumping ship to ND is the future.

 

[USCJacket]

I think a CJ is more likely to land at Tech now than before. At least now he can get some pay out of Tech.

Where the difference is going to be is a Darren Waller or a Gotsis. Guys who develop are likely not going to stay at Tech. The era of building up a program is done. The trend of the WF QB jumping ship to ND is the future.

Exactly. And now with unlimited transfers without sitting, coaches will plug & play using the Portal vs HS recruiting where a kid can sign, get an NIL deal, never play and leave after 1 year. Quinn Ewers is an example.

 

[GTLiebs]

Exactly. And now with unlimited transfers without sitting, coaches will plug & play using the Portal vs HS recruiting where a kid can sign, get an NIL deal, never play and leave after 1 year. Quinn Ewers is an example.

The thing is can the NCAA even stop a "play here or you get nothing" contract anymore?

 

[USCJacket]

The thing is can the NCAA even stop a "play here or you get nothing" contract anymore?

Not as it currently is setup. Until the P4 implements guideline, rules and contracts, it’s all a free for all. The people giving out the NIL deals should eventually wake-up and put a true contract together locking in the player at that school.

The OL who transferred to Iowa for a whole 4 months to announce a return to Bama is getting NIL $$$ from Iowa despite never playing a single down.