Calipari takes on the NCAA

[bocabull]

Compares them to the Soviet Union during its demise.

Among proposed rules changes to put players first:

• Players should receive a stipend between $3,000 to $5,000;

• The NCAA should cover eligible players' insurance premiums;

• Athletes should be able to accept loans up to $50,000 against future earnings;

• If a coach leaves an institution, players should be able to transfer from that program without having to sit out a season;

• Athletes should be allowed one round-trip flight home every year.

Always liked him. Like him more now.

 

[CoachTalk]

I hope they hammer him the next time he cheats!

 

[okccpa]

It makes too much sense so it probably won't happen.

The only thing I don't know about is how the stipend will work. I would be more in favor of covering full cost of attending college that isn't covered now and lower the stipend amount.

I think you should just give stipends to the revenue generating sports but will never happen because of title ix.

 

[campbest]

There are a lot of things the NCAA could do to besides outright pay athletes, but they don't want to relinquish control...they being AD's, schools, coaches, etc.

The fact that a school can't fly a kid home without some special waiver to the national office is ridiculous.

 

[cvangild]

I don't mind any of it except the $50K loan against future earnings. Every yard bird player who thinks he's gonna make it to the league would be taking that loan and blowing the $ on stupid $hit. Great idea, let's make sure all college basketball players start out of their college careers $50K in debt, while only a small % will ever really make substancial money to pay it back. WTF is he thinking???? He sounds like Clinton approving ANYONE who wants to buy a house!

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I'm fine with all of these.

 

[badger]

If a coach leaves an institution, players should be able to transfer from that program without having to sit out a season

This one worries me. Unlike a lot of other debt, student debt cannot disappear via bankruptcy. You might think this is education-related-expenses-only, but you will always have students who spend some of their "student loans" on dorm decor, a car, or housing and food, not just tuition and fees.

If this were to be classified as a student loan, that $50,000 would follow the players for the rest of their lives if they never made it at the pro level.

Which is to say... they'd be a lot like the rest of their fellow students these days who can't find jobs with their degrees or dropout and eventually end up in default.

I don't mind the rest.

 

[Section31]

Although some of it seems simple and a no-brainer, none of it is practical. About 10 schools can afford this. The only reason you would need to fly someone home is because they CHOSE a school that far away. Insurance coverage is already provided. The transfer rule would wreck a university.

 

[BoulderSooner]

most AD's lose money

 

[TheGimper]

The stipend alone would cost $1.26 billion for every student athlete.

 

[CoachTalk]

The stipend alone would cost $1.26 billion for every student athlete.

You can't pay cross country what football gets... EVERY sport Lise's money except football and some basketball programs...!

 

[TheGimper]

You can't pay cross country what football gets... EVERY sport Lise's money except football and some basketball programs...!

Regardless, that's a logistical nightmare and would bring a myriad of lawsuits.

 

[bgrch1350]

They need to change the rules and stop giving scholarships to kids that arent there to get their degrees. If you want to go to NFL or NBA or MLB right out of high school, then let them go. The ones that take a scholarship should be there at least 3 years.

Why try to do any of these kids favors. They want to go straight to the league, let them. They don't know how good they got it b/c they aren't there for what the purpose of college is and thats to get a degree. We can always use more Lenny Cooke stories.

 

[snydrosooner]

Compares them to the Soviet Union during its demise.

Among proposed rules changes to put players first:

• Players should receive a stipend between $3,000 to $5,000;

• The NCAA should cover eligible players' insurance premiums;

• Athletes should be able to accept loans up to $50,000 against future earnings;

• If a coach leaves an institution, players should be able to transfer from that program without having to sit out a season;

• Athletes should be allowed one round-trip flight home every year.

Always liked him. Like him more now.

I don't like the 50,000 loan, but I could see 5,000 a year. If its just for extra living, I don't think they need 50,000 for extra living expenses.

The one the bothers me the most is the transfer rule. I actually don't like how easy it is to transfer from schools now. I think scholorships should be 4 year, or 5 at the onset. If you except to go to OU then you go no matter what. Walk ons are different.

On that note, I also diagree with coaches leaving schools in the middle of there contracts. Sign a shorter contract if you want to leave. Of course you will be have negative recruiting based on contact lenght, but players will know where you stand when they sign the contract.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

They need to change the rules and stop giving scholarships to kids that arent there to get their degrees. If you want to go to NFL or NBA or MLB right out of high school, then let them go. The ones that take a scholarship should be there at least 3 years.

Why try to do any of these kids favors. They want to go straight to the league, let them. They don't know how good they got it b/c they aren't there for what the purpose of college is and thats to get a degree. We can always use more Lenny Cooke stories.

Interesting... since athletes want to be treated like employees what if they set up "vesting" scholarships? Similar to a company that does matching contributions to a retirement fund.

Let them pay for their scholarship but if they leave school without getting a degree they owe that money back

 

[WTSooner]

Most of that is crap.

And you can't give a free flight home, b/c that isn't consistent from kid to kid. Home for M'Baye may have been what, France? Home for Hornbeak is what, Dallas? lol

And the point that nobody seems to get everytime this discussion is had, is that most people don't have a problem with the kids getting a little more. It's the abuse that would take place, and how giving them more makes it harder and harder to moderate the rules in the place. It's easier to find a kid that is taking money he shouldn't be taking if there are tougher rules in place. Tell that same kid his school has to give him $4k a year, that he can get a $50k loan, and that he gets a free plane ticket home every year, and those abuses, while still happening, get harder and harder to find.

 

[bgrch1350]

Interesting... since athletes want to be treated like employees what if they set up "vesting" scholarships? Similar to a company that does matching contributions to a retirement fund.

Let them pay for their scholarship but if they leave school without getting a degree they owe that money back

Thats a good idea...Calipari has good ideas. Im just tired of ESPN and Adrian Peterson and other 'Millionaires' say these kids should get paid. Its guys like AD and others that weren't there to get a degree. Guys at Kentucky are not there to get a degree and yet its Calipari who thinks the his guys should get something out of it.

Outside of college bball, baseball, and football players...all other athletes are there to get a degree and honestly, the majority of bball baseball and football players in D1 are there to get a degree as well but its the few that we all listen to. Its the guys that weren't in college to earn a degree that say they should get paid.

I'm tired of those guys getting the free education, the free tutoring, room and board, meals, supplements, personal trainers, so and so on for free and then listen to them say they should get paid. Its annoying.

 

[DenverSooner]

It makes too much sense so it probably won't happen.

The only thing I don't know about is how the stipend will work. I would be more in favor of covering full cost of attending college that isn't covered now and lower the stipend amount.

I think you should just give stipends to the revenue generating sports but will never happen because of title ix.

It may make sense at Kentucky but does it make sense at Lamar, SFA, etc.?

I think the loans are a bad idea. These kids will almost all leave college $50K in debt without having a professional sports career. People want to make the rules for the small percentage that make it rather than the majority. That doesn't make sense.

 

[bocabull]

There is nothing more free market than allowing Adrian Peterson or Blake Griffin take out $50,000 loan while they are at OU from a major financial institution. That's the proposal that makes the most sense of them all.

This is why the players need a union. To negotiate a loan like that where the player commits to using that financial institution upon turning professional. And if the player does not make a professional roster the loan is forgiven. Let Chase & Wells Fargo, etc compete for these players business based on their true worth.

Then you would see some guys stay in school especially in hoops.

And guess what, Cade Davis goes and applies they are going to turn him down. Same with Eric Bassey. If the loans are non recourse they banks will determine who is a worthy risk. And you could't Jim & Bobs Alabama bank participate because they would use the system to funnel $ to players to attend Alabama. Would have to only be the big dog banks with a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders.

 

[Section31]

Thought I'd share this over here since I did a little leg work for another board.

Okay, I stand corrected. When I actually put it down in a spreadsheet, I came up with a number closer to $70k.

Room/board/tuition - 40000, books - 2000, tutoring - 400, health insurance - 1800, health insurance overage for paying primary deductible - 400, personal trainer - 9000, coaching salaries - 10000, travel expenses - 700, gear - 1000, medical trainer - 2000, facility usage - 1000...total 68300.

I was fairly conservative on most of my numbers and it could obviously vary depending on injuries, etc., but this is a pretty fair representation of what a small school has invested in a non-revenue athlete every year.

Add in the stipend, the additional clothing, the longer trips with nicer accommodations and you can see where the costs get right up to the $100k mark pretty fast. I understand it's different at different places, but that's what it looks like.

EDIT: I can tell you my daughter had an injury throughout the season last year. She underwent a couple of MRIs and postseason treatments. I'm gonna guess that cost the school $2-3k. Imagine if she had had reconstructive knee surgery what their out of pocket expenses would be.