Yep, that's the new hashtag for a growing group of college round ball players who are protesting what they deem to be unfair treatment by the NCAA. There has been talk of protesting or postponing the NCAA tourney, which I don't see happening. I post this here because this would affect all of college athletics.
Their grievance centers around Universities and the NCAA profiting off their images and likeness, as opposed to the players' inability to do so. This may surprise some, but I agree to an extent. I have always thought the archaic rule of not allowing players to work, or in this case, earn some folding money from their likeness, bordered on ridiculous and would/should be a slam dunk in court if challenged. It has always bumfuzzled me as to why it's never really been consistently challenged, but then, the answer may be quite simple.
Who is going to take that on and spend the time and wheelbarrow loads of cash to take it through the Courts just to change a rule, when by the time you're successful, you'll be long gone from your college playing days? Protest may be the more logical and cost effective way to force the NCAA's hand.
Hear me now but believe me last Thursday, I am not saying in any way, shape or form that the players should be entitled to revenue sharing. I'll save the sordid details, but suffice it to say that revenue sharing would be the end of college athletics. Long story short, college athletes becoming employees opens Pandora's Box and causes a tsunami effect that would wipe everything out. Taxes, insurance, workers compensation etc. Everybody points to how much revenue the Alabama's, Ohio States and Texas' of the world produce. Nobody ever said how unfair it was for Troy or Wyoming or Tulane to rake in $100 million plus every year and profit off the players.
Let me be clear. What I'm totally in favor of is the college athlete having the same opportunities as any regular student. If they want to take a part time gig at the Mellow Mushroom, have at it. If the star QB wants to have an autograph session charging $10.00 a pop. Go for it. If Joe's Car Emporium wants to use the Heisman candidate running back in a commercial and stroke him a nice check, that's his business. He probably can't wear any gear from his team, but that's not a problem.
The only explanation I have ever heard in an attempt to justify keeping a brother down, is that it would promote illegal (To the NCAA) payments and benefits to the players. News flash. Breaking news. Film at 11:00. Tua and his family didn't sell everything and move to scenic Alabama from Hawaii because of Nick Saban's bubbly personality. Trevor Lawrence wasn't penniless while at Clemson. And yes, we probably did drop $180K on Cam. But he can't comment while it's under investigation. That shit goes on everywhere and always has. As a friend of my dad, who was also close to The Bahr said, "I asked Bear how much he reckoned Auburn paid to get Pat Sullivan, and Bear said he didn't know how much Auburn paid, he only knew what he offered."
If a player wants to work or use his/her "fame" to pocket some spending cabbage, let em'.
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