I'll put in a link when I can find one but just heard ont eh radio that the judge said the NFL can't block him from entering the draft.
Great...here come the flood of scrawny 18 year old kids straight out of high school getting pummelled in the NFL...
Pulled from ESPN.com NEW YORK -- Suspended Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was ruled eligible for the NFL draft Thursday by a federal judge who concluded that the league's rule violates antitrust laws. U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin ordered the NFL to let Clarett enter April's draft. The NFL intends to appeal the ruling. "We believe today's ruling is inconsistent in numerous respects with well-established labor and antitrust law, and we will seek review of the ruling in the Court of Appeals," a league spokesperson said. "We fully expect our eligibility rule to be upheld when this case is concluded." Clarett, 20, played just one season at Ohio State, leading the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship. He was barred from playing in the 2003 season for accepting improper benefits from a family friend and then lying about it to investigators. Clarett sued the NFL last summer to challenge the league rule that a player must be out of high school three years for draft eligibility. Thursday's ruling, if not successfully appealed, could allow teenage football stars to take advantage of the marketing and business opportunities available to young athletes in other sports. Alan C. Milstein, a lawyer for Clarett, called the decision "a total victory" and said Clarett "was thrilled." Clarett was traveling to New York for a news conference later Thursday, Milstein said. The league had argued that Clarett should not be eligible because its rule resulted from a collective bargaining agreement with the players and is immune from antitrust scrutiny. The NFL also argued that its rule is reasonable and that Clarett cannot bring such a lawsuit. "While, ordinarily, the best offense is a good defense, none of these defenses hold the line," the judge wrote in a 70-page ruling. She said Clarett could bring the lawsuit because he was fighting a policy that excludes all players in his position from selling their services to the only viable buyer -- the NFL. "The NFL has not justified Clarett's exclusion by demonstrating that the rule enhances competition. Indeed, Clarett has alleged the very type of injury -- a complete bar to entry into the market for this services -- that the antitrust laws are designed to prevent," she said. Clarett's lawyers had called the NFL's rule arbitrary and anticompetitive, arguing it robbed players like Clarett of an opportunity to enter the multimillion dollar marketplace. The lawyers cited a court ruling letting baseball players move among teams, and other court decisions opening up the NBA, NHL and now-defunct USFL to younger players. Clarett rushed for 1,237 yards as a freshman. Current NFL rules would prevent him from entering the draft until 2005. The court ruling comes a day after Ohio State said it is investigating an ESPN.com report that a benefactor of Clarett's was gambling while in daily contact with the star running back. Athletic director Andy Geiger said Wednesday he was "obviously concerned" about the allegations against Bobby Dellimuti, who calls himself a father figure and friend of the Clarett family. "We will look into this matter and will support and cooperate with any and all investigations," Geiger said. On Thursday, Scheindlin said the league's justifications for its rule "boil down to the same basic concern: younger players are not physically or mentally ready to play in the NFL." Yet, the judge said, less restrictive alternatives are available, such as testing each player's physical and psychological maturity. "Age is obviously a poor proxy for NFL-readiness, as is restriction based solely on height or weight," she said. Scheindlin suggested NFL maturity tests could provide valuable information to teams deciding on draft selections. "In such a scenario, no player would be automatically excluded from the market and each team could decide what level of risk it is willing to tolerate," she wrote.
Why in the world do you try to jump to the NFL after not playing for a year? The NFL is a grown mans game. If Clarett makes it in he's gonna have a HUGE target on his back. They'll make an example out of him.
He's also vastly overestimating with value. He'd likely be a 3rd round pick, if he's a 1st day pick at all.
I find it interesting that this decision comes on the heels of "Sportscenter's" expose of Clarett's close affiliation with a known gambler this morning, and the fact that the gambler made calls to his offshore bookie just hours before every OSU game.
I gotta tell ya I believe that anybody in the USA that can get someone to pay them for legal work they should be able to do it. NFL teams are exhaustive in there evaluations of player's physical and mental readiness to play in the NFL. If a team wants to take the risk on drafting and signing Maurice Claret let em do it. If an 18 year old high school kid wants to forfeit his NCAA eligibility and declare for the NFL draft, let em do it. You can't legislate people into having good sense.
The knocks: injuries (not durable enough to make it through a full college season so far, not a good quality for an RB) not that big for an NFL back (listed at 6-0 230, he certainly doesn't look anywhere near that big on TV, I'd be shocked if he made over 5-11, 220) not that fast for an NFL back (he ain't slow, but he ain't light speed neither) not a team guy, kind of a jerk (no comment necessary, he might not really be one, but that's the impression that people have, which is important if you're an NFL GM) a year layoff Other guys in the draft (Steven Jackson, Kevin Jones, Greg Jones) offer the as much without the baggage. But he still might go in the 1st, I'm gueessing 2nd though. THis is a bad day though, if NCAA football turns into NCAA basketball I am going to be really bummed out.
Does anyone else feel that this ruling will lead to a further deterioration of collegiate athletics as a whole?
I'll challenge Mel Kiper the draft guro on this one who has said he is at best a 2nd round pick: 1. Kiper knows who butters his bread so he is siding with the NFL to underestimate Mo's value. 2. Maurice is at least 225, he may not be tall for a NFL back but he is as large as any of them and he is very, very strong. 3. You can't teach a guy to run hard with his size. Many of you are Texan fans and know Jonathen Wells who is a perfect example of a big back who doesn't run hard (and what was he a 3rd round pick?). Mo runs hard. 4. His speed is fine. He's not a 4.35 guy but he'll be right at 4.5-4.53 And yes he does have injury problems but that hasn't stopped teams int eh past. If he goes in the draft (there is still thoughts that if OSU clears him he'll stay) I pray my Cowboys get him. He is a big back who has speed and most importantly he runs hard. Enough said
remember when ron jaworski said david carr doesn't throw over the top...and that the texans would be unable to fix that problem...and thus, he's never be a real viable starting QB in the NFL?? i love experts.
No offense, but Mel's pro NFL bias can't be any worse than a die-hard BUckeye fan's bias. I'm just looking at it objectively. It's not really that Clarett is that poor of a prospect...it's that he really hasn't done that much in comparison to the other top prospects and doesn't have the earth shattering physical attributes to over come that. The guy has what, 1200+ yards in college? Most of which was gained over a 3 or 4 game stretch almost 2 years ago? That's not that great of a resume. Guys like Kevin Jones and Steven Jackson have been reliable year in and year out and their career stats dwarf those of Claretts. Hell, look at Ron Dayne, he ran for like 2000 plus yards his first year also in the Big 10, and added on about 5000+ more after that....and didn't amount to anything on the next level. Add in that with the injury and additional bagggage concerns and that is not a recipe for a high draft pick. It's not that he's bad, it's just that he's not exactly the "once in a lifetime" prospect that he seems to think he is. He thinks that he shoud be the "exception to the rule" and is ready to play in the NFL as a 19year old. He's done nothing but act immature since he decided that, and he hasn't played a down either.
I hope that a-hole goes to the NFL, that way he'd be helping both the NCAA and NFL. The NCAA doesn't need jerks like him. The NFL needs talent.
One point: Claret didn't just jump the NCAA ship early, he was made ineligible by the NCAA for technical violations. What's the kid supposed to do wait tables till his class becomes eligible. He is probably too risky for a first round pick buta team with two second round picks will probably take a flyer. Certainly NE has the picks to take a shot. Look how the Texans valued their first pick in the second round of the 2004 draft. Claret's college career has certainly showed as much potential as Tony Hollings.
