I think most people are actually just worried that the quality of play will start to free fall-in the NFL like it has in the NBA with so many unprepared young people diving into the league. The teams are forced to pay big bucks for these young players not for the production now, but for the production 3-4 years from now...then they are stuck with paying millions to someone that won't be able to produce in a few years, yet they play him anyways to justify paying him...so quality of play free falls. Perhaps many conservatives think that the NFL, and its teams, as employers, should be able to set their own guidelines in whom they hire if they think it protects their business from degenerating into the NBA. Also...I don't think the issue is about Clarett himself. He might be actually able and ready to play. Its just the precedent that he is setting that is the issue. The protection of the employer (NFL) and its employees (players) is the concern. The NFL doesn't want to be forced to take money from quality veterans to pay unprepared people. Plus, the issue of safety is key. Football is a violent sport with huge guys playing. There is a development period at that age after high school when boy's bodies turn into men's bodies. You can't allow it to have physically undeveloped players try to join the NFL and play with the big guys...and that would eventually happen as teams would be forced to consider a young guy coming out of high school or his freshman year in college just because of his potential and not his current ability. In the NBA, most of the stars are always "rising stars." Meaning: most of the young new talent isn't nearly as developed as they should be. In the NFL there are "rising stars." Meaning: A developed player is now showing his goods on the field.
That's a nice long post Supermac, but NBA teams aren't forced to pick anybody, and the NFL teams won't be either. The fact that they pick them, proves there is a market for them, and there is no reason under the American system of capitalism they should be restricted from selling their services. As far as your saftey issue, people's body's are different and while I'll agree that most of even the Blue Chip high school recruits are not ready for NFL hits, there are exceptions to every rule. If NFL teams think someone isn't fully developed to be picked, I doubt they will draft someone like that any higher than round 5, another reason why the NBA comparison doesn't hold up because it just won't happen like that. Hardly anyone is going to declare straight out of High School or even after their freshman year. On a side note, I was one of the few people who thought not only should Chris Weinke not be allowed to be a Heisman, but he shouldn't have been able to compete in College Athletics, and I bet a lot of the same people who felt he had no physical advantage over college athletes are the same people who think kids need to be a certain age to go to the NFL because they are not physically ready.
and apparently the right thing is only about him. and only about how much money this guy can make. I think most guys without degees who are what 19 years old would be happy making 50k a year for 2 years before cashing in big with the NFL. anf as a big name he can make closer to 100k in arena. I also think most 19 year olds would be thrilled to sign a low million dollar deal with the CFL for 2 years. the rocket got what a 3 mill deal back in the day. Im sure someone as full of himself as this should be able to at least make a mill. and I doubt Europe is as strict as the regular NFL. however I hardly know what those guys get paid
I respectfully disagree. Teams ARE forced to take the younger players that are not ready because of the "potential" factor. It becomes a case of not being able to pass on a guy because it might come back and bite you in 3 years. If some stud wide receiver only plays one year in college, might potentially be the greatest ever, a team would have to take him so as to not miss out on the chance of his potential, even though the guy might need 3 years before he is ready. They'd play him for 3 years, but he'd be a lower quality player than if he'd stayed in and developed...so the quality of play would drop. Another factor would be the quality of college football. It might ruin the sport if half the best players went to the NFL too early...so you'd have a drop in quality in college and pro football. I love football...both pro and college. I watch college to see big hits and my favorite team. I watch pro football to see the greates on earth play. Pro football is so much faster, crisper, BETTER than college football in quality of play and it gets that way because these players are trained to that kind of play in 4 years of college ball. The NFL has the best quality of professional players of ANY sport in the United States because of their rules on drafting and coming into the league. You are forgetting employer rights to pick whom they hire as well. Thay is important in an free market society. When the quality of the product is at stake, thus the profits are at stake, an employer has the right to pick and choose whom they hire as long as a protected worker right is not violated...and I don't see a worker's right being violated in this case.
So where does it say that ANY team has to draft ANY "unprepared young people diving into the league"?! Is there a gun to their head that FORCES them to take these players? If a player is not ready to contribute right away, then DON'T draft his azz OR take him in the later rounds! What's so complicated about that?! Funny how everyone jumps on the players BUT neglects the teams themselves for wasting money on "potential" rather than "production". Wanna be upset? Then be upset at your team for drafting "unprepared young people diving into the league" rather than the 5th year seniors who have proven themselves. Very simple.............
You're right, an employer does have a right to pick whom he wants, and again there is no law, no one holding a gun to the heads of NBA execustives forcing them to pick these guys out of High School. Your point is invalid and moot about employers being able to pick whom they want because no one is forced to pick anyone. Get it. Its invalid, it has nothing to do with this debate. Why should these owners have to babied into not picking players who aren't ready to play. And Maurice Clarrett's rights are being violated, his right to sell his services as a running back to the highest bidder. If there is some one out there willing to pay him, and there is rule that has no basis forcing him to wait, his rights are being violated.
I was watching Sportscenter this morning and they were acting like it is a foregone conclusion that Clarett will win this case. This is my biggest worry about him doing this. The way I look at it is if he is really that good, it will be a survival of the fittest. He will rise to the top or if not, he will fall like a Ki-Jana Carter. Personally, I think he will get manhandled because he is not seasoned enough, but if he is stubborn enough to go into the league at 19, then let him. But like Supermac said, the quality of college football will go down tremendously because of this. What is going to stop other Claretts out there from doing this? I used to love college basketball as much as the NBA, but I only watch it now when the NCAA tournament goes on. It is just not the same in seeing players leave after 2 years sometimes 1. And I feel that has caused the NBA to be not as good as the player pool has been diluted by unprepared but gifted players. College football is, I feel, the greatest sport to follow in this country and one big reason is the quality of it. I would sure hate to see it go down the same road as college basketball, but it looks like it will be inevitable. Here's hoping that it doesn't cause the NFL to go down in quality as well.
This debate is about an individual's rights, I love college football, but if the quality suffers, so be it. Personally, people claim that the quality of college football is so great, I would have to question that since there are only 5 to 7 teams every year that has the ability to compete for a national championship. Whats so great about a sport where maybe 5% of its participants actually have a chance at winning. What's so great about Michigan drubbing UofH 50 to 3. College Basketball isn't suffering as much as you guys think if you look at it financially, and I guarantee it will be the same for College Football. The coaches will just have to adjust as they have in Basketball, but again, it won't be as dramatic as in basketball.
Interesting. You don't think he owes something to Ohio State, who expected him to be there for at least 3 years when they offered him a scholarship? Clarett would not have nearly the hype around him if he had not been at Ohio State and won that national championship. After his one season, he goes out and acts the fool, and now resorts to the legal system to save him. This will set a horrible precedent and will contribute to a degradation in play both in the NFL and in NCAA due to younger kids going to the NFL and leaving college.
- Teams are NOT forced to take ANY players contrary to popular belief. Teams are gambling that they can "hit" on a player based on potential. It's plain and simple: Gambling! And what can happen when you gamble? You can lose your $$$. Teams know this so let's stop blaming the "early entries" for the mistakes of the teams. NO ONE is forcing any teams to draft "early entries". - You're very right! The employer does indeed have the "rights to pick whom they hire." Exactly the point! So it's NOT the "early entries" fault if the employer chooses to hire them by drafting them. How could anyone make that argument?! What the "early entries" want is to be available to be drafted if a team so chooses and NOT that a team has to draft them. The "early entries" right is violated if he is not allowed, not given the chance to enter the draft. NOT because he is not drafted.
He owes OSU nothing. OSU made 1,000X his scholarship amount in winning the championship and by selling #13 jerseys So would he haved owed OSU something if he would have torn his ACL in pre-season camp his freshman year and never played ever again? Of course not! The scholarship is not binding. Anyone can quit a team without any recourse while on scholarship (except they may not be able to transfer to another NCAA program without jumping thru hoops), just like any team can CUT a player on scholarship as well. A scholarship is simply an agreement that does not guarantany any term of service.
Are people scared that Clarett will fail or that he will succeed?! If he fails, then he's an example to others that they should stay in school and develop. That's how "other Claretts" will be discourage from coming out early. BUT if he suceeds?! I think that's the biggest fear and the biggest reason why some people want to prevent him from entering the NFL! It's strictly for personal & selfish reasons! Because if he succeeds, then other "early entries" will follow and "the quality of college football will go down tremendously". THAT is the main reason why some don't want Clarett in. Personal & selfish reason.....
They haven't named a judge for this trial. You may be referring to his trial vs. the City of Columbus where Woody Haye's son is the judge.
Maurice is justified in the case, and he will win. However, the NFL is going to go south after this, just like the NBA and it's flood of young, unproven "talent". I hate the NCAA. Sigh.
His case vs. the NFL was filed yesterday and was assigned to Shira A. Scheindlin, SDNY. She's tougher than Miami's front 4, but he will win.
I dont think Clarett should be allowed into the league. Plus he brought most of this on himself by lying about the things stolen from him. If he gets into the league, he's gonna have a huge target on his back. The bottom line is playing on sunday is a grown man's game and opposing defenses will make an example of him if he gets in.
