http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1621822 Associated Press NEW YORK -- Suspended Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett sued the NFL on Tuesday, asking a judge to throw out a league rule preventing players from entering the draft until they have been out of high school three years. Clarett, who rushed for 1,237 yards and led Ohio State to a national championship last year as a freshman, is not eligible for the draft until 2005 under current rules. The suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, claims the NFL rule violates antitrust law because it is separate from the NFL's current collective bargaining agreement with its players union. "The rule is a restraint of amateur athletes who were strangers to the collective bargaining process," the suit says. A message left for NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wasn't immediately returned. Clarett is suspended from the Ohio State team for at least a year after an investigation determined he had broken NCAA bylaws concerning benefits for athletes and lying to investigators. He claims it was "almost certain" he would have been taken in the first round of the 2003 draft had he been eligible, and would have made millions of dollars in a contract and signing bonus. Clarett's attorney, Alan C. Milstein, filed the suit a day after he met with NFL executives in Washington to discuss whether Clarett would be eligible for the 2004 draft. Aiello characterized it as "an exchange of views and it was a good discussion" and said the league "would get back to them." Milstein did not immediately return a call for comment Tuesday. The lawsuit asks U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin to throw out the rule and declare Clarett eligible for the 2004 draft -- or require the NFL to hold a special supplemental draft sooner. The suit also points out the NFL is the only major sport with the three-year requirement.
Let him in. Let's see him get demolished by the likes of Ray Lewis, Derrick Brooks, and Brian Urlacher. He's not even remotely prepared to handle the rigors of NFL life, let alone the action on the field.
Clarett is trying to be bigger than the NCAA. I say let him sit out and get fat for a couple of years. The NFL shouldn't set this precedent.
No way. Don't let him in. It will lead to floods of younger players in the NFL and the quality of play will drop. IMHO
This lawsuit will change the NFL and NCAA football dramatically in the future. I belive what Maurice is doing is the right thing (he has no other options at this point to play football before next season) and sounds liek to me he will win it. I just hope the NFL doesn't end up like the NBA, with too many kids who aren't ready yet. And for all of you saying Maurice can't handle it, we'll just all have to wait and see.
To think that he can go play in the NFL after getting suspended for a year by Ohio State pisses me off. I hope he doesnt win although the way sports are these days, someone will pick him up and pay him a bundle to play for their team if he wins this case. I like the fact that the NFL and the NFLPA agreed that it was wise to have football players play at least 3 years in college before turning Pro. I realize that the wording in the CBA may not hold up in court, but I hope he loses and has to either sit out the year and stay at Ohio State or transfer to another school. This sets a bad precident IMHO
By the end of his freshman season, many people were saying Ced Benson would be a sure first rounder... Clarett had a great year last season, but injured more than once. It is not a given this guy will be a star running back, or a starter for that matter.
Also, per many experts on the radio, there is NO SPECIFIC LANGUAGE about when a player can come into the league. The "3 years removed rule" is an "unwritten rule" thus I think Clarett will have a shot at being in the next draft.
I think it is hilarious that we have all these free market conservatives being in favor of a guy being discriminated against in the work place due to his age. Certainly three years of college is not a bonafide occupational requirment for running back in the NFL. What if they passed a rule that you couldn't be an actor unless you had three years of college? The NFL has zero chance of winning on this one in IMHO.
Who let glynch out of the D&D? I like college football, and am not thrilled about the precedent that is about to be set by Clarett. We're going to start having players play for 1 or 2 years, then leave for the NFL similar to college basketball. That could ruin the sport. This case is much bigger than a lot of people might think. I think it has the potential to change what we now know as college football.
I agree. I'm an OSU fan, and loved Maurice last year. Still, allowing him to act like a superstar should NOT be condoned. In today's sporting world, kids are jumping straight from high school to the pros. The NFL was setting a good example by making this unwritten 3 years removed rule. I hope, for Maurice's sake, and for the sake of football, pro and college, that he loses. He shouldnt be spoiled like this. And if he wins, I sure as hell hope he winds up a bust because he doesn't deserve ANYTHING after the way he's behaved this year.
he could sign a 2 year deal with Arena League and play there. he could also play in Europe. he could also actually learn something is Ohio and get a degree. he could work out all year and be sure his body is ready for a heisman chase the year after. and them get his huge signing bonus. this is just plain sad.
What did you expect? The hypocrites are out in full force on this issue. Next they will say he's taking up a scholorship from someone who fully deserves it so he shouldn't play for the school or the NFL and he should work his way up from pumping gas for a living.
Is there any way we can pull up the prior Clarett thread? I cited some sources re: the rule about having to be 3 yrs removed from high school. Too much work to look up again.
VOR- AFL players make less than $50K/year, if he signs one NFL contract in 2004 he will surpass that in 2 games. EFL is owned by the NFL so I don't think he can play there (I maybe wrong there), but the CFL is an option (again the players make very little money) Only 25-30% of OSU football players ever get a degree, he is here to play football not to get an education. Please don't think that many athletes give a crap about educations at Big Football Factories. He can work out all he wants but he has no guarantee that OSU or the NCAA will clear him to play the following year. He "claims" he wants to come back to OSU and the legal action is plan "B" in case he can't get re-instated. Again I stick by my point that under the circumstances he is doing the right thing.
