Can we stay competitive in the NIL era?

[GoldZ]

Wow, just saw the Miami basketball player news. That is just such a stunning statement. I get a lot of student-athletes see the professional sports as the end goal, but do so many of them only see college as nothing more than a glorified training camp now? Do they not see the value in getting a degree (FOR FREE ON SCHOLARSHIP) and how small of a chance statistically there is to make it to the professional teams? I'm all for betting on yourself and trying to make it as far as you can, I think it can do a lot of great things to never give up (look at Jose Alvarado). But I think there is a limit to delusion. Where one must realize that the value of a degree may outlast and be potentially worth more than your athleticism. There will always be freak of nature athletes that probably never will make use of any educational degree since they'll always have a place in sports, but for the vast majority that isn't the case. Weird times we live in.

Sad answer is no they don't see said value. They won't have fully developed brains until about 25, so you have to factor that in.

 

[WreckinGT]

I believe the word should be speculated rather than rumored.

Im just going off of the words of an ASU insider.

 

[Pointer]

I've opined on this before, but I teach at Auburn and have a lot of athletes in my classes. Their attendance is tracked electronically, I have to report grade progress 3-4 times a semester, and any student with less than a B has to be put on a plan.

I get it that some schools use student athletes (UGA is a prime example), but not all schools do so. I think the narrative that the factories are a charade is a bit outdated. Still, there is no question the Top 30 programs are pulling away at lightning speed.

When I was at tech, we had the athlete curve for classes that had student athletes enrolled. It was like winning the lottery when you saw you had a player in your class. That's not just for difficult classes, it included electives.

Tech certainly is not easy, I'm sure it's 100% more difficult for student athletes at Tech vs student athletes at UGA, Auburn, or Alabama.

At the same time, we make it a hell of a lot easier for student athletes than regular students. Honestly if felt like a bit of a charade when it did happen compared to the normal grueling pace of classes at Tech.

 

[JacketOff]

When I was at tech, we had the athlete curve for classes that had student athletes enrolled. It was like winning the lottery when you saw you had a player in your class. That's not just for difficult classes, it included electives.

Tech certainly is not easy, I'm sure it's 100% more difficult for student athletes at Tech vs student athletes at UGA, Auburn, or Alabama.

At the same time, we make it a hell of a lot easier for student athletes than regular students. Honestly if felt like a bit of a charade when it did happen compared to the normal grueling pace of classes at Tech.

I wish I had access to this so called “athlete curve” back when I was a student athlete at Tech. Half of my classes I had to battle profs and TA to allow me to make up work/turn it in on later dates for classes I missed due to games.

 

[TooTall]

Space Force may be an answer to our problems.

Military Talks Major Recruiting Plan to Enlist College Athletes

The U.S. military is discussing an initiative to fund athletic scholarships for tens of thousands of college athletes each year in exchange for mandatory service.

www.outkick.com

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

These are not massive changes. Massive changes are coming for sure (expanded conferences, expanded playoffs, etc) but NIL and the portal are not massive changes. USC bought players in the past (hi Reggie) and they are buying players now. What’s so massive about that? We got Tashard Choice via transfer and lost Gibbs via transfer. What’s so massive about those?

So we are now to the point where everytime a higher level player transfers it’s freak out time? Listen, the WR at Pittsburgh just lost his QB to the draft. And he sees USC hire Riley who is an offensive guru in college. Those are enough reasons to transfer let alone money. Look at Gibbs. He gave us a solid effort over 2 years and GT never got him a better OLine or a QB who could throw. He gets a call about Bama and he’d be stupid not to go regardless of NIL.

Auburn bought Cam, USC bought half their team to win, UGA, Bama, and Clemson have been buying players for decades yet now it’s freak out time? I just don’t get that reasoning.

 

[Spalding Jacket]

Been waiting on this one, thought it would of happened sooner though, Biletnikoff award winner Jordan Addison, Pitt WR in transfer portal and looking like USCw is leader.

 

[Pointer]

I wish I had access to this so called “athlete curve” back when I was a student athlete at Tech. Half of my classes I had to battle profs and TA to allow me to make up work/turn it in on later dates for classes I missed due to games.

What sport?

 

[Adadu]

Been waiting on this one, thought it would of happened sooner though, Biletnikoff award winner Jordan Addison, Pitt WR in transfer portal and looking like USCw is leader.

This is going to be insane. I went to Pitt for undergrad and graduate school and got to know some guys on the team really well over the past six-ish years. From what I have heard this is very likely to be tampering from boosters. There is most likely going to be a lawsuit from Pitt if he ends up at USC. There is a paper trail that the team has been made aware of as Jordan was extremely sloppy in how he handled this and who he told what happened/his text records. Refer to this post in 48 hours or so.

 

[wesgt123]

Which is why Tech fans are perpetually conflicted. We want to do things the right way but we get tired of always losing.

What a perfect take.

 

[ChicagobasedJacket]

These are not massive changes. Massive changes are coming for sure (expanded conferences, expanded playoffs, etc) but NIL and the portal are not massive changes. USC bought players in the past (hi Reggie) and they are buying players now. What’s so massive about that? We got Tashard Choice via transfer and lost Gibbs via transfer. What’s so massive about those?

So we are now to the point where everytime a higher level player transfers it’s freak out time? Listen, the WR at Pittsburgh just lost his QB to the draft. And he sees USC hire Riley who is an offensive guru in college. Those are enough reasons to transfer let alone money. Look at Gibbs. He gave us a solid effort over 2 years and GT never got him a better OLine or a QB who could throw. He gets a call about Bama and he’d be stupid not to go regardless of NIL.

Auburn bought Cam, USC bought half their team to win, UGA, Bama, and Clemson have been buying players for decades yet now it’s freak out time? I just don’t get that reasoning.

I think people are freaking out because it’s out in the open now. A lot of folks still cannot believe cheating was rampant before NIL.

 

[GoJacketsInRaleigh]

This is going to be insane. I went to Pitt for undergrad and graduate school and got to know some guys on the team really well over the past six-ish years. From what I have heard this is very likely to be tampering from boosters. There is most likely going to be a lawsuit from Pitt if he ends up at USC. There is a paper trail that the team has been made aware of as Jordan was extremely sloppy in how he handled this and who he told what happened/his text records. Refer to this post in 48 hours or so.

Could the University of Pittsburgh just fail Addison in all of his classes and make him ineligible this fall?

 

[4shotB]

I think people are freaking out because it’s out in the open now. A lot of folks still cannot believe cheating was rampant before NIL.

Ignorance is indeed bliss. Sure, we all suspected it was going on in the college football world before but we never knew to what extent . But now the charade is over. I think about it like this. I had an employee once who I found out was stealing company property. It had been going on for awhile, I found out later after catching him and then firing him. Prior to my knowledge of his ilegal activity, I genuinely liked the guy and had no other work or performane issues. What changed our relationship was the fact that I found out. And once I did I could not stand to be around the guy for another second. Knowing the facts completely altered the relationship. It's a simple analogy but fitting imo.

 

[slugboy]

I think people are freaking out because it’s out in the open now. A lot of folks still cannot believe cheating was rampant before NIL.

1. On one hand, if you have cases of pay-for-play that the NCAA couldn’t find or couldn’t prove, then they’re still enforcing the principle of no-pay-for-play. What’s in question is how effective NCAA enforcement is, not whether the principle still holds in most cases. This is “Pay for play is not allowed, it is rare, and it is contained to a few rule-breakers who will be sanctioned if caught”.
2. On the other hand (this “new hand”), if the NCAA sees pay-for-play out in the open and does nothing, then they’ve abandoned the principle. This is the “pay-for-play is the de facto rule for major sports” case.

Likewise, the NCAA has drawn a number of lines in the sand, then walked over to and sat in a beach chair and watched as people ignore them.

What are the real rules now?

 

[CEB]

I wish I had access to this so called “athlete curve” back when I was a student athlete at Tech. Half of my classes I had to battle profs and TA to allow me to make up work/turn it in on later dates for classes I missed due to games.

Yeah... I’ve heard people say similar things about athlete curves and athlete classes, but I had a handful of classes with SAs and I don’t buy it. With one exception (who would be a surprise to no one) the SAs in my classes were always there and worked really hard. They certainly didn’t act like they were being awarded grades.
I recall having a class where we were assigned group projects, groups by last name. I’m Baker, and my group was Drew Barry and Tucker Barr. I had mixed emotions because I also had that mentality that those guys would mail it in, still get their good grades, and I’d have to do 3 times the work if I wanted to score well. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Both of them worked, never missed a meeting we scheduled and quite honestly, I worked harder than I probably would have normally just so I wasn’t the weak link!
Point being; I’m sure we can find examples to the contrary but let’s not paint with such a broad brush.

 

[CEB]

Could the University of Pittsburgh just fail Addison in all of his classes and make him ineligible this fall?

Funny thought, but I think sabotage might weaken their case

 

[g0lftime]

I think people are freaking out because it’s out in the open now. A lot of folks still cannot believe cheating was rampant before NIL.

I'm not surprised that $ was being given to recruits but I am surprised by the amounts that are being quoted now. Just insane amounts of money.

 

[JacketFan137]

I'm not surprised that $ was being given to recruits but I am surprised by the amounts that are being quoted now. Just insane amounts of money.

i don’t think the old numbers were close to what we’re seeing today. you can probably cover up things like cars, electronics, etc etc with some savvy accounting. i saw one source claim addison got 2 mil. i don’t think that’s going away easy

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

The amounts paid don’t matter. It’s the principal. The NCAA has never enforced anything from the elite teams regardless of the amount. So the amount of money is unimportant. I actually believe the large amounts are a good thing because they won’t be able to buy everyone wherein years past a school like UGA could give every recruit a new car, cell phone, and $1,000 bucks a month. Now, if UGA gives a player like Addison 2 million every recruit will want that. Maybe they can afford it, but the second they lose games the money brokers are going to be all over that staff. This is a soap opera and will be entertaining. Riley better produce or his life will tough because Monet guys don’t care about anything except ROI.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

To the original question in the title of this thread:

NO, in a big way, NO