NCAA Investigations: the Real Violations

NCAA vs Sports Agents and paying college athletes, what's the real violation?

NCAA rules prohibit players from accepting gifts or improper benefits from agents or their representatives. What if the college athlete doesn’t have an agent or a representative? Does that mean college athletes can not accept friends request from Sports Agents on facebook? What if a fraternity is throwing the best party on campus and everyone who attends, including the college athletes, are not charged to drink the Jungle Juice (or Tim Tebow for the fruit punch) is that considered an improper gift?

A South Beach party at Club Liv in the Fontainebleau hotel in May has been the subject of an investigation by the NCAA and several high profile schools, including defending National Champion Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. These investigations will only lead to punishment for the schools and the current players. But in the USC investigations, the punishment for violating NCAA agent rules affected the current players who were not even students at USC when the violations took place.

The only punishment that is consistent is that the agent is never the victim and agents are never punished for going after top prospects. According to the NCAA, only 39 states have a law that can punish the misbehavior of agents. However, these laws are rarely applied. So who is really violated? College students meet with future employers about future jobs. Future employers can fly out future employees to interviews or any company function that might persuade the future employee. How is a student interview different from student athletes interviewing future Sport Agents?

What is different is paying current student athletes with a paycheck to play the sport. They are paid: it’s called a college education without student loans. I hate to say it, but I disagree with one my favorite sports reporters, John Saunders and the rest of the sports reporters on this issue. On Sunday’s edition of the show the lead story was about the NCAA and agents and if players should be paid to play. Saunders ended the segment by saying; “room, board, books and tuition; there should be a little more money going around I think..” I’m guessing that he and Mike Lupica, Mitch Albom, and Pedro Gomez didn’t have student loans when they graduated from college.

There are brain surgeons who will graduate medical school over a hundred thousand in debt. Reggie Bush left college with zero debt, maybe a Range Rover and the skills on the field to make millions. Yes, Reggie Bush made USC millions from his jersey sales and the hype of watching him play, but USC gave Reggie Bush the opportunity and the branding that lead to Reggie Bush signing a NFL contract and earning millions. He was paid, just not in paper presidents and so were all the athletes who proved themselves in professional sports.

Any college student is going to be tempted to anything that’s “free”. In my opinion, if the University isn’t writing the check for any legal, “free” gifts or trips I don’t see the big violation. Paying student athletes to play is a violation to all students. When non-athletes are paying thousands of dollars in tuition and will graduate with 30 years of debt so that the student athletes can leave college without ever owing the University a penny, is enough. Paying athletes would only lead to an increase in student’s tuition and that should be considered a real NCAA violation.

Witness the Biggest BreakUp

LeBron James didn’t choose to grow up in Ohio. He never had a national signing day and he’s never be able to choose where he would play. Cleveland crowned him the Chosen One to build a seven year relationship that was based on hope he could save a city. LeBron James didn’t choose to save Cleveland.

The idea of a national TV special to announce his decision of free agency is not shocking. I can’t be the only one who expected this type to attention on a day that we all saw coming.

LeBron James is more than an athlete, he’s an international brand! Of course the world wanted to ‘witness’ HIS decision. The problem is that the city of Cleveland took it as a public breakup and a slap in the face of un-loyalty. I would argue that the city of Cleveland is the crazy ex-girlfriend in this breakup. Burning LBJ’s jersey, riots, and the deepest burn came from the nasty words of Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert. This isn’t Lane Kiffin, this is a six time all-star and a two time MVP. He played his heart out in a Cavalier jersey! If he wanted to “rub it in” he would have sat behind a table lined with team hats, smiled and cheered while yelling “South Beach baby”. Instead, he made it a charity opportunity, had a conversation -not a press conference and held back tears as he announced he would be heading down south.

The pressure of his decision was written on his tired face and shown in his glossy eyes. He carried the weight of not only a franchise, but the weight of an entire city. No one would choose that pressure and no one could succeed alone. It takes a team to win a championship and a team to save a city.

Even when LeBron showed signs that he had an interest in other cities, Cleveland fans sill worshiped him. Remember when he wore a Yankees hat to an Indians game? He has openly stated that yes, he grew up in Ohio, but he also grew up a Yankees fan, a Dallas Cowboy fan and a Chicago Bulls fan-why else would he wear “23”?

He didn’t breakup with Cleveland for more money. He’s said all along that he plays to win. Seven years of sell-out games and ESPN highlights without a championship in a Cavaliers jersey can only leave LeBron the one with a broken heart. So yes, breaking up is hard to do.

I respect LeBron more for admitting that it’s not about the money and that he can’t do it alone. By joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh- the Miami Heat just got hotter. Professional sports are fueled by ego’s and dollar signs. To see a team that chooses to ban together to build a team fueled by passion and teamwork is almost an unheard of relationship. A team that has chosen to give up their individual net worth to build the teams net worth is so rare and inspiring –and quite possibly the best illustration of teamwork in the NBA. Now, we can only count down the days until we witness a championship team.