Can't Wait For Saturday Do we really believe Congress is the best bet to fix college sports?
· Yahoo Sports
Jun. 6—***
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Alabama coaching legend Nick Saban — the GOAT among college bosses — obviously loves college sports. And seems to want to do what is best to preserve the enterprise.
But I'm not sure counting on Congress to come up with a solution is the correct way to go.
Saban testified in front of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, asking the body to "bring order to the system."
It is a heartfelt sentiment that seems to think that is possible.
But the changes for transfers and name, image and likeness revenue might be too far down the road to reverse.
I'd ask the Coach: Do you plan to give some of the money back you made while coaching the Crimson Tide to all those titles? Or will you be donating pay from commercials back to the schools?
The possible solution many have grasped on to when it comes to finding a way forward doesn't really address the difference between what the coaches made for all those years and the smaller amounts awarded to the players.
Court cases that have gone in favor of the athletes and are allowing them to reclaim their piece of the monstrous pie.
Saban pledged his support for the Save College Sports Act, which if passed will provide an antitrust exemption for college sports.
Among the rules that are part of the bill is a limit on the number of times athletes can transfer without penalty.
OK, then how about coaches have the same limits when it comes to changing jobs? If it it works for the players, it ought be OK with the coaches too.
Another rule would prevent schools from hiring coaches from another school during the season. You mean, like it had been done forever? So Lane Kiffin sneaking away from Misisissippi for LSU was a bridge too far?
I understand people invested in college athletics wanting to tweak some of the ways the industry does business. But a bunch of rigid standards thrown together are not going to help.
The conferences and college, in consultation with athletes, coaches and staff, need to meet and have months/years of real talk with the goal to make it work for everyone.