This is something I brushed upon a few years ago when Johnny Football mentioned it, but here’s a question for you: wouldn’t college football be better off if star players like Nick Bosa had a real financial incentive to remain?
“I wish more than anything that I could be out there with my brothers tomorrow.”
Filed under It's Just Bidness, The NCAA
Get The Picture 
I dunno. How could you make the incentive large enough to turn down NFL money and still keep a semblance of amateurism {sic} to it?
LikeLike
You could start by letting the stars control their names, likenesses and images. You know, like every other American does.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t know what Bosa’s tipping point would be financially vs love of the game, but if control of their marketing rights comes with permissible access to financial advisors (as it should) then I think he’d still be advised to sit out for the long term, big money and even greater endorsement deals. Kyler Murray is more the exception than the rule, no?
LikeLike
Don’t know. None of us do. But Manziel said more than once he’d have stayed if the money had been there.
LikeLike
Yeah and Manziel is an alcholohic.
LikeLike
If you’re relying on Johnny Manziel for quality analysis, aren’t you grabbing at a pretty slim reed? NFL money for a guy like Nick Bosa is always going to overwhelm whatever college money is available. Plus, Manziel is demonstrably an idiot. Who knows what he would have done or what would have affected his process? He was going to buckle down when he got to the NFL, too.
I don’t argue with the premise players generate more than they receive in college, but it’s hard to see how pay/don’t pay would have any effect on top 5 guys (or first round guys) like Bosa. YMMV.
LikeLike
Quality analysis? Gee, I dunno… should I pay attention to a guy who’s actually facing the decision about whether to stay or go, or listen to a bunch of armchair experts who’ve never been in a situation like that?
Gotta admit that’s a tough call. I’ll get back to you.
LikeLike
Armchair expert…does that mean we’re overqualified to be an AD?
LikeLike
So those of us not in the arena should hush up, a walking brain wave like Manziel is the only resource available? If only other resources were available besides Johnny Football…..
I guess even a broken clock is right twice a day, but I’d say the chances of Manziel being right about anything but the best place to get bottle service in Vegas is negligible. But, what do I know, I’ve never been in the arena.
LikeLike
I’m not telling you to hush.
I’m saying your dismissal of Manziel’s perspective is off-base.
LikeLike
My dismissal is based on his complete lack of judgment in every significant aspect of his life off the football field. But, to each his own.
LikeLike
How many college football players are CPAs in their spare time? Just curious.
LikeLike
You and I have agreed on that from the start. IMO that is the most fair and equitable way to compensate. But would it be enough to make the difference?
LikeLike
Since we’re talking about human nature, there’s no hard and fast rule I can cite here. But logic would suggest that for some, staying with a lot of money is a more attractive proposition than staying without, no?
LikeLike
Correct. And again, NLI compensation is the best way, my point being this: This Bosa cat is a high profile player, possibly a first round pick. It is not likely that what he can generate from OSU affiliated NLI money will compare with what the NFL will pay for a first round pick. He’s gone anyway, just with his pockets lined a little better.
So what about a 5th round offensive guard or D lineman? Those guys are likely not going to generate a great deal of NLI money playing in college. However they are as critical to the teams success as the all star pass rusher. I would think a half million or so signing bonus (just a number for comparisons sake) still looks a lot better than 10 grand from a local billboard and some jersey sales. He gone too.
It’s a nice sentiment to think it would make a difference on this issue, and the NLI argument is why I will not buy gear affiliated with a specific player. Human nature is what it is. I don’t think it would make a big difference here.
LikeLike
Fleshing out the thought a little more, What if said player has/is collecting NLI money while playing for the school, and decides to sit out all or part of a season? Does he still get a cut of sales or does the University say “No, you ain’t playing we ain’t paying.” Who’s responsible for all the previously manufactured merchandise? I suppose it could all be negotiated, but that would require an agent and an attorney. A slippery slope indeed….
LikeLike
How’s a measly college stipend going to keep a player from leaving? You either believe in the concept of team or you don’t.
LikeLike
The question I asked — wouldn’t college football be better off if star players like Nick Bosa had a real financial incentive to remain? — would seem to imply that we’re not talking about a measly college stipend.
LikeLike
I’m not sure I get Bosa’s decision. His team is in the middle of a likely playoff run, and he could be a part of that if he gets healthy. Otherwise, he could continue to prepare for the draft in Columbus while attending school.
Something just doesn’t feel right about this one.
LikeLike
His body is his meal ticket. And there’s only so much abuse it can tolerate. Why rush back to help his team and face a decent chance to re-injure himself when he could rest, heal, and prepare to get paid in the NFL?
It’s like the Trevor Lawrence article posted recently. For the sake of argument, say a player can only withstand four serious concussions during his playing career. Lawrence just got his first during his first college start. As the anonymous NFL scout stated, his clock just started.
LikeLike
I understand that … my only question is why make that decision now. This one feels different than the other cases (Fournette and McCaffrey, in particular). His team has something to play for if he can get his injury to heal. In both of their cases, they made the decision to shut it down rather than to play in a meaningless bowl game. I imagine Corch would love to have him available in early January even if he doesn’t play in another regular season game.
LikeLike
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Since when did you become in favor of paying players?
LikeLike
Pretty sure both the stipends and endorsement contracts would pay regardless of whether an injured player plays or says he is not well enough to play. The player would simply say it hurts and he’s not well enough to play and still get paid and then wait for the NFL payday.
LikeLike
Is this a trick question?
You go to college in order to prepare for your chosen profession. Bosa has done that. Tosu owes him nothing except the attaboys and accolades that go along with sports stardom.
LikeLike
Seems like Bosa made a decision based on his own economic interests. Instead of respecting it, should we change the incentive to keep him on Irving’s, plantation? That seems like an odd way for a free market to function.
LikeLike
The NCAA is an unlawful cartel, says the Ninth Circuit.
Your comment seems like an odd way to describe a free market.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m all for free markets, and I certainly agree the NCAA isn’t operating like one. On the other hand, I’m not exactly sure what a free market NCAA would look like, or if partial measures (like giving students rights to their own likenesses, which I think is very free market) is much more than throwing crumbs at some students while preserving the cartel. We blowing it up, or are we just doing the minimum needed to preserve the plantation?
LikeLike
That should be up to each conference as competitors, rather than as a cartel imposing its own rules.
LikeLike
Until the NCAA is willing to ditch its definition of amateurism, which was created solely to avoid having to provide WC, then this is going to continue to be an issue.
You can’t have your expenses and revenues grow this out of proportion to your stated mission and expect everything to keep functioning as before.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the main benefit for players is going to be on the margins. Matt Stafford was identified as a potential #1 draft pick while he was in high school. Jadaveon Clowney was a certain first rounder after his freshman season at South Carolina. There’s probably no incentive available from colleges to have convinced them to stay four years and forego the tens of millions have earned in the NFL.
The benefit could be huge for players like Trenton Thompson. He left a year early to try to make some money and it didn’t work out. If he could have stayed in school for another year to develop while earning more than walking around money, he probably would have opted for that instead of hoping for a late round pick or an undrafted free agent contract.
LikeLike
This is a straw mans argument. NFL money relative to the rest of the economy has been there sine the 70’s. It’s the amount of kids unwilling to stay that extra year that is different. If they want to leave then good riddance. But it doesn’t always work out like they think it will.
LikeLike
Why is it a straw man? If they don’t want to stay good riddance? What if it was your kid facing the decision with NO LEGAL OR PROFESSIONAL REPRESENTATION because it isn’t allowed, because if the NCAA takes their finger out of that particular dike the whole thing crumbles and they might have to share the golden egg goose? The NCAA won’t allow compensation, especially NLI, because it opens the door to contract representation, and everybody knows that lawyers and agents are all bad, all the time right?
LikeLike