The athletes retain full "rights" to their own, future employability--be it athletic, professional or otherwise. They do not retain rights to the Ohio University Bobcats football team, nor should they. Just as the founder of Imgur had rights to his brainchild, but not rights to the Computer Science Department.
[/QUOTE]I never implied that they should retain rights to the Ohio Bobcats football team. I've only pointed out that they should be able to earn compensation beyond the scholarship they're provided.

As for Imgur example, you dodged the relevant question. Do you think Ohio University should have owned the rights to Imgur because the founder was on scholarship there when it was founded?

Why?

[QUOTE=Robert Fox]
And it's worth noting that I don't hear all that many current athletes grumbling so much as I hear politicos grumbling. You're all working to supposedly look out for "the little guy." Meanwhile, your solution could sh!t can the whole thing.

As for Imgur example, you dodged the relevant question. Do you think Ohio University should have owned the rights to Imgur because the founder was on scholarship there when it was founded? [/QUOTE]I did answer that question. I simply took your analogy a step further. Does an athlete who performs well have the rights to the football team's financial success? I say no. I (assume) you say yes.

[QUOTE=Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame]
Folks on the other side (like you and OCF) keep insisting this could bring down the whole model, but it's not clear to me why or how. I keep asking that very directly, but nobody explains it. They just keep insisting it's the case.

I did answer that question. I simply took your analogy a step further. Does an athlete who performs well have the rights to the football team's financial success? I say no. I (assume) you say yes. [/QUOTE]In that case, I don't think you understood the analogy.

At no point did I say anything to infer that I thought the founder of Imgur had any right to the Computer Science department at Ohio University. In the analogy, the Computer Science Department = the Football team and Imgur = outside compensation, whatever form that takes.

My entire point is that the Imgur Founder's scholarship didn't preclude him from earning outside income or give Ohio University the right or ability to limit him from earning outside income.

What about that point makes you assume that I think a football player has rights to the football team's financial success?

[QUOTE=Robert Fox]
I believe your system would pit the haves against the have-nots. I believe teams like OU would not be able to compete financially with the Power 5 teams. And of the Power 5, only some of those would prosper. This concept of compensation in the form of salary would be possible only from programs with money. Of all 120 or so teams, how many fit into that category? 10? 20? Beyond the schools themselves forking out dough, I assume your model would allow for corporate payments from Nike, Adidas, UnderArmour, whoever. Are those companies going to waste dollars on the Ohio Bobcats or Louisiana Lafeyette?

If we want to shake up the whole system and create a minor league for the NFL, which in essence is what this is, then I would prefer colleges like OU simply pull the plug and go back to the club sports model. Or, the alternative would be to completely separate from the Power 5. Make the Group of Five a completely independent league. Limit interconference play to other G5 teams, and play for a national championship.

Maintaining the thin veneer of competitive balance that currently exists is not a good enough reason to strip people of their right to earn a living. I mean, for God's sake, the 'competitive balance' people are fighting to uphold is a system in which Ohio University isn't even eligible to win a national championship. If we dropped down to the club level, at least we'd be playing for something.

This is a accurate description of the current situation as well. So such compensation would arguable only solidify the status quo.

I'm not paying attention. OK.
[/QUOTE]I mean, you went on a whole rant about how no schools outside of the P5 can afford to pay salaries and the conversation has nothing to do with salaries. So sort of hard to conclude you understand what the legislation's proposing.

It 100% does. I've explained how like 5 times. You can keep ignoring it, keep mixing up th Imgur analogy, but that doesn't make you right.


You keep insisting on this. But when I asked you what would cause it to crash, you explained that nobody can afford to pay salaries.

How will allowing players to earn income outside of their scholarships cause the system to crash? That's the single question I've asked you and OCF over and over, and neither of you have addressed it. You just keep insisting it's the case.


I didn't agree it will crash. I just acknowledged that Ohio University athletes will see less benefit than Zion Williamson will. How does that equal a crash?

[QUOTE=Robert Fox]
Instead, I say pursue the exclusive G5 model. Compete for a G5 National Championship. Compete with schools that have similar budgets and limitations. Leave the amateur status alone.

If you believe this is true, I think you're the one accidentally making the case that a college education is worth nothing.

If my book on Frederick Douglass was in no way influenced by my time at OU -- nothing my professors said or assigned influenced my thinking in any way, than why did I bother show up? Somehow the history department's incapable of providing support to its students in any way, but our quarterback's absolutely nothing without his teammates?

C'mon dude. A little intellectual honesty here would go a long ways. Why not just admit that you recognize the hypocrisy in your viewpoint but you just like watching college football and are afraid of change? Sure, that's selfish and entitled, but at least it's honest and you'll be able to stop bending over backwards to make ridiculous points to try and defend your viewpoint.

You must be distracted by a shiny object - comment has nothing to do with my discussion.

It was a reference to BL's post. Are you saying you didn't see that?

Man do you get touchy.

You know who else will spend money in addition to Nike? Larry's Dog House. Car dealerships. People who go to events and are willing to pay $5 a pop to get DJ Cooper's autograph on their jersey.

Will it change OU players lives forever? No. Would it provide Delvar Barret with a bit more wiggle room taking care of his mom? Yep. Do I think allowing that will make me like watching Ohio Basketball less? Nope.

And yes, of course big schools will see more money from this. They already see more money now and spend it on players indirectly, from chartered flights to ridiculously lavish facilities. Everything you're describing exists already, the only difference is that as of now the money goes to the coffers of the athletic directors instead of the players. This law just proposes a way to reallocate some of that.

And again, what you've described is not a crash. It's just a change to the way you like watching college football.