whowatches

What do you guys think about the Clarrett ruling?

I don't want the NFL to become the NBA. What's more, I don't want college football to become a watered down product.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Does the NFL stand a chance at reversing this? Do any of you think it's a good idea for the rule to change?

BlackandBlue

It doesn\'t appear that the NFL has a chance. I can see both sides, but if I put my own personal reservations aside and think about what is right, technically I don\'t see how you can keep him from earning a living. I enjoy college football as much as I do pro, so this will set a very dangerous precedent. The good thing is that player\'s performance in college football still sets the standard as to how they are drafted, so who knows what effect this will have.

canucksaint

I really don’t see a reversal on this one. Nor do I see it mattering too much. As B&B said, college is still the standard by which a player is marked. The NBA is a bad example of this. In basketball you need height and skill to succeed. Most high school students have already finished with their growth spurt and will not grow any taller. The skill is what is in question. Looking at Kobe or LeBron shows that some elite players are able to acquire that skill during high school. However in the NFL, not only do you need skill, you also need size and strength. Neither of these things will be fully developed until after your high school years. If you wanted to look at another sport that you do need size and strength for, it would be hockey. Players are drafter right out of high school, however rarely will you see a player who is drafted actually play for that team. Most of the time they will go to the farm team for a couple years until their bodies catch up with their skill level. There are always going to be the exceptions to every rule, and that is what Clarrett is. I really doubt there are going to be too many more like him.

But I really did like LaVar\'s comment Really?? You think so???

WhoDat

Can\'t reverse it. The NFL\'s policy, though a generally good one if you ask me, basically equates to age discrimination.

ScottyRo

I disagree. The challenge to the rule wasn\'t argued on the basis of any discrimination as far as I can tell. It was about antitrust laws.

The ruling just seems odd to me overall. I haven\'t read anymore than was in the article, but one thing the article discussed was the rule\'s anti-competitive nature. It doesn\'t make a lot of sense to me because when your talking about the NFL being anti-competitive you would think that you\'re referring to competition from other leagues, such as the XFL.

The only competition Clarrett poses is to other players in the NFL. So, this ruling may have focused on that aspect and held that the players as a group, being the NFL, were unfairly keeping Clarrett out of the market.

I don\'t really buy that either because they\'re not closing the professional football market, just their own specific version of it. They aren\'t trying to keep him out of football altogether with the eligibility rule, but simply out of the NFL.

I had considered the age discrimination issue and decided that, if he was attacking the rule based on that, he\'d fail. First, the NFL is a private organization. It can make just about any rules for membership that it wishes. Certainly, there are some restrictions, but I\'d be surprised to find it struck down for underage restrictions. Secondly, when you\'re talking about age discrimination you\'re really talking about the upper end of age, not the lower.

\"The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age.\" - http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/age.html

BrooksMustGo

Clarett really isn\'t all that great at Ohio State.

I think the court ruling, if upheld, will work to lower the quality of the product the NFL puts on the field.

deadflatbird

I don\'t think many teams will bite on players coming out after one year. Lets face it football is not basketball and high school/one college year isn\'t going to have you ready for the pro\'s. Not many teams are going to waste a pick... its draft is to bring someone in who can play NOW, not sit for 3-4 years and hope. Even some players now have to sit a year or so...
I am ok with the rulling but its only going to hurt the players coming out in the long run.

saintz08

The financial side of the suit is the more interesting side to me .If Clarett wins this side , there could be a feeding frenzy on the N.F.L. Juniors claiming they lost money all the way down the line , it would appeal to some players as just getting a bonus check .

NellyFord

Okay, I havent spoken in a while so let me go.
Pak, welcome back you sly devil.
Anyways back to the topic at hand. Clarett isn\'t physically ready for the NFL, he was barely ready in college and this was before he sat out an entire year. Fitzgerald, isnt that much of a difference, a WR doesnt necessarily need the size or maturity thing because there is alot of WR\'s in the league smaller than him.

If these players are looking for a big pay day they better get ready for Uncle Ray Ray Lewis, or as much as I hate to say Roy Williams, they can end your career and your big pay day quick. How many other jobs can you just go straight from high school and start, most you have to work your way up and prove yourself, and everyone says this is a business decision then there are 32 Bosses that arent too smart with some of their products they put out there, sorry this went from being about early entry, to getting angry about Haslett and Brooks, yuck

One last thing, just to show yall how good the saints are one of the qb\'s in the SB couldnt even start for us, I wish it was that but we\'re just stuck with a dum bass coach.

Holla, Pak Stay Up!

It\'s Just An Opinion, Unless Spoken By Me!!
Nelly Ford

codename47

The ruling is a crock.
First, there\'s no \"right to work\".
Second, the NFL is not denying Clarett employment. \"Entering the draft\" doesn\'t mean you are going to get hired. Or is he going to sue again when he doesn\'t get drafted?
Third, the NFL policy is \"3 years removed from High School to enter the draft\". No mention of actual age. Also, there\'s no mention of the policy affecting undrafted players.

The thing that really pisses me off about the whole situation, is that this guy is doing all of this, because he screwed up his college career by breaking not only NCAA rules, but the law as well, now he\'s trying to be a martyr.