A More Perfect Union

In the 1950's, the term "Student-Athlete" was coined by the NCAA. In the public eye, this was a move to promote the value of academia. Behind closed doors, this term was a means of relieving the NCAA of responsibility. This term meant that any college athlete was not an employee of the school, meaning that the schools were free from normal payment practices, workman's compensation for athletes, and the threat of student athlete unionization. For over 60 years, this has been a key staple of the NCAA and a means for the organization to generate billions of dollars in revenue each year.

This week, a major court ruling by the National Labor Relations Board looks to jeopardize the standing of the NCAA. On Wednesday, the NLRB ruled that Northwestern University football players could unionize and collectively bargain with the university. Key topics for discussion would focus on workman's compensation for injured players, according to representatives of the team. This decision goes directly against the loopholes that have allowed the NCAA to blossom in the money making juggernaut that it has become. For now, this ruling only applies to private college teams, meaning that the larger public university, including powerful programs like Alabama and Ohio State, can still ban player unionization. Regardless, it is a landmark ruling and is sure to shake the foundation of the NCAA.

We may be seeing this image more often in the next few years

Like most cases involving the NCAA, this decision comes with a great deal of controversy. The ability for college football players to unionize has consequences that extend well beyond the football field. One controversial aspect of the ruling means that private colleges now have an advantage in terms of recruiting. Should the players choose to unionize, new recruits may be enticed to forgo playing for a traditionally powerful program in favor of the ability to bargain for workman's comp. this is dangerous scenario for these larger public schools and one that could change the landscape of college football. Another controversial aspect of this decision comes in relation to Title IX, which regulates gender equality within the schools. The current ruling only applies to football, which is an all-male sport. Should the football players be given the opportunity to bargain for health care related expenses and larger scholarships, there would be a difference in benefits between male and female athletes, an act which is illegal under Title IX. This may be a large sticking point for many of the schools and could hinder negotiations between the two sides.

This is a landmark ruling, one that has the potential to change the landscape of college football. The Northwestern players have a month to decide whether to unionize, a decision which could open the floodgates. It will be interesting to see what repercussions occur within the next few weeks and will be something that I will be following closely.

A look into the money that flows through NCAA, but not for the players

Dual Threat in Dual Sports

To all the athletes out there: remember the days when you were a jack of all trades? When the words "off season" were not a part of your vocabulary. When you were not the star of one team, but played on multiple teams in multiple sports? Nowadays, athlete specialization is occurring at younger ages, with children as young as the 6th grade beginning to specialize in one sport. According to the study, specialization at such a young age can lead to greater possibilities of injury, stress, and burnout. Young athletes strive to develop elite level skills so quickly that they often neglect the development inherent in participating in a variety of activities and engaging with different personalities. It's a race to be the best, even if it means making sacrifices.

At what age should he give up the diamond to focus on the court?

Does this mean that multi-sport athletes are a dying breed? According to Jameis Winston, this may not be the case. Just months after leading the Florida State Semionles to a BCS National Championship in football, Winston has announced that he plans on playing baseball this spring for the university. For Winston, baseball has always been a love of his and he is not willing to give up on that love quite yet. Playing both outfield and pitching, Winston must not only find time to work on his pitching mechanics, but also work on his throwing motion on the football field during spring practices. Right now, Winston says that be balance has not been too difficult, as he has been able to participate actively in both sports without too much overlap. It definitely helps that head football coach Jimbo Fisher fully supports Winston in his decision to be a dual sport athlete, as long as he keeps his arm healthy. Until he is forced to choose one sport, Winston hopes to continue playing both sports throughout his time as FSU.

Jameis Winston is not the first dual-sport athlete. Sport legends such as Deion Sanders, Bo Jackson, and Michael Jordon have all played professionally in two sports. Hell, even Russell Wilson, just days after winning a Superbowl, reported to Rangers camp to participate in Spring Training. Jameis Winston is just the newest addition to a list a high profile athletes who love playing sports and can't choose just one. Is Winston the best dual sport athlete we have ever seen? I doubt it, especially given his recent outing in an exhibition with the New York Yankees. However, it will certainly be fun to watch a young athlete do what he loves without sacrifice. I applaud Jameis Winston and hope more collegiate athletes follow his lead.

Just hope he brings the right gear to the right practice

Playing Outside D1

There are many iconic images that come to mind when thinking about college football. Thousands of screaming young fans packed shoulder to shoulder, chanting and cheering their team onto victory. A tower stadium, taller and mightier than any of the other buildings on campus. A team full of players who are gifted with the right abilities and characteristic to make them a future player in the NFL. These are the images of big time football. This is what people pay to see, what television networks want to cover, and what people want to write about. But what happens when you take away some of the larger aspects of this style of game? What happens when 100,000 fans turns into 1,000? What happens when the stadium is only slightly larger than a high school field? What happens when the players realistically aren't going to be playing in the NFL? Does the game itself change? These are just a few of the characteristics that make up Division II and III football programs in the NCAA.

Just a little bit smaller than the Coliseum

The sad truth about college football is that size matters. When a team only has 36 scholarships to give out each year (or in the case of Division III, there are no scholarships), it is hard to fill a team with deep talent. Pair that with the fact that the most highly touted athletes are being recruited to play at bigger Division I schools. Many top prospects don't even consider Division II or III schools when looking at schools to attend.  The players that do end up attending Division II or III schools may not be the best athletes, but they have the heart and skill to continue to play the game that they love competitively. Unfortunately, heart and desire don't drive television ratings. Television networks unfortunately aren't interested in producing content around schools where there are only a few hundred fans in the seats. There were a few games televised this past year, yet these are only a handful of games out of thousands played each year. With everyone watching the bigger programs with the better players, it is hard for the players on Division II and III teams to get noticed by fans and scouts. 

So, what happens to these players after college? Chances are that they will not be drafted by an NFL team in the months leading up to graduation, yet many of them still want to play football competitively. They still have the dream to play football at a professional level, yet the NFL is not in the cards at the moment. That is where some of the smaller professional leagues come in. Leagues such as the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League give players the opportunity to continue to play the game that they love and develop their skills. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend a CFL combine hosted by the company that I work for and see first hand a group of Division II and Division III athletes showcase themselves in front of scouts. I am not sure if any of the players present will be signed, but there was at least some interest from the scouts in certain players. 

Leagues like the CFL are a great opportunity for these young players to continue to develop their skills and play the game of football. And who knows, some of the players at the combine may end up succeeding in the smaller leagues and could move onto the NFL. What I do know is that Division II and III players are finally getting the recognition that they deserve. 

Good luck boys