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Posted on 9/4/26 at 7:38 am to UnsureTiger
The entire sport is on the verge of imploding... none of this hysteria is sustainable.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 7:39 am to RockyRococco
officer i only helped the fireworks go off in the middle of the walmart i only dragged them there and lit the fuse with my grill lighter
Posted on 9/4/26 at 7:44 am to SEC Doctor
The other problem is that there is no uniform path for a rookie player coming into the NFL. If you are drafted, you have a contract in force at signing. But that's not necessarily the case for everyone else.
Particularly guys who try out at a mini camp and get invited to camp. They sign a provisional contract, but it doesn't activate unless they make the team. If they get cut, it is terminated and never actually existed. So, legally, that guy never signed a contract.
The OP is right: what needs to happen is a clear line of demarcation as to what action makes a player not eligible due to participation in a pro sports league. The language being used right now by the NCAA is not adequate.
Particularly guys who try out at a mini camp and get invited to camp. They sign a provisional contract, but it doesn't activate unless they make the team. If they get cut, it is terminated and never actually existed. So, legally, that guy never signed a contract.
The OP is right: what needs to happen is a clear line of demarcation as to what action makes a player not eligible due to participation in a pro sports league. The language being used right now by the NCAA is not adequate.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 7:54 am to TigerAlumni2010
quote:
the SEC has no clue how to define a professional,
Why do they need to define what a professional is? Not being a smart arse, but they said clearly, "No signed contract" in their rules. Players and NFL teams can do as they wish, but if the player signs a contract with professional team he's done. So maybe the player needs to get with lawyers and determine how to work around the signing of a contract with a team? Maybe there is some clearinghouse entity that is financed by the NFL and pays players a per diem or something until the final week of cuts and then the official NFL contract. Something, I'm sure could be worked out, however it'll be moot after this year.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 7:58 am to Naked Bootleg
Problem with this is that it has not been applied to all sports. Basketball especially. That is where LSU is in the clear.
They are allowing basketball players to compete in g league and come back.
They are allowing basketball players to compete in g league and come back.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:00 am to UnsureTiger
quote:
UnsureTiger
To me, yesterday didn’t pivot on pro or not pro. It pivoted on choice.
Sankey said when you choose to go pro, you are a pro.
The 2022 class did not have a choice. They are being treated differently than every other class. That violates the Sherman Act/anti trust.
Any rules making that specific group ineligible based on pursuing the only option available to them is illegal.
The court ruled the 16 members of the SEC are breaking antitrust law. LSU is trying to find a way to not participate in that illegal activity while still following SEC bylaws. Which is clearly an impossible task right now.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:01 am to Victor R Franko
quote:
"No signed contract" in their rules
It cant be that simple with contracts because Sanky wants to target only LSU and leave Texas alone, and the Texas player signed a minicamp contract. So if you go down that route, you have to detail exactly what type of contract, etc. Then of course its obvious you are targeting LSU so you might as well just say LSU is not allowed to do this or that.
If they really wanted to make a rule, all they have to do is say no one who has played in an NFL game may return to college.
Simple. Easy to define, easy to enforce.
But they dont want to do that, they just want to go after LSU.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:02 am to Victor R Franko
quote:
Players and NFL teams can do as they wish, but if the player signs a contract with professional team he's done.
That's the whole point. Sankey was asked about athletes who had played basketball professionally in Europe but later came to the US and played college basketball at an SEC school. That's where he tripped up.
There's also the issue of Major Junior Hockey. Used to be that if you played in the QMJHL, OHL, or WHL you were ineligible for NCAA Hockey because they were professional leagues. Now, NCAA lets in players from those leagues even though there are still very much professional players from professional leagues. How is that different? It needs to be specifically defined and its not.
It's the old Animal Farm analogy. All pros are pros, but some pros are more professional than others. That doesn't work as is.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:06 am to bstaceyau19
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:16 am to Victor R Franko
quote:
Why do they need to define what a professional is? Not being a smart arse, but they said clearly, "No signed contract" in their rules.
A contract is defined as: "a legally binding agreement between two or more parties that creates mutual obligations enforceable by law," so by that definition, it could be argued that signing the medical waiver for a tryout is a contract.
The ambiguity of the rule is where the issue lies. That same rule also said that a player had to withdraw from the draft. By not truly defining what they consider the line of demarcation, they have opened themselves up to this line of questioning.
My personal opinion, blanket waiver for the 2022 class as long as they aren't on a 53 man roster/practice squad or were drafted.
This post was edited on 9/4/26 at 8:20 am
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:23 am to UnsureTiger
Very good......
This is the long term item, what is a professional, that needs to be defined.
This problem was caused by the NCAA not including the 2022 class for the 5 for 5 before the time they had to declare.
This is the long term item, what is a professional, that needs to be defined.
This problem was caused by the NCAA not including the 2022 class for the 5 for 5 before the time they had to declare.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:25 am to Jabontik
quote:
all they have to do is say no one who has played in an NFL game may return to college
What if a player was on an NFL roster during games but never took the field for a snap? I'm sure a judge could play the semantics game and let him return to college football since he never played in an NFL game. Or what if a player only played one down of NFL football, surely he wasnt actually an NFL player since he only played one play. Its never going to stop now.
The cleanest way to do it would have been to say once you sign your name to the dotted line agreeing to participate in the National Football League in any way whatsoever for any money at all, your college eligibility is permanently over.
Now its going to be endless loopholes and grey areas to justify bring NFL players back to college football.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:25 am to Chalkywhite84
quote:
Did the Texas player declare for the draft?
No, he was out of eligibility at the time of the NFL Draft and, thus, already in the draft pool.
Players with no eligibility remaining are automatically in the NFL Draft pool and cannot opt out of the Draft.
Had Chambliss not received his court ruling before the NFL Draft, he also would have been in the Draft pool.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:29 am to TigerAlumni2010
quote:
I think that's a fair take, but one thing is blatantly obvious in all of this, the SEC has no clue how to define a professional, and they need to make a decision on what that actually entails. A rule needs to be made on exactly where the line is.
100%
The loophole of “trying out” for the NFL and then returning to college is wide open for anyone who wants to do it.
All they need is eligibility (played fewer than 5 seasons), don’t enter the draft and don’t sign a contract.
Not saying everyone will do it, but some will.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:31 am to captdalton
quote:
The SEC members have defined by rule what the SEC considers a pro player. LSU voted for it, so they agree with it.
Exactly. Everyone is very aware that all players are being paid to play college football. The conferences are well within their rights to establish boundaries even if the reason is just perception. They have a brand and rules are needed to maintain that brand.
LSU voted for these rules, knowing that they were going to break them
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:37 am to i am dan
quote:
What is a woman?
In this day and age…about as clear as what is a professional
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:38 am to Naked Bootleg
quote:
How about this: if you signed an NFL contract, you are no longer an amateur and cannot go back to CFB.
So if a player was invited to minicamp or a tryout in UDFA status but didn't make a roster (requires a contract), they should still be eligible to play as an amateur. We shouldn't equate the 'contract' (see: waiver) required for minicamp attendance with a professional contract.
This is a mess. I
What is a contract? It is a signed document between 2 parties. Whether mini camp or pre-season camp, documents are signed. Players sign documents regarding their compensation, and their medical rights. The team will cover medical injuries that occur in a mini-camp. Isn't that a contract?
This post was edited on 9/4/26 at 8:49 am
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:40 am to scottydoesntknow
quote:
LSU voted for these rules, knowing that they were going to break them
So did Texas, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas if that’s the case.
What was proven yesterday is the SEC and NCAA can’t clearly define what a pro is, so either every player that has participated in the NFL is a “pro”, or none of them are.
Also, they need to drop the term “professional” and start using “eligible college athlete”. Calling them pros is one of the reasons they’re getting their asses handed to them in court.
This post was edited on 9/4/26 at 8:43 am
Posted on 9/4/26 at 8:44 am to i am dan
quote:
Once you lose amateur status...
But playing basketball for hire overseaa doesn't cost you amateur status. That won't fly in any court.
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