After dominating the headlines for nearly two weeks, the issue of “rogue” agents/runners and their relationships with college football players has quietly slipped from the public’s consciousness for the past few days.
Of course, the issue has not gone away completely; rather, it’s merely been pushed to the backburner. Until the damned liberal media brings it up again, that is.
Speaking on the Dan Patrick‘s DIRECTV’s show ahead of his appearance at the Pac-10 Rose Bowl media day, UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel was asked how he polices issues between agents and student-athletes.
“Only one way,” the coach told Patrick. “If there’s proof that they were involved in that, then they are banned. And that has to happen from the NFL level. They cannot be involved in anything but representation.”
And Neuheisel’s right. Partly.
Absolutely the NFL needs to be involved. The free farm system they benefit from on an annual basis mandates that they have some level of involvement, if for nothing more than protecting their own interests.
But, they are far from the only ones -- or even the most important ones -- that need to take responsibility and own the situation. From the NFLPA to the NCAA to the institutions of higher learning to coaching staffs to -- most importantly -- the agents and the players, there are myriad people/groups who have a hand in, or should have a hand in, reigning in the rogue element that’s always been around but has just recently been beaten out of the bushes (again) and into a bright spotlight (again).
It’s an issue that will never, ever go away completely regardless of how well-intentioned future moves will be, but is one that could be severely curtailed if all affected parties actually, you know, worked together on a problem that most see as needing to be addressed.
How could it be curtailed? Ban agents for x number of years who have been proven to give illicit benefits to student-athletes that still have collegiate eligibility; strip the remaining eligibility of a player proven to have received extra benefits or, if they’ve already left for the NFL, suspend them for x number of games without pay -- that’s where the NFL and NFLPA would really come in; there are laws in 38 states relating to player-agents and repercussions for their nefarious actions in dealing with student-athletes. Maybe the NCAA and its member schools should, you know, use them?
Of course, those off-the-top-of-my-head suggestions could merely serve as a starting point for discussion if everyone involved really wants to solve the problem.
Either that, or the NCAA could take the “easy” way out and just start paying players.
I’d strongly urge you to step back once that box marked “Pandora” is opened, though. The shrapnel could be hazardous to your sport’s health.
