Veteran agent Ralph Cindrich, a former NFL player who isn’t bashful about sharing his opinions (and we like that), recently appeared on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh to talk about the current commotion involving agents paying players.
Regarding the school that got the ball rolling, as it relates to NCAA enforcement efforts, Cindrich dropped a potential bombshell.
"[D]on’t put USC in your rear view mirror,” Cindrich said, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. “There is a lot more going on there. Those guys out there from neighborhoods that are deprived who are driving Range Rovers and the Mercedes and all the rest, they just earn that on their own on the weekends in the offseason.”
Cindrich also had some pointed comments for Nick Saban, who described agents who give money to players as “pimps.” As to whether there’s a difference between the way that college coaches and agents recruit, Cindrich said, “No. And old Nick knows that. I’ve seen him out on the road a time or two. He’s contacted a client of mine or a family member of a client of mine. I know what goes on out there and he knows that I know. The bottom line is that to stand up on a pulpit and start preaching that way -- and maybe I’m doing it, take a shot at me -- that bothers me, especially when it comes from a guy like Nick Saban.”
Though the issue likely will fade a bit as training camps open, it should continue to be a focal point of discussion and debate. And the root cause continues to be the reality that everyone involved with college football is getting paid handsomely, with the exception of the men who play the game. Above all else, that’s what needs to change.
