Nick Saban
Interesting comments from Alabama coach Nick Saban in an ESPN story about how a Crimson Tide player is now being investigated concerning possible contact with a sports agent.
Said Saban:
“What the NFL Players Association and the NFL need to do is if any agent breaks a rule and causes ineligibility for a player, they should suspend his [agent's] license for a year or two,” Saban said. “I’m about ready for college football to say, ‘Let’s just throw the NFL out. Don’t let them evaluate players. Don’t let them talk to players. Let them do it at the combine.’ If they are not going to help us, why should we help them?”
Saban said he also believes the NCAA should “take schools off the hook” for the actions of agents and players. In the end, however, he points at the former.
“Right now, agents are screwing it up,” Saban said. “They are taking the eligibility of players. It’s not right that those players do the wrong thing. We have a great education process here. We have a full-time worker who meets with players and their families and does everything else.”
The Alabama story comes on the heels of Thursday’s report that Florida and the NCAA are investigating whether former Gators offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey took $100,000 from a sports agent in December. As stated in the Saban story, the NCAA is looking into possible contact between agents and players at North Carolina and South Carolina.
Plus, Southern Cal’s new president pushed AD Mike Garrett out after the school was hit hard by the NCAA over illegal benefits being given by agents to football star Reggie Bush and basketball star O.J. Mayo.
Earlier, of course, TMZ cited anonymous sources as saying that the NCAA was asking questions about agents and Kentucky basketball players.
Are you listening “World Wide Wes” and Coach Cal….You could be next!
and Mitch Barnhart!
Bravo Nick Saban,
The NCAA can’t control the agents, NFL, & the NBA and they don’t try and the don’t try and help either. But they expect the universities, their AD & coaches to. So in order to look good & keep good standings they punish the colleges and their coaches. The NCAA is a sham. The universities needs the NCAA’s backing & support, not their ridicule, investigations, judgments & punishments. If enough of these universities, ADs, coaches, & supporters protested & threatened to pull out and start their own association then maybe the NCAA would wake up.
I think the NCAA is a sleeping giant and the agents, NFL, NBA know that. They don’t want this monster to wake up, because it could reek havoc on them.
Come on NCAA, help don’t hurt. Again Bravo Nick Saban
For college athletes to protect themselves the NCAA should allow them to join the Players Unions when they are freshmen. If you have “true talent” you do not need a snake oil salesman to be your agent. Let the Players Union represent the college athletes and cut out this side show. Heck if you are smart enough you can be your own agent.Workers (athletes)of the World Unite!