I shan't lie, I enjoy creating a stir.
Premise 1: Players will be paid directly from their schools as a part of NIL.
Premise 2: Players being paid are Professionals
Conclusion: Since College and NBA/NFL are equally professional why shouldn't NBA/NFL players with eligiblity remaining not be able to come back to college?
Why couldn't they be added to the transfer portal?

I think college eligibility if forfeited once they declare (basketball is more flexible than football I believe) and definitely once they are drafted. So that rule would have to be dropped before going any further.

(07-02-2021 07:56 PM)Alanda Wrote:  I think college eligibility if forfeited once they declare (basketball is more flexible than football I believe) and definitely once they are drafted. So that rule would have to be dropped before going any further.

Why should it matter if they've been drafted or even played in the pros? If all of these athletes are being paid and are professionals I would argue that they should be able to come back IF they have college eligibility remaining. Apart from eligibility I see no legal reason why a redshirt sophomore (say for instance Dwayne Haskins) couldn't apply to the transfer portal. He could genuinely want to complete his degree and sharpen his skills so he can attempt the pros at a later date.

Canadian Universities allow former pro hockey players to return to school to play hockey under this exemption:

RULE: Participation in a regular season or playoff game of a professional league, inclusive of all European Hockey Leagues in any division, is subject to the charging of eligibility and participation in U SPORTS competition is prohibited within 365 days from the date that the athlete last participated in the identified league (participation in a training camp or pre-season exhibition games is exempt from this policy), unless such participation takes place prior to December 31 of the year the athlete turns 21.

Most of the returning pro guys played in the minor leagues and are returning to get an education.

(07-02-2021 08:07 PM)Big Ron Buckeye Wrote:  

(07-02-2021 07:56 PM)Alanda Wrote:  I think college eligibility if forfeited once they declare (basketball is more flexible than football I believe) and definitely once they are drafted. So that rule would have to be dropped before going any further.

Why should it matter if they've been drafted or even played in the pros? If all of these athletes are being paid and are professionals I would argue that they should be able to come back IF they have college eligibility remaining. Apart from eligibility I see no legal reason why a redshirt sophomore (say for instance Dwayne Haskins) couldn't apply to the transfer portal. He could genuinely want to complete his degree and sharpen his skills so he can attempt the pros at a later date.

Because that's the rule. They forfeit their eligibility so they can't play college anymore. If they change the rule to allow them to go back, then so be it. As of right now I can't think of any issues I'd have with a change.

But ignoring the current rule for a moment, I would say the payment comparison isn't quite the same. Pros are being paid by the team. Under NIL the players aren't being paid by the team. So it's not as simple as saying they are being paid. The source of the payment is different. And right now they are doing what they can to fight pay-for-play on the college level. Also they can get their degree while playing in the pros.

(07-02-2021 09:15 PM)Alanda Wrote:  

(07-02-2021 08:07 PM)Big Ron Buckeye Wrote:  

(07-02-2021 07:56 PM)Alanda Wrote:  I think college eligibility if forfeited once they declare (basketball is more flexible than football I believe) and definitely once they are drafted. So that rule would have to be dropped before going any further.

Why should it matter if they've been drafted or even played in the pros? If all of these athletes are being paid and are professionals I would argue that they should be able to come back IF they have college eligibility remaining. Apart from eligibility I see no legal reason why a redshirt sophomore (say for instance Dwayne Haskins) couldn't apply to the transfer portal. He could genuinely want to complete his degree and sharpen his skills so he can attempt the pros at a later date.

Because that's the rule. They forfeit their eligibility so they can't play college anymore. If they change the rule to allow them to go back, then so be it. As of right now I can't think of any issues I'd have with a change.

But ignoring the current rule for a moment, I would say the payment comparison isn't quite the same. Pros are being paid by the team. Under NIL the players aren't being paid by the team. So it's not as simple as saying they are being paid. The source of the payment is different. And right now they are doing what they can to fight pay-for-play on the college level. Also they can get their degree while playing in the pros.

John Urschel's last year in the Ravens was insane. Full-time Mathematics PhD student at MIT and published several peer-reviewed articles in that time. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif earned his MD while playing in the league too. These are just the few that I know about, so there are a lot more that have earned their degrees while playing professionally.

(07-02-2021 08:52 PM)puck swami Wrote:  Canadian Universities allow former pro hockey players to return to school to play hockey under this exemption:

RULE: Participation in a regular season or playoff game of a professional league, inclusive of all European Hockey Leagues in any division, is subject to the charging of eligibility and participation in U SPORTS competition is prohibited within 365 days from the date that the athlete last participated in the identified league (participation in a training camp or pre-season exhibition games is exempt from this policy), unless such participation takes place prior to December 31 of the year the athlete turns 21.

Most of the returning pro guys played in the minor leagues and are returning to get an education.

That rule makes sense. The NCAA should adopt something similar to the Canadian standard.

IMO, the NCAA could put an age limit (23 or 24) on eligibility. Otherwise, it should be more accommodating to student-athletes who are clearly no longer pursuing their sport professionally.

(07-02-2021 09:15 PM)Alanda Wrote:  Because that's the rule. They forfeit their eligibility so they can't play college anymore. If they change the rule to allow them to go back, then so be it. As of right now I can't think of any issues I'd have with a change.

But ignoring the current rule for a moment, I would say the payment comparison isn't quite the same. Pros are being paid by the team. Under NIL the players aren't being paid by the team. So it's not as simple as saying they are being paid. The source of the payment is different. And right now they are doing what they can to fight pay-for-play on the college level. Also they can get their degree while playing in the pros.

My premise is that as a part of Name, Image, and Likeness students would be paid directly from the school making it more of a direct comparison. I also don't think that it is far fetched that schools pay directly. With the billions of dollars that the Power 5 players help to generate, how can it be argued that those TV, Tournament, & Bowl contracts are not using the Name, Image, and Likeness of the players? How can they not get a cut of that without total hypocrisy? Pandora's box has been opened and college sports (especially football and men's basketball) will never be the same, you may as well call them new sports.

(07-02-2021 10:37 PM)Wahoowa84 Wrote:  

(07-02-2021 08:52 PM)puck swami Wrote:  Canadian Universities allow former pro hockey players to return to school to play hockey under this exemption:

RULE: Participation in a regular season or playoff game of a professional league, inclusive of all European Hockey Leagues in any division, is subject to the charging of eligibility and participation in U SPORTS competition is prohibited within 365 days from the date that the athlete last participated in the identified league (participation in a training camp or pre-season exhibition games is exempt from this policy), unless such participation takes place prior to December 31 of the year the athlete turns 21.

Most of the returning pro guys played in the minor leagues and are returning to get an education.

That rule makes sense. The NCAA should adopt something similar to the Canadian standard.

IMO, the NCAA could put an age limit (23 or 24) on eligibility. Otherwise, it should be more accommodating to student-athletes who are clearly no longer pursuing their sport professionally.

Only way that passes is with a religious exemption to handle BYU's mission students that become 25 year old seniors with 3 kids.