Clarett Loses In Court One More Time
 

Maurice Clarett lost at the Federal Appeals Court level today. The court said that the NFL - and the NFLPA as its partner in labor agreements - have the right to set working standards and entry standards for the league and that this is consistent with Federal labor policy. The Appeals Court overturned the ruling of a District Court judge who held that the NFL's rule violated anti-trust laws.

Clarett has one chance left and it is a real long shot. He can get the US Supreme Court to hear his case and he might prevail at that level. However, two justices on the Supreme Court have already heard his lawyer's arguments and said that they were not going to intervene and do something before the Appeals Court had a chance to rule. Translation: the two justices were underwhelmed by the arguments for Clarett's lawyers.

Interestingly, the lawyer for Clarett is one of the brothers who was trying to buy the Redskins with Danny Boy as the minority partner but the NFL rejected their bid. They sued the NFL and the Cooke Estate and everyone else in creation, but you will notice they did not win that case either. I suspect that the NFL is REALLY enjoying this decision...

Clarett has five options at this moment:

1. You can appeal to the Supreme Court. Not likely to get the Court to hear his case.

2. You can appeal to NCAA to reinstate you and enroll at an NCAA school. Given your admission that you took money from a booster and your plea bargain involving filing a phony police report to get extra insurance money, this is not a sure shot for success.

3. You can enroll at a NAIA school and play really low grade football.

4. You can play in the CFL. I think Montreal owns your rights. Maybe you can earn $100K Canadian - if you're not a greedy pain in the ass during the negotiations.

5. Here is the most sensible option: Don't get fat; don't get into any trouble with the police and get ready to work out for scouts prior to the next draft. But get the "big time" nonsense out of your head, because your days where you call the all the shots are behind you. YOu work out when it's conveneint for others, not for you! The next time you will get to be the loudest voice in the choir is after you are drafted and you gain 1500+ yards in a season and you happen to become a free agent that year. Until then, welcome to Earth.

I still think whoever gets Clarette in the third round on got one hell of a steal. This kid is a player.

Clarett has to do somthing between now and next year. He cant just sit back and not do a damn thing football wise. I dont care if hes in the CFL, playing College Football at a DII or III school, or just traiining with an NFL Level Trainer, he cant sit back and just chill. The longer he is away from the game, the more its gonna hurt him.

I think that he will end up spending a year in the cfl.He came out of college to make money and that is his best chance to get it.Can you imagine how much the cfl is licking there chops right now?

anyone know how much a good CFL player makes? He does need to play at some level, atelast so he can prove that he can play. One good year in college doesnt make up for two years of tv watching

This entire court battle is far from over....stay tuned. :doh:

[QUOTE=huntz]This entire court battle is far from over....stay tuned. :doh:[/QUOTE]

Agreed, the NFL won the battle, but I think clarett will win the war.

[QUOTE=offiss]Agreed, the NFL won the battle, but I think clarett will win the war.[/QUOTE]

How?? The decision costs Clarrett this season. There is no way he gets an better rookie deal next year than he would have this year - CFL or no.

At best, a decision by the court sitting en banc will come out in late June, early July. If the NFL loses the en banc appeal (Which I sincerely doubt. For the reasons stated by the appellate court, I always felt the lower court was dead wrong), do you think the NFL is then going to create a rush supplemental draft for Clarret between the ruling and training camp? I don't think so. If the NFL loses teh en banc appeal, they will then appeal to the Supreme Court and request a stay of the Circuit Court Decision. All they need do is delay the procedure a week or two and training camps will already have started. After that, no way he gets drafted higher than the 4th round of a supplemental draft. Oh by the way, he still has to negotiate a contract.

MAYBE, if he is as good as he thinks he is, he signs a contract next year. Serves his 3 years and cashes in as an RFA or UFA the following year.

Clarrett screwed himself by failing to play by the rules (any rules - NCAA or NFL) and his multi million dollar talent is going to get him a job which requires him to learn one line and one line only -- "Would you like fries with that??"

[QUOTE=JoeRedskin]How?? The decision costs Clarrett this season. There is no way he gets an better rookie deal next year than he would have this year - CFL or no.

At best, a decision by the court sitting en banc will come out in late June, early July. If the NFL loses the en banc appeal (Which I sincerely doubt. For the reasons stated by the appellate court, I always felt the lower court was dead wrong), do you think the NFL is then going to create a rush supplemental draft for Clarret between the ruling and training camp? I don't think so. If the NFL loses teh en banc appeal, they will then appeal to the Supreme Court and request a stay of the Circuit Court Decision. All they need do is delay the procedure a week or two and training camps will already have started. After that, no way he gets drafted higher than the 4th round of a supplemental draft. Oh by the way, he still has to negotiate a contract.

MAYBE, if he is as good as he thinks he is, he signs a contract next year. Serves his 3 years and cashes in as an RFA or UFA the following year.

Clarrett screwed himself by failing to play by the rules (any rules - NCAA or NFL) and his multi million dollar talent is going to get him a job which requires him to learn one line and one line only -- "Would you like fries with that??"[/QUOTE]

Excellent post.

The key phrase here is with the contract negotiation. Say, for, example, that your Washington Redskins decide to take a flier on Clarett when a supplimental draft occurs (be it in August, November, or whenever). He could be drafted anywhere, but let's again say hypothetically, the third round. What cap space is available for him to make a roster? Very few teams will have the available cap space to sign a player of questionable conditioning and character to anything less than a minimum salary contract.

Others have clearly stated what Clarett needs to do in order to play in the league - get in shape and play the game at some level (CFL, Arena, etc.) to be a football player and not a litigant. The question is , will Clarett do that, or will he resign himself to the dungheap of wasted talent? I'm afraid we already know the answer.

Well, as stated in the original article, the court battle really IS over. Supreme Court? I don't THINK so...

And as far as Clarett being a "player" - maybe... maybe not. One good season at the college level does not prove a thing. That is why no one would have jumped at him in the first two rounds. Wherever he goes he is a big gamble for a couple reasons: his talent is unproven, and he has ALL the earmarks of being a perrenial pain in the rear for any team that signs him. This is certainly not the stuff of sure-fire NFL success. Can you say Joe Don Looney??? (There are many other examples that more of you would remember, but this one is prime, and his last ditch shot was with the Redskins!!)

If he does not play this year in some form he is done. He will get drafted in some round but I dont think he can make it if he does not play this year. I can see him bouncing around the league for a few years like Lawrence Phillips, but I dont see him making it.

Yup, I agree Skins - What we have here is Lawrence Phillips part deux.

The NFL and NFLPA should be embarrassed about their real motives for this fight. The NFL is not fighting this issue because they want whats best for young adults and their education.
The claim by the NFL in court that the league will ruined is a bunch of crap as well.
The NFL's entire fight is made to please their free farm system - the NCAA. The NFL does not want it's coaches and scouts locked out of campuses across America for stealing to many players.
The NCAA is the biggest joke of all. Their precious amateur status for the players so the NCAA and schools can collect millions/billions off the football players backs. Not even a stipend is allowed for underprivileged college players who can not even afford to stay in school. IF this is all about education,why does the NCAA strip a player of his remaining eligibility if they get an agent or if they tryout for the NFL and fail?
This is all about business and money. Keeping the NCAA happy so this ridiculous merry go round system will continue and the powerful (NFL , NFL owners and NCAA) can continue collecting their huge billion dollar pay checks.
The biggest embarrasemnt for the NFL is the league does not trust its individual teams not to draft NFL ready players. Nobody is holding a gun and forcing the NFL teams to draft these young players. USC WR Mike(?) Williams is getting screwed in this whole thing because he gave up his elegiblity because a court told him he was elegible for the NFL.

[QUOTE=Defensewins]The NFL and NFLPA should be embarrassed about their real motives for this fight. The NFL is not fighting this issue because they want whats best for young adults and their education.
The claim by the NFL in court that the league will ruined is a bunch of crap as well.
The NFL's entire fight is made to please their free farm system - the NCAA. The NFL does not want it's coaches and scouts locked out of campuses across America for stealing to many players.
The NCAA is the biggest joke of all. Their precious amateur status for the players so the NCAA and schools can collect millions/billions off the football players backs. Not even a stipend is allowed for underprivileged college players who can not even afford to stay in school. IF this is all about education,why does the NCAA strip a player of his remaining eligibility if they get an agent or if they tryout for the NFL and fail?
This is all about business and money. Keeping the NCAA happy so this ridiculous merry go round system will continue and the powerful (NFL , NFL owners and NCAA) can continue collecting their huge billion dollar pay checks.
The biggest embarrasemnt for the NFL is the league does not trust its individual teams not to draft NFL ready players. Nobody is holding a gun and forcing the NFL teams to draft these young players. USC WR Mike(?) Williams is getting screwed in this whole thing because he gave up his elegiblity because a court told him he was elegible for the NFL.[/QUOTE]

Well, DW, I agree and disagree with you. The Mike Williams issue is regretable, but the league maintains they warned both Williams and his representatives that they would be seeking to revoke the draft eligibility that the verdict had created. He should have been aware that this outcome was possible.

I also agree that the league's interest is not in protecting the educational interests of young players. The NFL is protecting their product, and should be commended for doing so. There is no constitutional right to play in the NFL - I checked. The league has set up certain guidelines to insure that the players for its franchises are physically, mentally and emotionally mature enough to perform like professionals and not diminish the product they sell. These rules are arbitrary and make no sense, but since deciding matters on a case-by-case basis isn't feasible (operationally or legally), the arbitrary rules stand. There are other venues for players who don't meet the criteria to play football and make a living - they just don't pay as well. If the argument is that Clarett can't make a living playing for the CFL, then he can be like the rest of us and run with a smaller posse. Dave Dickinson is a QB for the Calgary Stampeders, and he makes $375,000. That's a great deal more than I make, so I'm sure Maurice Clarett can survive on it until he turns 21.

WHOA, Defensewins. That was a lot of powerful assertions to make about the MOTIVES of others. Whatever the motives are, how can anyone complain about what it does to/for many, many people. This system gives thousands of guys who can not afford it a FREE college education, and a great shot at a financially successful life outside of PRO sports. The NFL/NCAA system is even providing much of the funding that ultimately supports scholarships in OTHER sports. Then, for the hundreds of guys who become multimillionaires in the NFL, I hope no one is griping for THEM. I sure don't want to hear another "slavery" comment relating to a multi-millionaire athelete. What utter nonsense. These guys have opportunity handed to them on a silver platter, and all they have to do is play sports to earn it. Guys like Clarett, through repeated dishonesty and rules violations, damage their chances. But the STILL can get the opportunity. Amazing. How can anyone say this is unfair? It is a shame what happened with Williams, but he was impatient and took a huge gamble. The NFL stated from the outset that they were going to fight it legally. Williams got bad legal advice. Many others stuck it out and were patient. Hopefully, Williams will not be hurt by this in the long run. Clarett? I really don't care - this guy will always be trouble.

[QUOTE=BrudLee]
The NFL is protecting their product, and should be commended for doing so......The league has set up certain guidelines to insure that the players for its franchises are physically, mentally and emotionally mature enough to perform like professionals and not diminish the product they sell. These rules are arbitrary and make no sense, but since deciding matters on a case-by-case basis isn't feasible (operationally or legally), the arbitrary rules stand. [/QUOTE]

The NFL should be commended because they insure that players are physically, mentally and emotionally ready?
Do you really think that NFL really believes that every male at 21 suddenly transforms into Mother Theresa? Come on.
We can agree to disagree, but I think the league is hiding behind this excuse, so they can set up a rule that will keep them in good the NCAA.
Each team should choose which players they want or don't want, not the league.
Your argument implies the league "suits" think they know more about player talent evaluation and whether they are ready for the NFL than the scouts and coaches. I don't think that Paul Tagliabue knows more about college players that are ready for the NFL than a scout or coach...do you?.
You say, "since deciding matters on a case-by-case basis isn't feasible (operationally or legally), the arbitrary rules stand."
Each NFL team already decide on a case by case basis if they want a certain player or not. Legally? What is illegal about each NFL teams deciding on a case by case basis if they want to draft a player or not?

[QUOTE=Hogskin]WHOA, Defensewins. That was a lot of powerful assertions to make about the MOTIVES of others. Whatever the motives are, how can anyone complain about what it does to/for many, many people. This system gives thousands of guys who can not afford it a FREE college education, and a great shot at a financially successful life outside of PRO sports. The NFL/NCAA system is even providing much of the funding that ultimately supports scholarships in OTHER sports. Then, for the hundreds of guys who become multimillionaires in the NFL, I hope no one is griping for THEM. I sure don't want to hear another "slavery" comment relating to a multi-millionaire athelete. What utter nonsense. These guys have opportunity handed to them on a silver platter, and all they have to do is play sports to earn it. Guys like Clarett, through repeated dishonesty and rules violations, damage their chances. But the STILL can get the opportunity. Amazing. How can anyone say this is unfair? It is a shame what happened with Williams, but he was impatient and took a huge gamble. The NFL stated from the outset that they were going to fight it legally. Williams got bad legal advice. Many others stuck it out and were patient. Hopefully, Williams will not be hurt by this in the long run. Clarett? I really don't care - this guy will always be trouble.[/QUOTE]

When I have I said Slavery? What are you talking about?
You are right the NFL has a huge altruistic past. They are not in it for the money, they want to make everyone else better person. :confused:
Wow, we can really agree to disagree.
The NFL has a huge history of treating its past players poorly. It was not until the late 70's that the multi-billion dollar NFL started to take care of past great players. Players did not start to make big money until free agency started in the 80's. Owners and the league were pocketing millions while paying their players small amonts, in comparision to the profits that the league and its players were bringing in. It took several player strikes to get the the greedy owners to share in the profits. Are you actually lecturing me that NFL, its owners and the NCAA are altruistic.
The NFl and the NCAA are not providing the funding for all of this, the NFL and NCAA fans and supporters are.

Just something to ponder here:

Who is paying for Clarett's lawyers? Or are these guys doing it "pro bono"?

If they re "running a tab" for Maurice, I suggest he damned well better get himself a fat contract one of these days soon because lawyers of this type charge $600 - 700 an hour where I come from and they have to have several hundred hours on the tab already. Do the math folks...

Maybe Defensewins is kicking in $$ for Clarett's lawyers LOL. Seems like he has a MAJOR ax to grind with the NFL and NCAA.

A couple points, if you can try to think rarionally for just a second. You are arguing from both sides. First you blame the NFL/NCAA system for causing untold harm. Then, when a valid point is made that the NFL/NCAA system actually does a tremendous amount of GOOD, you dismiss it, because the fans put up the money that the NFL/NCAA football generates. DUH!!! What difference does that make? Sounds like you are now saying your issues with the system are the fault of the FANS. We were discussing the system. If you don't want to put up your money, you don't have to. In fact, with your totally negative attitude toward the NFL, why are you here??? The Redskins ARE the NFL, along with 31 other like-minded partners.

One last thing. You did not get the reference to slavery. I will spell it out for you parochially. Your statements were so anti-NFL, and so bleeding-heart pitious of the poor offended players. Slavery has historically been the next step for players with this radical point of view. I was just pointing out the direction your remarks had taken.

[quote]Clarrett screwed himself by failing to play by the rules (any rules - NCAA or NFL) and his multi million dollar talent is going to get him a job which requires him to learn one line and one line only -- "Would you like fries with that??"[/quote]

Don't get too sure about this. I watched quite a few Ohio State games when Clarette played, and I watched interviews of him recently. He's not here trying to make himself a martyr for other young, gifted players. He's trying to play. All he wants to do is play, and from what I've seen is completely motivated. You can say a bunch of bullshit about how staying in school and getting an education is what they need. Bullshit. These guys don't learn anything but football. You think staying in college till 3 years after HS is important. Let us look at a great ex-Redskin. Mr Dexter Manly. How did he get through college without the ability to read? I'm sure it's from that amazing education he received, for free, because he was such a great football player. At least he had a nice education to fall back on, right?

[quote]There is no constitutional right to play in the NFL - I checked. [/quote]
Check the pre-amble. Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Which one of these three ideals are being kept from Maurice? I'll let you figure it out.

[quote]This system gives thousands of guys who can not afford it a FREE college education[/quote]
Exactly. Shouldn't these free educations be given to those kids that will use the education? Not someone who's going to go for 3 years and then join the NFL right away and never look back. If we let people like Clarett skip the football farms it saves taxpayers (schoolarships aren't free either) money, and let's kids that actually need the education have it.

Sports: I heard a rumor they were working for free to get exposure. Not sure if you can hold anything against a rumor. If not, you're right, he needs a job, and soon!

Daseal:

I checked the Preamble to the US Consitution and it says nothing at all about "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness". I'll be happy to type in the Preamble for you here if you would like...

However, that phrase does appear in the Declaration of Independence. Unfortunately, the Declaration of Independence has no force of law; it predates the Constitution by about 15 years.

If everyone had a Constitutional right to work in their chosen field, then there would be no legal basis for licensing surgeons or airline pilots or school bus drivers. Hell, in Virginia you have to have a license to open a salon that does nails. And in this respect, one is not presumed to be competent until proven otherwise. You don't get to perform abdominal surgery on patients until a certain fraction of them die horrible deaths and then you get "cut from the roster". In far more erudite language, I'm told that this is part of the NFL's argument and that it is one of the parts that resonated with the appeals court panel.

[QUOTE=Daseal]Don't get too sure about this. I watched quite a few Ohio State games when Clarette played, and I watched interviews of him recently. He's not here trying to make himself a martyr for other young, gifted players. He's trying to play. All he wants to do is play, and from what I've seen is completely motivated. You can say a bunch of bullshit about how staying in school and getting an education is what they need. Bullshit. These guys don't learn anything but football. You think staying in college till 3 years after HS is important. Let us look at a great ex-Redskin. Mr Dexter Manly. How did he get through college without the ability to read? I'm sure it's from that amazing education he received, for free, because he was such a great football player. At least he had a nice education to fall back on, right?


Check the pre-amble. Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Which one of these three ideals are being kept from Maurice? I'll let you figure it out.


Exactly. Shouldn't these free educations be given to those kids that will use the education? Not someone who's going to go for 3 years and then join the NFL right away and never look back. If we let people like Clarett skip the football farms it saves taxpayers (schoolarships aren't free either) money, and let's kids that actually need the education have it.

Sports: I heard a rumor they were working for free to get exposure. Not sure if you can hold anything against a rumor. If not, you're right, he needs a job, and soon![/QUOTE]

Well daseal, for 2 guy's who disagree as much as we do politically, we sure think alike when it come to football.

The player's should be greatfull that these colleges give these ball player's an opportunity to make thousands even million's of dollar's?

Then why aren't they pushing for clarett? I will tell you why, they don't mind if a kid makes million's, so long as they have had an opportunity to milk his talent for as long as possible, so they can make thousand's off of him, as DW said and I have said before, these colleges could care less for these kid's, if they cared they wouldn't punish them if they deciede to come back to school after they may have signed with an agent, and the fact that they are disallowing william's to come back is garbage, I don't care what they told him before the NFL appealed, Clarett didn't play by the rules and was ostracized, william's did play by the rules, and now they are sticking it to him, to deter any one else from leaving.

Why does clarett need a supplemental draft? If he win's he could be a free agent, everyone in the NFL say's Clarett will go in the 4th rd., but aren't those the same guy's who said julius jones is the 6th maybe 7th best back in the draft? the kid in his freshman year was arguably the best back in the nation, and won a national title, this kid is a far better talent than lawerence phillip's could ever dream to be, does he have the head for it? Who know's? It look's like to me he really is not interested in school, and want's to make some money, if he's truly not ready for the NFL then why not let him enter the draft? nobody will draft him and he will have learned his lesson, so what's the big deal? I will tell you, he is ready for the NFL, and the last thing the NFL or colleges want is a successful 19 year old showing other's the way.

Joe R you said this kid will be bagging groceries, so I guess staying in college will land him on wall street, daseal's right save college for those who actually use it to thier advantage, these kid's are there for 1 reason only to make the college money, and save money on a farm league for the NFL, if a kid want's to realize his dream a little early, he should have that opportunity.

also Joe R. be careful how you talk about people who bag groceries, you could be refering to the next league and SB MVP! see Kurt Warner :silly:

Sports. you're right. I'm sorry.

[QUOTE=offiss] also Joe R. be careful how you talk about people who bag groceries, you could be refering to the next league and SB MVP! see Kurt Warner :silly:[/QUOTE]

Doh! got me on that one.

And by the way, just heard hell has actually frozen over - Daseal and Offiss agreeing on something?? Who'd a thunk it?!

haha
Offiss and I often agree - provided it's not a chat about politics!

Daseal - no one is denying Clarett his right to play football - there are several venues to do just that. The argument seems to be whether he has the right to play in the NFL, rather than the CFL, Arena League, or some other less glamorous venue - for one year.

I agree that the rule is arbitrary and has little basis as to whether a player is "ready" for the NFL. You have to agree that deciding whether each player individually is ready is, to say the least, logistically problematic. It would also leave the league open to hundreds of lawsuits from players told to wait a year. So this arbitrary rule is how they've chosen to defend the league from players whose maturity might be outshined by their 40 times, and therefore weaken the product.

[QUOTE=BrudLee]Daseal - no one is denying Clarett his right to play football - there are several venues to do just that. The argument seems to be whether he has the right to play in the NFL, rather than the CFL, Arena League, or some other less glamorous venue - for one year.

I agree that the rule is arbitrary and has little basis as to whether a player is "ready" for the NFL. You have to agree that deciding whether each player individually is ready is, to say the least, logistically problematic. It would also leave the league open to hundreds of lawsuits from players told to wait a year. So this arbitrary rule is how they've chosen to defend the league from players whose maturity might be outshined by their 40 times, and therefore weaken the product.[/QUOTE]

I understand the opposing argument for Clarett to stay out of the NFL, but don't you think BL that if a player is not ready a team won't draft him? Team's are in no way forced to draft anyone particular player, and even if they do, thet are not forced to play him right away, let's face it how many of these kid's are really ready after 2 year's? very few, I just believe that if there is an exeptional kid who may be ready to compete on the NFL level, he should be givin that chance, as far as making money, sport's are some of these kid's only shot, what happen's to a Clarett if he suffer's a career ending injury? before he ever get's to the NFL? Are the colleges going top pay his way the rest of his life? Not every body has the head for school, but thier gift may be as an athlete, should kid's be punished if accademicly they are so smart that major companies want to hire them before they get out of college, and offer them million's to work for them? as far as I know there is no stipulation that they can't, [I know this is a unlikly scenerio] but the option is there, what should be done here is allow these kid's to enter the draft, if they don't like where they are drafted then the college's should reinstate thier eligibility, we are not talking about a lot of player's here, the thing that kill's me about this whole thing is this, if that kid quit school and went to work in construction or another dangerous job, you wouldn't hear boo from these colleges, yes he's old enough to work a dangerous job, possibly hanging off sky scrapper's, or join the military and maybe get killed, or injured, but he's just not ready to be drafted by the NFL, WHAT ABOUT HIS EDUCATION? HOW WILL HE EVER SURVIVE IF HE DOESN'T MAKE IT IN THE NFL?, I just feel the whole thing is very hypocrytical, as well I feel it punishes a kid who may not have the book smart's, but is football savey.

offiss:

If teams only drafted players ready to play in the NFL ,there would be no disastrously bad picks. Ryan Leaf would have been an undrafted free agent; same with Rick Mirer and same with that big stud offensive tackle that was drafted by Green Bay who stunk on a bagel (can't remember his name at the moment).

There is a thread here asking if several current Redskins were "wasted picks". If you assertion were correct and only players ready to play were taken, no such thread would ever need to be started.

Clarett can protect himself against a career ending injury with an insurance policy. Even the NCAA, which hates to admit that athletes get certain bennies that other students do not, will allow this and allow him to retain eligibility. (Where can he get the money? From the same place that he is getting the money to pay his lawyers.)

Problem is that Clarett tossed his eligibility in the ashcan when he stopped going to class to maintain academic eligibility. So now that kind of policy is not really open to him. :nono:

Clarett chose to put all his eggs in one basket. Notice I said he CHOSE to do that; no one put a gun to his head and made him do it against his will. Then he forgot to keep a careful eye on the basket...

[QUOTE=Hogskin]Maybe Defensewins is kicking in $$ for Clarett's lawyers LOL. Seems like he has a MAJOR ax to grind with the NFL and NCAA.

A couple points, if you can try to think rarionally for just a second. You are arguing from both sides. First you blame the NFL/NCAA system for causing untold harm. Then, when a valid point is made that the NFL/NCAA system actually does a tremendous amount of GOOD, you dismiss it, because the fans put up the money that the NFL/NCAA football generates. DUH!!! What difference does that make? Sounds like you are now saying your issues with the system are the fault of the FANS. We were discussing the system. If you don't want to put up your money, you don't have to. In fact, with your totally negative attitude toward the NFL, why are you here??? The Redskins ARE the NFL, along with 31 other like-minded partners.

One last thing. You did not get the reference to slavery. I will spell it out for you parochially. Your statements were so anti-NFL, and so bleeding-heart pitious of the poor offended players. Slavery has historically been the next step for players with this radical point of view. I was just pointing out the direction your remarks had taken.[/QUOTE]

I think you missed my entire point. Believe it or not, my problem is with this rule and how the NFL tries to justify it. I DO NOT have a major ax to grind with the NFL/NCAA...NFL football is my favorite sport.
I do have a problem when the NFL makes a blanket rule like every adult under 21 is not ready for the NFL. There are many 21 year olds and older who are not ready for the NFL.
Also, I did not say the 'NFL /NCAA system has caused untold harm'. I was just responding to someone that was implying the NFL is pure and altruistic in its policies and ways. I was just pointing out the NFL in its past has not always been perfect, charitable and clean cut as it is today.

I am sorry you think these points to my argument are so radical to you. LOL
You act like it is treasonous for me speak out against the NFL, when in my opinion they did something wrong. This is still America right? I can speak out against the NFL when I think they are being unfair?
You do not need to attack me personally by calling my argument "so anti-NFL, and so bleeding-heart pitious (sp?)...(You go on to say) "Slavery has historically been the next step for players with this radical point of view. I was just pointing out the direction your remarks had taken."
Wow next you are going to call me a nothern-er/yankee.

[QUOTE=sportscurmudgeon]offiss:

If teams only drafted players ready to play in the NFL ,there would be no disastrously bad picks. Ryan Leaf would have been an undrafted free agent; same with Rick Mirer and same with that big stud offensive tackle that was drafted by Green Bay who stunk on a bagel (can't remember his name at the moment).

There is a thread here asking if several current Redskins were "wasted picks". If you assertion were correct and only players ready to play were taken, no such thread would ever need to be started.

Clarett can protect himself against a career ending injury with an insurance policy. Even the NCAA, which hates to admit that athletes get certain bennies that other students do not, will allow this and allow him to retain eligibility. (Where can he get the money? From the same place that he is getting the money to pay his lawyers.)

Problem is that Clarett tossed his eligibility in the ashcan when he stopped going to class to maintain academic eligibility. So now that kind of policy is not really open to him. :nono:

Clarett chose to put all his eggs in one basket. Notice I said he CHOSE to do that; no one put a gun to his head and made him do it against his will. Then he forgot to keep a careful eye on the basket...[/QUOTE]

Tony mandarich- green bay. there are no certainties when it comes to the draft, I just feel Clarett should be alotted the same opportunity as a junior in college.
I have to say about player's being ready, the question is not if he's talented enough, but whether or not he is physically ready, although there are plenty of bust's, it's usually because they are not talented enough, the case with underclassmen is they are not physically ready for the NFL, and I can see the point trying to be made, it's not unreasonable, but you have to admit there is alway's an exception to the rule, we all know not everybody mature's at the same rate, some guy's are much further along than other's, why should they be held back? I believe it's nothing more than college's losing the draw of star power, thus losing out on a lot of money, did Clarett bring this on himself? Absolutly, but that doesn't mean he's wrong, many people have challenged the establishment when they felt there was an injustes, Curt Flood opened the way for free agency, was he wrong? And I feel this situation with Clarett is a minor ripple in the rule changes, that really won't affect that much either way, I just feel it's not right if a kid is not smart enough to go to college, that he should be punished for it, and not allow to pursue another venue of income in the NFL.

Thank you for Tony Mandarich. I'm having a senior moment here.

I have nothing against giving Maurice Clarett the same opportunity that every other college junior has to jump to the NFL - the moment he is a college junior.

BTW, to be accurate, the NFL rule does not say a player has to be 21. It says his high school class had to graduate three years ago. MOST high school grads are 18, but if a kid graduated at 16, he'd be eligible for the NFL draft at 19 under the current rule. This is one way that the rule might be attacked because it is not equally applied...

It is the NBA that wants to have a lower age limit of 20 for all its players. the NFL merely wants them out of HS for 3 years.

I don't think the NFL gives a fig about colleges losing money when star players leave school. And the NCAA hardly has fallen all over itself to try to keep a door open for Clarett to come back and play for them somewhere. In fact, unless the NCAA filed an amicus curiae brief in the very last hearing in the appeals court, then they were not even a party to this action. So the money that Clarett might generate as a college football palyer does not seem to have enticed them very much.

[QUOTE=Defensewins]I think you missed my entire point. Believe it or not, my problem is with this rule and how the NFL tries to justify it. I DO NOT have a major ax to grind with the NFL/NCAA...NFL football is my favorite sport.
I do have a problem when the NFL makes a blanket rule like every adult under 21 is not ready for the NFL. There are many 21 year olds and older who are not ready for the NFL.
Also, I did not say the 'NFL /NCAA system has caused untold harm'. I was just responding to someone that was implying the NFL is pure and altruistic in its policies and ways. I was just pointing out the NFL in its past has not always been perfect, charitable and clean cut as it is today.

I am sorry you think these points to my argument are so radical to you. LOL
You act like it is treasonous for me speak out against the NFL, when in my opinion they did something wrong. This is still America right? I can speak out against the NFL when I think they are being unfair?
You do not need to attack me personally by calling my argument "so anti-NFL, and so bleeding-heart pitious (sp?)...(You go on to say) "Slavery has historically been the next step for players with this radical point of view. I was just pointing out the direction your remarks had taken."
Wow next you are going to call me a nothern-er/yankee.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Defensewins]You act like it is treasonous for me speak out against the NFL, when in my opinion they did something wrong. This is still America right? I can speak out against the NFL when I think they are being unfair?
You do not need to attack me personally by calling my argument "so anti-NFL, and so bleeding-heart pitious (sp?)...(You go on to say) "Slavery has historically been the next step for players with this radical point of view. I was just pointing out the direction your remarks had taken."
Wow next you are going to call me a nothern-er/yankee.[/QUOTE]

WOW is right! Your statements keep getting farther out there, defenswins. Of course you have the right to speak out. But did you not realize that OTHERS also have the right to respond to you? Or that they WILL when you say something outrageous? The rest of us have those same rights. LMAO

Next correction: You apparently do not understand what a personal attack is. A personal attack is an attack on YOU, not your statements. I only made reference to your statments. If I make a personal attack on you, you will know it. An example of a personal attack would be closing out a post with a thinly veiled slur on someone because you believe they are "Southern". But I will let it slide this time, because, since you do not understand what a personal attack is, you obviously did not intend it.

But just to set the record straight for you: I was born in Bethesda, Maryland. I graduated from D.C.'s Archbishop Carroll High School with John Thompson. I graduated from D.C.'s Catholic University. I spent my first 50 years in the D.C. area. But my wife is from Alabama. I will pass your fine comment along to HER.

As many have said, no one held a gun to Clarette's head and forced him to try to get drafted. Likewise no one is forcing a team to draft him. Fact is he's talented enough to make it into the league and play well.

I see no reason why if a team is willing to take a guy and play him they can't. As long as he's 18 (only because of the whole liability thing) why not let him play.

Daseal, actually, I don't believe it is really a liability issue. I believe he could play at 18 if he graduated high school at 15. The NFL and NCAA have structured the system in a way that helps them both financially, and is GREATLY beneficial to many, many people.

First, the NFL gets a free minor league structure.

Next the NCAA schools make a ton off the games. If NFL teams were allowed to raid the college crop, their concern is that the quality of their product would be greatly diminished.

With the income from the football programs, colleges make FREE educations available to thousands of people - many who could not afford it, or would not go for other reasons. This gives them a much better shot at a financially successful life.

For the hundreds that DO get to the NFL, most would not have been ready before they were draftable anyway. The few Clarett's out there that "MIGHT" be ready continue to get that free education while they finish their preparation for the NFL. Personally, I believe that a guy like Clarett is much better off for having to wait. If he has enough sense to take advantage of the educational opportunity while he is waiting for his "time", he will have something to fall back on if he fails in the NFL.

Anyway, that seems to be the thinking of some that support the existing system.

Much better off having to wait? ARe you nuts? He goes from a potential #1 overall pick (which isn't insane, a lot of sportscasters said after his 3 years he'd be the #1 pick even after only one year of college) to the 3rd/4th round? He's definitely worse off.

As far as liability, perhaps I didn't explain myself very well. I meant that as long as their 18 they should be able to play. Before you turn 18 there are labor laws, most pertaining on amount of hours worked, which football players far exceed.

Its going to hurt him that he didnt play his second year. The fact that he tried scamming the insurance company wont help but shouldnt help to much. Mabye thats how his paying for his laywers.

Daseal, no, I just checked, and I am not nuts... LOL

But who told you he was a potential #1 overall pick???? Over Eli?? From everything I read before the ruling came down against him, he was going to be lucky to go in the third round. And one good college season is absolutely no guarantee of NFL success. So he washes out - then what. Now let's suppose he IS the real thing. Then, if he had just been patient and played his Junior season, he would have proven himself. Then maybe he WOULD have been a very early pick in round 1, and gotten, not only more of his education, but enough hootch to last a lifetime.

I dont think he meant he was going to be a nubmer one overall in this draft had he been allowed to enter. Im assuming he meant thta he would have been a top pick had he played in college for both years, or for three years and entered next year.

Correct, Skins. Sorry, I'm not doing a very good job of explaining myself this evening.