Terrelle Pryor's Freedom Train derails

Terrelle Pryor might have thought he was escaping the bondage of the NCAA, but he discovered this week that his Freedom Train has derailed, at least for five more weeks. The NFL has stood by it's farm system partner (or should we say plantation system), the NCAA, who suspended Pryor for having profited off the sale of his own personal property. Why does the NCAA treat its "players" like criminals when they profit? Because the NCAA does not appreciate when it's slaves take from the hand of their master. This is understood, what is harder to digest is how the NFL can take 5 games salary out of the pocket of Pryor for his so called infraction. There is no good reason other than perhaps the NFL wishes to perpetuate the plantation system which develops players gratis for it's big league partner.

The NCAA and it's universities make well over a billion dollars a year in profits on the back of their players, most of whom will never play in the pros. A common sense solution should exist to share this wealth with players, many of whom come from poor families and struggle to get by even if the university pays room and board.

The hypocricy of the NCAA and it's treatment of athletes has one answer, the establishment of professional football minor league system like that of pro baseball. NFL owners would never do that, considering that the NCAA already does this job for them. So for the 18 year old football player what is left to say? All I can think of is "I have a dream".....

Merry Christmas from the NCAA

A Terrelle Pryor jersey on sale today for "only" $80.00!

NCAA defends slavery system

Yesterday Terrelle Pryor and 4 other Ohio State football players were punished by the NCAA for selling their own personal property. Let's see if I have this right. If I own something and I sell it, last time I checked it is not a crime. Why instead does the NCAA treat its "players" like criminals when they profit? Because the NCAA does not appreciate when it's slaves take from the hand of their master, even if they do so by perfectly legal means. This article starts to explain, I include a portion:

So much money gets made off these players and they can't even resell their own bowl jersey and championship ring? Look, I wouldn't sell something that meaningful to my team's success. But let's stop being naive and look at what the players see.

Consider Newton's impact. Some of the hottest sellers on Auburn's official online store are Heisman Trophy shirts with Newton's No. 2 -- but not his name, of course, as forbidden by the NCAA.

I counted 20 long-sleeve and short-sleeve shirts with No. 2 prominently displayed; home and away No. 2 jerseys; a 2010 season DVD with Newton on the cover; and a wall decal with a superhero-looking Auburn player wearing No. 2.

"You don't want to push the envelope too much, but you certainly want to try and meet that demand of, hey, we want to buy a No. 2 jersey (Cam Newton) or a No. 17 jersey (Josh Bynes) or a No. 89 jersey (Darvin Adams)," Auburn Senior Associate Athletics Director Scott Carr said.

"It's that fine line of do you just stick to a jersey that says No. 1 or a jersey that represents the year you're playing in? Or do you do more that's more player-specific? A lot of it is the fans want to wear the jerseys of the popular players. It's a tight balance."

Under Armour, which provides $27.45 million over seven years in cash and product to Auburn, estimates Newton wears six to 10 of the company's logos during games.

"When you sign a school like Auburn, you hope to get this kind of exposure and catch lightning in a bottle with this type of special player," said Matt Mirchin, Under Armour senior vice president of sports marketing.

The NCAA and it's universities make well over a billion dollars a year in profits on the back of their players, most of whom will never play in the pros. A common sense solution should exist to share this wealth with players, many of whom come from poor families and struggle to get by even if the university pays room and board.

The hypocricy of the NCAA and it's treatment of athletes has one answer, just look to Major League Baseball. Pro baseball has a professional minor league system and regularly drafts 18 year olds who skip college to play professionally. If the NCAA insists on continuation of the indefensible policy of player slavery, perhaps the best solution is to let the market rule. The NFL or some independent entreprenuer should establish a football minor league. Players not ready for the NFL would have a home and a paying job, and the NCAA could return to it's real mission: supporting student athletes.