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College Football
and Jeremy Bloom
By: Keith Dobkowski, NCAA News Writer
In just one week’s time, the NCAA has rejected the claims of both
University of Colorado Football Player Jeremy Bloom and
University of Southern California Football Player Mike Williams.
The question that lingers is how can the NCAA be so right and so
wrong in the same week?
Bloom of Olympic Mogul Fame and deep threat for the CU Buffalos
petitioned the NCAA to allow Bloom to earn sponsorship money
for his skiing efforts while maintaining his amateur status for Buffs
football team. Bloom contends that he could not train and
therefore compete in the 2006 Olympics without endorsement
money to cover his Skiing costs.
The NCAA ruled and ruled again that Bloom could not have both.
Either Bloom was a professional athlete or he was an amateur.
There is no distinction between how endorsements are earned
but rather whether they are earned. Therefore, if Bloom wanted
to ski in the 2006 Olympics and gain endorsements to do so, he
would have to sacrifice his College Football career.
Of course this is all presumptive, seeing that the NCAA did not
release any statement concerning their decision. Instead, the
NCAA only released a ‘no’. Even without a stated reason, the
NCAA was right.
As we have often heard, there is a slippery slope and this may be
the slipperiest. Had Bloom’s request been approved, Bloom
would have kept amateur status as a football player and been
paid as a professional skier. While Bloom’s position is unique, the
combination of skiing and football, what keeps a fellow amateur
football player from being paid to play basketball or baseball?
NFL tight end Teyo Johnson and wide receiver Randy Moss were
both quality basketball players in college who left school early for
the NFL. If Bloom had been granted approval by the NCAA, what
would stop players such at Johnson and Moss from playing in the
NFL and college basketball at the same time?
Two sport athletes are quite common. Most famous are Bo
Jackson and Deion Sanders. Jackson would have been a hall of
fame player in both league but for his hip injury. And Sanders is a
sure fire hall of fame defensive back and played a pretty good
centerfield.
Other two sport stars have included Terrel Owens, Danny Ainge,
Tony Gonzales and who could forget Michael Jordan.
And then there is Mike Williams. Williams, the star wide receiver
from USC, declared for the NFL draft after a Federal Court
rejected the NFL rule requiring three years of post high school to
qualify.
Williams acted upon Maurice Clarett’s legal victory against the
NFL. Following bad boy Clarett, who had been kicked out of
school, may not have been a genius decision, but Williams was
following legal precedent. A Federal Court stated that the NFL
rule prohibiting players less than three years removed from high
school to be an antitrust violation.
Upon this decision, Williams declared for the draft, hired an agent,
dropped out of school and accepted financial benefits. However,
right before the NFL draft, an appeals court overruled the lower
courts decision, stating that the lower court did not have
jurisdiction over the matter. As quick as that, the rule was back
in place and Williams was no longer draft eligible.
Williams fired his agent, gave back the financial incentives, and
returned to USC to continue his education and college football
career. Well, I guess not. The NCAA told Williams that he could
not play college football again.
While the NCAA has not stated why, it can be assumed that one
of the rules broken, either receiving financial benefits or dropping
out of school, led to the decision. And the NCAA was dead wrong.
Williams followed the law of the land for the two months that it
existed. For the period between the Clarett victory in February
and the overruling in April Williams did nothing wrong. And upon
the judicial switch Williams returned everything and reenrolled in
school. Seems all was for naught.
Luckily both Bloom and Williams will be okay. Williams will get his
agent back, sign a shoe contract and receive other
endorsements. He will not have to worry about the possibility of
injury as he prepares to be the first receiver taken in next year
draft. When his peers are in class, Williams will be training. And
when his peers get hit over the middle, Williams will be training.
Last year, Williams was rated as the 3rd, 4th or 5th best receiver
in the draft. This year Williams will be number 1.
Bloom will get his money too. He will compete and make America
proud two years from now. Bloom will no longer get hit over the
middle and can now concentrate on bigger issues… Should I do a
barrel roll or a 360-iron-cross-grab?
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