Money Players

NCAA-NBA partnership eyes a name

In April 2008, the NCAA and the NBA announced a partnership to "to add new structure to youth basketball." It has been a long process, but they finally have a name -- iHoops -- and a web site that will officially launch in the Fall (shouldn't it be iHoops dot net??). When the partnership was first announced, John Feinstein yawned and made a great Gong Show analogy.

Right now, i am giving iHoops the benefit of the doubt. Yes, I am critical of NCAA and its members for the role its rules, its coaches, and its athletic representatives play in contributing to the mess of youth basketball. And by mess, I am not only referring to recruiting problems/scandals, but also to player development.

At the Reebok Eurocamp (much more on that later), an NBA scout and former longtime college basketball coach made this insightful point to me:

"The NCAA needs to look at itself in the mirror -- and change its behavior before it can change behavior of others. Look at how much money coaches make today versus five, 10 years ago. The NCAA and its members can talk all they want about educational values, but Calipari's salary alone sends a powerful message of what college basketball is really all about. And it's not just Cal...there are more than a handful of college coaches now making more than NBA coaches."

Obviously, it's not just how much college coaches are paid, but also the economic reality and institutional values (or lack thereof) that create this compensation structure.

The NOT kinder, gentler NCAA

Beginning in 2010, players who want to return to college will have until May 8th to renounce their NBA eligibility. The NCAA and the various "stakeholders" were all consulted. All believe this rule change will positively impact not only the game, but also the athletes. Of course, I still haven't heard from one college basketball player -- the ones most impacted by this rule -- who thinks this is a good rule change.

I previously wrote why this change is not fair to athletes -- and also completely short sighted by those who claim to put "student-athletes first."

Yes, way too many underclass players put their name in the NBA draft, even if they do not have a legitimate chance to be selected. But that is not a fair justification to gut the rule. And neither are the other reasons cited...

The NCAA news release announcing the change provides the following rationale: "The shorter declaration period will assist coaches in roster planning and encourage student-athletes to refocus on academics before the draft and decrease the potential for amateurism rules violations." Yes, it will help coaches in roster planning. However, the notion that this encourages players to "refocus on academics" is absurd. If anything, it accomplishes the exact opposite. At least with the later date, genuine student-athletes who are on the semester system can finish their academic year and then crisscross the country to workout for the NBA teams. Now that these workouts must take place prior to May 8th, look for even more players to struggle academically -- or simply drop out -- during the spring semester/quarter.

Also, it is laughable to suggest this will "decrease the potential for amateurism rules violations." As if the next amateurism rules violation would be their first.

But, wait. There's more. "In addition, the proposal removes the option for draft entrants who are not selected to resume college eligibility. Student-athletes with eligibility remaining previously had up to 30 days after the draft to declare their intention to return." In the event a player who remains in the NBA draft gets hurt after May 8, too bad. Where's the compassion? What happened to the "student-athlete first" model the NCAA was allegedly trumpeting?

Fine, change the rule to help college coaches firm up their rosters and protect college basketball in general. But don't sell us on the notion that this will help players academically or that this snakeoil will solve any ills in college basketball.

For some real snake oil, try some Bankruptcy Tonic...

--Marc Isenberg

Isenberg interview with College Athletics Clips

[Ed. note: Reprinted with permission from College Athletics Clips.]

Eyewitness reporter Ben Goss had a lengthy conversation with author Marc Isenberg (“Money Players”) at the Detroit Marriott on April 3, the day of the semifinals. And you, Clips readers, are the flies on the wall. Marc Isenberg is the author of "Money Players: A Guide to Success in Sports, Business & Life for Current and Future Pro Athletes" (published in 2008 by A-Game Press). He also co-authored "The Student-Athlete Survival Guide" (published in 2001 by McGraw Hill), a book that helps athletes make the transition from high school to college and succeed once there. Isenberg is also the brains and brawn behind an excellent online resource www.moneyplayersblog.com While engaged in all the responsibilities of his eyewitness reporting activities at the Final Four in Detroit, Clips correspondent Ben Goss had the good fortune of chancing upon author Marc Isenberg. Here’s the ensuing impromptu interview, and we are flies on the wall... Goss first describes how this chance meeting unfolded (in the lobby of a Marriott nearby Ford Field): As my syrupy Starbucks concoction was drained dry, I stumbled upon my subject for the day. A gentleman I thought I recognized approached another guy sitting on the couch behind me, who gave the first gentleman a copy of his book. Being the well-trained nosey Clips eyewitness reporter that I have become, I kept waiting, waiting, waiting, until the first gentleman shifted the book until I could see its title. Using the power of the iPhone, I Googled its title: Money Players, by Marc Isenberg. Hmmm, I thought as I read about it, I know I’ve read this guy’s work somewhere. Surely enough, Isenberg’s work has been in a number of my daily reads, including Sports Business Journal and, yes, College Athletics Clips. A quick scan of his collected works on his blog www.moneyplayersblog.com let me know he’s a pretty well read study on the current state of college sports. I also saw that his work had been endorsed by the likes of Jeffrey Moorad, Dan Guerrero (a charter member of the College Athletics Clips Advisory Panel), Billy Hunter, and Jay Bilas. I’ve found my interviewee of the day, I thought. Marc and I exchanged pleasantries (at which point I found out the gentleman I thought I recognized was former NFL running back Calvin Hill, father of NBA star Grant Hill), and since Marc was familiar with Clips’ noble mission, he quickly assented to an interview about his book and give his views on college athletics, which turned out to be a conversation that could have lasted into the wee hours. Mr. Isenberg, who also conducts educational programs for student-athletes in addition to his writing, is not an NCAA abolitionist, activist, nor apologist. What he claims to be is an advocate for student-athlete rights. When asked to name the top three issues facing the NCAA today, he responded: 1. Commercialism 2. Graduation rates 3. Student-athlete rights

Jalen Rose Fights For NCAA Athletes' Rights Via Twitter

This morning when I logged on to Twitter I noticed a ton of updates from Jalen Rose regarding his thoughts on the unjust and inequitable NCAA system. Here's what he had to say:

my negative about college hoops/sports is the flagrant exploitation of college kids-I will list a few reasons-HOW THIS TAKES PLACE

player signs letter of intent-coach decides to go to another school/or the pros for a bigger deal-to transfer-player has to sit out a season

google how much money is generated by the NCAA(for decades)-tv/tix sales/gear/reg season/conf tourneys/ncaa tourney/bcs games.

college coaches have no salary caps-they mk money from the schools-shoe companies-commercials-camps-tv-radio-appearances.

the coaches even are allowed to hv agents-in a lots of cases-that just so happen to end of representing(wink)their best players in the NBA

what happens to the players who dont mk it to the NFL or NBA..that helped generate billions to coaches-shoe companies and universities?

a degree does not guarantee a job-what if you need more than for years to earn a degree?
college athletes are not allowed to work during the school year-WHY-your sport is your job- just not being paid to do it

so as you enjoy the NCAA tourney-note-ONLY 60 players(incl overseas)will get drafted-the underclassmen will head bk to campus-

majority of the seniors who helped generate billions..for colleges and coaches will head into obscurity..and a ton w/o degrees..SAD

Reading this brought a big smile to my face. How many former college athletes have public with their views? It's more than just saying the NCAA generates billions and, therefore, players deserve to get paid. It's about fairness. It's about players having a legitimate voice. Jalen Rose is not the only person to express opinions about the college system. But he is a respected professional athlete, so it carries more weight. Jalen was one of the lucky few to make the NBA. But what about the others? I'm sure Jalen knows many guys who have gone through Division 1 basketball programs, perhaps didn't take advantage of the academic opportunities. And maybe it was their fault. But the reality is too many D1 athletes end up getting shuffled through school, stay eligible, play ball and ultimately leave school with a less-than-meaningful degree -- or no degree at all.

The Money Players Blog addresses the business of sports from the players' perspectives. It also tries to advocate for athletes, particularly college football and basketball players who are an under-represented group.

We're glad Jalen is speaking up for a group of players that often get lost in this seemingly never-ending PSA. When coaches get paid $4 million/year, at some point the constant cries of poverty and the supposed virtues of "amateurism" begin to erode. So Jalen, if you read this. keep speaking your mind. We'd love to have you and other current and former professional athletes post here at Money Players. The debate is good -- and maybe it will lead to some action.

--Nate Jones

The slippery slope of NCAA commercialism

An important part of the NCAA’s mission is to “maintain a clear line of demarcation between intercollegiate athletics and professional sports.” There was a time not long ago when some complained about those omnipresent Nike logos emblazoned on college players. Of course, giant logos never hurt anyone…at least not until the NCAA started putting huge NCAA logo decals right smack in the middle of March Madness. Last year, North Carolina Coach Roy Williams was incensed after several of his players—including Tyler Hansbrough and Marcus Ginyard—slipped on the NCAA decals. "Let’s stop putting those stupid logos on the floor where kids slip and slide around…somebody is going to get hurt,” Williams said, “and I’ve said that for years and years and years.” He added, it's a "a lawsuit waiting to happen."

This year the NCAA will use painted on logos (as opposed to decals) at nine of the 13 NCAA Tournament venues, up from five last year. Roy Williams credited the NCAA for “doing what’s best for the safety of the student-athletes.” Still, 31% of this year’s venues will sport those “dad-gum” (to quote Williams) decals. No one should declare “Mission Accomplished” until these decals are completely banned. My advice to players whose teams are in the unlucky 31%: Refuse to step on the court until they are removed. Wishful thinking, I suppose, but on the other hand, the next torn ACL could be your own.

The NCAA's defense, according to Sports Business Daily: Greg Shaheen wrote in an e-mail that the logo decals were put in place for early-round games “to create as neutral a site as possible.” Shaheen wrote, “With the current large court logos that many teams are going to, covering the host logo is a more complicated process. In fact, the NCAA logo of that size has nothing to do with branding. Rather, it is to cover the host logo.” So there you have it. It has nothing to do with branding. Others disagree, including officials at the Greensboro Coliseum and David Zirin, who thinks the NCAA is all about the brand.

--Marc Isenberg

UPDATE

Sporting News senior basketball writer Mike Decourcy e-mails: "Good stuff on the logos. I understand the NCAA wanting to make it neutral. I get that. But there's a point where safety overrides that. Players don't give a damn if they're dribbling across the state of Kansas or whatever at the center of the floor."

CBS brings back worker fraud feature for March Madness on Demand

CBS brought back the “Boss Button,” a special online feature on CBS’ “March Madness on Demand” that allows employees to conceal the fact they are not doing their jobs while sitting in front of their computer screens. Last year viewers clicked on the button 2.5 million times. This year the Boss Button is actually sponsored.

Here's how it works: You hear footsteps...you hit the "Boss Button" and the Madness stops. And a nifty-looking, although phony, spreadsheet instantly appears. Whew, that was a close call!

Our economy is in deep recession, bordering on depression. Record numbers of companies are going out of business or declaring bankruptcy. Unemployment is fast approaching 10%. Just what our economy needs: Online tools to help employees do less work and lose more money.

Yes, it’s a joke, but it’s really a short jump from hypothetical worker fraud to actual NCAA transgression. A few years ago, Oklahoma football players hit the figurative Boss Button at a no-show job provided by a booster. The real consequence? They got caught and were booted from the team. The moral: College athletes must do all the heavy lifting. Everyone else can just hit the Boss Button.

UPDATE: I got slammed by The Oregonian blogger, Ryan White, who clearly does not read this blog regularly to know that I sometimes jest. In case there are others who think I am insinuating that the Boss Button might actually cause the world to spin off its axis, please. I was poking fun at the NCAA: They want athletes to do all the work, but then make light of work for everyone else, especially if they are following the NCAA tournament.

Still, Ryan does make a good point:

Again, no one thinks you're really working when you hit the boss button, and if someone does, that someone is an idiot -- which, come to think of it, is how you get to be the boss in the first place.

--Marc Isenberg

Kurt Streeter on Sonny Vaccaro's Crusade Against the NCAA and the NBA's Age Limit

Back in January, L.A. Times reporter Kurt Streeter produced a profile on Sonny Vaccaro and his crusade against the NCAA and the NBA age limit. The article is a little old, but there are a couple of quotes in it that I think need to be highlighted. 

Vaccaro on Watching College Basketball: "I have mixed emotions about watching this game," said Sonny Vaccaro. "I just can't watch without getting mad at the whole ridiculous system." 

Kurt Streeter on the NCAA and the Age Limit: "I can't say I agree with all Vaccaro stands for, but I feel most of his criticisms are on target. I share his dim view of the NCAA, and of the NBA's age limit: It's a farce that wouldn't fly if the kids most affected were not African American. Maybe we should pay more attention to what the pariah has to say."

Read the rest of the article here. 

-Nate Jones

Maui Invitational: Everything that's right about college hoops

Basketball Times January 2009 by Marc Isenberg

This is my sixth article in Basketball Times. A few of my articles have been critical of various aspects of college athletics. But anyone who knows me knows I am passionate about basketball and, most important, the people who play the game. I love basketball — and most of the people associated with the game. At the same time, there are problems in college basketball that need to be addressed. That doesn’t make me cynical. Just informed. There is also a lot right, which I have no problem pointing out as well. At the top of my list is the Maui Invitational. In the last issue of Basketball Times, Jerry Tipton wrote about the glorious 25-year history of the pre-conference tournament. The article captured the essence of big-time basketball on a small island. Tipton’s article spoke to me. The exact words: “Marc, come to Hawaii and find out firsthand.” So I asked my wife, Debbie, if she would join me in my field research. Tough sell, right? So we jetted to Hawaii to attend the 2008 EA Sports Maui Invitational. Remember the old television show Fantasy Island, where people went to fulfill their dreams? Great basketball, the ocean, the sun and great people. Check, check, check. In my opinion, the Maui Invitational is the three best days of college basketball. No, it is not the NCAA Tournament, where the stakes are sky high and the pressure enormous. In Maui, the coaches are still intense, but the Hawaiian setting seems to take some of the edge off. The basketball is competitive, but it doesn’t feel like life and death. And the players are the happiest of all. Less screaming coaches and more hanging loose. I even saw one coach give the shaka sign, which is proof this is not basketball as usual. The Maui Invitational approach got me thinking. What lessons from this tournament could be applied to improve college basketball?

There's a new sheriff in town

Our next president will be a cool, steady and reassuring hand. But we also need some tough love, which the 44th President will hopefully deliver.

President-elect Obama also wants to use his high-profile platform push for a college-football playoff system. Appearing on 60 Minutes, Obama said he would like to see an 8-team playoff, which "would be three rounds to determine a national champion. It would add three extra weeks to the season. You could trim back on the regular season. I don't know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this." Obama is ready to show he is a fighter. Said Obama, "So, I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit. I think it's the right thing to do." There's nothing new about a proposal to create a college football playoff to determine a true national champion. There is, however, one major limitation: Schools will never agree to trim back the regular season for all 119 D1-A teams to accommodate just 8 teams. On the other hand, Obama is about to become the most powerful man in the free world, so if he wants a playoff, a playoff we should have. But, he should understand that college athletics can be a complicated, unwieldy beast. I am sure the BCS power players will put up a good fight. Once they figure how everyone can make MORE MONEY, look for them to relent.

Personally, I would favor an eight-team playoff, but only if college football players can directly benefit via increased heath insurance benefits, scholarships and even spending money...or in our new, downtrodden economy, let's give them saving money.

--Marc Isenberg

ACC proposal to shorten time to test the NBA waters

The NCAA's board of directors have agreed to consider a proposal put forth by the Atlantic Coast Conference to dramatically reduce the time college basketball underclassmen who declare for the NBA draft have to make their final decision.

A couple high-profile ACC coaches make the case for changing the NCAA bylaws that allows basketball underclassmen to methodically test their NBA market value.

UNC basketball coach Roy Williams: "If you give somebody forever to make a decision, they're going to take forever. It leaves your program in limbo, it leaves your current players in limbo."

As the artist known again as Price famously sung, "Forever is a mighty long time." Actually, there is a deadline for underclassmen who declare for the NBA Draft and who want to preserve their college eligibility. They must renounce their eligibility for the NBA Draft in writing prior to the draft. So players have up to 2 1/2 months to tryout for the NBA. (Players who declare for the draft, but don't get picked can maintain return to college ball as long as they keep their eligibility in tact. See former UK player Randolph Morris.)

Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton: "Too many kids are putting their names in and they're taking their names out. Their names shouldn't be in there in the first place...You have so many kids making poor decisions, it's obvious some of these kids are getting poor advice."

Coach Hamilton already thinks these "kids" are making poor decisions. Not exactly sure how reducing the tryout period will lead to better decisions.

I hate when I have to argue against smart guys like Williams and Hamilton. Instead, I'll rely on my friend Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News senior writer, to make the case. DeCourcy calls the proposed rule change "such a grand, epic mistake. It's based entirely on the coaches' self-interest -- not what is best for the college game, the sport in general or the players who make it all work."

DeCourcy continues:

Because every coach knows well that if he loses a draft-quality player in April, May or June, there is no hope there'll be a player available who's either talented enough or eligible enough to replace him...Searching for an unsigned senior in the spring of his senior year is like picking through a music-store cutout bin. You're not going to find a Beatles record.

The real "problem" here is this process makes a coach's life tougher for a few months. That's absolutely true. He's got to deal with the player, the parents, the teams, the unreasonable dreams. But this method also leads to fewer false-positives than an April deadline would.

In the final analysis, the system for college basketball underclassmen who "test the waters" is not perfect, but it is far better than the system for college football underclassmen who, once they declare for the NFL Draft, cannot return to school to play football again. Players and NBA teams probably can shorten the 2 1/2 month evaluation period, but they definitely need more time than the ACC is currently proposing.

--Marc Isenberg

A couple high-profile ACC coaches make the case for changing the NCAA bylaws that allows basketball underclassmen to methodically test their NBA market value.

UNC basketball coach Roy Williams: "If you give somebody forever to make a decision, they're going to take forever. It leaves your program in limbo, it leaves your current players in limbo."

As the artist known again as Price famously sung, "Forever is a mighty long time." Actually, there is a deadline for underclassmen who declare for the NBA Draft and who want to preserve their college eligibility. They must renounce their eligibility for the NBA Draft in writing prior to the draft. So players have up to 2 1/2 months to tryout for the NBA. (Players who declare for the draft, but don't get picked can maintain return to college ball as long as they keep their eligibility in tact. See former UK player Randolph Morris.)

Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton: "Too many kids are putting their names in and they're taking their names out. Their names shouldn't be in there in the first place...You have so many kids making poor decisions, it's obvious some of these kids are getting poor advice."

Coach Hamilton already thinks these "kids" are making poor decisions. Not exactly sure how reducing the tryout period will lead to better decisions.

I hate when I have to argue against smart guys like Williams and Hamilton. Instead, I'll rely on my friend Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News senior writer, to make the case. DeCourcy calls the proposed rule change "such a grand, epic mistake. It's based entirely on the coaches' self-interest -- not what is best for the college game, the sport in general or the players who make it all work."

DeCourcy continues:

Because every coach knows well that if he loses a draft-quality player in April, May or June, there is no hope there'll be a player available who's either talented enough or eligible enough to replace him...Searching for an unsigned senior in the spring of his senior year is like picking through a music-store cutout bin. You're not going to find a Beatles record.

The real "problem" here is this process makes a coach's life tougher for a few months. That's absolutely true. He's got to deal with the player, the parents, the teams, the unreasonable dreams. But this method also leads to fewer false-positives than an April deadline would.

In the final analysis, the system for college basketball underclassmen who "test the waters" is not perfect, but it is far better than the system for college football underclassmen who, once they declare for the NFL Draft, cannot return to school to play football again. Players and NBA teams probably can shorten the 2 1/2 month evaluation period, but they definitely need more time than the ACC is currently proposing.

--Marc Isenberg