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Once the NCAA allowed players to capitalize on their name, image and likeness – and transfer from one school to another without penalty – coaches and administrators began referring to college sports as the “Wild, Wild West.”
The term is outdated now. It’s the “Wilder, Wilder West.”
Tennessee has contributed to the wildness, thanks to the NCAA’s misguided attempts to enforce illegal rules. Judge Clifton Corker ruled in favor of UT on Feb. 23, granting a preliminary injunction against those NIL rules.
So, until the case finally goes to trial – assuming the NCAA continues to stumble down a foolish path – anything goes. There are no NIL rules.
Athletes are free to negotiate financial deals without repercussion. But should they be the only ones to profit?
What about Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman? Why shouldn’t she benefit from the NCAA’s obsessive incompetence?
After all, the incident that led to the injunction started with her. I would have loved to have been a Smokey Bobblehead doll in her office when NCAA officials questioned whether UT had strayed outside NIL rules in the recruitment of five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Her response must have been something like “take those allegations and shove them.”
Eventually, Corker shoved aside the NCAA’s case. But he’s just a role player. Plowman is the star in this.
And she should be rewarded for her stardom.
I’ve already thought of the T-shirt: Plowman’s face on front with this message on back: “We kicked the NCAA’s butt.” The last two letters would be Big Orange Power T’s.
The next time Iamaleava is scheduled for an autograph session Plowman should get co-billing. Make it a Nico-Donde doubleheader. And be sure to schedule plenty of traffic cops at the venue. It could get crowded.
This isn’t Plowman’s first big sports show. She…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/tennessee-needs-honor-chancellor-donde-101415770.html
Author : Knox News | The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Publish date : 2024-02-29 10:14:15
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