Arr, St. John's Rick Pitino be clappin' his jaw at the NCAA's enforcement arm, ye scurvy sea dogs! College basketball be in dire straits, mateys!
2024-02-04
Avast ye scallywags! Methinks St. John's skipper, Rick Pitino, be shoutin' from the crow's nest, proclaimin' the NCAA's enforcement arm be scuttled! In this age of fame, visage, and moniker, he be demandin' a change!
St. John’s men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino believes that the NCAA should back off from policing its member schools amidst challenges from two attorneys general over a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) dispute. Pitino expressed his opinion after his team's loss to No. 1 UConn. The NCAA is currently facing antitrust lawsuits from the attorneys general of Tennessee and Virginia, who are challenging the NCAA's ban on NIL compensation in recruiting. These challenges arose as a response to the NCAA's investigation into the University of Tennessee.Pitino argues that the NCAA should stop the hypocrisy around NIL and accept that it is here to stay. He suggests that college athletes should be treated as professionals and receive appropriate compensation. Pitino believes that trying to find loopholes in the system will only result in lawsuits against the NCAA. He acknowledges the current difficult situation in college basketball, where free agency is becoming prevalent, and believes that the NCAA enforcement staff should be disbanded because they hold no value anymore.
The attorneys general's request for a preliminary injunction against the NCAA's rules on recruiting inducements and pay for play will be heard on February 13. Pitino predicts that more schools will take the NCAA to court if they don't like the rules. Overall, he believes that the NCAA needs to adapt to the changing landscape of college basketball or face constant legal challenges.