Yarr, them landlubbers in trenches be facin' true troubles wit' NIL, and some o' them in Congress be finally graspin' the notion!
2023-10-19
Arrr! NCAA cap'n Charlie Baker braved hours o' gabbin' with them lawmakers 'bout their fancy terms like "name, image and likeness," and showed a wee bit o' smarts on Tuesday. Belay that, mateys!
In a humorous tone reminiscent of a 17th-century pirate, the article discusses the recent Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Name, Image & Likeness (NIL). The author begins by describing the meeting, noting that some light started coming through the chambers about an hour in. The article then shifts to a humorous exchange between NCAA president Charlie Baker and Walker Jones, the head of "The Grove" collective at Ole Miss. Jones claims that collectives like his are not involved in recruiting, but the author finds this claim laughable. The article goes on to critique collectives, stating that they give money to all football and basketball players, regardless of skill level. The author also highlights Baker's comments, noting that the NCAA president is off to a great start in addressing the NIL mess inherited from previous president Mark Emmert. Baker's proposed bylaw aims to require student-athletes to disclose certain information to their schools and curb inducements from collectives. The article highlights the need for national standardization and proper management of collegiate athletics. It concludes by noting that proper changes could be made if Congress listens to voices like Baker, Tony Petitti, and Jill Bodensteiner. Despite Congress's reputation for slow action, the article remains optimistic that progress can be made.