Cal's suggestions for the NCAA

[Jumper_Dad]

Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari likens NCAA to dying Soviet Union in his new book - ESPN

 

Coach Cal has some pretty good ideas for some needed changes in College Sports

 

• Players should receive stipends of $3,000 to $5,000;
  
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• The NCAA should cover eligible players' insurance premiums;
  
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• Players should have access to lawyers and be compensated to buy formal attire when representing the school, and that families should be able to buy championship rings.
  
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• Athletes should be able to accept loans up to $50,000 against future earnings;
  
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• If a coach leaves an institution, players should be able to transfer from that program without having to sit out a season;
  
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• Athletes should be allowed one round-trip flight home every year.
  

[Sandman]

I'm glad you brought this up. If I'm a huge UK fan two things immediately come to mind for me:

 

1. Is this further evidence Cal is leaving the college ranks? If he knows he's leaving anyway, why not write a book and slam the NCAA on his way out the door. He knows his book will raise a lot of questions and bring up a lot of debate the NCAA doesn't want to deal with. Why not thumb your nose at them as you leave?

 

2. If Cal isn't leaving, why in the world would he write a book criticizing the organization he has to answer to? Don't get me wrong, I think he makes great points, but history has proven that college coaches who are openly critical of the NCAA suddenly come under closer scrutiny. Does this make me (as a fan) nervous that the NCAA will now begin looking at the program with a fine tooth comb?

 

FWIW, I'm sure the book is a great read and makes great points. The NCAA is a dinosaur that I frankly can't believe has survived in it's current form this long. The conference power plays we've seen in recent years is just the tip of the iceburg on what's going to end up being a mass exodus of the NCAA by the superpowers of intercollegiate athletics. It's just a matter of getting all the ducks in a row. It might take 10 years, it might take five. But the power conferences of the world are done with the NCAA.

[Jumper_Dad]

1. The book has been in the works for quite a while, so if he wrote it because he was leaving and this was a parting shot then he would have had to have decided that a year ago.

 

2. Cal no any coach "Answers" to the NCAA unless they break a rule. It would be different if he was writing a book criticizing UK, whom he does answer to. As far as the NCAA looking closer, I don't think at this point there is anything to be gained for Cal to cheat and way to much to lose if he did so. Does that mean a player couldn't do something stupid, no it doesn't. But I really don't think UK/Cal is worried about the NCAA looking at anything they are doing.

[Sandman]

On #1. I get that. Saying he may have decided a while ago, may have edited his book earlier in the season. Any number of things.

 

on #2. Cal and every coach answers to the NCAA. If they come calling, you better be ready to answer. They make the rules you have to play by, they are the ultimate "answer to" guy.

 

So why would you want them snooping around your program if it could be avoided, is my point. I'm not saying UK is dirty, but have you ever seen the NCAA by-laws?

 

It would be like you writing a book and slamming the IRS. I'm sure your taxes are fine, but would you really want to peeve them off?

[MJAlltheWay24]

I pre-ordered the book through Amazon and look forward to reading it.

[George Amberson]

Let me know how this book is for anyone who reads it.... I'm thinking about purchasing a copy of my own.

[UKMustangFan]

Cal's been bashing the NCAA for ever. This is nothing new, and has nothing to do with him staying at Kentucky or potentially going to the league.

 

Also, no coach answers to the NCAA. They work for the university. As long as they aren't breaking any rules, coaches can say and do whatever they want regarding the NCAA and they can't do a thing about it.

[dawgs83]

Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari likens NCAA to dying Soviet Union in his new book - ESPN

 

Coach Cal has some pretty good ideas for some needed changes in College Sports

 

• Players should receive stipends of $3,000 to $5,000;
  
• 
  
• The NCAA should cover eligible players' insurance premiums;
  
• 
  
• Players should have access to lawyers and be compensated to buy formal attire when representing the school, and that families should be able to buy championship rings.
  
• 
  
• Athletes should be able to accept loans up to $50,000 against future earnings;
  
• 
  
• If a coach leaves an institution, players should be able to transfer from that program without having to sit out a season;
  
• 
  
• Athletes should be allowed one round-trip flight home every year.
  

 

This sounds great for Cals one and done players. The NCAA will now buy their suits to wear on draft night. Only thing I agree with is If a coach leaves the player ought to be able to transfer without penalty. I would agree to a plane ride home in a family emergency/tragedy. I find it hard to believe that players on college scholarships at any level are starving and doing without. I dont see any committment from the athlete. How about if you dont graduate you have to pay a percentage of your tuition back like a loan that normal students have to take out. Give the athlete an extra year or two if they have not graduated to finish. All im seeing is we need to pay athletes and take the student part off.

[UKMustangFan]

^Do schools make students who get academic scholarships pay back money when they don't graduate?

 

Basically all he's saying is if you want these kids to stay in school longer, and the NCAA and schools do, you have to provide them with some sort of incentive to do so. Right now, there's none.

[dawgs83]

^Do schools make students who get academic scholarships pay back money when they don't graduate?

 

Basically all he's saying is if you want these kids to stay in school longer, and the NCAA and schools do, you have to provide them with some sort of incentive to do so. Right now, there's none.

So we have to provide them an incentive to get an education and degree now. Those students who dont graduate probably lose their scholarship due to poor academic standings. I would have no problem with those students having to pay a percentage of it back if they dont graduate. Isnt that an incentive to stay in school. I would say that a very high percentage of those kids who stay on academic scholarship will graduate. Also everybody talks about the NCAA as the problem because they are making all the money. Dont they give all this money back to the conferences? Did Cal suggest a pay scale for coaches or a pay cut to help pay for this. Cal and other coaches have no problem making millions in salary. This is money that is generated from the student athlete to isnt it?

[UKMustangFan]

So we have to provide them an incentive to get an education and degree now. Those students who dont graduate probably lose their scholarship due to poor academic standings. I would have no problem with those students having to pay a percentage of it back if they dont graduate. Isnt that an incentive to stay in school. I would say that a very high percentage of those kids who stay on academic scholarship will graduate. Also everybody talks about the NCAA as the problem because they are making all the money. Dont they give all this money back to the conferences? Did Cal suggest a pay scale for coaches or a pay cut to help pay for this. Cal and other coaches have no problem making millions in salary. This is money that is generated from the student athlete to isnt it?

 

Yes, they should provide them with an incentive. These guys can leave school after a year and make hundreds of thousands (or millions) of dollars playing basketball. What incentive do they have to stay in school?

 

The NCAA makes a boatload of money. They only give a % to the conferences. The schools can't be held accountable for the money they bring in, when the NCAA won't allow them to pass it on to the student-athletes who bring it all in.

[dawgs83]

So what does the NCAA do with all this money? I see no reason to pay student athletes. I would agree to some if the NCAA distributed money even to all schools. Conferences like SEC and ACC would be up in arms. If they dont want to stay they leave. A risk they take. So by putting in Cals suggestions this will give Anthoney Davis and Julius Randle the incentive to stay in school?To me the baseball is rule is the best. Go straight out of high school or you have to stay 3 years. Would give the pros enough time to evaluate a kid and then if he has 3 years of school and close to graduating that would be an incentive to stay in school. All Cals suggestion offer is it makes it better for him to recurit one and dones. He is a pretty shrewed dude. Would benefit his system even more.

[UKMustangFan]

So what does the NCAA do with all this money? I see no reason to pay student athletes. I would agree to some if the NCAA distributed money even to all schools. Conferences like SEC and ACC would be up in arms. If they dont want to stay they leave. A risk they take. So by putting in Cals suggestions this will give Anthoney Davis and Julius Randle the incentive to stay in school?To me the baseball is rule is the best. Go straight out of high school or you have to stay 3 years. Would give the pros enough time to evaluate a kid and then if he has 3 years of school and close to graduating that would be an incentive to stay in school. All Cals suggestion offer is it makes it better for him to recurit one and dones. He is a pretty shrewed dude. Would benefit his system even more.

 

Umm, Cal has always said it should be you can go immediately, or you have to stay 2 years. How is that any different than what you're saying?

 

What does the NCAA do with the money? Make themselves rich.

[BigVMan23]

The insurance thing I totally agree with, and actually find if hard to believe it's not that way now. If I had a son playing football at XYZ University and he blew out his knee in a game, I would fully expect the school would/should take care of that cost. After all, he's there sacrificing for them, it's the least they can do.

 

Access to lawyers? Are kids really getting in that much trouble or find themselves in situations that often where this is a concern? I'm 48 years old and have yet to ever find the need for a lawyer. I would take a guess that outside of a divorce/death/will situation, a large percentage of people have not been in need of a lawyer. Sorry, I don't find it enough of a concern for it to be a point of contention.

 

$3-5,000 per athlete? Ok, do the alternates on the girls golf team get the same as the all-American power forward? Do the Cornell (last out of 351 Div IA schools) basketball team members get the same as the UK basketball team members? How about NCAA Div III kids? Do they all get the same payout as well, or not? And if not, is then their time and effort worth less than a Div I players? It's just not a simple answer of "pay the kids $5,000".

 

Agree with if coach leaves player should be able to transfer without penalty. Schools might also be less inclined to fire a coach simply based on their perception of win/loss underperformance if they could possibly lose some or maybe even several of their student/athletes.

 

Free trip home I have no problem with. Plane ticket though? I think a bus ride in some cases is more than suitable.

[dawgs83]

Umm, Cal has always said it should be you can go immediately, or you have to stay 2 years. How is that any different than what you're saying?

 

What does the NCAA do with the money? Make themselves rich.

 

You keep saying NCAA is getting rich. Who? Is it indviduals, conferences, presidents, coaches. Doesnt the money made go back to conferences? If so and they had no limitation from the NCAA big schools would be out of control. There is a reason for the NCAA.