NFL University?

[Jameis1of1]

With the recent FBI bust of NCAA coaches in the news, I figured now would be a good time to post this.

I don't understand why the NFL and NBA don't have "universities" of their own as such make a ton of sense.

I think it's idiotic that so-called "student athletes" have to take classes various academic classes while "academic students" aren't forced to play sports, so, why doesn't the NBA and NFL found their own colleges and have ALL their students be the top athletes and ALL the classes be related to business, sports science, sports management, commentating and the like ... so that if these athletes get injured or flame out in the pros they have an actual education they can use?

Makes perfect sense to me, though I can't take credit as it's not an original thought as I read a short Kindle book by Bryant T. Jordan that brought this issue up a year or two ago.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ... should the NBA and NFL found their own universities and educate their "student athletes" in subjects that actually interest them and which could help them get a job if their sports careers don't pan out?

[pwaldo]

Remember when Garnett, Kobe, and the rest of the high school to NBA guys were happening in the late 90s? Yeah well I remember everyone thinking why doesn't a NFL player who is great do that? It is because if one tried the bookies and the rest of the people who make millions off of college football would "make an example" out of the player or somebody from his family. College basketball took a huge hit and now had to make rules forcing players to basically go to college before they could just to the NBA and the people involved with college football are sure is hell not going to allow anyone to jeopardize their gravy train.

If you don't think that (and I don't see how anybody could) remember Penn State covered up a pedo scandal because they didn't want to get punished and lose players, money, etc. So it isn't a stretch to think somebody would pull a Tonya Harding or worse on a player who wants to make a stand.

[Jameis1of1]

Remember when Garnett, Kobe, and the rest of the high school to NBA guys were happening in the late 90s? Yeah well I remember everyone thinking why doesn't a NFL player who is great do that? It is because if one tried the bookies and the rest of the people who make millions off of college football would "make an example" out of the player or somebody from his family. College basketball took a huge hit and now had to make rules forcing players to basically go to college before they could just to the NBA and the people involved with college football are sure is hell not going to allow anyone to jeopardize their gravy train.

If you don't think that (and I don't see how anybody could) remember Penn State covered up a pedo scandal because they didn't want to get punished and lose players, money, etc. So it isn't a stretch to think somebody would pull a Tonya Harding or worse on a player who wants to make a stand.

I don't necessarily disagree with you. However I do believe guys like Jadeveon Clowney, Adrian Peterson, Marcus Lattimore, Leonard Fournette and others could have started in the NFL straight out of high school ... and in Lattimore's case, the fact that he wasn't even allowed to earn a living, ruined his chances at ever playing in the NFL as he suffered a career-ending injury in college.

However ... I'm not demanding that high school football players be permitted to enter the NFL straight out of H.S. (though I do believe one could win a legal challenge as I don't think the NFL has a legal leg to stand on in regards to barring one from working due to their age), at least not in this post, I'm simply saying I don't understand why the NFL doesn't have its own university, NFL University, where top athletes would enroll and where the only classes they would have to take would be classes that relate to their future careers and money management, etc.

[pwaldo]

I'm simply saying I don't understand why the NFL doesn't have its own university, NFL University, where top athletes would enroll and where the only classes they would have to take would be classes that relate to their future careers and money management, etc.

Because the same people who would stop players from jumping to the NFL (as to protect college football) would do the same to anybody who tried to start up NFL universities. It would also upset nearly every university that has college football since I believe that and college basketball are the only sports that basically make the school any money or pay for the other sports. So if you took those away these schools would begin to collapse or have to cut other programs since their gravy train would run out.

(Remember I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you just pointing out that it will NEVER happen)

[Jameis1of1]

Because the same people who would stop players from jumping to the NFL (as to protect college football) would do the same to anybody who tried to start up NFL universities. It would also upset nearly every university that has college football since I believe that and college basketball are the only sports that basically make the school any money or pay for the other sports. So if you took those away these schools would begin to collapse or have to cut other programs since their gravy train would run out.

(Remember I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you just pointing out that it will NEVER happen)

But, the NFL and NBA universities would still have to follow NCAA rules, would still only have as many scholarships to give out as others schools, etc ... basically the NFL university would just be Alabama on steroids and the NCAA University would be Kentucky on steroids.

And ... both universities could be Independents and not in any conference, ala Notre Dame in football ... can you imagine how cool it would be to see them play a 14 game slate like so every year:

NFL U v. Alabama
NFL U v. Michigan
NFL U v. USC
NFL U v. Clemson
NFL U v. Oklahoma
NFL U v. Florida
NFL U v. Ohio State
NFL U v. Oregon
NFL U v. Florida State
NFL U v. Texas
NFL U v. Air Force
NFL U v. Army
NFL U v. Navy
NFL U v. Notre Dame

[pwaldo]

But, the NFL and NBA universities would still have to follow NCAA rules, would still only have as many scholarships to give out as others schools, etc ... basically the NFL university would just be Alabama on steroids and the NCAA University would be Kentucky on steroids.

And ... both universities could be Independents and not in any conference, ala Notre Dame in football ... can you imagine how cool it would be to see them play a 14 game slate like so every year:

NFL U v. Alabama
NFL U v. Michigan
NFL U v. USC
NFL U v. Clemson
NFL U v. Oklahoma
NFL U v. Florida
NFL U v. Ohio State
NFL U v. Oregon
NFL U v. Florida State
NFL U v. Texas
NFL U v. Air Force
NFL U v. Army
NFL U v. Navy
NFL U v. Notre Dame

Unless I am not understanding it properly wouldn't the NBA and NFL universities just be stacked with all the top non NBA/NFL players while the rest would be guys who couldn't make those teams? The NFL/NBA U teams would just destroy everybody ala 1992 Dream Team. No good football recruit is going to go to Notre Dame when they can play on the NFL U team.

[Jameis1of1]

Unless I am not understanding it properly wouldn't the NBA and NFL universities just be stacked with all the top non NBA/NFL players while the rest would be guys who couldn't make those teams? The NFL/NBA U teams would just destroy everybody ala 1992 Dream Team. No good football recruit is going to go to Notre Dame when they can play on the NFL U team.

NCAA universities are "limited" in how many athletic scholarships they provide, so even if all the 5 star high school athletes wanted to play for the NFL U instead of Bama or Clemson or whoever, unless they don't mind footing the bill for their "education" my guess is most would still only enroll at NFL U if they received a scholarship.

The above said ... I think an NFL U would really just be Alabama on steroids ... but I do think Bama could still beat them, at least some of the time.

[pwaldo]

NCAA universities are "limited" in how many athletic scholarships they provide, so even if all the 5 star high school athletes wanted to play for the NFL U instead of Bama or Clemson or whoever, unless they don't mind footing the bill for their "education" my guess is most would still only enroll at NFL U if they received a scholarship.

But wasn't the whole point of this that players got paid? They would have the money to pay for the classes now....

[Jameis1of1]

But wasn't the whole point of this that players got paid? They would have the money to pay for the classes now....

Oh no, that wasn't what I was trying to say ... I do believe players should be paid but if they will NOT be paid I believe the NFL should have their own University so players can take ONLY those classes that will help them succeed in life.

[pwaldo]

Oh no, that wasn't what I was trying to say ... I do believe players should be paid but if they will NOT be paid I believe the NFL should have their own University so players can take ONLY those classes that will help them succeed in life.

Okay got it now. Yeah that makes more sense then.