Basket Weaving and the NFL Combine

[pbmax]

Now the NFL is saying it will consider barring academically ineligible players from the Scouting Combine.

Not only will this NOT keep players of questionable character out of the NFL but it cedes partial control of your scouting, talent acquisition and programming to individual colleges and conferences. It will also tilt the balance of power in college to schools that DON'T get players on the academic ineligible list.

Please help me come up with a way that this actually helps.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/06/nfl-considers-banning-academically-ineligible-players-from-scouting-combine/

[Guiness]

Now the NFL is saying it will consider barring academically ineligible players from the Scouting Combine.

Not only will this NOT keep players of questionable character out of the NFL but it cedes partial control of your scouting, talent acquisition and programming to individual colleges and conferences. It will also tilt the balance of power in college to schools that DON'T get players on the academic ineligible list.

Please help me come up with a way that this actually helps.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...uting-combine/

Search me. Florio seems pretty confused by the reasoning as well.

[bobblehead]

Obviously this helps with PR. Goodell looks like he cares if a murderer plays in the NFL, trumpets blare, liberals rejoice at the "pro action" NFL and all is good in the world.

[pbmax]

Obviously this helps with PR. Goodell looks like he cares if a murderer plays in the NFL, trumpets blare, liberals rejoice at the "pro action" NFL and all is good in the world.

Nah. This is completely reactionary. If he offered help to the academically ineligible as a way to rehabilitate and then potentially gain admittance to the Combine, then I take your point. But this is a combo of reactionary and ineffectual.

Its a weird leak, especially on the weekend when it would not have maximum impact. Theoretically, it would have been a detriment to Hernandez (I am assuming here, I was not aware he was academically ineligible). But given the method's used to justify drafting him in the first place, namely a relationship with Urban Meyer, it won't prevent future occurrences.

At some point, colleges have to realize that being a minor league for the NFL and NBA is not a good business to be in. Its entirely propped up by the fund-raising opportunities it presents, but the costs are not worth it.

[Pugger]

And scouts have to look seriously at the behavior of some of these guys. There was more than your basic red flags surrounding Hernandez. Some guys are just immature. A handful truly are monsters that don't belong on an NFL roster.

[swede]

Now the NFL is saying it will consider barring academically ineligible players from the Scouting Combine.

Not only will this NOT keep players of questionable character out of the NFL but it cedes partial control of your scouting, talent acquisition and programming to individual colleges and conferences. It will also tilt the balance of power in college to schools that DON'T get players on the academic ineligible list.

Please help me come up with a way that this actually helps.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...uting-combine/

By this do you mean that schools that care enough about their programs and the young men that play in them will enforce academic ineligibility rules? Thus, schools that rig academic programs to ensure that star players never need fear academic probation get an instant recruiting advantage?. Your point then is that Goodell's policy would actually undercut the schools who want to do right by their players, since stars risk their invitation to the combine in programs that uphold rigorous academics?

Way to think three moves ahead to find the law of unintended consequences apply itself yet again.

But you also seem to think that Goodell isn't much concerned with trying to do a good thing anyway , hmm?

[mraynrand]

Fraud wrapped in a cozy blanket of legitimacy, promoted by the esteemed societal purveyors of legitimacy, is always the most successful fraud.

Bank on it!

[pbmax]

By this do you mean that schools that care enough about their programs and the young men that play in them will enforce academic ineligibility rules? Thus, schools that rig academic programs to ensure that star players never need fear academic probation get an instant recruiting advantage?. Your point then is that Goodell's policy would actually undercut the schools who want to do right by their players, since stars risk their invitation to the combine in programs that uphold rigorous academics?

Way to think three moves ahead to find the law of unintended consequences apply itself yet again.

But you also seem to think that Goodell isn't much concerned with trying to do a good thing anyway , hmm?

Very little that he does, outside of the CBA, seems calculated for anything other than max PR exposure.

If they had conducted reviews, research or delved into this topic, no one is aware of it.

[pbmax]

Twitter speculation that the Combine invite disqualification is less about future Hernandezes and more about a sop to the NCAA.

Same problem, it will reward the less academically rigorous schools.

[Smeefers]

This is stupid. Guilt by association. There is a shit ton of guys in the NFL with questionable pasts. One dude goes out and kills someone and suddenly we don't want these types of players in the league? Are you kidding me? I could give two shits about what someone has done in the distant past, it's about what they're going to do and what they've done recently. If Hernandez was clean coming into the league, there's absolutely no reason he shouldn't have been let in. You don't stop someone from entering the league because hey, some day, maybe, they might fuck up.

Also, not allowing dumb kids into the combine is profiling and that's wrong.

[RashanGary]

This is stupid. Guilt by association. There is a shit ton of guys in the NFL with questionable pasts. One dude goes out and kills someone and suddenly we don't want these types of players in the league? Are you kidding me? I could give two shits about what someone has done in the distant past, it's about what they're going to do and what they've done recently. If Hernandez was clean coming into the league, there's absolutely no reason he shouldn't have been let in. You don't stop someone from entering the league because hey, some day, maybe, they might fuck up.

Also, not allowing dumb kids into the combine is profiling and that's wrong.

Well said!!

And what is dumb, anyway? To me dumb is living a miserable life. Smart is living a great life. Everything outside of that is ego and people can fuck off.