NCAA gives Mike Williams the proverbial Heisman

[cleaver]

NCAA denies Mike Williams request for reinstatement.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1868537

The NCAA is a bunch of bitches. Man did Williams get screwed by the system.

[The Gifuto]

I cannot believe he didn't get reinstated. Incredible. I agree 100% with the OP that the NCAA is a bunch of bitches.

[evilpenguin9000]

That is a bad call. The NCAA is one of the weirdest institutions out there. They suppost having near-professional athletes but go out of their way to make sure they have to suffer for it.

[rajchakrabarti]

he should just train "unoffically" with an nfl team for a year and get signed as a free agent.

[bballplaya210]

Doesn't suprise me at all. Just makes one more person that the NCAA screwed over.

[WildWop]

His dumb ass should have:

A) passed his classes

and

B) not tried to go pro without item A, or a guarantee that he COULD go pro

[beerguy961]

I think that everybody is kind of at fault here, but Williams followed all the rules that let him go into the draft. The NFL should have made an exception for him and allowed him to be in the draft after the court overturned the decision, but at the very least he should have been allowed to go back to college ball...

[peteloaf]

I don't see why everyone is so upset with the NCAA.

Many people seem to forget that COLLEGE IS FOR EDUCATION not endorsments or stepping stones to the NFL NBA MLB etc.

Sports in college should be treated less as a necessety(sp).

Try being a student at any college when some BS bowl game happens...

[CaseyRyback]

His dumb ass should have:

A) passed his classes

and

B) not tried to go pro without item A, or a guarantee that he COULD go pro

it was not that he did not pass his classes. He left school early and the NCAA does not count summer school as a semester

[WildWop]

Ok, but regardless it was really stupid to leave school when the rule clearly states that you need to be a junior to enter the draft.

[evilpenguin9000]

I don't see why everyone is so upset with the NCAA.

Many people seem to forget that COLLEGE IS FOR EDUCATION not endorsments or stepping stones to the NFL NBA MLB etc.

Sports in college should be treated less as a necessety(sp).

Try being a student at any college when some BS bowl game happens...

Yes college is for education and I agree that athletes should have to pass their classes. But they can't get jobs to support themselves. Williams followed all the rules and a court decision disallowed his chances at the NFL. Now the NCAA is keeping him from playing, even tho he did nothing wrong.

I don't understand why people villify athletes who leave college early to go pro. It's a million dollar decision, literally. You can make more money than most people make in a lifetime just for signing. When a career ending injury is a very real threat, you'd want to get in as quick as possible.

[merkman]

As a Husky fan I'm heartbroken Mike W. won't be on the field to go for 300 yards on us. ;)

That said, it does seem like crap that the NFL doesn't take care of him after they allowed him to work out with teams, and he was expected to be a Top 10 pick. Hell, Mike NOT being in the draft is probably the ONLY reason Reggie W. was #9 overall.

But you know, I've been told players helmets look like footballs, and watched the Cougars get screwed out of a chance to win the Rose Bowl by 2 seconds. So I know better than to expect anything out of the NCAA, NFL, or anyone else in sports.

[greendj27]

Ok, but regardless it was really stupid to leave school when the rule clearly states that you need to be a junior to enter the draft.

He left because a court ruled that the rule was not legal. Therefore he was following the rules by going pro. Unfortunately, a higher court ruled that the rule was valid. That's where the problem came from. The NCAA should have allowed him back becuase it was such a unique situation.

[Steve Dave]

"Man did Williams get screwed by the system. "

He got what he deserved.

[goldengraham]

I don't know how people can justify the NCAA in its decision

The courts said Clarett and underclassmen could play. Williams, realizing his great talent and ability to be a top 10 draft pick and make MONEY like he doesn't in college decides to make the jump.

Then the court appeals says nuh uh, and Players are kept out. Its not like Williams just sat on his butt and expected the NCAA to let him back in. He paid back all his money, he went to summer school, he did all he could, and he was still denied.

This is a huge travesty and I can't believe the NCAA has screwed another student athlete again.

He should've been in the draft in the first place, so my Jags could've taken him istead or Reggie Williams.

[Steve Dave]

"I don't know how people can justify the NCAA in its decision"

Because from day one the NFL told everyone they were going to fight the court decision. The NFL said they were going to do whatever they could to keep them out. It wasn't a secret and mike williams knew this. He could have very easily not signed with an agent and not taken money. You can't sign with an agent, if you do they kick you out.

[daphatty]

Greed is what killed his collegiate athletic career, not the NCAA. Let's not lose sight of that fact. If he would have stayed put, this wouldn't be an issue for him.

[CaseyRyback]

Greed is what killed his collegiate athletic career, not the NCAA. Let's not lose sight of that fact. If he would have stayed put, this wouldn't be an issue for him.

Is it greed for him to want to financially support his kid?

[Steve Dave]

"Greed is what killed his collegiate athletic career, not the NCAA. Let's not lose sight of that fact. If he would have stayed put, this wouldn't be an issue for him. "

I wouldn't call him greedy. It would be hard to turn down that money too.

But I agree that if he would have stayed put none of us would be here talking about it. He took a gamble and he lost.

[Steve Dave]

"Is it greed for him to want to financially support his kid? "

No that isn't being greedy, that is being stupid. What is he having kids for if he can't support them? Plus is he not supporting his kid now since he isn't in the NFL? I don't think he is greedy but I also don't think that was his reasoning for going.

[Derwood43]

Bottom line time...

Williams left college with the full knowledge that he could not come back. NCAA rules state that if an athelete accepts money for his skills, he cannot return to college as an athelete. If he wants to return to USC to complete his degree, then fine. But, he won't be wearing a football jersey during is stay there.

Williams got lied to by his agent. His agent told him that he could go to the NFL. That was wrong information. (see maurice clarett) Williams got caught up by the rules.

I feel sorry for him, but he knew the consequences before he made the decision.

[WildWop]

I don't know how people can justify the NCAA in its decision

The courts said Clarett and underclassmen could play. Williams, realizing his great talent and ability to be a top 10 draft pick and make MONEY like he doesn't in college decides to make the jump.

Then the court appeals says nuh uh, and Players are kept out. Its not like Williams just sat on his butt and expected the NCAA to let him back in. He paid back all his money, he went to summer school, he did all he could, and he was still denied.

This is a huge travesty and I can't believe the NCAA has screwed another student athlete again.


Sounds like I misdirected my ire. Williams should have been allowed back in. I wasn't familiar with the fact that he paid his money back---that was the right thing to do rules-wise. Clarett still sucks, though.

And the fact that the kid from Colorado can't play football while going pro in a COMPLETELY UNRELATED sport is unfair as well.

[Steve Dave]

"And the fact that the kid from Colorado can't play football while going pro in a COMPLETELY UNRELATED sport is unfair as well. "

This statement I can agree with in theory but in a practical sense I just don't see how it can work. Bloom has said that the money he would make would go to pay for his training but I don't see how the NCAA can be sure that is all he is spending it on.

As an example what is to keep tennesee fans from giving a player money to come to their school and saying it is for olympic training? Any of us can train for the olympics so what is the cutoff point?

[CaseyRyback]

"Is it greed for him to want to financially support his kid? "

No that isn't being greedy, that is being stupid. What is he having kids for if he can't support them? Plus is he not supporting his kid now since he isn't in the NFL? I don't think he is greedy but I also don't think that was his reasoning for going.

You can support your kid with a 50 million dollar NFL contract and a lot of endorsements better than you can as a college student

[Cornfedwb]

People.... he took endorsement deals and didn't pass his classes. He is 100% ineligable for NCAA ball. I'd be pissed if the did reinstate him. He made his own bed, now he has to sleep in it.

edit - He's also still going to be drafted next year when he's elegable.. its not a huge deal.

[Steve Dave]

"You can support your kid with a 50 million dollar NFL contract and a lot of endorsements better than you can as a college student "

I agree.

[sying]

Areana league for a year, Mike, while you fight this thing tooth and nail. Fight the system Mike fight it.

[WildWop]

"And the fact that the kid from Colorado can't play football while going pro in a COMPLETELY UNRELATED sport is unfair as well. "

This statement I can agree with in theory but in a practical sense I just don't see how it can work. Bloom has said that the money he would make would go to pay for his training but I don't see how the NCAA can be sure that is all he is spending it on.

As an example what is to keep tennesee fans from giving a player money to come to their school and saying it is for olympic training? Any of us can train for the olympics so what is the cutoff point?

The thing is, though, that he is pro in a different sport. For instance, I see no problem with someone going pro in badminton while playing collegiate table tennis.

[Steve Dave]

"The thing is, though, that he is pro in a different sport. For instance, I see no problem with someone going pro in badminton while playing collegiate table tennis."

So lets say Bloom becames the best player at his position ever. What is keeping colorado fans from giving him millions of dollars to help him pay for his others sports cost when in reality it is to have him stay another year?