Northwestern
University and the NCAA must prove that football players are NOT “employees” as
per the latest ruling by the National Labor Relations Board in Chicago.
Regional director Peter S. Ohr ruled that players do get
“a substantial economic benefit for playing football” including scholarships,
room and board, books, fees, stipends, etc. that can reach a sum total of as
much as $76,000 in one year for a single player. This, Ohr says, qualifies the
players as employees who can vote in union elections and Northwestern failed to
prove otherwise.
When I first heard this
story I thought, Oh nooo! What the heck are these players doing!? Then
I thought again. This football mama’s theory is not pretty, but it is largely
the reason this could, and I say could
with great caution, be necessary roughness on behalf of the players.
The movie, The Blind Side hit many folks straight
through the heart. Not necessarily due to the theme—wealthy family picks up
homeless kid, but because of the deplorable living conditions, the child
suffered through. It’s a crisis throughout this country with thousands of
children in heart wrenching circumstances, and that was just one child’s story.
Multiply it by infinity.
Survival skills that
are almost forced on high-risk youth who end up following the same path as generations before them include; either sell drugs, become a
pimp/prostitute, or turn to sports. For some kids the only way out of a life of
jeopardy is sports. Otherwise, more than likely, they will continue on the path
and vanish into oblivion on the streets.
Many do their best to escape this living style,
yet the strongholds are nearly insurmountable. They see a sports future as climbing out.
By signing a letter of intent to play college ball—provided they are blessed
with enough talent to do so, is for some kids, their only hope of securing
mama’s future. Viewing themselves playing on Saturday’s opens the Golden Gate
pathway to the NFL. Sadly, many have no real intentions of graduating with a
college degree.
The peril these kids are
in is not hearsay—it’s personal testimony. I’m married to someone who’s spent a
lifetime advocating on behalf of children in our foster care systems.
I saw it for myself when I moved my own guys
onto college campuses. Many players across the country report to begin their
collegiate career as a football player, without so much as a tooth brush. It is
honestly, one of the saddest occurrences I’ve ever witnessed in my life.
While moving each one of
my guys into two different college dorms, I saw several players move in with
nothing. No mama present—trucking up flights of stairs arms caring a laundry
basket full of clothes, scrubbing commodes, making up beds, securing snacks,
wishing them well with last minute prayers and hugs. No, they arrive alone and empty-handed.
It takes sheets to cover
mattresses, towels and soap, laundry detergent, razor, shaving cream, deodorant,
all items not provided by the University of Red Roof. These kids are seriously
at the mercy of a few folks who may or may not pay attention to these
needs—their new coaches. I saw it time and time again and it still haunts me
even today, that I didn’t do more to help.
I did what we could for
those whose living quarters were close to my guys, either pod roommates,
roommates or those that played on the OL. I always tried to make sure, when I
bought groceries that I purchased a little extra. Things like snacks, juices,
fruit, sundries and anything else that I got for one of my own, I tried to get
enough for the buddies as well. However, we had a limited income, a budget that
soon sunk like a stone. Just traveling to see these games nearly buried us in
debt. Somehow, God always provided.
Even so, I couldn’t bear
the thought of turning away any fella that I knew had it a little rougher than
my own two. After home games, you would find us taking kids out for dinner or
for breakfast the next day, whomever my guys showed up with, we always tried to
include them, too.
It is no wonder that
this has now become an issue with college players, extra money that is. Perhaps
by forming a “union” is the only way for the players to get a little side cash.
It takes guts to stand up to business as usual, much less the NCAA. Then again,
it could open up a whole new can of worms with regulating that cash. If you
grow up not knowing how to save or spend money wisely, than who’s to say this
will solve a dad-burn thing.
Yes, I know the NCAA has
axed any and all monetary fund’s going straight to individual players. And, when
money is involved it can really get messy really easily. Betting sharks buying
outcomes on games, booster giving certain players cash or, even buying cars as
once practiced, any privileged perks for players these days have been gutted
straight-out by the NCAA. Rightly so, in the past it has all been done underhanded
and under no regulation or fairness for all players.
I always wished there was a way to set-up some
sort of program to help these kids, I wanted to do something. I’ve heard it
said—if you see a need, fill it. Don’t wait on someone else to do something YOU
do something! Even trying to live by that premise, I sadly, have fallen way
short putting my heart into action.
Maybe it will be the
glory of the Northwestern Wildcats to put this need into action and set the
stage for other players to follow. Maybe it’s genius. Maybe by sounding the
alarm to boosters, football fans and us parents of college players, either past
or present, who have seen this need and done nothing, we can finally come
together and do something!
