Leave it to the Iamaleavas to change the face of NIL and college football once again.
We all know about Nico Iamaleava. He was part of a lawsuit that basically made NIL unmanageable and impossible to legislate. Congrats!
Now it’s Madden Iamaleava’s turn. If you haven’t heard, Madden appears to be getting sued by Arkansas because they feel rather jilted, which they should. Will Madden have to pay some of his NIL money back? If he does, that would create a precedent that could make college football much, much better.
There was a time in which I thought coaches and administrators had too much power. In just a few short years, that power has shifted too far toward the players and it’s not good for college football. Fans like to know the athletes they’re rooting for. Those players might not be as loyal as many fans think, but some cash should take care of that. They’ll think twice before shelling out an exit fee when another school comes calling.
College coaches should also learn a lesson from the Iamaleava situation. Paying prospects, instead of players, is a losing proposition. Players should be paid for staying, not just showing up on campus as an unproven commodity.
Here’s what I’ve learned. NIL is a complete joke. The very nature of showing up for public events just to earn money on one’s name, image and likeness is pure insanity. Players don’t want to attend those functions. Trust me. I’ve covered plenty of events in which a players’ desire to be in attendance is questionable at best.
It’s time to just change NIL to PFP, pay for play. That’s what this is all about. Players shouldn’t have to go to class. Does the janitor at a school have to go to class? Absolutely not.
I’m not asserting that the players shouldn’t go to class. Most, except for the most elite, need a college education to set them up for the future. If not, they haven’t learned any lesson at all.
Those same players should know the feeling of getting a foot in the door for a job just because they played football for a booster’s favorite university. Players at schools like Tennessee are celebrated for decades after their careers.
That’s not going to happen for the Iamaleavas at Arkansas or Tennessee. Moreover, I doubt seriously it will happen at UCLA.
