Will the Maurice Clarett case have an impact on the NHL?

[Buffaloed]

I hope it doesn't happen this way, but there is a pretty good probability that Maurice Clarett will wind up on the outside with no money, while all these lawyers and agents who WILL get paid will walk away without a care in the world and a fat wallet once it's all over.

My expectation is that the NFL will be granted a stay that specifically excludes Clarett while the case is heard on appeal. I don't think others will be permitted to enter the draft until the case is settled. A judge should recognize that the significance of the case isn't what happens with one individual, Clarett, it's the precedent it will set for others. The major problem with the NFL's case is that the judge ruled their draft rule wasn't collectively bargained.

 

[David A. Rainer]

My expectation is that the NFL will be granted a stay that specifically excludes Clarett while the case is heard on appeal. I don't think others will be permitted to enter the draft until the case is settled. A judge should recognize that the significance of the case isn't what happens with one individual, Clarett, it's the precedent it will set for others. The major problem with the NFL's case is that the judge ruled their draft rule wasn't collectively bargained.

My thoughts exactly. If the restriction was a result of collective bargaining, this case would have taken a much different route.

 

[4thLineGoon]

it is not against the law for Microsoft to not hire based on a lack of college degree.

Could the NFL, or any major sport for that matter, require a college degree? Or require you to earn a varsity letter three years at a university, or three years equivalent professional experience? (Sorry if this has already been discussed, I kind of skimmed this thread)

 

[Malefic74]

ESPN.com just had a pretty good story on it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1728315

This was kind of my point earlier, though I didn't make as clear. It's the agents who really drive this entire rickety cart along and while the NFL and NFLPA have the CBA to govern their actions, agents really don't have any restrictions apart from a sense of ethics and principles.

 

[Buffaloed]

I reopened and bumped this one back up since it's topical again due to the report the NHL will raise it's draft age to 19.

 

[AdmiralPred]

... I hope he fails in the NFL so he can understand why players are essentially forced to go to college.

The NCAA needs to make money too!

 

[nyr7andcounting]

No way. Clarett's best argument was that he could make an NFL team and make more money than anywhere else in the world.

Hockey is much different. 18 year olds who are drafted don't even play in the NHL at that age anyway...so why fight to get drafted if your going to play in juniors for another year or two anyway?

On top of that, half of the 18 year olds are from europe...where anyone good enough to make the NHL as an 18 year old can probably make MORE money by not getting drafted anyway. That eliminates Clarett's argument that he should be able to make as much as he can...because most NHL prospects aren't going to make as much as they can by playing in the NHL at 18 anyway.

Let's say it's last year. What would Ovechkin have to gain by taking the NHL to court? Even if he wanted to come to the NHL, he could probably make more money in Russia anyway.

 

[txomisc]

Players are drafted into the NHL at too young an age right now! I fully expect to hear someone on the prospect board at some point rave about some 6 year old. "He's another Crosby, more developed than Gretzky was at that age!"

Great country we live in, where a punk can screw up, dump on his team and school, and then sue to be handed a seven-figure job! :p

Wow. Make it 3 times ive recently agreed with you. Clearly you are on fire with good posts. Clarett is a poor citizen and an equally poor teammate.

 

[txomisc]

The NFL claims that football is a different sport. Also, they would claim that it is only recently that 18 year olds have been making the jump past college basketball. And in that short time, the quality level of college basketball has markedly decreased.

Not only that but NBA teams are drafting players with pathetic fundamentals and horrible senses of team play. These college freshmen being drafted and younger are typically tremendous athletes who can jump and dunk with teh best of them but cant hit a shot with a man on them, cant play defense to save their life, and passing? pffft who needs to pass

 

[kdb209]

I reopened and bumped this one back up since it's topical again due to the report the NHL will raise it's draft age to 19.

The NBA just bumped theirs to 19 also, but it is very unlikley that there will be any challenges.

Remember Clarrett lost. Actually he won in distruct court but was overturned on appeal by the 2nd circuit.

You can read the 2nd courts ruling:

http://www.voluntarytrade.org/downloads/clarettvnfl2dcirfinal.pdf

Basically the court ruled that while the draft eligibility rules were not part of the CBA, they were part of the league rules and bylaws agreed to and accepted by the NFLPA, and recognized by the CBA, and thus covered by the same non statutory labor exemption from anti trust challenge as any CBA term.

If the NHLs and NBAs new restrictions are directly included in the CBA, it's a slam dunk that they will be immune to challenge on anti trust grounds.