Would this be an NCAA violation?

[Hal]

I simply don't know, so I'm looking for opinions:

It seems Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski made his professional boxing debut recently at Madison Square Garden. I don't have a problem with the fight itself -- I keep reading that despite the Jeremy Bloom scenario in Colorado, the NCAA allows an athlete to be professional in one sport and an amateur in another. Fine -- the fight's OK (although if Zbikowski played at any other school, his professional debut is NOT happening at Madison Square Garden. They sold his status as a Notre Dame player, not just a college player.)

I hate Notre Dame, so I'm generally offended anything they do. The national TV contract, the press conference in the College Football Hall of Fame to announce a recruit's commitment (are you kidding?) The place makes UT fans look humble.

However, in reading about this fight, Zbikowski "entered the ring through a gauntlet of his teammates in their Notre Dame jerseys" -- wouldn't that be a violation? We can all rest comfortably in the knowledge that the players all paid their own way to New York for the fight legitimately to cheer on their buddy as he knocked out some stiff.

But WEARING THEIR JERSEYS? Aren't those owned by the school? Wouldn't the NCAA have some issue that NCAA-approved jerseys -- especially their best sellers -- are being worn in an orchestrated move at an even that only took place in the first place because of the school involved? There's no question the NCAA loves to see its replica jerseys everywhere, and I'm assuming the organization's "Notre Dame is more important than any other school" stance means that they like to see ND jerseys everywhere. But on current players? Promoting (either intentionally or unintentionally) a non-NCAA event?

What do the rest of the PonyFans think? Am I nuts about this just because I hate Notre Dame? Or is there a violation here?

[mr. pony]

No, you're not nuts. Hate can be good. I think my hatred of UT is righteous and healthy.

Sounds like a violation to me. But, famous programs get away with this type of crap on a regular basis. (Who DID pay for Vince Young's limo rides, anyway? And whatever happened with that kid from Midland saying A&M kept recruits' pockets full of money? But I digress.)

Try to imagine DeMyron Martin boxing with the the whole team showing up in jerseys. Or maybe driving a race car (God forbid) with Peruna and SMU's upcoming schedule on it.

It would be an outrage. 'SMU is at it again. These guys just can't stay clean.....'

[jtstang]

Wearing your jerseys to a children's hospital would be "promoting (either intentionally or unintentionally) a non-NCAA event." Do you think that's a violation too?

[that's great raplh]

i hate the irish too

but we beat them in that last bowl game we played together

[Higher Authority]

I wondered about that, JT. The difference I see is that this guy is allowed, by rule, to be a pro in one sport and an amateur in another, meaning he got paid. I would say, like the original post said, that he benefited greatly by being billed as a Notre Dame player, and would guess that some people out there bought tickets -- and therefore contributed to him -- solely because he was a ND player. (Chances are if an SMU player was making his pro debut and I was in the area, I'd go .... and I hate boxing.) It's not outside the realm of possibility that folks bought tickets to the fight hoping to meet other ND players and get their autographs .... just to sell them. If that's the case, then yes, I think it's a problem.

The hospital scene you describe, JT, is a valid one, except that's nothing more than a photo op. Nobody is making any money.

[jtstang]

I wondered about that, JT. The difference I see is that this guy is allowed, by rule, to be a pro in one sport and an amateur in another, meaning he got paid. I would say, like the original post said, that he benefited greatly by being billed as a Notre Dame player, and would guess that some people out there bought tickets -- and therefore contributed to him -- solely because he was a ND player. (Chances are if an SMU player was making his pro debut and I was in the area, I'd go .... and I hate boxing.) It's not outside the realm of possibility that folks bought tickets to the fight hoping to meet other ND players and get their autographs .... just to sell them. If that's the case, then yes, I think it's a problem.

The hospital scene you describe, JT, is a valid one, except that's nothing more than a photo op. Nobody is making any money.

Maybe I misunderstood the question. I thought he was asking if the non-boxing players were committing violations by wearing their jerseys. I was not commmenting on the boxer, but it did no sound like he walked into the ring in a jersey.

[EastStang]

I personally think CUSA ought to add stockcar racing as a sport. There are tracks in Tennesse, Alabama, NC, Florida and Texas. Sounds like a natural to me. Each school has a racing team made up of engineering students. Drivers are recruited. I'd bet that NASCAR would be supportive of it for Friday nights in the spring. First race the week after Daytona. Second race, Talledega. Third Race - TMS. Fourth Race Charlotte. Fifth Race - Bristol. Wanna bet we'd have no trouble getting sponsors?

[jtstang]

I personally think CUSA ought to add stockcar racing as a sport. There are tracks in Tennesse, Alabama, NC, Florida and Texas. Sounds like a natural to me. Each school has a racing team made up of engineering students. Drivers are recruited. I'd bet that NASCAR would be supportive of it for Friday nights in the spring. First race the week after Daytona. Second race, Talledega. Third Race - TMS. Fourth Race Charlotte. Fifth Race - Bristol. Wanna bet we'd have no trouble getting sponsors?

SMU engineers have been building and participating in mini-Baja cars for years. Not an NCAA-sanctioned event, but every bit as legitimate as equestrian.

[Hilltopper]

SMU engineers have been building and participating in mini-Baja cars for years. Not an NCAA-sanctioned event, but every bit as legitimate as equestrian.

The difference being that the energy spent in equestrian is at least generated by muscle, not petroleum products. It's equine muscle, rather than human, but at least it involves muscle-generated power.

[jtstang]

SMU engineers have been building and participating in mini-Baja cars for years. Not an NCAA-sanctioned event, but every bit as legitimate as equestrian.

The difference being that the energy spent in equestrian is at least generated by muscle, not petroleum products. It's equine muscle, rather than human, but at least it involves muscle-generated power.

Okay, but who's the athlete? Does the horse have to make grades to be eligible? Neither does the car.

[tex23bm]

I didn't realize the mustangs were such rivals with ND.
wait, we aren't.

but anywho, This is not a violation for several reasons. First off, Tommy got payed only for the fight and not through a sponsorship or endorsement. Bloom was flagged for having endorsement deals. Next, the tickets to the fight were in fact payed for in the proper manner. The school and coach Did everything in they're power to communicate with the NCAA and make sure that they did not violate any rules by Tommy's participation or his teamates attendance. Finally, Those players have more right to wear their jersey wherever the hell they want than I have to wear their jersey. they earned that right. Do you honestly have a problem with a kid wearing his football jersey in public? He's not gaining anything from that. You might interpret that as an advertisement, but the players didn't profit in any way from wearing those jerseys. You seem to miss the point that the NCAA has no problem using student athletes to forward their cause. It's when a student athlete uses the NCAA to forward their own cause (IE: Bush's parents 'renting' a house for free).

Also, it should be noted, that Tommy is a good boxer. this was his first pro fight. while he was fighting in MSG, he was not the main event. he was a 4 round undercard to the main event who happened to bring in a good deal of publicity. oh yeah, and he beat the crap out of the other guy.

The reason why you see these kids from other schools doing so well is because the other schools are getting such outstanding athletes. If we had the top caliber athletes that they have we might have an argument. And while yes, Demyron is an outstanding athlete, he's not a team. he's not even half the team. he's a starting point.

Now, just to [deleted] you ND haters off even more:
Jeff Samardzija just signed with the cubs for 7.5 million dollars. Eat it.

[Danny Noonan]

Some of you are such babies. Was it an NCAA violation when Richard Bartel played pro baseball while QBing for us?