ECM's post-Happy Hour plan to combat P5 autonomy

[East Coast Mustang]

If you're too lazy to read another one of my drunk ramblings, here's the cliffs notes: If autonomy is going to doom non-P5 programs, let's start unapologetic ally paying players again, but this time with a half-decent rationale, and at least go down swinging.

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First of all, I don't know if the autonomy stuff is really the "end" of football for G5 schools as some on here are predicting, but I don't know have any real inside knowledge besides what's been reported.

I do know that P5 teams have never had any interest in scheduling all P5 opponents out of conference, so that seems like a major bluff by that 46% of coaches or whatever. Art Briles says he only wants to schedule P5 teams and shut out the G5 schools? Sure you do, Art.... http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa/big-12/baylor-bears.php The SEC had to make a rule this year that all schools schedule ONE P5 team OOC every year, so I'm not certain how realistic that threat is,

I think this is all a response to the growing outcry over the plight of D1 athletes not being paid or properly taken care of, and the bad PR it generated for the NCAA and major programs. But the fact is, these guys deserve to be taken care of and have their meals paid for and some extra spending money on the weekends for the work they put in, but it's hard to do while maintaining some semblance of a competitive balance across the CFB landscape and keeping the Title IX whackjob feminists happy. SMU could probably extend stipend benefits to 85 scholarship football players and remain relatively competitive in the college football landscape, but if you have to also extend them to the women's rowing and equestrian teams without a huge TV contract, it becomes a possibly insurmountable challenge.

Rick Hart and Gerald Turner have a better idea than you or me as to how this affects SMU and whether we're able to offer full cost of attendance and/or stipends to players like the P5 conferences are proposing. But I don't see any reason why, if this does create a schism that we cant overcome between us and P5 schools, that we shouldn't do something drastic rather than sitting in the corner sucking our thumb and letting the bullies run all over us. I'd rather go down swinging than go down with our tail between our legs.

What if, SMU and some of the other G5 schools like BYU, Cincy, UCF, Boise, UH, etc said that in response to P5 autonomy, starting next year players could either choose between having their tuition, room, board, etc paid for, OR take the value of those benefits in the form of a check and not attend classes or live at the university? Think of it as being analogous to a home schooled kid playing for the local public high school, except here you're talking $50,000+ in their pocket every year AND not having to attend classes. I think that would appeal to a lot of kids. Sure, it completely flies in the face of amateurism and the student-athlete model that's been in place for decades and what not, but it's not like that hasn't been happening for years. The NCAA is a total joke and is basically washing its hands of big-time college football - who are they to regulate anything at this point with respect to football? AND what if we started giving players bonuses for certain acheivements ($1000 for a bowl appearance, $2500 for a conference championship, $2500 for an all-conference selection)? We could even take a populist approach to this- we're helping the poor inner city kids who need a platform to showcase their talent for pro scouts for three years since the NFL has an age limit, not everyone is cut out for college but that shouldn't preclude them from being able to properly audition for the NFL Draft, blah blah blah...

Yeah, people would say SMU has cheated before and they're cheating again, but it'd be better than silently fading off into irrelevancy.

Did I have too much to drink at Happy Hour?

[Stallion]

Again, because the NCAA still will control the amount of the stipend and NCAA rules on eligibility, and disciplinary enforcement. The P5 don't have autonomy to make rules in this area. I don't where this idea that the P5 has now opened the door to competitive bidding came from-its repeated on this board about 10 times. P5 Autonomy has nothing to do with that. All schools will be limited on the amount of stipend and benefits they can give. We don't know exactly what they will be yet but it won't be an open bidding

[StallionsModelT]

It makes too much sense and as long as RGT is running the show we won't be embracing any pay for play type of activity.

[StallionsModelT]

Putting a limit on stipends won't stop anyone from cheating.

[Stallion]

Nobody ever suggested that it would. There are stipends right now.

[East Coast Mustang]

Again, because the NCAA still will control the amount of the stipend and NCAA rules on eligibility, and disciplinary enforcement. The P5 don't have autonomy to make rules in this area. I don't where this idea that the P5 has now opened the door to competitive bidding came from-its repeated on this board about 10 times. P5 Autonomy has nothing to do with that. All schools will be limited on the amount of stipend and benefits they can give. We don't know exactly what they will be yet but it won't be an open bidding

Got it, but if we gave the NCAA the middle finger and started letting kids choose between attending classes and living on campus or taking the value of those benefits in the form of a check instead, I'd like to see Mark Emmert defend his stance publicly- he's a walking PR nightmare as it stands now. What are they going to do? Not let us play in the Armed Forces Bowl? Not let our basketball team in the tournament when we've obviously earned it....oh wait, that already happened. Fact is, if big-time prospects start coming here for the paycheck, interest in the program will rise and people will want to see us play.

Lots of talented kids from unfortunate circumstances are denied the chance to showcase their talents on the FBS level for NFL scouts because they can't hack it academically. There's enough of a groundswell against colleges and the actual value of a college diploma nowadays as it is- something like this could really move the PR needle in our favor.

I realize it's a far out idea and RGT is likely too much of a stiff to go along with it (although he'll be retiring next year at the conclusion of the Unbridled campaign), but if autonomy is going to ruin our football program anyways, why not throw a hail mary before time expires?

[birddogger]

Your idea works only if an independent league is formed and has the critical mass to create and sustain a playoff and/or bowl system separate and apart from the NCAA. Effectively, you'd be creating a club sport akin to Mexican Soccer. I doubt that college trustees would go so far. Maybe Univ. of Phoenix, Governors', ITT Tech, et al could put such a league together.

I don't see the wisdom of divorcing the other sports like basketball, baseball and hockey from the NCAA, but eventually these sports will suffer if the have-nots can't fund them because of lost football revenues.

IMO, increasing stipends may well kill off mid-tier and smaller football schools because of Title IX. But does anyone other than the alums of these schools really care? After all, even they will watch the P5 on TV with wide eyes and big smiles. Right?

[Stallion]

Autonomy expressly excludes academic eligibility. Therefore, all those players would be ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA if they didn't meet class attendance standards and Advancement Toward Degree/APR requirements. Yes you would have to separate from the NCAA and be govern by separate bylaws-that only reinforces minor league status unless you are talking an entirely different investment in athletics-which we can't afford

[birddogger]

Autonomy expressly excludes academic eligibility. Therefore, all those players would be ruled academically ineligible if they didn't meet class attendance standards and Advancement Toward Degree/APR requirements

Exactly! Which is why you'd have to break from the NCAA completely to do what ECM suggests. Must... have...millions...and...millions... Calling Mark Cuban....

[Stallion]

Right I added that after your comment. you could for example bank on SMU's Dallas roots by bringing back a Mustang Mania type of athletic investment-much of which now violates NCAA rules dealing with ticket sales

[birddogger]

Right I added that after your comment. you could for example bank on SMU's Dallas roots by bringing back a Mustang Mania type of athletic investment-much of which now violates NCAA rules dealing with ticket sales

Corporate logos everywhere, alcohol sales (check), Car giveaways. Must be present to win.

[East Coast Mustang]

Let us be Mark Cuban's anti-NCAA guinea pig. I'm all for it.

[smupony94]

Let us be Mark Cuban's anti-NCAA guinea pig. I'm all for it.

he has suggested paying SMU to pay players in the past

[Stallion]

OK we settled that
Now whose on our schedule?
Which conference are we in?
Who pays the TV rights?
Which bowl game are we going to?

[jpe747]

As for the players having to go to classes, that hasn't always been the case either. It is my understanding that there has been some blatant disregard for class studies at some very big football schools.