Clarett shut out of the draft by the Supreme Court

Badgun · Post by **Badgun** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 6:06 pm

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! Off to Canada with you, bi*ch!

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/7274470

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 6:08 pm

Good, that f*ck can go play in Canada, blow out his knee for all I care. He's a disgrace to the Buckeyes...and I hate those bastards too!

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 6:14 pm

Canada? Who the f*ck would want to go there?

skidmark · Post by **skidmark** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 7:30 pm

Canada already had their fill with Lawrence Phillips... Clarett is less talent and more injury prone.

Speaking of Phillips, what is the over/under on days until you see Phillips, Clarett, and Underwood mentioned in the same article?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 7:33 pm

Good for the Supreme Court. Good for the NFL. It's about time that a league was allowed to make and enforce its rules.

This isn't about denying a man his right to work. Clarett can get a job anywhere or return to school. He can wait to play pro football for another year.

The NFL has the right to set the ground rules for whom it wants to hire and when it wants those people to be hired, as long as they're not discriminatory. I don't think the "junior or older" rule is.

Next thing you know, kids will start suing states to get their driver's licenses sooner than the minimum age.

Take care,
PK

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 7:42 pm

pk500 wrote:I don't think the "junior or older" rule is.

It's not even a 'junior or older' rule. You've gotta be out of school for three years. Whatever you do in those three years are up to the individual. They can go straight to the CFL if they are intent on playing right after high school. They'll still make a sh*tload more money in the CFL than they would going to college and letting the school profit off their talents.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 7:49 pm

The NFL rule is in the collective Bargaining Agreement with the Players union.
Thats why the courts upheld it.

Badgun · Post by **Badgun** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 8:23 pm

pk500 wrote:Good for the Supreme Court. Good for the NFL. It's about time that a league was allowed to make and enforce its rules.

This isn't about denying a man his right to work. Clarett can get a job anywhere or return to school. He can wait to play pro football for another year.

The NFL has the right to set the ground rules for whom it wants to hire and when it wants those people to be hired, as long as they're not discriminatory. I don't think the "junior or older" rule is.

Next thing you know, kids will start suing states to get their driver's licenses sooner than the minimum age.

Take care,
PK

Exactly pk. I never was comfortable with a court telling the NFL how to run its business either. As for Clarett's livelihood, he can get a job at his local FYE or flip burgers like most highschool and kids in college do.

At this point, just because this little bi*ch has caused so much trouble, I'd love to see the CFL tell him they aren't interested either. Hehe, the big loser here is that Millstein f*ck, because now that Clarett can't cash in, he can't get paid.

But it is really over? May we yet see the Reverend Jackson intervene?

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 10:09 pm

Calling Johnny Cochran...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 10:11 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:Calling Johnny Cochran...

Really. Give it about two or three days before either the Reverend Jackson or Johnnie Cochran jump in and claim this whole decision was racially motivated.

What a crock of sh*t ...

Take care,
PK

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 10:16 pm

pk500 wrote:
dbdynsty25 wrote:Calling Johnny Cochran...
Really. Give it about two or three days before either the Reverend Jackson or Johnnie Cochran jump in and claim this whole decision was racially motivated.

What a crock of sh*t ...

Take care,
PK

They would have no arguement.
The rule is in the collective bargaining agreement between the players and the owners. Thats why the courts upheld it.

Sure they can put on their dog and pony show but it wouldnt hold water.
Like theyd care..right?

K_Mosley · Post by **K_Mosley** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 12:07 am

LOL, what a bunch of hate for Clarett! Yeah, he's an immature kid, surrounded by people that influence him to make some bad decisions, but geez, he didn't kill your dogs or anything! Like he's the first athlete to be a petulant, immature, egotistical, self-centered, jerk!

I understand Db's hate, because Clarett took the ball away from Taylor and took away the Canes' ring, but he pales in comparison to some other bad sports stories out there (Kobe, Colorado football, Jayson Williams, etc.). The kid didn't win, so I guess he got what he deserved.

Yeah, I'm a Buckeye, but I'm no Clarett supporter. He didn't want to play by the rules, and he got burned. Welcome to the world we all live in, with accountability. But, I don't have any pent up venom against him or anything. The real loser in this deal is Mike Williams, a sure-fire first rounder, who seemingly struggled with his decision to enter the draft, while being in good standing with his school and the NCAA. He is the one really suffering in this deal, IMO...

Kevin

Badgun · Post by **Badgun** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 1:21 am

well Mike Williams has to play by the rules too. If it hadn't been for Clarett's dumb ass, we wouldn't even be mentioning Williams' name.

As for the other guys you mentioned. We don't know whether Kobe did anything wrong or not at this point and I'd say he's got more integrity in his little finger than Clarett will ever dream of having.

As for Jayson Williams...it was an accidental shooting. He just got stupid with it because he panicked.

I think the reason a lot of us have this deep seated hate for Clarett is that since the day he set foot in Columbus he has been all about the money and all about himself. From his tantrums on the sidelines to turning his jersey around backwards, this prick has never done anything with the word "team" in mind. You know I read somewhere that they modeled those Budweiser "Leon" commercials after Clarett and come to think of it, there is a strong resemblance between the actor and Clarett himself.

Clarett just exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports and nothing that is right. I don't think the kid has ever said the right thing or made the right move in his life. He dropped out of school, he refused to work out for the scouts at the combine, and he took the NFL to the Supreme Court. I wouldn't want him working in my office either.

I seriously hope that this punk goes back to dealing crack where he can get the bling bling he so desires. The great thing about this ruling is that it ruins his ass for next year too. I can hardly wait for the mistakes this prick is going to make between now and then.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 1:39 am

Q: What's the difference between Maurice Clarett and Lawrence Phillips?

A: About a decade.

Take care,
PK

Badgun · Post by **Badgun** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 9:15 am

sf_z wrote:
Badgun wrote:I think the reason a lot of us have this deep seated hate for Clarett is that since the day he set foot in Columbus he has been all about the money and all about himself. From his tantrums on the sidelines to turning his jersey around backwards, this prick has never done anything with the word "team" in mind.

Lawrence Phillips is a convenient point of reference but not really an accurate one. Nothing Clarett did or is alleged to have done can compare to Phillips dragging his girlfriend down the stairs by her hair. Clarett may be a punk but he's not a despicable character like Phillips. Clarett probably also isn't as talented on the field as Phillips was.

Name one redeeming quality that this punk has. He's arrogant, he's selfish, and even worse, he apparently has a total disregard for the rules. Had he not shown this blatent disregard, he might still have a college career to go back to. No, this prick has earned and deserves the Lawrence Phillips comparisons. He may not have dragged his girl down the steps by her hair, but make no mistake, he is equally as despicable as Phillips. He is a cancer...a foul disgusting odor that the NFL can do without. I'm just glad I don't have to worry about seeing this worm blaspheme a college uniform ever again.

Oh, he'll get into the NFL next year, but I'd be willing to be he'll be a 5th or 6th round pick by the time that rolls around. The guy has proven he's not going to work out and keep himself in shape if he doesn't have to. Hehe, it wouldn't surprise me if he looked like Leon Spinks this time next year.

Again, bravo for the Supreme Court and the NFL for guaranteeing that this worthless piece of sh*t won't tarnish an NFL uniform for at least another year.

reeche · Post by **reeche** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 9:29 am

Again, bravo for the Supreme Court and the NFL for guaranteeing that this worthless piece of sh*t won't tarnish an NFL uniform for at least another year.

I think you are jumping the gun. The Supreme court hasn't ruled on the merits of the case. All they basically did was say at this time, they will not reverse the decision of the lower court. In part based on the fact that the NFL said they would do a supplemental draft if the decision was reversed after the draft anyway.

As usual with a dissenting voice, I hope it is overturned but that's obviously up to the courts.

K_Mosley · Post by **K_Mosley** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:03 am

Finally, sf_z, a voice of reason... Clarett isn't even in the same ballpark as Phillips...

I can't argue with a lot of what you guys say, but I just don't see where Clarett is that different from 90% of the other athletes out there. If you hate him, you hate them all.

And - I'm a big Kobe fan - but Mr. Integrity openly admitted cheating on his wife (much worse than anything #13 did, IMO), and is infamous for his selfishness and "pouting" instances with the Lakers, Phil Jackson, and Shaq.

Kevin

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 11:52 am

Clarett is an ass, but I think these kids got hosed. And I say that as someone who was hoping all along that the "three years after graduation rule" would get upheld. I didn't want to see the NFL become like the Bulls.

But to yank the rug out days before the draft? That's brutal for Mike Williams in particular. Here's a kid who hears he can enter the draft, where he's going to get guaranteed millions as a top 10 pick. If I was a college student, and someone said, "Brando, we'll give you $5 million dollars guaranteed if you leave school and..." I wouldn't even let them finish, I would sign on the dotted line before I even saw the "gay porn" part of the contract.

Compare that to the prima dona Ole Miss sh*theel complaining about having to play in sunny San Diego, and I feel even worse for Williams. I mean, it's hard to cry a river for kids about to become rich athletes, but he's still just a kid thinking he's about to fulfill a dream many of us probably wished for at some point in our lives.

Again, I think the ruling is good for football, just wish the court had made that decision from the get go.

And there's one thing I learned from watching Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen win 3 championships together: they're not assholes when they're your assholes. Then they're just "fierce competitors."

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 12:27 pm

Yeah I just don't get the hate for Clarett. He made mistakes as a 18, 19 or 20 year old (not sure which because I didn't follow it that closely). But looks like people are ready to brand him as a loser and a lout for life.

How long are you going to hold mistakes make by such a young athlete against him?

The 3-year rule makes no sense except that the NFL wants to maintain the cozy status quo with the NCAA. The NFL says young athletes need time to physically develop for the NFL (that is, weight-train seriously, maybe get juiced up, pun intended). But if you want to take it literally, a player could graduate high school, not make it to college because of grades, sit out 3 years and then apply for the NFL draft? So he may not necessarily be more physically developed than when he left HS?

If these players aren't physically developed enough for the NFL, teams would just not draft them. They're not going to draft or sign players who aren't ready when they could be acquiring college juniors or seniors.

reeche · Post by **reeche** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 12:46 pm

wco81 wrote:Yeah I just don't get the hate for Clarett. He made mistakes as a 18, 19 or 20 year old (not sure which because I didn't follow it that closely). But looks like people are ready to brand him as a loser and a lout for life.

How long are you going to hold mistakes make by such a young athlete against him?

The 3-year rule makes no sense except that the NFL wants to maintain the cozy status quo with the NCAA. The NFL says young athletes need time to physically develop for the NFL (that is, weight-train seriously, maybe get juiced up, pun intended). But if you want to take it literally, a player could graduate high school, not make it to college because of grades, sit out 3 years and then apply for the NFL draft? So he may not necessarily be more physically developed than when he left HS?

If these players aren't physically developed enough for the NFL, teams would just not draft them. They're not going to draft or sign players who aren't ready when they could be acquiring college juniors or seniors.

I love it more that a league based on doping up players on painkillers and getting them suited up every Sunday is suddenly concerned about the physical well being of a certain segment of players. What a concerned bunch, the NFL and the player's union is.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 12:49 pm

"But if you want to take it literally, a player could graduate high school, not make it to college because of grades, sit out 3 years and then apply for the NFL draft? So he may not necessarily be more physically developed than when he left HS"

It's called Junior College. A ton of wonderful college football talents are JUCO players.

The last thing I want to see is the NFL become like the NBA. By the way, I heard on a sports radio show last night that the NBA is paying close attention to how everything shakes out with Maurice Clarett. Could there possibly be a policy change in the near future for the NBA. I certainly hope so.

Badgun · Post by **Badgun** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 12:50 pm

One of the things the NFL is guarding against is that while Clarett and Williams might be physically ready for the the NFL, what about the 7 high school players that signed up, one of which showed up at the combine wearing jeans and a t shirt?

Here are 7 kids that may have already lost their college eligibility before they even get there. I understand completely what's going on here and any court or judge in their right mind will, too. While a ruling against the NFL might make Clarett and Williams millionaires, think about the number of high school kids who would now declare for the draft passing on college. They don't get drafted and now they also miss out on the education and development that college could have provided them with. The odds are definitely against having kids like Mike Williams in the draft every year.

While this rule keeps Williams and Clarett from cashing in, the bigger picture is it might keep hundreds, maybe thousands of high school kids from throwing their life away by forgoing their college eligibility.

reeche · Post by **reeche** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 1:01 pm

Since people tend to throw out blanket accusations and opinions at groups or individuals, I'll throw one of my own out at the NFL. The NFL could give a crap about any kid. Whether he gets his education. Whether he comes in and gets hurt or not. They could care less and are not concerned about that at all. So when they say they are, they are lying in my opinion and are the equal of Jesse Jackson or Maurice Clarett or some of your guy's "villains" in my eyes. It's pure PR. They care about the health and welfare of these guys as much as McDonalds cares about your health and welfare. What they are concerned about is the public perception of how they appear which is entirely two different things. Doesn't make them evil per se. It just doesn't give them some high moral highground they pretend to argue from.

Like I said, the courts will decide the rest of the stuff. If the court upholds the clarett decision, I'll be dissappointed but that's our legal system and we have to abide by it. I personally view the rule as aribtrary and age disriminatory but that's just me and I'm no legal scholar so my opinion don't mean crap. To me, however. If a player at 18 is old enough to vote. Old enough to go to war and die. Then he's old enough to go play football, if a team thinks he can.

grtwhtsk · Post by **grtwhtsk** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 1:36 pm

wco81 wrote:The 3-year rule makes no sense except that the NFL wants to maintain the cozy status quo with the NCAA. The NFL says young athletes need time to physically develop for the NFL (that is, weight-train seriously, maybe get juiced up, pun intended). But if you want to take it literally, a player could graduate high school, not make it to college because of grades, sit out 3 years and then apply for the NFL draft? So he may not necessarily be more physically developed than when he left HS?

If these players aren't physically developed enough for the NFL, teams would just not draft them. They're not going to draft or sign players who aren't ready when they could be acquiring college juniors or seniors.

I am so tired of all this. Why not just have "farm systems" like MLB for the NFL and NBA? Then guys that are "standouts" would be drafted right out of HS (of course the player could still opt to go to college like they have in baseball), while others would just go to college. Seeing College Hoops and now College Football taking such hits really pisses me off.

To answer my own rhetorical question...MONEY! The NCAA and its schools make a ton off these guys.