Princeton 157 lber Quincy Monday (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com)On Tuesday night of January 25, 2022, a public debate was held between sports attorney Darren Heitner and sports business/betting reporter Darren Rovell. The debate was hosted by sports attorneys Dan Lust and Dan Wallach, who together put out a weekly podcast called "Conduct Detrimental," where they discuss the legal aspect of current sports news events.
The debate focused on the newly enacted Name Image & Likeness rules, or lack thereof, between boosters, corporations, and the student-athletes. It was a very entertaining and spirited debate back and forth, but mainly dealing with (as usual) basketball and football players rather than any other sports. The spirit of the discussion was to encompass all collegiate sports and NIL, but for the most part, it's the basketball and football players that we are seeing on average the higher contract deals and notoriety, and who ended up being the majority of examples cited.
Boiling it down to layman's terms, Heitner argued that per the rules established by the NCAAs and the power "given" to the States, a legal company or entity, whether it be a 100-year-old business or a week old LLC, has the opportunity to pay student-athletes so long as there is quid pro quo for the opportunity of (and expectation of) return on investment.
What Rovell argued was that companies are being established for the sole purpose of getting an upper hand in recruiting and within the now very active Transfer Portal, thus bastardizing the intent of NIL. Where in the past, programs and booster clubs may have done (definitely did) something like NIL behind the scenes (illegally), the result in Alston v NCAA with the lack of oversight from the NCAA and States have allowed the now legal but unethical use of essentially "paying for recruits."
Here's my unsolicited take on where NIL is right now: This will sound like a cop-out, but I see and agree with both sides of this debate as the truth is in the middle. To me, athletes should be able to have some type of monetary compensation (outside of scholarships) for the work they do to build up ticket and apparel sales, as well as lucrative TV deals for schools and conferences. If a coach can leave a school for another because of a higher salary, student-athletes should have that same freedom through the Transfer Portal.
However, it is obvious that "businesses" and "organizations" are being created for the sole purpose of getting recruits to come to their program. And while this was most likely (definitely) happening behind the scenes prior to NIL being enacted, it has just increased the gap between the "Have's" and the "Have-Nots." To use Wrestling as an example, Penn State, Iowa, Michigan, and Oklahoma State and their fan base have more leverage to get the higher recruits than most other schools, even in the Big Ten.
There's absolutely legitimate deals that give fair compensation for fair return on investment, and then there are the ones that don't pass the eye test.
It's still the wild west when it comes to these NIL deals and I'm sure in time, some organization, if not the NCAA, in order to try and stay relevant, will create guidelines and processes/procedures for NIL contracts. Until then, newly formed companies with no revenue sponsoring athletes with six-figure NIL contracts will still pop up with no one really stopping it.
I recommend listening to the hour-long debate, as there were good points on both sides and I'm sure there will be more of these (if not a "rematch") in the future:
LISTEN to the Heitner v Rovell NIL Debate (apple podcasts)
WATCH the Heitner v Rovell NIL Debate (YouTube)
On to (lucky #) Week 13
Wrestlers I Like This Week
Wrestler (School)- competition for the week [Proj Score]
*organized by tournament name first, then by school name*
125:
Braxton Brown (Maryland)- Appalachian Open
Pat Glory (Princeton)- @ Harvard, @ Brown [+9]
Vito Arujau (Cornell)- Vs Columbia, Vs Navy [+8]
Nick Suriano (Michigan)- Vs Minnesota, @ Maryland [+8]
Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State)- Vs Iowa State, Vs UNI [+6]
Ryan Miller (U Penn)- @ Brown, @ Harvard [+6]
Killian Cardinale (West Virginia)- @ South Dakota State, @ North Dakota State [+6]
Devin Schroder (Purdue)- @ Indiana [+4]
Jakob Camacho (NC State)- @ Duke [+4]
Eric Barnett (Wisconsin)- @ Maryland [+4]
Sam Latona (Virginia Tech)- @ Pittsburgh [+3]
133:
Daton Fix (Oklahoma State)- Vs Iowa State, Vs UNI [+9]
Michael Colaiocco (U Penn)- @ Brown, @ Harvard [+9]
Kurt Phipps (Bucknell)- Vs Army, Vs Rider [+7]
Kyle Gorant (Davidson)- Vs The Citadel, Vs Long Island (@CIT) [+7]
Brayden Palmer (Chattanooga)- @ Gardner Webb, @ Campbell [+6]
Dylan Ragusin (Michigan)- Vs Minnesota, @ Maryland [+6]
Kai Orine (NC State)- @ Duke [+5]
Gabriel Tagg (South Dakota State)- Vs West VIrginia [+4]
141:
Mario Guillen (Ohio)- Appalachian Open
Matt Kazimir (Columbia)- @ Binghamton, Vs Cornell, Vs Navy (@COR) [+10]
Stevan Micic (Michigan)- Vs Minnesota, @ Maryland [+8]
Ian Parker (Iowa State)- @ Oklahoma, @ Oklahoma State [+7]
Allan Hart (Missouri)- Vs Utah Valley, Vs Wyoming [+7]
Shannon Hanna (Campbell)- Vs Chattanooga, Vs VMI [+6]
Cael Happel (UNI)- @ Oklahoma, @ Oklahoma State [+6]
CJ Composto (U Penn)- @ Brown, @ Harvard [+6]
Ryan Jack (NC State)- @ Duke [+4]
Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado)- Vs Cal Baptist [+4]
Clay Carlson (South Dakota State)- Vs West Virginia [+4]
Dresden Simon (Central Michigan)- Vs Ohio [+3]
Kizahn Clarke (North Carolina)- @ Virginia [+3]
Grant Willits (Oregon State)- @ Arizona State [+3]
Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh)- Vs Virginia Tech [+3]
Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin)- @ Maryland [+3]
149:
Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell)- Vs Columbia, Vs Navy [+11]
Josh Heil (Campbell)- Vs Chattanooga, Vs VMI [+7]
Josh Edmond (Missouri)- Vs Utah Valley, Vs Wyoming [+7]
Anthony Artalona (U Penn)- @ Brown, @ Harvard [+6]
PJ Ogunsanya (Army)- @ Bucknell [+4]
Brent Moore (Clarion)- Vs Kent State [+4]
Alex Madrigal (George Mason)- Vs Edinboro [+4]
Michael Blockhus (Minnesota)- @ Michigan [+4]
Yahya Thomas (Northwestern)- @ Illinois [+4]
Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech)- @ Pittsburgh [+4]
Austin Gomez (Wisconsin)- @ Maryland [+4]
Marcus Robinson (Cleveland State)- @ Kent State [+3]
Graham Rooks (Indiana)- Vs Purdue [+3]
Tariq Wilson (NC State)- @ Duke [+3]
157:
Austin O'Connor (North Carolina)- @ Virginia, Appalachian Open
Quincy Monday (Princeton)- @ Harvard, @ Brown [+9]
Jared Franek (North Dakota State)- Vs West Virginia, Vs Air Force [+8]
Dazjon Casto (The Citadel)- Vs Davidson, Vs Long Island [+7]
David Carr (Iowa State)- @ Oklahoma, @ Oklahoma State [+7]
Doug Zapf (U Penn)- @ Brown, @ Harvard [+6]
Ed Scott (NC State)- @ Duke [+4]
Ryan Deakin (Northwestern)- @ Illinois [+4]
Kendall Coleman (Purdue)- @ Indiana [+4]
Markus Hartman (Army)- @ Bucknell [+3]
Riley Smucker (Cleveland State)- @ Kent State [+3]
Parker Kropman (Drexel)- @ American [+3]
Garrett Model (Wisconsin)- @ Maryland [+3]
165:
Keegan O'Toole (Missouri)- Vs Utah Valley, Vs Wyoming [+11]
Julian Ramirez (Cornell)- Vs Columbia, Vs Navy [+7]
Peyton Hall (West Virginia)- @ South Dakota State, @ North Dakota State [+7]
Selwyn Porter (The Citadel)- Vs Davidson, Vs Long Island [+6]
Phil Conigliaro (Harvard)- Vs Princeton, Vs U Penn [+6]
Cam Amine (Michigan)- Vs Minnesota, @ Maryland [+6]
Travis Wittlake (Oklahoma State)- Vs Iowa State, Vs UNI [+6]
Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin)- @ Maryland [+5]
Tracy Hubbard (Central Michigan)- Vs Ohio [+4]
Joshua Ogunsanya (Columbia)- @ Binghamton, Vs Cornell, Vs Navy (@COR) [+4]
Justin McCoy (Virginia)- @ North Carolina [+4]
Tommy Bullard (NC State)- @ Duke [+4]
Evan Barczak (Drexel)- @ American [+3]
Jake Wentzel (Pittsburgh)- Vs Virginia Tech [+3]
174:
Logan Massa (Michigan)- Vs Minnesota, @ Maryland [+8]
Austin Murphy (Campbell)- Vs Chattanooga, Vs VMI [+7]
Chris Foca (Cornell)- Vs Columbia, Vs Navy [+7]
Nick Incontrera (U Penn)- @ Brown, @ Harvard [+7]
Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State)- Vs Iowa State, Vs UNI [+6]
John Worthing (Clarion)- Vs Kent State [+4]
Micahel O'Malley (Drexel)- @ American [+4]
Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech)- @ Pittsburgh [+4]
Andrew McNally (Wisconsin)- @ Maryland [+4]
Hayden Hidlay (NC State)- @ Duke [+3]
Aason Olmos (Oregon State)- @ Arizona State [+3]
Cade DeVos (South Dakota State)- Vs West VIrginia [+3]
184:
Joey Milano (NC State)- Appalachian Open
Caleb Hopkins (Campbell)- Vs Chattanooga, Vs VMI [+6]
Jonathan Loew (Cornell)- Vs Columbia, Vs Navy [+6]
Myles Amine (Michigan)- Vs Minnesota, @ Maryland [+6]
Jeremiah Kent (Missouri)- Vs Utah Valley, Vs Wyoming [+6]
David Key (Navy)- @ Cornell, @ Columbia, @ Binghamton [+5]
Bryan McLaughlin (Drexel)- @ American [+4]
Zach Braunagel (Illinois)- Vs Northwestern [+4]
Trent Hidlay (NC State)- @ Duke [+4]
Trey Munoz (Oregon State)- @ Arizona State [+4]
Gerrit Nijenhuis (Purdue)- @ Indiana [+4]
Ethan Ducca (Edinboro)- @ George Mason [+3]
Donnell Washington (Indiana)- Vs Purdue [+3]
Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech)- @ Pittsburgh [+3]
197:
Max Shaw (North Carolina)- @ Virginia, Appalachian Open
Owen Pentz (North Dakota State)- Vs West Virginia, Vs Air Force [+8]
Lou DePrez (Binghamton)- Vs Columbia, Vs Navy [+7]
Chris Kober (Campbell)- Vs Chattanooga, Vs VMI [+7]
Pat Brucki (Michigan)- Vs Minnesota, @ Maryland [+7]
Cole Urbas (U Penn)- @ Brown, @ Harvard [+7]
Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State)- Vs West VIrginia [+4]
Ben Smith (Cleveland State)- @ Kent State [+3]
Jay Aiello (Virginia)- @ North Carolina [+3]
Issac Trumble (NC State)- @ Duke [+3]
Alan Clothier (Northern Colorado)- Vs Cal Baptist [+3]
Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh)- Vs Virginia Tech [+3]
Thomas Penola (Purdue)- @ Indiana [+3]
Braxton Amos (Wisconsin)- @ Maryland [+3]
285:
Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force)- Vs Cal Baptist, @ North Dakota State [+10]
Taye Ghadiali (Campbell)- Vs Chattanooga, Vs VMI [+8]
Lewis Fernandes (Cornell)- Vs Columbia, Vs Navy [+8]
Michael McAleavy (The Citadel)- Vs Davidson, Vs Long Island [+7]
Ben Goldin (U Penn)- @ Brown, @ Harvard [+7]
Luke Stout (Princeton)- @ Harvard, @ Brown [+7]
Josh Heindselman (Oklahoma)- Vs Iowa State, Vs UNI [+6]
Matt Stencel (Central Michigan)- Vs Ohio [+4]
Nathan Traxler (Virginia Tech)- @ Pittsburgh [+4]
Issac Righter (American)- Vs Drexel [+3]
Quinn Miller (Virginia)- @ North Carolina [+3]
Tyrie Houghton (NC State)- @ Duke [+3]
Lucas Davison (Northwestern)- @ Illinois [+3]
AJ Nevills (South Dakota State)- Vs West Virginia [+3]
Trent Hillger (Wisconsin)- @ Maryland [+3]
Think I missed someone? Disagree with someone on the list or their projection? Want to know our thoughts on a matchup? Let me know!
Win the week!
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