8 thoughts on “Twitter: #sportsbubble RT @BrianGrummell: …”

  1. David K.

    If this is true the Pac-10 needs to explore legal action against the NCAA. Thats complete and utter bullshit.

  2. Brendan Loy

    On what grounds, David? Why shouldn’t interested parties be able to act in their own self-interest, to participate in negotiations that profoundly affect their future, even to throw their own money at the problem if need be, etc.? Particularly as explained in the full article, which makes it sound like these were individual NCAA administrators participating in the Big 12 “rescue effort” as part of a broader cabal group of influence-peddlers (as opposed to the NCAA institutionally being involved — though I’m not sure why the latter wouldn’t also be okay), I don’t see what the legal argument against it would be.

    Moreover, if there IS a legal argument against the anti-Pac-16 folks’ actions, why wouldn’t apply with equal (if not greater) force to the pro-Pac-16 folks — that is, to anyone and everyone who participated or assisted in the Pac-10’s effort to disrupt the college sports status quo by luring the Big 12 South schools into breaching their contracts with their current conference (there IS a cause of action for that, it’s called Intentional Interference with Contract, though I’m not sure it’s applicable here — but it’s certainly MORE applicable to the Pac-10’s meddling than the other way around).

    Bottom line, I know you hate the NCAA, and I know you wanted the Pac-16 to happen, but that’s an emotion, not a valid ethical objection and certainly not a cognizable legal cause of action.

  3. David K.

    I have no problem with the Big 12 schools doing what they can to save their conference if its in their best interests, but I don’t think the NCAA should step in to interference with conference re-allignment. I’m not sure what grounds they might have, IANAL and all, thats why I said explore 🙂 With the Trojans getting seriously dinged by the NCAA (which hurts the pac-10 financially) its not like they don’t allready have reason to consider that the NCAA might be more of a hinderance than normal these days.

  4. David K.

    The NCAA enjoys an interesting status as a sort of recognized monopoly organization, therefore I think there is reasonable areas of inquiry into its behavior as regards to colleges that have to deal with it. In light of the way it financially benefits from its student athletes and severly restricts their own ability to do so for example.

  5. dcl

    So the NCAA interfered with a business negotiation? I say we sanction the NCAA… Perhaps loss of an A?

  6. dcl

    Yes, but the athletes aren’t allowed to do anything in their own interest. So turn about is fair play.

  7. dcl

    Actually, The PAC-10 might have action under Sherman ant-trust now that I think about it. The NCAA has now exerted monopoly power to the determent of free market business in the college sports arena. Actually come to think of it, I think by interfering the NCAA has given the entire PAC-10 an actionable ant-trust claim. In fact the argument could go further as the NCAA using it’s monopoly status to specifically harm the PAC-10. If you look at the disproportionate action taken by the NCAA against both Washington and USC and the thwarting of the PAC-10’s legitimate business negotiations the NCAA is explicitly action in an anti-omcpetitive manner against he PAC-10. Not only is it acting anti-competitivly, it is doing so chronically.

    If the PAC-10 administrators had some serious balls they could, would, and should, sue the ever loving shit out of the NCAA for this.

    Come on Brendan, what kind of lawyer are you, you should be able to make a case up out of just about anything… Hell Bush managed to win a non-existant case in 2000.

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