One Alum's NIL Thoughts (Copied from the Lion's Den)

[DavidM]

I've been putting off a decision to make a NIL donation for a Penn State associated program--either Success With Honor or the Lion Legacy Club--but with the recent hints that other programs are contacting our current players, I decided that I had to do something. Look, I'm an old toad living on a teacher's pension (yes, the "fixed income" scenario), so my options are pretty limited. However, I decided to go with a decent one-time-only payment, and I hope that some of you will follow suit sooner rather than later. Frankly, I HATE the whole NIL situation, but it is what it is, and those of us who are both Penn State loonies and able to donate something should consider doing so. Thanks for listening.

Anybody who wishes to remain on the sidelines and wait for the wonderful day when the NCAA gets its act together and provides some sane structure for the NIL issue, feel free, but don't hold your breath.

 

[OhioLion]

May I ask where and what are the “hints that other programs are contacting our current players” is from?
I honestly have not heard about this. Yes, I live in a cave in Ohio.

OL

 

[BobPSU92]

May I ask where and what are the “hints that other programs are contacting our current players” is from?
I honestly have not heard about this. Yes, I live in a cave in Ohio.

OL

Illinois?

 

[step.eng69]

May I ask where and what are the “hints that other programs are contacting our current players” is from?
I honestly have not heard about this. Yes, I live in a cave in Ohio.

OL

DavidM was one of many activists speakers that morning.

Franco Harris to speak at 'Rally for Resignations'
Total People in Discussion: 7
Categories: College, College Sports
Posted by Mark Wogenrich at 12:12:25 PM on September 14, 2012

Former running back Franco Harris, who has been critical of Penn State's handling of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, will speak Saturday at an on-campus rally seeking resignations of university officials.

A group of alumni has organized the 'Rally for Resignations,' which will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday outside the Old Main administration building. Harris (photo by Michael Kubel, The Morning Call) is among the scheduled guest speakers.
Organizers seek the resignations of Penn State President Rodney Erickson and members of the Board of Trustees for their handling of the Sandusky scandal. The rally will be held one day after the board meets at Penn State.
Harris has defended Joe Paterno since the late head coach was fired last Noveopp0mber. At Penn State's home-opener against Ohio, Harris sat in a suite next to a cardboard cutout of Paterno. He also had a sign that said, "Due Process for PSU JVP."
Prior to the rally, the group Penn Staters for Responsible Stewardship released a critical review of the Freeh Report, which the NCAA used as its basis for applying sanctions to the football program this summer.
Among the conclusions of the PS4RS review:

• The report's author, former FBI Director Louis Freeh, failed to disclose conflicts of interest between the board and a law firm subcontracted to work on the report.
• Freeh's firm did not interview critical witnesses of the 1998 and 2001 incidents, including former assistant football coach Mike McQueary.
• Freeh mis-stated facts and did not produce evidence to support the conclusion that Paterno, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz concealed accusations against Sandusky to avoid the consequences of "bad publicity."
• Freeh did not report a "written threat" from the brother of an unnamed board member to Paterno in 2007.

David M starts the video by handing Labrano the mike.

 

[PSUSignore]

Good for you if that's what you want to do. I will never donate one cent to any NIL fund regardless of the state of the program.

 

[BobPSU92]

Good for you if that's what you want to do. I will never donate one cent to any NIL fund regardless of the state of the program.

Yeah, I’m not playing into this crap.

 

[Moogy]

Yeah, no. This shouldn't be up to fans to also pay the players, beyond what they're already paying the university in donations, ticket sales, etc.

Personally, I want the whole thing blown up back to actual amateurism ... no recruiting of players before they apply to the school for a decision based on academics and non-sport extra-curriculars. But until that happens (i.e. never), it's up to the universities, conferences, media outlets and other revenue providers/distributers to make this work. I'm not (essentially) directly paying college players, even though I think it's just, under the current effed up system, that they get paid while others get rich off their labors.

 

[lions1995]

I will not be contributing to any NIL. The scholarship and free education in my opinion was sufficient.

 

[Nitt1300]

Not me either.

But I then have no right to demand the program reach "elite" status, do I?

 

[BobPSU92]

Not me either.

But I then have no right to demand the program reach "elite" status, do I?

Sure you do. You’re watching the games, and you’re online.

 

[Nitt1300]

Sure you do. You’re watching the games, and you’re online.

so I'm entitled?

 

[BobPSU92]

so I'm entitled?

Now you’ve got it.

Franklin and the players owe all of us. We deserve their perfection.

 

[VaDave4PSU]

Not me either.

But I then have no right to demand the program reach "elite" status, do I?

Texas A&M just spent $25 million on a recruiting class. The previous ones were good too, but this one was better.

And they got their worst season in 40 years for their $.

Sounds bad to me.

 

[psuro]

Texas A&M just spent $25 million on a recruiting class. The previous ones were good too, but this one was better.

And they got their worst season in 40 years for their $.

Sounds bad to me.

A friend is convinced Drew Allar will be approached by aTm with a boat load of NIL money to transfer.

 

[BobPSU92]

Texas A&M just spent $25 million on a recruiting class. The previous ones were good too, but this one was better.

And they got their worst season in 40 years for their $.

Sounds bad to me.

jimbo’s got this. All part of his plan.

 

[Nitt1300]

Texas A&M just spent $25 million on a recruiting class. The previous ones were good too, but this one was better.

And they got their worst season in 40 years for their $.

Sounds bad to me.

clearly, they need to spend more

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

I will gladly donate $4.09!

 

[BobPSU92]

clearly, they need to spend more

They will.

 

[Zenophile]

DavidM was one of many activists speakers that morning.

Franco Harris to speak at 'Rally for Resignations'
Total People in Discussion: 7
Categories: College, College Sports
Posted by Mark Wogenrich at 12:12:25 PM on September 14, 2012

Former running back Franco Harris, who has been critical of Penn State's handling of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, will speak Saturday at an on-campus rally seeking resignations of university officials.

A group of alumni has organized the 'Rally for Resignations,' which will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday outside the Old Main administration building. Harris (photo by Michael Kubel, The Morning Call) is among the scheduled guest speakers.
Organizers seek the resignations of Penn State President Rodney Erickson and members of the Board of Trustees for their handling of the Sandusky scandal. The rally will be held one day after the board meets at Penn State.
Harris has defended Joe Paterno since the late head coach was fired last Noveopp0mber. At Penn State's home-opener against Ohio, Harris sat in a suite next to a cardboard cutout of Paterno. He also had a sign that said, "Due Process for PSU JVP."
Prior to the rally, the group Penn Staters for Responsible Stewardship released a critical review of the Freeh Report, which the NCAA used as its basis for applying sanctions to the football program this summer.
Among the conclusions of the PS4RS review:

• The report's author, former FBI Director Louis Freeh, failed to disclose conflicts of interest between the board and a law firm subcontracted to work on the report.
• Freeh's firm did not interview critical witnesses of the 1998 and 2001 incidents, including former assistant football coach Mike McQueary.
• Freeh mis-stated facts and did not produce evidence to support the conclusion that Paterno, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz concealed accusations against Sandusky to avoid the consequences of "bad publicity."
• Freeh did not report a "written threat" from the brother of an unnamed board member to Paterno in 2007.

David M starts the video by handing Labrano the mike.

Today I am thankful for many things, including the yeoman's efforts of @DavidM and @Lubrano.

 

[DavidM]

Somebody posted on the other board that the Ole Miss NIL group just announced that they'd reached their fund-raising goal of 23 million dollars for 2023. I suspect that that alumni bunch has spent close to that amount informally--and illegally--in the past to buy recruits, but now it's all in the open. This whole NIL mess has created a true paradigm shift, and folks who ignore that reality may regret it in time. Choose to do nothing, if you wish, and pretend that you've done the "honorable" thing. NIL is now legal, and waiting for the NCAA to anything constructive about it seems like a pretty silly approach. I'll say no more.

 

[Nitt1300]

Somebody posted on the other board that the Ole Miss NIL group just announced that they'd reached their fund-raising goal of 23 million dollars for 2023. I suspect that that alumni bunch has spent close to that amount informally--and illegally--in the past to buy recruits, but now it's all in the open. This whole NIL mess has created a true paradigm shift, and folks who ignore that reality may regret it in time. Choose to do nothing, if you wish, and pretend that you've done the "honorable" thing. NIL is now legal, and waiting for the NCAA to anything constructive about it seems like a pretty silly approach. I'll say no more.

joining the disgraceful rush to the bottom isn't for everyone

 

[Stephen Light]

Stating the obvious, but seems it needs stating?

The NIL programs are required to just keep pace with competing programs. If you want a football program that fades into obscurity, then don’t contribute, but then don’t complain about the results. Of course, this presumes you have the resources to contribute. I don’t fault anyone who has more urgent personal priorities.

 

[Midnighter]

Have schools pay players directly. Have players sign contracts. It’s not hard. Alums or whoever can contribute to the fund and go from there. The shadow NIL stuff needs to go away.

 

[DavidM]

Have schools pay players directly. Have players sign contracts. It’s not hard. Alums or whoever can contribute to the fund and go from there. The shadow NIL stuff needs to go away.

Good idea--except that it's not legal right now. Colleges aren't allowed to provide any extra benefits beyond the traditional ones.

 

[Nitt1300]

Have schools pay players directly. Have players sign contracts. It’s not hard. Alums or whoever can contribute to the fund and go from there. The shadow NIL stuff needs to go away.

The day that happens, Texas will own the "sport"- unless Harvard decides to play.

 

[Midnighter]

Good idea--except that it's not legal right now. Colleges aren't allowed to provide any extra benefits beyond the traditional ones.

Right. Make it legal.

 

[Midnighter]

The day that happens, Texas will own the "sport"- unless Harvard decides to play.

Can only sign so many players. A&M owns it now and you can see the results.

 

[Nitt1300]

Can only sign so many players. A&M owns it now and you can see the results.

can Navy forego a new aircraft carrier and dump that cash into their NIL fund?

 

[Psu00]

clearly, they need to spend more

Wait a minute- I didn’t realize you were on the Penn State Board of Trustees!

 

[DavidM]

Right. Make it legal.

Ok, and until that happens, Penn State athletics needs the help of alums and fans to stay competitive. As Stephen Light suggested above, the answer isn't complicated. As somebody once said, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

 

[Nitt1300]

Ok, and until that happens, Penn State athletics needs the help of alums and fans to stay competitive. As Stephen Light suggested above, the answer isn't complicated. As somebody once said, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

I'm not sure we all agree on what the problem is.

 

[BW Lion]

A friend is convinced Drew Allar will be approached by aTm with a boat load of NIL money to transfer.

But then he'd have to live in College Station....an armpit.

 

[Tom_PSU]

I can’t blame individuals for either wanting to contribute or not contributing to NIL. There’s too many personal factors in play from personal finances to individual ethical positions regarding collegiate athletics. How ever, I sure as hell can blame the idiots in charge of this **** show for doing their best to ruin the Greatest Game in the World.

 

[VaDave4PSU]

A friend is convinced Drew Allar will be approached by aTm with a boat load of NIL money to transfer.

They should offer Drake Maye.

I look forward to Allar, but I certainly didn't see enough to offer him more money than Maye.

 

[Woodpecker]

Texas A&M just spent $25 million on a recruiting class. The previous ones were good too, but this one was better.

And they got their worst season in 40 years for their $.

Sounds bad to me.

Caveat emptor

 

[psuro]

They should offer Drake Maye.

I look forward to Allar, but I certainly didn't see enough to offer him more money than Maye.

Miami is reportedly going to chase after players using a $5 MM NIL warchest .

 

[VaDave4PSU]

Miami is reportedly going to chase after players using a $5 MM NIL

I saw that before coming to this thread and seeing Ole Miss has $23 mm...

Wow.

 

[Midnighter]

I saw that before coming to this thread and seeing Ole Miss has $23 mm...

Wow.

Tennessee’s Spyre Fund is aiming for $25mm a year….

 

[Hardslider33]

It is what it is, I guess .. I’m an alumnus, 46 years our family has had season tickets. I make donations but no way I want to give 6 digits yearly. Some schools have billionaires so millions are not going to affect them. I have kids and grandkids I want to leave money too, that means more to me/wife.

Happy Thanksgiving 🍽

 

[DavidM]

I'm sorry--apparently the Ole Miss figure that the group met was 10 million dollars--so not so daunting. Remember that OSU's Coach Day said that he thought Ohio State needed at least 13 million to continue their recruiting successes. I have no idea what the two primary Penn State NIL groups already have, but I guess we'll see the results of whatever they've got relative to our competitors going forward.

We're asking folks to consider a donation. If you can't, or don't wish to, no problem. Frankly, I really wish this situation didn't exist, but we are where we are. Please over-eat today!