Embrace it, provide support and guidance, etc. is the biggest thing they can do. And I know they will at UK and they most likely already are. Outwardly, Mitch just doesn’t seem excited or in a hurry with this when it’s 3 days away and the players are ecstatic. On the inside, he might be working his tail off with it, none of us know. He has trouble reading the room a lot of the time. The athletes are stoked. He should publicly be really excited for his student athletes and he just hasn’t given off that vibe.
Mitch is preparing for NIL Marathon.
- Thread starter rockout1
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Some people will always believe that Mitch was the one against hiring Cal, when in fact, Lee Todd has been quoted as saying he wouldn’t even consider Cal the first time.
My post literally mentioned how successful the athletics program is. The athletics program is performing well—that does not mean any man in that position is above criticism.
Lol, no they won’t ask me. So what? Not sure what bearing that has on an online message board discussion.
Barnhart’s injection of his personal beliefs into the way he manages athletics at UK is both disappointing and tiring. For me, as a fan, that is the most direct an impact he will ever have on me. So it’s natural that is something I’m concerned about. I doubt he has anyone above him green lighting the way he handles himself in this way.
Using past success solely to measure future potential is a dangerous game. All I’m expressing is I’m not thrilled in having Barnhart’s personal beliefs guiding this massive transition in how college athletics works. That is a legitimate concern.
Mitch isn't going to change. He's going to do this how his own conscience and his management take him. The worst possible outcome will be for some ethics or infractions impacts. He will avoid those. Since this is quite a disrupting influence, very negative influence on college athletics, conservative is the best approach for now. Leaping into the pit without knowing where you'll land might get you to the bottom first, but it won't be much use given the end result.
As far as green lights. Well, he sure isn't changing. Somebody is giving him the thumbs up. Not like he started that yesterday.
The most comical aspect of this is the cry from the Call haters for four year players. Those are the least likely to be affected by all this. Its the one and done type player that will command significant money.
Barnhart is going to be here. You have two choice, I think. Whine or leave. I guess you could just embrace the program but that doesn't seem likely.
Here is a good article about it
Lee Todd article
“To have Todd—who was so alarmed by what he calls the "smoke" surrounding Calipari that he wouldn't consider him when the job first opened in 2007”
Todd was opposed but I don't recall seeing anything where they were in disagreement.
What I do very clearly remember was Cal talking about his interest in the job and that he made calls but noone ever called him back.
It's one thing to make a poor decision and hire the wrong person. To decline interest from someone who's end up being the second most successful coach in program history. It's quite another to not even have the courtesy to call him back. To me, that's extremely unprofessional and very disturbing.
I don’t think that’s exactly correct. I believe Cal was upset that he never received a call, not that he didn’t get a call back. Found this in an article
“Parrish, a friend of Calipari's, said the coach had talked about possibly going to Kentucky for the past two months. The last time UK picked a coach, Parrish said, Calipari was "bothered" when he didn't receive even a call about the position.”
From another article:
“I was on the radar,” Calipari said to laughs when asked at his UK introductory press conference about not being pursued for the job two years earlier. “But I called my wife every day for six days. Did they call? Did they call? Then I kind of figured out, they're not calling.”
Is it? I have strong beliefs very similar to Mitchs. However, it is beyond me how my beliefs could impact NIL in any meaningfully negative way. Most of NIL has zero to do with the school directly.
I think he's been a very good AD, but there are times when he is very tone deaf. His demeanor and responses to the press regarding NIL is disheartening to student athletes and coaches. What's wrong with saying "we are excited about this opportunity for our athletes but we are in uncharted waters and we want to make sure we maximize their ability to profit from their likeness while protecting them and ourselves from violations." Instead it was all agony and worried about jealousy and so forth.
NIL is happening, no hand wringing is going to change it. You don't want to discourage players and recruits and let other schools say UK is a place that is against promoting the profitability of the student- athlete.
NIL is happening, no hand wringing is going to change it. You don't want to discourage players and recruits and let other schools say UK is a place that is against promoting the profitability of the student- athlete.
Cal's a salesman, not a coach... and it's no longer a seller's market... the commodity used to be the name and tradition... now it's cash... and we'll have to buy players to compete. The question becomes, will we have the boosters to compete? Looking at the OSUs, UCLAs, ASUs, OUs, TxA&Ms, UTex's, and at least half the SEC... we don't.
He has already espoused concerns over inequitable distribution between the team in terms of each individual players value in NIL. He expressed this concern despite the fact that’s how the market works.
Schools absolutely can have a large impact on NIL. Unless I’m wrong, I was under the impression UK has the ability to designate certain businesses as the official sponsor or bar particular business relationships.
Like what comes to mind is UK barring sponsorship deals for players with adidas. Unless I’m misunderstanding (which is a very real possibility lol) I thought UK still retains that ability.
Players can't have contracts that run against those of their school. I am unsure about UK having official sponsors and what that may mean for players. Mitch doesn't want everyone equal, his concern is whether or not wide disparities could cause friction among players. These are teenagers for the most part. It's a valid concern and one to prepare for. Hopefully there are never any significant problems.
Where will boosters for schools like OSU, OU, Texas, and most of the SEC likely put their money? Last time I checked, most of the schools you mentioned would rather have a decent football roster than hang basketball banners.
Meanwhile, at UK it is quite the opposite.
I have been a massive Kentucky fan my entire life. I can assure you that my two options are not simply whine or leave. I don’t know why the response in so many separate discussions nowadays is to shut up or leave.
Me expressing concern over our athletics director’s personal beliefs about NIL does not mean I don’t embrace the program. I think it’s entirely possible Barnhart handles this transition really well, or alternatively just doesn’t have much of an impact either way. But I do have my concerns, and I think they’re entirely valid.
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I just find it odd that his big takeaway from NIL being implemented is one of concern. Egos have always had to be managed on teams. Cal of all people is supremely adept at handling that issue compared to most.
At the end of the day NIL is another tool in the toolbox for recruiting elite athletic talents to this school. I think concern over how best to utilize it to bring in the best talent takes precedent in worrying over Sam Malone’s feelings about his teammates endorsements.
While I can appreciate Mitch’s accounting for team chemistry in this new world, that is far away below my chief concerns moving forward. It seemed like worry over the egos and deferment to the NCAA is his focus at the moment which is concerning.
Well, try to remember his job is the big picture. I think he's doing fine so far.
And you have expressed those concerns and they make no sense nor are they apparently held by anyone in his management. I surely haven’t heard a retraction, have you?
Retraction? At this point I don’t have any idea what you’re going on about or why you’re worried so much about Barnhart’s university superiors.
I don’t think people should or should not feel a certain way—it is literally just an expression of concern. A concern does not mean I believe Barnhart should be immediately fired, either. It is just a concern—one that is held by many others might I add.
You’ve seemingly made up your mind about Barnhart despite him doing nothing so far to show he has the right grasp on NIL so power to you. Agree to disagree. I hope he handles NIL well, but I’m not going to pretend it’s all but guaranteed. In your words, If you disagree then you can either whine about it or leave. Choice is yours.
Right grasp as defined by who? You? Nobody has had we right grasp. It’s brand new with state governments running the show so far which are hugely corrupt. Consequently, conservative is the right approach.
You don’t know that players can’t have contracts different from the school. For example Paul Miller is the official car dealer of the university but that doesn’t mean that Don Franklin won’t be able to supply & advertise a car for TyTy Washington. What Mitch & the university are concerned about is that their exclusive deals with specific businesses won’t be as lucrative anymore because business can spen their money on the kids for endorsements. The student athletes should and will be able to go with other businesses outside of the university’s exclusive club.
You seem oddly fixated on proving what is inherently obvious by virtue of posting on this site—I’m a fan that has no say or influence. We get it man. None of us here do.
Agree to disagree. It’s Kentucky basketball. We don’t sit around while other programs forge ahead. Waiting around for daddy NCAA to come tell us what to do? Nah.
Meet Sandy Bell….
You obviously missed the late 80’s and early 90’s. KY and the NCAA don’t play well together.
Thanks for informing me of one of the most pivotal eras in Kentucky basketball. I had no idea.
You said this: "Waiting around for daddy NCAA to come tell us what to do? Nah."
You clearly had no idea.
Well, let's use your logic. You don't know that players can't get a better offer in another market and leave mid season. So, using your logic, you think players should be able to just go with whatever works for them.
What if the university has signed an exclusive agreement? Might cut us out of certain players.
This crap can backfire SO many ways. None of it has been tested in court. This is why Mitch has his job and you don't and never will have.
The university’s exclusive deals will not & should not mean it’s an exclusive deal that includes the players unless the players are getting their part of the money which currently they are not. Players can & will be able to sign their own deals regardless of what the university has agreed to with other companies. Let me help you understand this since I can tell you are really struggling with it. No longer can the university sign “exclusive deals” that exclude the players yet expect the players to not be able to do the same…it’s called free enterprise my man. Capitalism > Communism…I know it’s tough for you & Mitch to accept.
I’ve read nothing that releases athletes from contractual obligations of the teams they play for. Further, I am not aware of any situation that has been tested in court. It’s called the law. I know that is tough for you to accept.
Compliance will be basically nonexistent now. Immediate eligibility via clearinghouse etc will be the only concern. Once that's clear, that's the end of the road for compliance.
They can all be repurposed to handle conflicts with endorsements but the rest is no longer an issue.
And most of them already have endorsement deals with the school, so they're eliminated. Players will have to be basically crowdfunded locally and hope national exposure gets them some regional/national deals
You assume that money will be a limiting factor. Maybe for $50 million in stadium renovations, but not for NIL.
And basketball is relatively cheap (13 kids) compared to football (85 kids) for almost as much exposure.
We will revisit this in a couple of weeks. You will be surprised. Time for the student athletes to be treated fairly in this…you & Mitch mst not like it but it’s coming.
Since you seem to be such an expert on this, maybe you should take over for Mitch? I’m sure you could do a better job.
Don’t know if this article has been posted https://www.yoursportsedge.com/2021...e8VHgAL9dV4oD6IIME__lB-9_kylz2P8_ejGG1IImjBBk
Good article. Larry nails it. Mitch can take his time all he wants, but he's got athletes in his program that will be making money 2 days from now and Mitch has zero control over how fast or slow this process will go. This isn't about whether or not he thinks this is good for college athletics. This is about embracing something that his student athletes want and will take advantage of.
How old are you because that's a lot of arrogance for someone who doesn't have a clue. https://www.courier-journal.com/sto...letes-able-to-profit-off-likeness/5335446001/
Please focus on the prohibited parts.
Why do you keep saying people don't like it and babbling about capitalism in the same breath. Do you have any clue about what you're saying? Whether or not I like it or Mitch likes it is irrelevant. We effectively have a state law that does have restrictions. We can revisit this in a couple weeks and it will be exactly the same as today.
I take what Mitch is saying in a totally different way. Mitch isn't inferring any interference. The school is trying to wrap their heads around what they need to do to help the players and help protect them. He doesn't need to be a cheerleader. It's irrelevant if he hates the idea. NIL doesn't involve him but making sure the players are "done right" and understand how to deal with their money and image is important. I'm not a huge Mitch fan but the constant harping on this reminds me of a recent politician. Yes, I get it, Mitch bad, but I do think that opinion is misplaced at this point with NIL.