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They haven't vacated Harbaugh's wins

It's the lack thereof.

Schools aren't supposed to be allowed to use NIL to recruit, but some are doing it, and nothing is being done about it.

It's completely unavoidable. They can't really enforce it because the rule makes no sense in the first place. Imagine trying to hire someone but not being able to tell them what they will be paid. It's nonsense.

It's completely unavoidable. They can't really enforce it because the rule makes no sense in the first place. Imagine trying to hire someone but not being able to tell them what they will be paid. It's nonsense.

All that has to be said to sidestep this-- and is exactly what is being said in many cases-- is: "From our understanding, student athletes with your level achievement, are typically being paid $XXXX by collectives A, B, and C, upon stepping foot on campus.  If you want to know further, go ask players D and E what they're getting, since they're the current starters at the position we're recruiting you for.  That is the kind of payment package that is typical for that position at this university.  But we certainly can't promise it's exactly what you'd be getting-- that would be against the rules."

And if the NCAA tries to make a move to block that kind of activity, BAM, they're almost instantly in violation of dozens of state laws.

I'm legitimately curious about what, specifically, is bothering you this much about the NCAA's governance?

In roughly the past decade we've watched Auburn and Michigan openly flaunt NCAA rules in such a way that literally everyone knew they had cheated and yet they won NC's.  

At this point why is anyone following any of their rules?  If you don't have the power to enforce your rules in a meaningful way then why have rules at all which is the basic sentiment that led to the NIL which is (IMHO) another disaster.  

Businesses and collectives have to be free to compete, I'd think, and that requires putting your cards on the table and telling a kid what you'll pay, right? 

I agree with the later parts of Tennessee's letter.....it's ridiculous for the NCAA to "allow" NIL and think it will stay separate from recruiting.  I don't see how it possibly could.  If the point of NIL is for kids to be compensated for their...well, NIL, then that kid has a right to know exactly what the compensation will be.  I don't see any way to avoid that.  And once they know, it absolutely factors into the recruiting process because the majority of the time kids will be looking to maximize their earning.  

Personally, I was against NIL from the beginning.  It really isn't the NCAA's fault but we are now an NFL lite only with no draft and salary cap to equalize things so it is basically just a question of how much cash you can put into it.  

I suspect that this will actually benefit my school so this isn't a "sour grapes" complaint but in the new era my school isn't trying to compete by being better or recruiting better they are simply trying to compete by paying more.  My school apparently did REALLY well this offseason but I don't celebrate that as Day "selling the program" or whatever because it isn't.  Now it just tells me that tOSU's NIL collectives are better than most.  It is kinda hard to cheer for that.  

I also think it is inevitable that some REALLY rich dude will eventually decide to "buy" a National Championship for his school and it will probably work.  The best example is probably T Boone Pickens who donated MILLIONS over the years to OkSU.  If he were still alive today there would be nothing to stop him from spending $100 Million on what are effectively player salaries for OkSU and then OkSU would instantly become a NC Contender.  With that kind of money they could go into the portal and the recruiting race and pull some of the best players in the Country.  

I *THINK* the main thing preventing this from happening already is that whoever did it would make more enemies than friends.  Example:
Lets say that Phil Knight decided he wanted to buy a NC for Oregon.  He is an old guy with Billions of dollars so why not?  Well, the problem for him is that while Oregon fans would love him for it, fans of basically everybody else would hate him for it so it would probably have a substantial negative impact on Nike.  Same for Papa Johns/Louisville, Under Armor/Maryland, Dominos/Michigan, etc.  

T Boone Pickens makes a better example because (as I understand it) his money came from the wholesale side of the oil industry so if I (random non OkSU fan) was mad at him I wouldn't really have a method to boycott his company's products.  I (or any other random fan) could boycott Nike/Papa Johns/Under Armor/Dominos.  

https://www.outkick.com/tennessee-lawsuit-ncaa-nil-investigation-football/

State of TN / Commonwealth of VA vs. NCAA