Pitt Head Coach Jeff Capel Blasts The NCAA While Admitting That College Basketball Players Aren't Amateurs And Should Be Paid

[Source] - “One of the things that has come about with all of this since everything happened in March when the season was canceled, I don’t think anyone can say anymore that these young men are amateurs. That’s out the window. They’re not. They absolutely aren’t.”

Oh fuck yes. This is what I'm talking about. This is what I want to read on a Tuesday morning. The more people, specifically coaches, that speak up and admit that these guys deserve some sort of payment the better. Granted, we're dealing with an all-time villain in the NCAA and Mark Emmert, but the more guys keep speaking up the louder it becomes. It's true. They aren't amateurs. College sports in 2020 aren't the same as they were in the 1950's like the NCAA record book thinks they are. That's why these Name, Image and Likeness bills being passed across the country are important.

For those that don't know, NIL is essentially allowing college athletes to find their own sponsors and get paid to do so. Naturally, there are restrictions where they can't do deals in their jerseys or with alcohol, gambling, etc. But the fact is there's at least a path for these kids to get some money. It's not cutting into what the schools will make and if it does then it just proves even more these kids deserve to get extra money. 

But this is where Capel and everyone else is right about not being amateurs. If the NCAA just adjusted their rulebook, guess what? We'd have real bubbles this season. It'd be a lot easier to get through the year with a true bubble across the country. But because of current amatuerism rules, they can't do that. Spare me the classroom and all that shit. Everything is virtual right now with coronavirus, so you have a tutor or two in the bubble with the team and set up virtual classes. 

For as great of a quote this is, Capel does also say this: 

“These kids are away [from their families] and they’re out and they’re laying it on the line to entertain people. Something just doesn’t feel right about it right now. The numbers were what they were back in March. I look at it every day, man. It seems like every day it’s getting worse. I don’t know why you cancel it in March, but you say it’s OK to do it right now. But what do I know?”

“One of the things [Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski] used to say all the time when I worked there is that one of the biggest problems with our sport is we have no leadership."

I don't know, does he say this if Pitt doesn't lose by double-digits at home to St. Francis (PA)? Probably not. Hard to take someone serious when they don't look the part of being a good team early in the year. Not to mention, maybe, just maybe, we should hear what the players want to do? If they don't want to play, they should have the right to keep their scholarship and sit out. If they want to play, they play. That simple. 

College basketball has been a success so far. We're seeing the testing work. Even if it sucks we lost Gonzaga/Baylor and some other games, it's working as it's set up to. This is what happens when we pretend they are amateurs. Again, there was a simple solution but of course the NCAA refused to do the smart thing.