Case opens way for youngsters

Last Thursday, U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled in favor of former Ohio State… Last Thursday, U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled in favor of former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett, stating that the NFL rule prohibiting players from entering the draft until they are three years removed from high school violates antitrust laws.

The NFL has tried unsuccessfully to have that decision suspended until after an appeal has been filed, saying that it needs a stay to avoid “profound adverse consequences.” Judge Scheindlin disagreed.

She feels that Clarett has will be the one most harmed if he is left out of this year’s draft. While that may be true, the first signs of trouble for the NFL have already appeared.

Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma’s top recruit this year, has said that he is faster than anyone currently on the Dallas Cowboys’ roster. And if he was shown the money, well, I’m sure you can figure the rest out for yourself.

While NFL officials might only be looking to keep their free minor league system – which the rest of us know as the NCAA – NFL players are also very upset over the possibility of high schoolers entering their league.

Comments at the Pro Bowl last weekend ranged from expressions of sympathy for high school athletes who would consider the jump to feeling disrespected by them. The bottom line is that NFL players want draftees to have paid their dues just like everyone who came before them.

Oops, did I say everyone?

There once was a young man by the name of Andy Livingston. While his name might not ring any bells yet, it soon will. You see, Livingston is the man the NFL doesn’t want you to know about, the man the league tries to forget about.

The reason?

Livingston was the first player ever to go from high school straight into the NFL. He was married and had a child while still in high school and was never able to graduate. The commissioner of the NFL at the time, Pete Rozelle, gave Livingston a hardship exemption.

Livingston went on to have a fairly successful NFL career. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound fullback played seven seasons with the Bears and Saints between 1964 and 1970.

But the NFL was a different game back then.

There isn’t an 18-year-old on the planet that could handle a hit from Ray Lewis or fight through an Orlando Pace block. The NFL is not the NBA. Football is a game that requires physical maturity and durability.

Maybe there are a handful of guys who could make the jump and turn out all right. In the long run, though, if such a move were allowed, it would do a lot more harm than good.

It seems as though the current regulations will have to be modified, which is the right move. Three years removed from high school does seem unfair. Why not one or two years?

Clarett’s attorney has stated that he will be in this year’s draft. Clarett had an amazing freshman season and helped lead his team to a national championship. But after sitting out last season, many are unsure as to just how high of a draft pick Clarett will be.

Players must prove themselves at the college level before turning pro. As of now, the door is open for anyone who wishes to declare him or herself eligible for the draft. But hopefully, for the sake of the game, the NFL will win its appeal and not allow high school kids to turn pro.

Ryan Walker is a senior staff writer for The Pitt News and can be reached by e-mailing rpw973@yahoo.com.