Clarett ruled ineligible

[Der Kommissar]

From Sportsline:

 

  NEW YORK -- Maurice Clarett was barred from entering the NFL draft by a federal appeals court that blocked a lower court ruling Monday.

 

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the NFL had demonstrated a "likelihood of success on the merits" of its argument that Clarett and other young athletes should not be permitted to enter the league prematurely.

 

The draft is Saturday and Sunday.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

You know who this hurts even more? Mike Williams.

 

He got himself an agent so he can't go back to USC, he's gonna be stuck at home for a year. I bet he could go and get some kind of endorsement deal to hold him over till the 05 draft.

[jimmy no nose]

Larry Fitzgerald remains eligible though, right? Didn't he get a league ruling for himself prior to the Clarett case?

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I feel bad for Mike Williams since he was actually making a good move and was ready but speaking for all the Columbus residents that have had to put up with Clarrett's shit for the last year and a half..................

 

 

FUCK CLARRETT!!!

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Fitzgerald is all set. He worked his ass off to graduate high school early and go to a junior college program before heading off to Pitt.

[the pinjockey]

I would be shocked if the NCAA did not allow Mike Williams back in school if that is the final verdict.

 

A team could make out like bandits, though, if they go through with the supplemental draft. Take a team that should be good next year (coughEaglescough). They can bid next year's first round pick on him and have a good shot to get him. So in essence they get Mike Williams, a possible top 10 pick this year, for a low first round pick next year. I would be interested to see how much people would be willing to risk, would a team like the Chargers or Lions be willing to risk next year's first round pick (which should be a high pick) on him?

[jimmy no nose]

This is actually a pretty big deal with the draft as a whole. Mike Williams was possibly a top 5 and definitley a top 10 pick and pretty much throws off every team who would be picking shortly after that.

 

If there is a supplemental draft I'd see Williams maybe going to the middle of the first round, and wouldn't be surprised to see Clarett falling as far as the 4th round.

[the pinjockey]

I think someone would offer up their second round pick next year for him. I would go no higher than a third and that is only if I expected to be drafting in the bottom half next year.

[CanadianChris]

Very doubtful, but would the NCAA make an exception for Williams? He obviously only got an agent because he thought he was eligible under the "new" rules.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

I wouldn't mind seeing the Pats offer their first rounder next year for Mike Williams. That would give them a WR core of Mike Williams, Deion Branch, and David Givens...that could possibly be the best young WR core in the NFL.

[Sandman9000]

NCAA's a tight-ass organization. If they don't rule him ineligible for having an agent period, William's will have to pay back everything he's gotten so far to become eligible again.

[Guest Smues]

As much as I support the NFL's position on all of this, and as much as I hate anyone from USC, I feel bad for Mike Williams. HE didn't fight the NFL and try to be eligible, the rules changed, and the league called him and asked if he was going pro. The NCAA really needs to make an exception for him and let him go back to USC, and he only left because the rules suddenly changed on him.

[starvenger]

Yeah, I feel bad for Williams, but as for Clarett, I have one (sorta) word:

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[The Ghost of bps21]

They should have to let Williams back at USC.

 

What he did was follow the rules...and then the rule changed. That isn't his fault.

[Youth N Asia]

Screw Clarett. The NFL has their rules and that's that. I really don't think a judge should have had the power to try and change that anyway.

[Gert T]

I would be shocked if the NCAA did not allow Mike Williams back in school if that is the final verdict.

 

A team could make out like bandits, though, if they go through with the supplemental draft. Take a team that should be good next year (coughEaglescough). They can bid next year's first round pick on him and have a good shot to get him. So in essence they get Mike Williams, a possible top 10 pick this year, for a low first round pick next year. I would be interested to see how much people would be willing to risk, would a team like the Chargers or Lions be willing to risk next year's first round pick (which should be a high pick) on him?

Excellent question, I would say at least 10-15 would try to get Mike Williams in the supplemental draft. The draft money is the same so it won't really hurt Mike Williams and the cap money in the rookie pool will not hurt the teams. I say almost half the teams may show interest, especially if teams think they are going to the playoffs, thus having a 20 pick or lower next year.

[lomasmoney]

Doesn't this really fuck over any teams who planned on taking Williams very early in the first round. This totally changes the draft and it could not have come at a worse time. Its especially not fair to Williams who entered the draft which under the law he could and then less than a week before the draft he's being told he can't enter the draft and his best option is the supplemental draft since he can't go to college either. The NCAA should let Williams back into school, or if not the NFL should set it up where whatever team wanted to draft williams can get his draft rights early, the same way how Larry Bird was drafted before he finished college.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

They have a way to do that. Its called the Supplemental draft

[Agent_Bond34]

EDIT - Nevermind.

[Vern Gagne]

Someone needed to tell Williams hold on signing with an agent in case the ruling his reversed. It was foolish Williams or anyone around him not to think he might be ruled ineligible for the draft. Know has for any team that wanted to take Williams, that's really too bad. They knew the possibility exited Williams wouldn't be allowed in the draft. If they don't have a Plan B, or C, or D than they have no business runing an NFL team.

[Kahran Ramsus]

Someone needed to tell Williams hold on signing with an agent in case the ruling his reversed. It was foolish Williams or anyone around him not to think he might be ruled ineligible for the draft. Know has for any team that wanted to take Williams, that's really too bad. They knew the possibility exited Williams wouldn't be allowed in the draft. If they don't have a Plan B, or C, or D than they have no business runing an NFL team.

Now you've gone and hurt Bidwell's feelings.

[Vern Gagne]

Bidwell and Denny Green in the same draft room. Scary thought.

 

Bidwell-Know this young man...what kind of character does he have.

 

GM-his college coach was hesitant to say anything positive, except he was talented when he worked hard. Which was rarely.

 

Denny-relax this is a bonus pick. Just like Demitrius Underwood.

[Vern Gagne]

What does the NBA do after this ruling?

 

If Stern is sincere in wanting to raise the required age to 21 than he can use this in the league's favor. Since I think that's nothing but smoke and mirrors, nothing comes of it.

[Gert T]

Clarett and Mike Williams legal teams really erred in the fact that they should have pushed the U.S. Court of Appeals to make a decision earlier than April 19th. That date was set in late February. When that date was announced, you knew it being less than a week before the draft the NFL would be in great shape if they won, since practically nothing will get this reversed now before Saturday.