The NCAA Keeps On Keeping On: College Athletes Can Lose A Year Of Eligibility For Playing Daily Fantasy Games

Listening to NCAA’s Oliver Luck speak this morning in Dallas. He reminds that …

— Scott Stricklin (@stricklinMSU) September 22, 2015

… any athlete found to be gambling on college sports (includes daily fantasy such as Draft Kings) automatically loses a year of eligibility.

— Scott Stricklin (@stricklinMSU) September 22, 2015

Let's just forget for a second that this is an absolutely insane proposition. Let's just forget that the punishment of losing a year of eligibility does not fit the "crime" of throwing 5 dollars at one of the most steadily growing business models in sports. Let's just forget that there are much bigger problems surrounding the NCAA than daily fucking fantasy games. 

With all that out of the way, I think I am starting to respect the NCAA. If you don't stand for nothing, you'll fall for anything. Now sure, really the only thing they stand for is profiting off child labor, but at least that's not nothing. There is something to be said for staring scrutiny directly in the face and standing your ground. Literally every single person not profiting off college athletics realizes the flaws associated with college athletics. You think that's going to make them change their stance on kids selling their own autographs, or accepting free meals, or picking a faux lineup to bet money on during Sunday football? Nope, because as dumb as the NCAA, they are equally as headstrong. Haven't we all been in a position where a majority of people thought we were wrong? Did we back down? Most likely. Did we want to back down? Hell no we didn't. We probably regretted later too. The NCAA will never feel that remorse, because they will never change their ways. While their ways aren't commendable, the concept of not changing them, especially given the current landscape of society, actually kind of is. 

Don't get me wrong. I think college athletes should be able to play Draft Kings. I think they should be to go blow whatever small amount of money they do have at the casino. I think they should be able to buy lottery tickets. Generally I think they should just be allowed to do the things that fucking everyone else in the world is allowed to do. The NCAA, a business that televises their product on the very same channels that advertise these same daily fantasy games, is full of a bunch of hypocrites. However, we can at least give them credit for not being full of a bunch of conformists.