Letting The Joker out of the box
The longer you go without rules, the harder it will be to make rules.
The NCAA might learn that lesson the hard way as it pursues sanctions against Tennessee for alleged recruiting violations stemming from a collective that works closely with athletes at the university in the Name, Image, Likeness realm.
It's a story that affects all of college football, including Penn State, as collectives play a bigger and bigger role in attracting star athletes to the universities they choose to represent, promising cash and business opportunities.
On this week's episode of the Penn Stated podcast, host Donnie Collins talks about what the Tennessee case could mean for Penn State and other major programs. But he also brings in a special guest - legendary Scranton Times-Tribune high school sports beat writer Joby Fawcett - to discuss the positives and negatives of NIL as it trickles down into the high school ranks.
We know how it's likely affecting some athletes now.
But, will high school sports exist in its current form in a decade or so after NIL gets done changing them, and the attitudes of high school-aged athletes and their parents?
Donnie also delves into the postseason all-star games in college football, where a handful of Penn State's draft-eligible players are looking to make names for themselves in front of NFL scouts. Which one has impressed Donnie the most over the last week?
That answer might surprise you.
To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.
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