Clarett can enter NFL draft

[Gmoney]

Judge Says Clarett Can Be in NFL Draft

By LARRY NEUMEISTER

NEW YORK (AP) - Suspended Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was ruled eligible for the NFL draft Thursday by a federal judge who concluded that the league's rule violates antitrust laws.

U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin ordered the NFL to let Clarett enter April's draft.

Clarejust tt played one season at Ohio State, leading the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship. He was barred from playing in the 2003 season for accepting improper benefits from a family friend and then lying about it to investigators.

Clarett sued the NFL last summer to challenge the league rule that a player must be out of high school three years for draft eligibility. Thursday's ruling, if not successfully appealed, could allow teenage football stars to take advantage of the marketing and business opportunities available to young athletes in other sports.

The league had argued that Clarett should not be eligible because its rule resulted from a collective bargaining agreement with the players and is immune from antitrust scrutiny. The NFL also argued that its rule is reasonable and that Clarett cannot bring such a lawsuit.

``While, ordinarily, the best offense is a good defense, none of these defenses hold the line,'' the judge wrote in a 70-page ruling.

She said Clarett could bring the lawsuit because he was fighting a policy that excludes all players in his position from selling their services to the only viable buyer - the NFL.

``The NFL has not justified Clarett's exclusion by demonstrating that the rule enhances competition. Indeed, Clarett has alleged the very type of injury - a complete bar to entry into the market for this services - that the antitrust laws are designed to prevent,'' she said.

_________________________________

This will now be just like the NBA, a bunch of uneducated punks trying to go pro after high school.

[ALinChainz]

Here is a little added note about the shit this kid is up to.


==================================================

CLARETT GAMBLING WITH HIS FUTURE?

Given revelations that Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett's friend/benefactor Bobby Delimutti was in regular contact with at offshore gambling operation at the same time he was in regular contract with Clarett, some league insiders are wondering whether the ongoing investigation might jeopardize Clarett's ability to play in the NFL.

"The kid is pissing away his future," the source said.

If the NFL is going to get bent out of shape over ESPN's "Playmakers" and Janet Jackson's boob-drop, the league sure as hell can't afford to associate itself with a player who is associating with known gamblers.

Regardless of whether the NFL might take formal action to investigate and/or to bar Clarett from the league apart from his pending challenge to the draft rules, the cynical mind might speculate that the NFL cajoled its "partner" at ESPN (which gratuitously dumped its fictional pro football show on Wednesday in order to keep Big Brother happy) into running with its story about Delimutti sooner rather than later, in the hopes that the judge presiding over the Clarett litigation might be swayed by the report in reaching her final decision.

And if Judge Shira Scheindlein is on the fence about whether she's strike down the rule that purportedly keeps Clarett out of the draft, a gust of wind in either direction might be all she needs to reach a final ruling.

[Gmoney]

These dumb asses should just stay in school and complete their home econonics degrees.

In the immortal words of Apollo Creed......"Be a thinker, not a stinker"!!!

[ALinChainz]

Not to mention some of the NFL defensive players who are licking their chops to put a shot on this kid. But the ruling says he can enter the draft, I guess he is supposively still weighing his options. He may need the money to get his ass out of legal trouble.

Gonna be fun.

[DLR7884]

So some dyke judge says he can play in the NFL....I'm sure that the scouts and GM's in the NFL will prove otherwise.

He'll go low in the draft, and hardly play next year.

DLR7884
Hey Maurice, learn to read soon, you'll be out of the NFL in 3 years.

[Gmoney]

As long as the dumb bastard can say "Paper or Plastic?", he should be OK.

[DLR7884]

Originally posted by Gmoney
As long as the dumb bastard can say "Paper or Plastic?", he should be OK.

Actually, he'll end up as one of those guys who jumps on your hood and starts washing your windows without you asking.

DLR7884
He's an absolute moron.

[Gmoney]

Originally posted by DLR7884
Actually, he'll end up as one of those guys who jumps on your hood and starts washing your windows without you asking.

DLR7884
He's an absolute moron.

If he cleans the windshield good, there will be a shiny new quarter in it for him!!

I hope the fucker blows out a knee!! This of course will ruin his night job!!

[ALinChainz]

Most of what I've read so far is NFL scouts wouldn't even consider him until after the 3rd round. Injuries, suspect speed, and character being the main issues.

Almost 2 years now since he's played too. The speed of the NFL will provide a rude awakening.

[Bob_R]

What a crock of shit! Now every Tom, Dick, and Harry are going to start pulling this shit. Finish college jerkoff! The fucking idiot can't even read. I wish him the worst of luck.

[SilvioDante]

I am hoping he comes out and gets drafted REAL high. Then I would love to watch him suck just like every other Big Ten running back in recent history. That hopefully will give these other Freshman something to think about. Or maybe the GM's would think twice anyway.

Also, I never understood this anti-trust argument. I mean, there ARE other leagues (Arena, Arena II, NIFL). He could play in all of those leagues, he choses not to.

[High Life Man]

Originally posted by SilvioDante
suck just like every other Big Ten running back in recent history.

Michael Bennett isn't bad at all. When he's healthy.

[ALinChainz]

Top high schoolers not rushing to NFL despite Clarett ruling

By WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press Writer
February 6, 2004

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Brian Toal is one of the top football recruits in the nation, yet he knows he needs a lot more experience -- and size --before he's ready for the NFL.

He's not alone.

Although a federal judge ruled high school players and college underclassmen should be eligible for the NFL draft, many will stick to school for now, and they wonder if any teenager could handle the big time.

``My goal is to turn pro; it'd be nice,'' Toal said. ``But I'm not sure I'm ready.''

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound running back/linebacker could start at Boston College as a freshman. He was recruited by virtually every major college program in the country, including Miami, Tennessee, and Penn State.

He and many of the nation's best young players say they plan to use college to hone their game, and to grow, both physically and emotionally. Then they can consider playing in the NFL.

``I don't think anybody can go straight out of high school, including myself,'' said Ted Ginn Jr., one of the nation's most recruited high school players, out of Cleveland Glenville.

Ginn has drawn comparisons to Deion Sanders with his blazing speed, but he realizes he needs to play college ball. He will be a defensive back at Ohio State after playing quarterback, wide receiver and cornerback in high school.

``We may be fast enough. But we're not strong enough, or mentally ready,'' Ginn said. ``Those are grown men. They have a lot of experience.''

Cleveland St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle, whose teams have won nine Division I state championships since 1988, said none of his players who went on to the NFL would have been ready after their senior year.

Top recruit Jeff Byers agreed college is essential for young football players who dream of turning pro. The 6-4, 290-pound high school center from Loveland, Colo., is headed to co-national champion USC.

``You might be able to take a hit from someone in high school, but you get to the NFL and you're going to have to take a hit from a guy like Brian Urlacher,'' Byers said. ``I don't know of any 18-year-old that would be able to do that.

``The NFL playbook is like 6 inches thick, and a guy coming right out of high school isn't going to be able to handle that mentally.''

A federal judge sided with Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett on Thursday, striking down the NFL's 1990 rule that a player must be out of high school three years to enter the draft.

The NFL is appealing, but in the meantime set a March 1 deadline for high school players and newly eligible college underclassmen to apply for April's draft.

Longtime observers of high school football panned the judge's decision.

``It was a horrible ruling,'' said Allen Wallace, publisher of the SuperPrep college football recruiting magazine. ``I can't think of a single one I've met who's emotionally and physically ready to succeed right away in the NFL. You're essentially asking them to throw away their childhood and pretend they're adults.

``Football is the most violent of all sports, and some of these kids would be opening themselves up to serious injury.''

Running back Adrian Peterson also was one of the nation's most heralded recruits this year at Palestine High School in Texas. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound Oklahoma signee runs 10.33 in the 100 meters, said his coach, Jeff Harrell.

But even a player as physically gifted as Peterson would benefit from a couple of years of strength and conditioning in a college program, Harrell said.

``The physical contact would be a big step,'' he said. ``I don't want to say it can't be done, but a kid lining up to run the football against high school linebackers and trying to run against Ray Lewis is a little different. That's a huge jump from high school. The NFL is the best players in the world.''

Jerry Bomar, coach of Grand Prairie in Texas and father of Oklahoma quarterback recruit Rhett Bomar, believes it's unrealistic to compare high school football players to teenagers in the NBA.

``In basketball they don't get hit in the mouth,'' Jerry Bomar said. ``I think it would be very hard on a kid physically. Plus they don't understand that the pros spend 14 to 16 hours some days studying football.

``I would be very disappointed if my son wanted to do that. It seems like we're trying nowadays to try to grow up kids so fast. I just think you're supposed to go through things, taking steps to get there.''

[Gmoney]

You know the next high school stud running back that scores a 10 on his ACT will apply for the draft!!

[damngoodtimes]

Originally posted by High Life Man
Michael Bennett isn't bad at all. When he's healthy.

uh.. Eddie George.

Anthony Thomas. Mike Alstott.

[SilvioDante]

Alstott fumbles to much (and he went to Purdue so he automatically sucks in my book)...
All these guys lead the Big Ten in rushing...
Ron Dayne
Tavian Banks
Darnell Autry
Tim Biakabutuka
Ki-Jana Carter
Tyrone Wheatley
Vaughn Dunbar
Brent Moss
Tico Duckett
I say Dayne sux, but you might not think so, every one else does.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Yeah, like Al said, it's looking like 3rd round, maybe low 2nd.....

[Snake]

clarett will be the next emmitt smith