Nico going pure NFL on the Vols
- Thread starter 18IsTheMan
- Start date
And Rocket Sanders from Ark. I don't think there's a rule against it.
Stone Blanton to Mississippi State as well. Pup Howard to Florida.
They can't transfer intra-SEC during the Spring portal; they'd have to wait until later in the year.
Whenever the next portal session occurs. I don't know when or how many they currently have since they made changes, but I heard it being explained that this condition applied to the Spring portal session but he could transfer intra-SEC later in the year.
I've seen those names along with UNC and Texas Tech but I really wonder if any of them are in desperate enough need of a qb to want a guy with his baggage.
The solution to the madness is for the fans to stop funding the NIL collectives. I can't imagine making a donation to the program to help pay for scholarships and salaries, paying for tickets to see the games AND giving money to an NIL collective to pay players. This system is the equivalent of people buying tickets to NFL games and also paying into some sort of fund to pay the players separately.
Someone 'splain this to me: the schools don't control the NIL payments nor do they pay the players directly - the money is coming from an NIL collective or other outside entity. So, how do you tell the school that if others don't cough up more money that you're taking your show elsewhere? And what sort of contract do they have with the NIL-payer regarding obligations/conditions for payment? Just their word that they'll show up? From the same person who is now extorting you for more? That person's word?
It almost sounds like they're given a blank check with no obligations of any type and there's no possibility of repercussions for lack of performance due to this arrangement. One might call it legalized theft. Look at Judas Wells, for example.
Doesn't fall under the heading of what I'd call "sound investment practices".
It almost sounds like they're given a blank check with no obligations of any type and there's no possibility of repercussions for lack of performance due to this arrangement. One might call it legalized theft. Look at Judas Wells, for example.
Doesn't fall under the heading of what I'd call "sound investment practices".
Or like having to buy a license (PSL) to have the opportunity to then buy tickets?
The sports entertainment people have already seen how stupid some people are with their money when it comes to sports and they're just doing more of the same.
Well Mario Cristobal made his feelings known about this situation, or any that may happen in the future.
(Pencil me in for Team Cristobal)
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/miami-hurricanes-mario-cristobal-hold-out-statement-issued
(Pencil me in for Team Cristobal)
Mario Cristobal Issues Stern Statement to Players After Nico Iamaleava Situation
“We’re not going to do that at Miami,” Cristobal said. “And I say that without any hesitation. If anyone is thinking that — They can be the best player in the world. If they wanna play holdout, they might as well play get out. Don’t want to do that, don’t want Miami to become that. Too many guys have sweat, bled, and have laid on the line on that field to ever become that kind of program.”https://athlonsports.com/college-football/miami-hurricanes-mario-cristobal-hold-out-statement-issued
It already impacted us with Juice Wells last year but it wasn't as high profile as this case.
I think the change in timing is significant. Juice just screwed us, and youre right, he wasn't high profile enough.
But it wasn't our qb (back to high profile) and it wasn't before the playoffs, or after spring ball. Imo, it'll just be more widespread now. Like last year, we're arguingbif we deserve to be included in the playoffs, and some of our players will be hoping so, so they can negotiate higher deals at the last second.
Oh, and I read elsewhere that this UT qb and a couple others at UT tried to renegotiate just prior to the playoffs too.
When the decisions started coming down from the courts that essentially made the players unrestricted free agents, I made the remark to a friend that I wondered how long it would be before a QB had a great first half for his team... only to come out and play for the opposition in the 2nd half because they offered him more money at halftime.
It's not looking as ridiculous as it may have seemed as more time passes.
Will it be more widespread now, though? Tennessee taking a stand here might minimize this kind of thing happening again. It doesn't appear that there are a ton of options for Nico right now.
Sorry if already mentioned but Nico's younger brother is a QB on Arkansas, Madden Lamaleava, they are in a no win situation with him as well, he does good, you better come up with a ton of cash or bye bye
This is why I'll never pay a nickel for NIL.
Looks like Nico is going to a team being UCLA with less playoff chances for less money.
Maybe Nico just hated wearing the putrid orange and looking like a pumpkin every Saturday and just did not want to be a Vol,
I think maybe Nico, or whoever is running his negotiations, thought he had a much better bargaining position than he really had.
(That vid never gets old!Looks like Nico is going to a team being UCLA with less playoff chances for less money.
Maybe Nico just hated wearing the putrid orange and looking like a pumpkin every Saturday and just did not want to be a Vol,
)
The timing is extremely significant. I'm adamantly opposed to the portal, but at least if a guy hits the portal in the winter, the school has time to recover and find a replacement. However, for a starting QB to be able to hit the portal this late in the process is just absurd. It leaves the school with essentially no options except to possibly tamper and try to get some other starting QB at a P4 school to transfer to them.
I am glad UT stiffened up and refused to cave in. He was obviously trying to leverage the time into forcing UT to pay up. I respect Heupel for not going the "win at all cost" route. Some things are more important.
Also glad the decision blew up in Nico's face and that he has become the face of all that is wrong with college football. There is a 0% chance he wanted to end up at UCLA. It's also financially terrible for him. He's getting less gross NIL from UCLA (reportedly $1.5 million versus $2.4 million at UT). AND Tennessee has no state income tax. In California, he'll be in the highest tax bracket, which is 12.3%. Less money. Worse team.
Last edited:
What's to stop the same thing from happening to any P4 school? Time for contracts - multiyear contracts.