Protect College Sports Act

Nigel (0:00)

Hammer and Nigel.

Jason Hammer (0:01)

You believe these characters?

Nigel (0:03)

They're weirdos. My name is Nigel. Jason Hammer is here. You're going to have to fill me in on this one, Hammer. The Senate advanced the Protect College Sports Act, which is going to create like national rules for college athletics. Does this have any implications for the portal, the NIL, all that stuff?

Jason Hammer (0:30)

A lot of it. We're just going to call this the Lane Kiffin rule for now. OK, this is the Lane Kiffin rule. Lane Kiffin is the head coach at LSU, was previously the head coach at Ole Miss and USC and Tennessee and the Raiders and Florida Atlantic.

But Lane Kiffin tried to bring in dudes that went through NFL training camps back to college. OK, there were a couple of guys that were told by the NCAA, hey, your request for a fifth year has been denied. So they said, all right, fine, we'll try to make the NFL.

Nigel (1:08)

The COVID year or something like that.

Jason Hammer (1:10)

Right. And now even though the COVID year was a little bit over six years ago now, there's still a little gray area about that extra year of eligibility.

So NCAA says, nope, we're denying you your extra year. So they try to make it to the pros. They go to NFL training camps. They make it all the way through until cut day, but they don't make it.

Nigel (1:34)

Okay.

Jason Hammer (1:35)

Well, then a judge in Louisiana says, well, you know what?

I think it was wrong for the NCAA to say that. You can go back to college for that year. So dudes that have gone through NFL training camps are now going back to college, which seems a little weird because, you know, you can't go through an NFL camp and then go back to play college football.

Nigel (2:02)

I'm wondering how you feel about that, because they didn't make it all the way through. They got the training camp.

Jason Hammer (2:07)

Right. You still practiced with pros, though. Like, sure, you were in the mix with NFL dudes.

So I don't know. I think once you sign that form that says, I am trying to make the Cleveland Browns or the Indianapolis Golds, because you've got to sign something. You can't just show up like Willie Mase Hayes did in Major League and expect to be put on the roster.

Nigel (2:31)

Wonderful reference.

Jason Hammer (2:32)

Thank you. You have to sign a waiver at the very least. That's it. That's the ball game.

Nigel (2:40)

I always thought back in the day, once you sign with an agent, then your eligibility is over.

Jason Hammer (2:47)

Well, now you can sign with an agent to help with your NIL money.

Nigel (2:52)

Some of these college kids, God, it's upside down.

Jason Hammer (2:55)

It's so amazing, are making insane money. Arch Manning, in two years of being the starting quarterback at Texas, has probably made about $16 million. No.

$8 million a year.

Nigel (3:08)

No.

Jason Hammer (3:10)

His predecessor, the kid that was the quarterback before him, you were at Texas. He had an endorsement deal for a private jet.

Nigel (3:19)

Oh, that's right.

Jason Hammer (3:20)

Imagine being 20 year old Nigel and having access to a private jet. You think that'd be any fun? Running around with millions of bucks and a private jet.

Nigel (3:31)

I'd rather just have a private helicopter where I could just get in the helicopter and the helipad and take me to Broad Ripple.

Jason Hammer (3:40)

Hey, you're not driving, so I'm all right with it. Here are some other aspects of this bill that's designed to protect college sports.

Athletes can earn money from their name, image and likeness without losing scholarships. Some of these other schools are like, okay, we're going to pay you big bucks to be here, but we need you to pay for school then.

Nigel (4:06)

Oh, wow, okay.

Jason Hammer (4:09)

Athletes get one penalty free transfer. Now, this is key, because some of these kids are just now transferring school to school to school, trying to get that payday, trying to find a place where they have the fastest track to the NFL. Look who IU played in the first week, North Texas, their quarterback, Trace Jackson Davis, his brother, the former IU basketball star. He was a quarterback star at Center Grove. He was recruited by Tennessee, went to Tennessee, couldn't see the field, went to Indiana, couldn't see the field, and he's transferred around. I think he's on his like third or fourth school now.