State of the Union: Two college football stories serve as political distractions
By Joel Greer
Jan 28, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; (From left to right) CAPA president Ramogi Huma, Northwestern University quarterback Kain Colter, United Steelworkers (USW) national political director Tim Waters, and United Steelworkers (USW) president Leo W. Gerard during a press conference for CAPA College Athletes Players Association at Hyatt Regency. Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
It was a day (Jan.28) when college football as a whole and the Michigan program itself went topsy-turvy.
Before we get into details, here is a link to ESPN‘s story on Northwestern QB Kain Coulter— and the Michigan Daily report on former Wolverine kicker Brendan Gibbons.
Most of of you are aware of Coulter’s movement toward union affiliation so college players can be protected in a variety of ways, plus having enough change in their pockets to take a young lady out for pizza.
An officer and a gentleman?
Michigan’s story is the sad one. It affects many of us who frequented frat parties to drink too much, and maybe meet our first on-campus female companion. Some people go too far.
Colter’s story will be with us for a long time. He’s aligned with several members of the Northwestern football team and even more around the country.
NLRB
Named the College Athletes Players Association, Colter’s group will be a legitimate force, considering it’s already backed by United Steel Workers union (900,000 members) and has enough signatures (30%) for the Northwestern football team to be certified by the National Labor Relations Board. Other teams could follow.
“The action we’re taking isn’t because of any mistreatment by Northwestern,” Colter said. “We love Northwestern. The school is just playing by the rules of their governing body, the NCAA. We’re interested in trying to help all players — at USC, Stanford, Oklahoma State, everywhere. It’s about protecting them and future generations to come.”
$8 billion to share
Colter will be working with Ramogi Huma, a former UCLA linebacker and Luke Bonner (whose brother Matt played in the NBA).
“This is about finally giving college athletes a seat at the table,” said Huma, a seat with a nearly $8 billion pot to divide. At this time the NCAA claims student athletes are not employees. Talk about lawyering up.
The Gibbons story was first reported last August by Washtenaw Watchdogs, a blog operated by Dr. Douglas Smith, a former professor at the University of Michigan’s Medical School.
Law and Order or CSI?
The Ann Arbor police, according to the blog, wouldn’t confirm if Gibbons was arrested or charged at a fraternity party where a rape allegedly occurred on Dec. 22, 2009. Michigan LT Taylor Lewan was reportedly present.
Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sportsreportedly present.
The questions are fascinating. Was Brady Hoke informed by the Ann Arbor Police? Did the victim make enough noise over the last five years for the university to finally act? Was there a connection between Dr. Smith and the university? Some are screaming cover up, and in this case, only the lawyers might know.
Not to change the subject, but was it Al Borges play-calling which cost Michigan the OSU game, or was it Brendan Gibbons’ boo-boo.
I guess you’ll have to make a long distance call, to reach either one.
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — Joel Greer