PRESS PICKS: Celebration of Senate passing PCSA premature, if not naive
STAFF REPORT
It was Old McDonald who once said, “Don’t count your chickens until they hatch.”
OK, maybe it was Confucius or Paul Harvey who said it, but the adage still rings true. And it’s about to provide another example.
The celebration of the passing of the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA) is in the least, premature, and at most, quite naive.
Those who are lauding the Senate passage earlier this week are not very familiar with American politics or how the sausage is made. Fact is, it’s less nauseating to watch pig innards put in a plastic sleeve than to follow the ranting of politicians about a subject that doesn’t spin the popularity meter like a good debate on taxing the rich.
No, this bill is far from being a thing. No matter what Sen.Ted Cruz says (and he’s said a lot), the prediction is it will die a slow death in the House.
“The bill is dead,” was a quote from an unnamed source in a Yahoo Sports story earlier this week.
Why the quick pop of the balloon? Easy, it’s election time and no one running for office will campaign on a subject that doesn’t enrage the masses. Think gas prices or tax increases.
That leads to the thought of the Republicans, who are somewhat spearheading this bill, may not keep control of the House, consequently leading to another delay in the vote, if there is one at all.
Apparently, Democrats are generally not in favor of any limits on spending for a good college athlete. Then again, when has that bunch ever wanted to limit spending on anything (yes, you can include Republicans in that statement, too).
But the procedures to make this bill a law is long and tedious. There are dozens of hoops to jump through and the longer the jump, the chances of passage decreases.
This isn’t the first time the Senate attempted to push a bill in favor of the NCAA. Remember the “SCORE Act?” It barely got through committee approval before being dumped at the alter.
Apparently a “Plan B” is in the works which would give individual conferences the power to legislate many of the articles included in the Protect act.
There are serious discussions among conference leaders to consider an adaptation of the bill's biggest issues including a $48.8 million revenue-share cap and a way to enforce it.
The Southeastern Conference has already floated the idea of going rogue and becoming independent of the NCAA to enforce its own policies to curb the unending spending of NIL money without any ramifications or damages.
Despite the calls of demagoguery, other leagues are considering the idea with hopes that it might lead to stability in the NIL payouts. It won’t be too long before the deep pockets will decide that all this money being handed over to 18-year old kids is not a good investment and will pull back the reins on spending. That would leave the athletic departments swimming in (more) debt eventually leading to the eradication of non-revenue sports.
Title-IX adherence would then be the predicament, meaning money for the revenue sports would be cut severely, leading to other issues.
Eventually, it would be the end of college football or basketball as we know it.
The path to destruction would be in place. Yes, that’s what some people want.
All of this might seem dull and uninteresting to the common fan but it would be wise to pay attention to how the courts respond to future decisions. It has been stated by numerous members of college athletics that the current policies of unending spending are not sustainable and if not soon reeled in, the games we love on Saturday will price itself out of existence.
The good news is someone will benefit from all of this… those same chickens, the politicians and attorneys.
2026 Standings (Last week)
1. Rosie Langello 66-19 (10-5) .776
Michael Butler 66-19 (11-4) .776
3. Wesley Lyle 65-20 (10-5) .765
4. Doug Amos 63-22 (12-3) .741
5. Lindsey Bonner 62-23 (10-5) .729
Graham Dunn 62-23 (12-3) .729
7. Tim Gayle 60-25 (10-5) .706
8. Mike Peacock 57-28 (10-5) .671
9. Barry McKnight 55-30 (10-5) .647
Mike Tankersley 55-30 (10-5) .647
Rick Hendrick 55-30 (11-4) .647
Rosie Langello (WSFA Ch. 12 New and Sports)
66-19 (10-5) .776
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Stanhope Elmore
Marbury at Valley - Marbury
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - Kentucky
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - Washington
West Virginia at Iowa St - Iowa St
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech
Michael Butler (WTLS 101.1&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
66-19 (11-4) .776
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Stanhope Elmore
Marbury at Valley - Valley
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - Kentucky
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - Iowa St
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Pitt
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports)
65-20 (10-5) .765
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Stanhope Elmore
Marbury at Valley - Valley
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - Kentucky
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - Iowa St
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
63-22 (12-3) .741
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Stanhope Elmore
Marbury at Valley - Marbury
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - Iowa St
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
62-23 (10-5) .729
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Rehobeth
Marbury at Valley - Marbury
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - Florida
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - West Va
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
62-23 (12-3) .729
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Stanhope Elmore
Marbury at Valley - Valley
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - Kentucky
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - West Va
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
60-25 (10-5) .706
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Stanhope Elmore
Marbury at Valley - Valley
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - Kentucky
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - Iowa St
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports/ASU Hornets Radio analyst )
57-28 (10-5) .671
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Stanhope Elmore
Marbury at Valley - Valley
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - Kentucky
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - West Va
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
55-30 (10-5) .647
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Stanhope Elmore
Marbury at Valley - Valley
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - Kentucky
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - Iowa St
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech
Mike Tankersley (River Region Sports/WTLS contributor)
55-30 (10-5) .647
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Stanhope Elmore
Marbury at Valley - Valley
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Missouri
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - Iowa St
BYU at TCU - TCU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
55-30 (11-4) .647
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Rehobeth
Marbury at Valley - Valley
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - Iowa St
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech