Anyone heard about this with Nico and parents

[OrangeBeachVol]

Shame this is where the NIL is going right now. Controls are badly needed.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Per sources to xxxxxx and confirmed by Will West of The Sports Animal, Iamaleava’s family, not Nico, lobbied for more money following the season than they had previously been promised when he was recruited from California in the Vols’ 2023 class. In the NIL era, contracts are about as helpful as a missed pass block on the field. Sure, they’re there, but they’re just a whiff of what could have been.

One has to wonder if the Vols should have let Iamaleava walk and spent the massive amount of money he’s costing Tennessee on other positions, either to keep current players, like receiver Mike Matthews, who also reportedly asked for a raise, to keep current Vols in their current roles or go get transfers to bolster the roster.

Would you rather have a handful of good players or a pretty good quarterback? That was the quandary, especially since the Vols are currently trying to bring NIL spending in-house and, hopefully, stick to some sort of NIL budget. That has been a challenge.

Per sources, Iamaleava’s family was the driving force behind the forced raise, and he felt caught in the middle. There is absolutely no indication that Iamaleava is anything but a perfect teammate, but agents and parents do what agents and parent do. They look out for their own, even if it is to a fault.

 

[bicenTENNial]

Shame this is where the NIL is going right now. Controls are badly needed.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Per sources to xxxxxx and confirmed by Will West of The Sports Animal, Iamaleava’s family, not Nico, lobbied for more money following the season than they had previously been promised when he was recruited from California in the Vols’ 2023 class. In the NIL era, contracts are about as helpful as a missed pass block on the field. Sure, they’re there, but they’re just a whiff of what could have been.

One has to wonder if the Vols should have let Iamaleava walk and spent the massive amount of money he’s costing Tennessee on other positions, either to keep current players, like receiver Mike Matthews, who also reportedly asked for a raise, to keep current Vols in their current roles or go get transfers to bolster the roster.

Would you rather have a handful of good players or a pretty good quarterback? That was the quandary, especially since the Vols are currently trying to bring NIL spending in-house and, hopefully, stick to some sort of NIL budget. That has been a challenge.

Per sources, Iamaleava’s family was the driving force behind the forced raise, and he felt caught in the middle. There is absolutely no indication that Iamaleava is anything but a perfect teammate, but agents and parents do what agents and parent do. They look out for their own, even if it is to a fault.

It's a greedy world out there

 

[TAF]

 

[Delmar]

This new world sure is fun isn’t it?

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

Shame this is where the NIL is going right now. Controls are badly needed.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Per sources to xxxxxx and confirmed by Will West of The Sports Animal, Iamaleava’s family, not Nico, lobbied for more money following the season than they had previously been promised when he was recruited from California in the Vols’ 2023 class. In the NIL era, contracts are about as helpful as a missed pass block on the field. Sure, they’re there, but they’re just a whiff of what could have been.

One has to wonder if the Vols should have let Iamaleava walk and spent the massive amount of money he’s costing Tennessee on other positions, either to keep current players, like receiver Mike Matthews, who also reportedly asked for a raise, to keep current Vols in their current roles or go get transfers to bolster the roster.

Would you rather have a handful of good players or a pretty good quarterback? That was the quandary, especially since the Vols are currently trying to bring NIL spending in-house and, hopefully, stick to some sort of NIL budget. That has been a challenge.

Per sources, Iamaleava’s family was the driving force behind the forced raise, and he felt caught in the middle. There is absolutely no indication that Iamaleava is anything but a perfect teammate, but agents and parents do what agents and parent do. They look out for their own, even if it is to a fault.

You make too much money. Shame on you. We need controls on how much money you make. If you don't agree, you're a hypocrite.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Nobody is forcing you to pay them. This is what a pure free market looks like. If yall don't like it then say you got a problem with capitalism.

Nico's family did nothing wrong. Everyone of us would do the same if we had leverage. Blame the people who are caving into the demands of the athletes rather than the athletes themselves. They're doing nothing wrong by trying to get as much money as they can.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

This is going to happen with every high profile recruit.

I’ve said it before but there should be contracts put in place for NIL.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

It's a greedy world out there

Its about market value. Duke paying that QB from Tulane 4 million to go there readjusted the market value of every starting QB at a major program.

 

[ptcarter]

This new world sure is fun isn’t it?

I've checked with my advisors and they say NO.

 

[loservol]

The problem is, him, his family and handlers are all acting like he is an established commodity instead of a struggling rookie QB, who might never catch on. I know I'm in for some message board flak and push back, but if any of this is true they should let him pursue other offers. Heupel has two four star backup QB's and a transfer portal he can turn to find the starter for next season.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

I wish articles like that wouldn't be written. I get that won't happen but all it does is fuel speculation, invites numerous threads on message boards like this and makes assumptions about Nico that may or may not be true. It's not fair to him or his family if it never happened and we can't prove it one way or the other. It gives media types fodder and potentially pushes a false narrative.

 

[utvolpj]

Is Will West usually one breaking this kind of info? Not sure i remember him being an insider

True or not, he's not helping UT football with this mess. So glad our local media is on our side

 

[Voltopia]

This new world sure is fun isn’t it?

Sure is. Not that we know whether this is true or not, the overall landscape sure is is fun. I keep thinking about that Ole Miss running back who went in at halftime of a game and demanded more NIL money to keep playing. I think Ole Miss ended up telling the guy no, but even so - what a world we live in.

I wonder how people would feel about Hyatt if he'd gone in at the half of the 2022 Alabama game saying "the price is going up." Can you imagine hearing stories of Tee Martin going in at the half of the Fiesta Bowl and demanding more money? Heh, or Peyton at the half of that 1995 Alabama game. That kind of story would instantly recolor any of those games.

Regardless, the current arrangement cannot work. You cannot operate a system that allows for extortion. Until the colleges find some way to regain control, it will only escalate further.

 

[12and0]

Nobody is forcing you to pay them. This is what a pure free market looks like. If yall don't like it then say you got a problem with capitalism.

Nico's family did nothing wrong. Everyone of us would do the same if we had leverage. Blame the people who are caving into the demands of the athletes rather than the athletes themselves. They're doing nothing wrong by trying to get as much money as they can.

They should have honored the deal. Players need contracts to curb this. Make them pay back money's and this will take care of itself.

 

[Voltopia]

Is Will West usually one breaking this kind of info? Not sure i remember him being an insider

True or not, he's not helping UT football with this mess. So glad our local media is on our side

"How can we top this Mike Keith business -- OH! I've got an idea!"

 

[UT97Vol]

I wish articles like that wouldn't be written. I get that won't happen but all it does is fuel speculation, invites numerous threads on message boards like this and makes assumptions about Nico that may or may not be true. It's not fair to him or his family if it never happened and we can't prove it one way or the other. It gives media types fodder and potentially pushes a false narrative.

This. There isn't much regardless of what "media" (traditional or social) that is reliable or trustworthy. And even if something is true you can't put much faith into anything because of the preponderance of garbage. Social media is going to do what it does, but I hope the news media will revert to its historical core values. Though after seeing the lack of self efficacy following the election, I'm pretty sure that's never going to happen.

 

[Dadof2Vols]

Shame this is where the NIL is going right now. Controls are badly needed.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Per sources to xxxxxx and confirmed by Will West of The Sports Animal, Iamaleava’s family, not Nico, lobbied for more money following the season than they had previously been promised when he was recruited from California in the Vols’ 2023 class. In the NIL era, contracts are about as helpful as a missed pass block on the field. Sure, they’re there, but they’re just a whiff of what could have been.

One has to wonder if the Vols should have let Iamaleava walk and spent the massive amount of money he’s costing Tennessee on other positions, either to keep current players, like receiver Mike Matthews, who also reportedly asked for a raise, to keep current Vols in their current roles or go get transfers to bolster the roster.

Would you rather have a handful of good players or a pretty good quarterback? That was the quandary, especially since the Vols are currently trying to bring NIL spending in-house and, hopefully, stick to some sort of NIL budget. That has been a challenge.

Per sources, Iamaleava’s family was the driving force behind the forced raise, and he felt caught in the middle. There is absolutely no indication that Iamaleava is anything but a perfect teammate, but agents and parents do what agents and parent do. They look out for their own, even if it is to a fault.

These are all 1 year free market angreements and market is changing. What’s the problem I would tell my son to do the same thing?

He has not contractually committed to 4 years and if he gets hurt in March his earning potential are done.

People need to understand Business is Business and Personal feeling are feel good vibes.

 

[utvolpj]

These are all 1 year free market angreements and market is changing. What’s the problem I would tell my son to do the same thing?

He has not contractually committed to 4 years and if he gets hurt in March his earning potential are done.

People need to understand Business is Business and Personal feeling are feel good vibes.

Actually these can be multi year agreements since it's outside the university scholarship. Nothing says they need to just be 1 year deals. They already aren't tied to performance so the injury means nothing to a contract

 

[Dadof2Vols]

Actually these can be multi year agreements since it's outside the university scholarship. Nothing says they need to just be 1 year deals. They already aren't tied to performance so the injury means nothing to a contract

They apparently aren’t “binding” contracts or players wouldn’t be moving…..LOL.

They maybe multi year but don’t appear to be binding handcuffs

 

[C-south]

Let him go. Not sure what their leverage is suppose to be to demand more.

 

[GAVol]

Is Will West usually one breaking this kind of info? Not sure i remember him being an insider

True or not, he's not helping UT football with this mess. So glad our local media is on our side

That’s the whole problem with NIL and fans. This is the way stuff happens everyday, but fans will take it personally every single time and lament things being out of control. Yet, they’d do the exact same thing if they had leverage.

 

[superdave1984]

This is going to happen with every high profile recruit.

I’ve said it before but there should be contracts put in place for NIL.

When did athlete's contracts become worth more than the paper they are written on? A contract these days is nothing. No school is gonna sue an athlete over a breach of contract and no athlete not named Rashada is going to sue the school. It has become a mercenary activity.

 

[utvolpj]

They apparently aren’t “binding” contracts or players wouldn’t be moving…..LOL.

They maybe multi year but don’t appear to be binding handcuffs

How are they not binding? He can either do what's required on the current contract or move somewhere else and get a new one. If the conditions are not met in Knoxville then he isn't paid. If they are met then he's getting paid even if he loses an arm

 

[bpalmer28]

I'm dismissing the whole report because one of our insiders (sorry I forgot which one) said Matthews didn't get a raise and his "holdout" was more about making sure Nico would be here and making sure our coaches have a plan for developing him. He came here to put up Hyatt numbers.

 

[tnmarktx]

Lol, the pearl clutching is real.