I went to the Albert Osuna hearing today/ Osuna update

[ArmchairQB]

Do you think if they approve it all guys should get 5/6years including guys that played D1 all the time? They could not have NIL their first 2 years either?

I haven't come close to thinking this all the way through, but kneejerk reaction? I'd be all for having five years of eligibility in all sports, cumulatively, across any level. It'd be interesting to see what the knock-on effect would be on competitive balance, when teams that get to load up on bluechip recruits who go pro early are then competing against teams who have the ability to field not just senior-laden squads, but super-senior ones. It was a one-off, but COVID eligibility made this happen in a bunch of places already. And I'd get rid of redshirts in football for good measure, with that fifth year. Just play them or don't, no worries about whether you're burning a year of eligibility by inserting someone partway through a season due to injury to someone else who was ahead of them. Four year eligibility is really a function of a traditional academic pathway where a student is enrolled for four years anyway, right? It's not like that's ever been universally true of all students. Five could be interesting.

The NIL portion is kind of a secondary consideration for me, because I don't think the NCAA or anyone else has any business restricting an individual's ability to make money at any level of competition, when the money's not being made playing their sport. It's not the NCAA's fault if someone can't make as much money while playing JUCO ball because the spotlight's not as bright there.

 

[preacherman20]

The argument the NCAA is saying is we did not limit your ability to make money. Your choice to go juco limited it but that is even false because NIL was not in effect his first year for JUCO or D1 so that is mute. JUCO can get NIL now so I think the argument is mute. I don't think the kid from Vandy will win his either. The best way to win would be a class action but A does not have that much time. I disagree with many that is not an attack on UT just the NCAA not wanting to give everyone extra years. There are 3 and 4 year JUCO players now so they could get 8 years if this is approved across the board.

 

[Ritzwatch]

Leaving aside whatever personal feelings I have about Osuna or Pavia or whoever and their eligibility, it is unconscionable that the NCAA, which makes so much money off the talents of these young men, can not or will not provide any sort of concrete guidance to these athletes so they can make a well-informed decision.

No excuses for the NCAA on this. The minimum they can do is provide the athletes with their position. The NCAA may not prevail in their position, but the athletes should at least be told whether the NCAA is going to actively advocate against their position or not so they can make an informed decision as they determine how much risk to assume.

 

[NEBBDad]

As a parent of an athelte, this is a very weird situation. Some people on here are blindly following the lead of a coach, that may have the best intentions, but now could be stirring up a distraction. If I was a player in that lockerroom, I am not sure how I would feel with having to deal with a player being added 2 weeks before the season started and the coach pointing so much attention towards that player who has not invested as much as the rest of us have for the University of Tennnessee. Remember the kids in high school during 2020 lost their high school season, and did not get more elgibility for college, so they have 5 years to play 4 years. Now you are in situation that a player that has played 4 season could be taking some of your PT during his 5th year (if granted) and if they came straight to a 4 year, they don't get a 5th year. All of you may say you would be okay with it and those young men in the lockerroom maybe be very supportive on the outside, but we don't don't know what is going through their minds or what would go through your mind. I don't know Osuna, but have heard good things about the young man, but this is bigger than him. Also before everybody keeps throwing Pavia around, understand his case is not settled as the NCAA is still fighting his case. All he won was an injuction 9 months before the start of the season, not 2 weeks before, so this is different in that regards, and for the record he should be done as well. NIL was not put in place to make kids stay in school longer to get a nice start in life or in some cases rich. Just my .02 cents worth.

 

[fryeguy93]

I hate to sound like a contrarian.
Thoughts.
(1) I'm not sure the Diego Pavia is a good case to look at. I think the judge exceeded his authority in granting injunctive relief to Pavia and I believe the NCAA has said that in cases that have popped up since. I believe the Pavia decision was actually wrong. Expecting a judge to make the same mistake in a case with it's own issues is unrealistic. Bad judges don't get a chance to create precedence in other jurisdictions.
(2) The NCAA is really in a no-win situation in some respect. By giving guys 5th, 6th, or 7th seasons, limits the opportunity for guys trying to get their first season in a P5 school.
(3) Osuna was set to play another season, (Tampa) just not in Division 1. He could have received NIL money at a lower level. His ceiling was higher in Div 1
(4) Covid hit college sports in 2020 and it's influence ended in 2021. Osuna was not even an NCAA athlete in 2020. At some point of time, we finally have to put COVID behind us.
(5) comparing NIL opportunities in baseball to NIL in college football (even Vanderbilt) is apples to oranges.
(6) If Osuna, Pavia, and other win injunctions this season, we will doubtlessly see other athletes argue for a waiver next season. 2026 would only be marginally less sensical than 2025
(7) It's very wrong to view this as an anti-UTK stance. Let's not all sound paranoid on X.
(8) At some point in time, an athlete has to look around and say they're too old to be playing college sports. 24 or 25 years old is light years ahead of 17-18-19 year olds that are playing at the same level.
(9) I'm sure Alberto is a nice guy with lots of talents that could help a team, but he lost the 2020 season and basically still got 4 full seasons of college ball and was set to get an exception of a 5th at a lower level. At literally the last minute he rolled the dice based on a bad court decision.
(10) Osuna was a good enough player of high school to play Div 1 baseball (maybe not P5) but opted to play JUCO. He was not forced there. He made a "business" decision to do JUCO. He did so in 2019-2020 not expecting a Chinses virus was going to allow him to have his cake and eat it to. Baseball is so much different than football and basketball in it's relationship with junior colleges. His lost 2020 Juco season was already given back to him.

 

[taylorvol]

Maybe so, but if CTV wants him cleared and participating this season, I’m good with it.

CTV is pretty darn close to perfect but very wrong with the horrendous precedent that this would set for college athletics. This is much bigger than Osuna. Even bigger, dare I say, than the University of TN. It’s about putting some guardrails around D1 eligibility and not enabling grown men (25 and 26 year olds) to compete against young adults (18-21year olds).

 

[chuckiepoo]

CTV is pretty darn close to perfect but very wrong with the horrendous precedent that this would set for college athletics. This is much bigger than Osuna. Even bigger, dare I say, than the University of TN. It’s about putting some guardrails around D1 eligibility and not enabling grown men (25 and 26 year olds) to compete against young adults (18-21year olds).

Makes me wonder if there is some 3D chess being played…

 

[Volprofch05]

Tony is marshaling the troops.

 

[taylorvol]

Makes me wonder if there is some 3D chess being played…

I kind of wonder if this is CTV‘s way of making it an “it’s us against the world” mentality. I can’t figure out why he‘s continuing to fight a losing battle (and more importantly one that’s really bad for college athletics). I will say this…they better deaden the bats and baseballs if they decide to not count JUCO or D2 against the 5 years to play 4 seasons, because a grown chiseled 26 year old man is going to hit a baseball so hard that we will see a catastrophic injury to a Pitcher.

 

[preacherman20]

As a parent of an athelte, this is a very weird situation. Some people on here are blindly following the lead of a coach, that may have the best intentions, but now could be stirring up a distraction. If I was a player in that lockerroom, I am not sure how I would feel with having to deal with a player being added 2 weeks before the season started and the coach pointing so much attention towards that player who has not invested as much as the rest of us have for the University of Tennnessee. Remember the kids in high school during 2020 lost their high school season, and did not get more elgibility for college, so they have 5 years to play 4 years. Now you are in situation that a player that has played 4 season could be taking some of your PT during his 5th year (if granted) and if they came straight to a 4 year, they don't get a 5th year. All of you may say you would be okay with it and those young men in the lockerroom maybe be very supportive on the outside, but we don't don't know what is going through their minds or what would go through your mind. I don't know Osuna, but have heard good things about the young man, but this is bigger than him. Also before everybody keeps throwing Pavia around, understand his case is not settled as the NCAA is still fighting his case. All he won was an injuction 9 months before the start of the season, not 2 weeks before, so this is different in that regards, and for the record he should be done as well. NIL was not put in place to make kids stay in school longer to get a nice start in life or in some cases rich. Just my .02 cents worth.

My thought would be no distraction in the locker room because he has not taken anybody’s playing time. I’m one who loves mine games and I’m pretty sure Coach V feels the same. I have wondered if this is a distraction to keep some pressure off of the team as a whole.It is a talking point in press conferences it keeps people from being focused on the fact that we are undefeated.

 

[fryeguy93]

As a parent of an athelte, this is a very weird situation. Some people on here are blindly following the lead of a coach, that may have the best intentions, but now could be stirring up a distraction. If I was a player in that lockerroom, I am not sure how I would feel with having to deal with a player being added 2 weeks before the season started and the coach pointing so much attention towards that player who has not invested as much as the rest of us have for the University of Tennnessee. Remember the kids in high school during 2020 lost their high school season, and did not get more elgibility for college, so they have 5 years to play 4 years. Now you are in situation that a player that has played 4 season could be taking some of your PT during his 5th year (if granted) and if they came straight to a 4 year, they don't get a 5th year. All of you may say you would be okay with it and those young men in the lockerroom maybe be very supportive on the outside, but we don't don't know what is going through their minds or what would go through your mind. I don't know Osuna, but have heard good things about the young man, but this is bigger than him. Also before everybody keeps throwing Pavia around, understand his case is not settled as the NCAA is still fighting his case. All he won was an injuction 9 months before the start of the season, not 2 weeks before, so this is different in that regards, and for the record he should be done as well. NIL was not put in place to make kids stay in school longer to get a nice start in life or in some cases rich. Just my .02 cents worth.

I had similar knee-jerk reactions when Albert's transfer was announced. I'm in my 50s and I had a reaction for the kids who busted their butts in Fall and "winter" practice - if not longer, and now a new "old" guy parachutes in competing for PT. By all accounts Alberto did as he was already set for Div. II power UTampa and his profile his still on their website as of this week. I'm not exactly sure how he got the extra season at a lower level.

Long story short, I am not worked up against the NCAA on this issue. Someone was upset with me on X recently thinking I was standing up for the NCAA. I don't think the NCAA is out to get Tennessee or Alberto. The NCAA took pretty reasonable steps to grant extra eligibility due to what went down in 2020. Yet in 2025 we are still dealing with this? The NCAA must be thinking this is a "Give 'em an inch. . ." issue at this point.

Alberto is suing the NCAA because he thinks their rules are unfair against former Juco athletes; however he opted to go Juco instead of NCAA school out of high school and Alberto received what he expected in eligibility when he made that choice. (1-2 years of Juco and 2-3 years and Div 1) When he lost the 2020 season, he could have left JUCO and played Div1 in 2021 and received 4 season but he stayed in Juco.

Alberto played four full, uninterrupted college baseball seasons. As a young man hoping to be drafted out of Juco and after his junior season, that exceeds what he hoped when he was leaving high school.
What's the issue?
Where's the repression?

This is my understanding of the facts of the case. If I'm wrong, please tell me. I believe the NCAA has tried their best to find a balance between players who lost 2020 season and the younger guys competing for scholarships, NIL, and roster spots that came after 2020. Five years is a long time to still be confronting this.

 

[taylorvol]

My thought would be no distraction in the locker room because he has not taken anybody’s playing time. I’m one who loves mine games and I’m pretty sure Coach V feels the same. I have wondered if this is a distraction to keep some pressure off of the team as a whole.It is a talking point in press conferences it keeps people from being focused on the fact that we are undefeated.

I smell what you‘re cooking. #CrazyLikeAFox. #ChessVsCheckers.

 

[taylorvol]

I had similar knee-jerk reactions when Albert's transfer was announced. I'm in my 50s and I had a reaction for the kids who busted their butts in Fall and "winter" practice - if not longer, and now a new "old" guy parachutes in competing for PT. By all accounts Alberto did as he was already set for Div. II power UTampa and his profile his still on their website as of this week. I'm not exactly sure how he got the extra season at a lower level.

Long story short, I am not worked up against the NCAA on this issue. Someone was upset with me on X recently thinking I was standing up for the NCAA. I don't think the NCAA is out to get Tennessee or Alberto. The NCAA took pretty reasonable steps to grant extra eligibility due to what went down in 2020. Yet in 2025 we are still dealing with this? The NCAA must be thinking this is a "Give 'em an inch. . ." issue at this point.

Alberto is suing the NCAA because he thinks their rules are unfair against former Juco athletes; however he opted to go Juco instead of NCAA school out of high school and Alberto received what he expected in eligibility when he made that choice. (1-2 years of Juco and 2-3 years and Div 1) When he lost the 2020 season, he could have left JUCO and played Div1 in 2021 and received 4 season but he stayed in Juco.

Alberto played four full, uninterrupted college baseball seasons. As a young man hoping to be drafted out of Juco and after his junior season, that exceeds what he hoped when he was leaving high school.
What's the issue?
Where's the repression?

This is my understanding of the facts of the case. If I'm wrong, please tell me. I believe the NCAA has tried their best to find a balance between players who lost 2020 season and the younger guys competing for scholarships, NIL, and roster spots that came after 2020. Five years is a long time to still be confronting this.

Well articulated…I personally think you‘re spot on.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Well, the #FreeBerto campaign has made its way to the halls of Congress.

 

[cardvolfan]

Do you think if they approve it all guys should get 5/6years including guys that played D1 all the time? They could not have NIL their first 2 years either?

That’s a can of worms the NCAA doesn’t want to open because it would be utter chaos.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Well, the #FreeBerto campaign has made its way to the halls of Congress.

Free face time in the media. Never a bad thing. Sure it firms up most of his constituency, too.

 

[Vols330]

CTV is pretty darn close to perfect but very wrong with the horrendous precedent that this would set for college athletics. This is much bigger than Osuna. Even bigger, dare I say, than the University of TN. It’s about putting some guardrails around D1 eligibility and not enabling grown men (25 and 26 year olds) to compete against young adults (18-21year olds).

I agree with all of this.

 

[YankeeVol]

 

[TAF]

Well, the #FreeBerto campaign has made its way to the halls of Congress.

I LOVE me some Tim Burchett (*TWSS)

 

[TheMookieMonster]

There have been some speculative comments in here about how people are assuming the players would be upset with Osuna transferring in and “stealing” play time at the last minute. I would say that this team is 100% supportive of Osuna and does not at all feel slighted by the coaching staff, as evidenced by…..

 

[MAD]

 

[taylorvol]

Do you think if they approve it all guys should get 5/6years including guys that played D1 all the time? They could not have NIL their first 2 years either?

I personally think it should be simplified as 5 years to play 5 seasons. Giving that 6th year would mean a lot of 25 or 26 yo athletes competing considering many freshmen athletes are already 19 or 20. They essentially took their “redshirt” in high school.

 

[StarRaider]

Free face time in the media. Never a bad thing. Sure it firms up most of his constituency, too.

that guy is like Peyton... he is showing up everywhere lol.... and I am in the Boro (we have another [crappy] rep)... Tim does seem to have a pretty good sense of humor

 

[StarRaider]

Do you think if they approve it all guys should get 5/6years including guys that played D1 all the time? They could not have NIL their first 2 years either?

as a selfish fan... pretty fun to see a fav player coming back for that extra unexpected (hopefully magical) season.

That said ... I could live with 5 years max eligibility

 

[@1RBFjr]

Free Berto t-shirts hanging from the back of the dugout.