After having to trust it with NCAA investigators and Ohio State officials throughout the past season, suspended Buckeye running back Maurice Clarett’s football future finally may rest in his own hands.
Yesterday, a federal judge in New York ruled Clarett eligible for this year’s NFL draft, concluding the league’s eligibility rule violated antitrust laws and the issues were so clearly in Clarett’s favor that a trial was unnecessary.
“The NFL has not justified Clarett’s exclusion by demonstrating that the rule enhances competition,” U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin wrote in her 70-page ruling. “Indeed, Clarett has alleged the very type of injury – a complete bar to entry into the market for his services – that the antitrust laws are designed to prevent.”
Clarett and his lawyers sued the NFL last summer to challenge the league rule that players must be at least three years out of high school before gaining eligibility. The NFL has pledged to appeal the ruling.
“We believe (yesterday’s) ruling is inconsistent in numerous respects with well-established labor antitrust law,” the NFL said in the statement. “We fully expect our eligibility rule to be upheld when this case is concluded.”
Despite the ruling, Clarett can still attempt to regain his college eligibility and return to the Buckeyes next season. In a statement, OSU Director of Athletics Andy Geiger said the ruling did not change the school’s stance on Clarett’s role at OSU.
“Should Maurice elect to continue his education and football career at Ohio State, we will work with him in the process of seeking his reinstatment with the NCAA for the 2004 season,” Geiger said. “NCAA rules state that if a student-athlete formally applies for entry for the NFL draft, he is no longer eligible for college football.”
While Clarett did not mention whether he was going to make the jump, he said yesterday’s decision was a victory for athletes like himself.
“I was pleased when the decision was brought down,” Clarett said. “I just wanted to try and open up another avenue for guys.”
Clarett did, however, say he was ready for the NFL if he decides to pursue that option.
“Of course I think I’m ready,” he said. “We’re just waiting patiently on whatever the NFL is going to do.”
Late yesterday, an NFL spokesman said the league’s appeal probably would not be heard until after April’s draft, thus allowing Clarett to be included in the draft pool if he chooses to. He also said the only other way Clarett would not be in the draft pool is if the appeallate court decides to grant a stay to yesterday’s ruling.
If Clarett decides to make the jump to the pros, Washington Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington told the Associated Press that Clarett could be in for a rough ride.
“Because of the way he’s done all these things, some people here see it as disrespectful,” Arrington told the AP at the NFL Pro Bowl in Hawaii. “I’m sure guys are going to break his tail, try to break him in. Either he’ll succeed, or he’ll be a total bust. If he can make it that rookie year without being assassinated, I think he’ll be all right.”
Before the ruling, the NFL had argued that Clarett should not be able to gain eligibility because the rule was part of a 1990 collective bargaining agreement between the players and league officials. As a result, the NFL believed it was immune from the antitrust legislation. It also argued that the rule was reasonable, and Clarett could not sue the league.
But in her ruling, Scheindlin wrote Clarett was allowed to bring the lawsuit because he was fighting a rule that excludes all players in his position from earning a living in the only viable league – the NFL.
“While, ordinarily, the best offense ia a good defense, none of these defenses hold the line,” Scheindlin wrote.
Scheindlin also wrote the league’s concerns “boil down to the same basic concern: younger players are not physically or mentally ready to play in the NFL.”
But in her ruling, Scheindlin offered many alternatives to the NFL’s eligibility rule, such as a test for judging each player’s physical and psychological maturity.
“In such a scenario, no player would be automatically excluded from the market and each team could decide what level of risk it is willing to tolerate,” she said. “Age is obviously a poor proxy for NFL-readiness, as is restriction based solely on height or weight.”
If the NFL’s appeal fails, yesterday’s ruling could open the way for teenage football stars to enter the league. No other professional sports leagues in the United States have an age-eligility rule. LeBron James, 18, was the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, while 14-year-old Freddy Adu was the first selection in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft last month.
Clarett’s lawyers pointed to these cases in their lawsuit against the NFL, saying the football league’s rule robbed players like Clarett of the opportunity to profit in the multi-million dollar market.
