♪ ♪
HE WOULD GO OVER AND SHOOT
THIS BALL TELL YOUR MAMA I'M
ABOUT TO WIN THIS GAME.
Bomani: I GIVE YOU CREDIT
YOU WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM PROPS
COME IT TOOK MOST BLACK PEOPLE
UNTIL THE 21ST CENTURY TO COME
AROUND AND SAY HE WAS PRETTY
GOOD TO.
HE WAS MORE THAN GOOD, HE HAD
A JERRY CURL, HE COULD JUMP LIKE
A BLACK MAN.
HE JUMPED LIKE?
LIKE KARL MALONE-- THAT'S
GOOD ENOUGH!
Bomani: WE LIKE LARRY BIRD
A LOT MORE THAN WE LIKE KARL
MALONE!
BELIEVE THAT!
♪ ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Bomani: WELCOME TO "GAME
THEORY"!
SHOUT OUT TO MIKE HIT MAN, BUT
NEW YORK CITY I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU HEARD BUT WE ARE ABOUT TO
HAVE A NEW FREETHINKER IN TOWN.
AARON RODGERS TELLING PAT
MCAFEE THAT HE INTENDS TO PLAY
THIS COMING SEASON AND HE
INTENDS TO PLAY FOR THE NEW YORK
JETS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK SINCE
FRIDAY, I MADE IT CLEAR THAT MY
INTENTION WAS TO PLAY AND MY
INTENTION WAS TO PLAY FOR THE
NEW YORK JETS.
OKAY.
I WANT TO PLAY AND I WOULD
LIKE TO PLAY IN NEW YORK.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW,
GETTING THAT DONE AT THIS POINT.
Bomani: FUN FACT.
AARON RODGERS HAS
SPENT MORE TIME ON PAT MCAFEE'S
PODCAST THAN IN THE PLAYOFFS.
BUT, HEY!
A GOOD QUARTERBACK IN NEW YORK!
JETS FANS DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
WITH ALL THIS HOPE!
THEY'RE LIKE
BLACK PEOPLE BEFORE THE OSCARS.
OR THE GRAMMYS.
OR THE TONYS, PROBABLY.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT GOES ON
OVER THERE.
BUT HERE'S WHAT AARON RODGERS
HAS TO UNDERSTAND, AND WHAT HE'S
GOING TO UNDERSTAND REALLLLL
QUICK: HOPE COMES WITH
EXPECTATIONS.
THE EXPECTATION TO WIN.
BACK IN GREEN BAY, RODGERS COULD
GET OFF TO A BAD START AND THE
PACKERS FANS WOULD GIVE HIM SOME
LEEWAY.
HE AND THE PACKERS FRANCHISE
EARNED THEIR FANS TRUST.
BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
JETS.
THE LAST TIME THEY WENT TO THE
SUPER BOWL WAS LITERALLY BEFORE
WE LANDED ON THE MOON.
ALLEGEDLY.
[LAUGHTER]
JETS FANS ARE EXCITED NOW,
BUT IF WE SEE A ONE AND THREE
RECORD TO START THE SEASON, I
RECOMMEND AARON RODGERS NOT TELL
THEM TO RELAX.
TRUST ME: THEY WILL NOT.
ONE THING I DO KNOW FOR SURE
THOUGH?
AARON RODGERS IS GOING TO LOVE
NEW YORK.
NOT JUST THE FACT THAT HE LOOKS
LIKE HE BELONGS INSIDE A
BUSHWICK WAREHOUSE PARTY.
BUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS
CONSPIRACY THEORY MECCA.
HE GONNA VISIT ONE WORLD TRADE
ON HIS FIRST DAY IN THE CITY
TALKING ABOUT "J-E-T FUEL CAN'T
MELT STEEL BEAMS."
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
AND YOU KNOW HE'S GONNA HAVE
SOME 5 PERCENTERS JOIN HIM
OUTSIDE METLIFE STADIUM.
HE AND ALLAH THE FATHER AGREE ON
A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN YOU MIGHT
THINK.
IT'S A PERFECT DEAL.
HE GETS HIS CRACKPOT THEORIES.
JETS FANS GET A LEGITIMATE
REASON TO COMPLAIN IF RODGERS
FAILS AND THE TEAM SUCKS.
IT'S THE TOXIC COUPLE WE NEVER
ASKED FOR.
MOVING ON, NUMBER ONE SEED
ALABAMA PLAYED THEIR FIRST GAME
OF THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
THURSDAY.
AND THEIR STAR BRANDON MILLER
SCORED ZERO POINTS.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE BIGGEST STORY
HERE.
A HIGH PROFILE MURDER CASES
CASTING A
CLOUD OVER ALABAMA'S CRIMSON
TIDE AS MARCH MADNESS IS
BEGINNING.
THE TEAM IS FACING QUESTIONS
THAT FOR ITS STAR PLAYER,
BRANDON MILLER, WAS LINKED IN
COURT TO THE FATAL SHOOTING OF
23-YEAR OLD JAMEA HARRIS.
IN FEBRUARY, A TUSCALOOSA
POLICE INVESTIGATOR TESTIFIED
THAT FORMER ALABAMA PLAYER
DARIUS MILES TEXTED MILLER TO
BRING HIM HIS GUN.
MILES WAS INDICTED ON CAPITAL
MURDER CHARGES, BUT MILLER HAS
NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH ANY CRIME.
Bomani: THERE IS NO JOKE'S
ON THIS ONE BECAUSE THERE IS
NOTHING ABOUT.
IT IS A TERRIBLE LOOK FOR THE
NCAA TOURNAMENT THAT MILLER IS
THE BIGGEST NAME IN MARCH
MADNESS, NOT FOR HIS ABILITIES
ON THE COURT, BUT BECAUSE HIS
NAME IS INVOLVED IN A MURDER
CASE.
THE REAL QUESTION WE NEED TO ASK
IS: WHY IS BRANDON MILLER IN
THIS TOURNAMENT IN THE FIRST
PLACE?
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT HE SHOULD BE
ALLOWED TO PLAY.
I AM ASKING WHY HE IS PLAYING.
WHAT OF THIS TOURNAMENT COULD
POSSIBLY BE SO IMPORTANT THAT
BRANDON MILLER GOES THROUGH IT,
THAT THE FAMILY OF THE VICTIM
GOES THROUGH WHATEVER COMES WITH
WATCHING, THAT WE AS VIEWERS
WATCH THE ANNOUNCERS DO
BACKFLIPS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND WE TRY
TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE FEEL
WATCHING THIS ON THE STAGE OF
WHAT IS ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST
BELOVED SPORTING INSTITUTIONS.
THE ONLY ANSWER IS MONEY FOR THE
PEOPLE THAT PROFIT OFF THE
TOURNAMENT AND NEED MILLER TO
PLAY.
HE, HIS TEAMMATES, THE VICTIM,
THE VICTIM'S FAMILY, THEY'RE ALL
BEING EXPLOITED FOR VIEWS AND
NUMBERS AND BOTTOM LINES THAT
ARE INDIFFERENT TO ANYONE'S
EMOTIONS INVOLVED.
LOOK, I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER OR
NOT THE NCAA OR ALABAMA SHOULD
PUNISH BRANDON MILLER.
THE POLICE AND HIS LAWYERS AGREE
THAT HE HAS NOT BROKEN THE LAW.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY HE WANTS
TO PLAY.
IF I FOUND OUT THAT I HAD BEEN
INVOLVED IN SOMEONE ENDING UP
DEAD?
I'D PROBABLY HAVE A LOT ON
MY MIND.
AND THEN IF AFTER THAT, I CAME
BACK TO PLAY BASKETBALL, AND I
RECEIVED SO MANY THREATS THAT I
NEEDED AN ARMED GUARD AT THE
GAMES WITH ME?
IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MUCH.
AND THEN ADD ONTO THIS THAT WE
ARE EXPECTED TO WIN THE NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP?
IT MIGHT BE BETTER FOR ME TO BE
AT HOME.
I GOT NO IDEA WHAT WE SHOULD BE
DOING.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE IS
AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE
ON THAT YOUNG MAN FROM OUTSIDE
SOURCES TO PLAY BASKETBALL RIGHT
NOW AND IT DOES NOT SIT RIGHT
WITH ME.
AND AFTER HE SCORED ZERO POINTS,
SOMETHING TELLS ME IT MIGHT NOT
FEEL RIGHT TO HIM EITHER.
WHO DO YOU THINK THE WORST
ATHLETE TO GET REALLY HIGH IS?
AARON RODGERS, NO QUESTION.
ONCE YOU START TALKING I CAN'T
LEAVE.
WITH THOSE EYES.
YOU CRAZY.
SOMEBODY TURN THE MUSIC UP.
I'M GOING TO GO WITH SOMEBODY
LIKE JONATHAN ISAAC.
YES.
YOU GET HIGH WITH JONATHAN
ISAAC ON THE MAGIC, HE'S GOING
TO BREAK OUT SOME SCRIPTURE ON
YOU, HE MIGHT TELL YOU HIS IDEAS
ABOUT JANUARY 6TH, HE MIGHT HIT
YOU WITH ALL TYPES OF
CONSPIRACIES.
Bomani: THAT WAS A DEEP CUT
BUT YOU NAILED IT.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Bomani: MY GUEST TONIGHT IS A
HOST AND COMMENTATOR FOR
BLEACHER REPORT AND TURNER
SPORTS KNOWN FOR GETTING BIG
NAME ATHLETES TO BARE THEIR
SOULS IN INTERVIEWS.
NOW IT'S HER TURN.
GIVE IT UP FOR TAYLOR ROOKS!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
I WANT TO START WITH YOU GETTING
THE PEOPLE BEAR THEIR SOULS
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS I'VE HAD
HER ON MY PODCAST AND I STARTED
OFF TRYING TO INTERVIEW HER
UNTIL THE THIRD QUESTION WHEN
YOU START INTERVIEWING OTHER
PERSON EVERY TIME, THAT'S YOU.
I AM GENUINELY INTERESTED IN
THE THOUGHTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE
AND I DON'T THINK WE ALWAYS GIVE
PEOPLE SPACE TO VIEW THEMSELVES
AND SHARE THAT PERSPECTIVE WITH
US SO I GET A LOT OF JOY IN
BEING THAT VEHICLE FOR PEOPLE TO
AT LEAST UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT
BETTER THAN THEY DID INITIALLY.
I THINK THE PEOPLE ON THE
PODCAST THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE
ABOUT BOMANI, DON'T YOU WANT TO
KNOW MORE?
I SEE HOW YOU DO IT.
I WANT TO ASK ABOUT ONE
INTERVIEW YOU DID WITH JOHN
MORAN'S, I THINK THE INTERVIEW
WAS IN 2021.
HE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE
EFFECT OF THE BUBBLE AND THE
TONE THAT TOOK WITH A WHOLE
DIFFERENT RESONANCE WITH THE
THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO HIM.
YOU WERE IN THE BUBBLE, YOU DID
SOMETHING WITH "GQ" FOR THAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT DID TO
SOME OF THOSE PLAYERS?
WHAT EFFECT DID IT HAVE ON HIM
DOWN THE LINE?
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF
PLAYERS THAT HAD A DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCE IN THE BUBBLE AND
IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT THAT TIME IN NBA CULTURE
THAT WE UNDERSTAND IT WASN'T
MONOLITHIC AND I THINK FOR HIM
SPECIFICALLY, HE DISCUSSES IN
THAT CLIP, IT ISN'T WHAT HE WAS
USED TO.
JA BECAME SO BIG AND SO FAMOUS
AND SO IMPORTANT TO SO MANY FANS
OVERNIGHT AND HE GETS INTO THIS
PLACE WHERE IT'S JUST HIM AND WE
ALL KNOW WHEN IT'S JUST YOU IT'S
EASY TO GET INTO YOUR HEAD AND
OVERTHINK THINGS AND OVER
ANALYZE THINGS IN A WAY THAT CAN
BE DETRIMENTAL TO YOUR MENTAL
HEALTH AND ALSO YOUR OVERALL
PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK HE DEALT WITH THAT.
HOW CAN I GET AWAY FROM ME?
Bomani: A FEW YEARS AGO
ADAM SILVER SAID SOMETHING I
THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING, IN HIS
CONVERSATIONS WITH HIS PLAYERS
HE FELT LIKE THEY WERE GENERALLY
UNHAPPY.
YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT ACCESS TO A
LOT OF GUYS IN THE LEAGUE.
FROM THE OUTSIDE, IT LOOKS HARD
TO BE UNHAPPY LIVING THAT LIFE!
DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU HEAR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT FROM THE
COMMISSIONER THAT LINES UP WITH
WHAT YOU SEE?
EVERY SINGLE HUMAN HAS
MOMENTS WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE
THEY AREN'T HAPPY WITH THEIR
CIRCUMSTANCE BUT I THINK FOR NBA
PLAYERS, THEY ARE IN A SPACE
WHERE EVERYBODY WANTS HIM TO BE
HAPPY ALL OF THE TIME.
FORCING YOURSELF TO BE HAPPY ALL
OF THE TIME CAN REALLY WEIGH ON
YOU.
HIM I WAS JUST INTERVIEWING BAM
ADEBAYO AND HE WAS LIKE NOW I
MEMEDITATE AND I DIDN'T REALIZE
ALL THIS STUFF THAT WAS INSIDE
OF ME THAT I HAD TO LEARN AND
WRANGLE AND HOW TO FIGURE OUT.
WE SAY WORDS LIKE MENTAL HEALTH
AND PEOPLE THINK THAT JUST MEANS
GOING TO TALK TO SOMEBODY AND
HAVING THERAPY BUT FOR BAM, IT
WAS MEDITATION.
I REMEMBER INTERVIEWING JIMMY
BUTLER ASKING IF HE WAS GOING TO
TRY THERAPY AND HE SAID NO BUT I
JOURNAL.
Bomani: I WOULD LOVE TO
READ HIS JOURNALS.
CRAZY INVASION PRIVACY, BUT I
WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU WRITE DOWN
OF THE END OF THE NIGHT.
BESIDES JIMMY BUTLER, WHAT
NBA PLAYER WOULD YOU LOVE US
EITHER JOURNAL?
I WANT TO READ JOKIC'S
JOURNAL-- I MIGHT BE NERVOUS OF
WHAT HE SAID, I LOVE THE IDEA OF
IMAGINING SOMEBODY'S IMPRESSION
OF AMERICA, IF YOU LEARNED ABOUT
AMERICA THROUGH THE NBA.
JOKIC IS SO FUNNY TOO, I
INTERVIEWED HIM ALL-STAR WEEKEND
AND I WAS LIKE YOU DON'T REALLY
GET TO UP OR DOWN ABOUT
BASKETBALL ALL OF THIS STUFF
DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE YOU EXCITED
TO.
HE SAYS HE YEAH, THE ONLY THING
THAT MAKES ME EXCITED IS HORSE
RACING.
[LAUGHTER]
AND WE SAT THERE AND WE TALKED
ABOUT THE HORSES HE OWNS AND
RACES AROUND THE WORLD AND HE'S
LIKE I COULD TALK ABOUT THIS
FOREVER.
Bomani: HE HAD BEEN WAITING
EIGHT YEARS FOR SOMEBODY TO SIT
DOWN AND TALK WITH HIM ABOUT
HORSES.
DAMIAN LILLARD SITS ON THE ABOUT
TO RING CULTURE IN THE NBA AND
HE SAYS HE FEELS LIKE IT'S GONE
TOO FAR AND PEOPLE CARE TOO MUCH
ABOUT THAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I THINK WHAT HE SAID HAS SOE
TRUTH I INTERVIEWED HIM FOUR
YEARS AGO, EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE
A CHAMPION.
BUT IN NBA CHAMPION IS SOMETHING
DIFFERENT.
I THINK HE HAS AN IDEA OF THE
THINGS FOR HIM THAT EQUAL
SUCCESS AND HE HAS DONE THOSE
THINGS.
I THINK HE'S HAPPY AND CONTENT
WITH THAT.
Bomani: I'M TORN ON THIS
DISCUSSION-- ON THE ONE HAND HE
IS RIGHT, THE FACT THAT PORTLAND
HAS NOT WON IS NOT BECAUSE OF
DAMIAN LILLARD ALL OF THESE
THINGS THAT'S 100% CORRECT AND
THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS EVER
SAID RINGS DON'T MATTER AS
SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T HAVE RINGS.
EVERYONE WHO IS MAKING THAT
POINT TO YOU-- BILL RUSSELL'S
ISN'T COMING OUT SAYING 8-11-5,
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, I'M A
CHAMPION AT LIFE!
WHAT THEY WILL TELL YOU IS
HOW MUCH HARDER WINNING THAT
RING WAS THEN WHAT THEY
ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.
WE REALLY UNDERESTIMATE WHAT
ROLE CIRCUMSTANCE AND SITUATION
PLAY IN BEING ABLE TO WIN A RIN
RING.
SEVEN TIME NBA ALL-STAR,
FIRST-TEAM, FUTURE HALL OF FAMER
IN HIS ROOKIE YEAR, YOU LOOK AT
THAT AND SAY THIS IS SOMEBODY
WHO HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL NBA
CAREER.
NOT HAVING THAT ONE THING ON THE
CHECKLIST CAN'T MEAN THAT WE
DON'T TALK ABOUT--
Bomani: YOU HEAR THAT JAMES
HARDEN, HERE THAT RUSSELL
WESTBROOK?
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Bomani: WOULD YOU CARE IF
YOUR BOSS DID NOT PAY YOU BUT
SOMEBODY ELSE DID?
AS LONG AS I'M GETTING PAID I
DON'T CARE WHERE IT'S COMING
FROM.
Bomani: YOU DON'T CARE
WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM?
ANY RANDOM GUY GIVES ME THE
SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY, THAT'S
OKAY.
Bomani: NOT THE SAME AMOUNT
OF MONEY BECAUSE HER BOSS ISN'T
GIVING YOU NOTHING.
MY BOSS IS NOT PAYING ME?
Bomani: HER BOSS IS NOT
PAYING YOU.
IT WOULD BE LIKE IF YOU WORKED
AT WALMART BUT TARGET SEND YOU
MONEY ON CASH APP EVERY WEEK.
IT'S ALL GOOD.
I'M GETTING PAID TO.
Bomani: WHAT HAPPENS IF
HAPPENS IF ALL OF A SUDDEN
WALMART IS LIKE TARGET ISN'T
ALLOWED TO PAY YOU ANY MORE?
SOMEBODY'S GOING TO PAY ME.
Bomani: IF YOU'RE THINKING
THIS SOUNDS SHADY YOU ARE
CORRECT.
I BARELY WORK NOW, I'LL TAKE
WHATEVER I CAN GET.
Bomani: YOU BARELY WORK OR
BARELY GET PAID?
THEY GO HAND-IN-HAND.
Bomani: LET ME STOP BEFORE
THIS GETS DARK.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW
BLISTERS USE NCAA RULES TO
FUNNEL MONEY TO COLLEGE
ATHLETES?
EVERYBODY ELSE GETTING PAID
I'M GLAD THEY ARE FINALLY
GETTING THEIR MONEY.
Bomani: SHOULDN'T THE
SCHOOLS HAVE TO PAY THEM?
I THINK OF THE PLAYERS GOT
PAID WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO
ELIMINATE THE BOOSTERS.
Bomani: IF YOU LEGALIZE
PROSTITUTION YOU DON'T HAVE ANY
NEED FOR THE PIMP.
AT SOUNDS LIKE--
Bomani: YOU'RE NOT TERRIBLY
WRONG.
A BOOSTER AS SOMEBODY DONATES
MONEY TO AN ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT.
SO THEY CAN HANG OUT WITH
THEM AND FEEL COOL, EVERYBODY IS
A TOOL.
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
Bomani: YOU WANT TO KNOW
WHAT I MISS?
BACK IN THE DAY, WE KNEW COLLEGE
ATHLETES WERE GETTING PAID, BUT
WE DIDN'T ALWAYS KNOW HOW.
THAT'S WHAT MADE IT FUN.
LIKE IN THE 80S, WHEN ERIC
DICKERSON'S MAMA ROLLED UP TO
SMU WITH A NEW TRANS-AM, THE
TESLA OF THE 80S.
EVERYBODY JUST LOOKED THE OTHER
WAY.
BUT IF ONLY DICKERSON WAS
PLAYING NOW.
'CAUSE EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK IT
SEEMS LIKE COLLEGE ATHLETES ARE
RIDING CLEAN...
AND LEGAL.
OU QUARTERBACK SPENCER
RATTLER POSED WITH TWO VEHICLES
HE WILL HAVE THIS SEASON FREE
AFTER
SIGNING AN NAME IMAGE AND
LIKENESS DEAL WITH A LOCAL
DEALERSHIP.
NOW BRYCE YOUNG POSTED THIS
MESSAGE ON HIS INSTAGRAM.
HE HAS LINKED UP WITH BMW OF
TUSCALOOSA FOR AN NIL DEAL.
TEXAS RUNNING BACK BIJON
ROBINSON NOW HAS A NAME, IMAGE,
AND LIKENESS DEAL WITH
LAMBORGHINI.
Bomani: HE MIGHT GET THE CAR
FOR FREE, BUT THE INSURANCE WILL
STILL BE $1.2 MILLION DOLLARS A
MONTH.
YOU TELL ME WHO'S COVERING THAT.
ALL THIS
FLOSSING IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY
SOMETHING CALLED "NIL DEALS."
NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS.
THESE DEALS ARE THE RESULT OF A
2021 SUPREME COURT RULING THAT
BASICALLY
FORCED THE NCAA TO ALLOW
ATHLETES TO PROFIT THROUGH
ENDORSEMENT DEALS.
THE COURTS' DECISION HERE WAS
UNANIMOUS.
DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO
GET A 9-0 DECISION FROM THAT
COURT?
YOU KNOW YOU'RE MOVING FUNNY
IF CLARENCE THOMAS IS LIKE,
"THEY'RE DOING THESE BLACK
PEOPLE WRONG."
[LAUGHTER]
EVEN BRETT KAVANAUGH RIPPED THEM
A NEW ONE!
THE FIRST TIME HE'S EVER SAID
STOP TAKING ADVANTAGE OF COLLEGE
STUDENTS.
INDEED-- THAT SLOW BURN.
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
THIS SEEMS LIKE A
HUGE VICTORY FOR COLLEGE
ATHLETES WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY
BEEN CUT OUT OF ANY FORM OF
FINANCIAL COMPENSATION FOR THEIR
WORK.
BUUUUUT HERE'S THE THING-- THE
NCAA AND COLLEGES ARE NOT THE
ONES PAYING THESE PLAYERS.
LAST SUMMER, REFORM WAS
IMPOSED ON COLLEGE SPORTS WHEN
SEVERAL STATE LEGISLATURES
PASSED LAWS GIVING THEIR
ATHLETES NAME, IMAGE, AND
LIKENESS RIGHTS JUST AS THE
SUPREME COURT DEALT ANOTHER BLOW
TO THE NCAA CONTROL, RULING
THEY'D VIOLATED ANTI TRUST LAW.
THE NCAA, ONCE THEY LOST THAT
CASE, WENT ALL RIGHT, YOU GUYS
FIGURE IT OUT.
Bomani: "YOU GUYS FIGURE IT
OUT"?
NCAA SOUNDING LIKE THEY'RE IN
CHARGE OF A NATIONAL PANDEMIC
RESPONSE.
EVEN THOUGH THE NCAA LOST ON THE
NIL FRONT, THEY STILL CALL THE
PLAYERS STUDENT-ATHLETES,
INSTEAD OF WHAT THEY
REALLY ARE.
EMPLOYEES.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT AN EMPLOYEE,
THE NCAA DON'T HAVE TO PAY YOU.
BUT SOME COLLEGE ATHLETES ARE
GETTING MONEY.
THROUGH THE LARGELY UNREGULATED
NIL ECONOMY.
THERE ARE TWO MAIN PLACES WHERE
ATHLETES CAN RECEIVE THESE
DEALS.
THE FIRST IS THROUGH
MARKETPLACE COLLECTIVES.
ESSENTIALLY, AGENTS WHO CONNECT
PLAYERS WITH BUSINESSES THAT
WANNA USE THEM FOR ADVERTISING.
AND YOU END UP GETTING A LOT OF
THIS:
I'M SO GLAD WE CALLED SOS.
OUR AC IS THE COLDEST.
I'M ALWAYS DECOLDEST.
SOS TO THE RESCUE.
♪ ♪
QUINN, LET'S GET THIS THING
GOING.
THIS HAS GOT TO GET DELIVERED.
YOU'RE GONNA GET A DELAY OF
GAME, MAN.
ALL RIGHT.
WITH THE NEW CHANGES IN NCAA,
I THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO GET
SOME HELP AROUND HERE.
WHO BETTER THAN JOSH PASCHAL?
Bomani: SOMEWHERE THERE'S
AN UNEMPLOYED JUILLIARD GRAD
SAYING AIN'T THIS A BITCH?
THE OTHER CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH
ATHLETES ARE MAKING CASH IS A
LITTLE SHADIER.
THEY'RE CALLED DONOR
COLLECTIVES.
BASICALLY A WAY FOR BOOSTERS TO
FUNNEL MONEY TO ATHLETES.
ONE
THING THAT HASN'T CHANGED UNDER
NIL IS THE NCAA STILL PROHIBITS
BOOSTERS OR ANYONE ELSE FROM
OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY GETTING
INVOLVED IN THE RECRUITMENT OF
ANY PROSPECTIVE ATHLETE.
THAT WOULD BE AN "IMPROPER
INDUCEMENT" TO GET PLAYERS TO GO
TO A CERTAIN SCHOOL.
THE RATIONALE BEHIND THIS IS TO
MAINTAIN COMPETITIVE BALANCE.
GOD KNOWS WE DON'T WANT A WORLD
WHERE ALL THE BEST PLAYERS GO TO
ALABAMA AND GEORGIA NOW DO WE!
BUT THE NCAA IS ESSENTIALLY
ALLOWING DONOR COLLECTIVES TO
PAY PROSPECTIVE ATHLETES UNDER
THE GUISE OF MARKETING
OPPORTUNITIES.
AND A BOOSTER COLLECTIVE AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA TOOK THIS
NIL STUFF TO A WHOLE 'NOTHER
LEVEL.
LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE WONDERING,
WHAT'S GATOR COLLECTIVE?
IT'S A TEAM OF TALENTED
ATHLETES AND PASSIONATE FANS.
IT'S THE PLAYBOOK FOR OUR NIL
SUCCESS.
TO EARN COMPENSATION FOR OUR
NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS.
IT'S EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO
UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS.
Bomani: FIRST OF ALL, THE
GATOR COLLECTIVE SOUNDS LIKE A
PIMP'S SHOE BRAND.
SECOND OF ALL,
WHO THE HELL IS THAT LITTLE KID?
I CAN'T TELL IF THAT'S A
COMMERCIAL OR A REBOOT OF THE
BLIND SIDE.
[LAUGHTER]
THE GATOR COLLECTIVE IS A PRIME
EXAMPLE OF HOW RIDICULOUS THE
NIL MARKETPLACE IS.
ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF PRIZED
RECRUIT JADEN RASHADA.
AND WHEW, YOU'RE NOT GONNA
BELIEVE THIS ONE.
FLORIDA QUARTERBACK RECRUIT
JADEN RASHADA REQUESTED A
RELEASE FROM HIS NATIONAL LETTER
OF INTENT TUESDAY NIGHT AFTER A
13 MILLION DOLLAR NAME IMAGE AND
LIKENESS DEAL REPORTEDLY FELL
THROUGH.
THE SCHOOL IS LIKELY TO
DISTANCE ITSELF FROM THE GATOR
COLLECTIVE BECAUSE THEY
BASICALLY TRIED TO MAKE A DEAL
THAT THEY COULDN'T COME THROUGH
ON.
Bomani: YOU HEARD THAT
RIGHT.
JADEN RASHADA THOUGHT
HE WAS GETTING 13 MILLION
DOLLARS AND PROOF, IT WAS GONE.
AND YOU'D HAVE THOUGHT HE
WOULD'VE HAD TO DO A LOT TO GET
THIS MONEY.
NOPE.
ALL THE GATOR COLLECTIVE ASKED
HIM TO DO WAS POST ON TWITTER
AND INSTAGRAM ONCE A MONTH, AND
HOLD EIGHT FAN MEET AND
GREETS.
AND SIGN 15 AUTOGRAPHS PER YEAR.
THAT'S ALL HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO
DO TO GET 13 MILLION DOLLARS!
THAT'S LIKE PAYING A STRIPPER TO
TAKE OFF HER WEEK.
AND WHEN THE GATOR COLLECTIVE
PULLED OUT OF THE DEAL, RASHADA
LEFT FLORIDA AND COMMITTED TO
ARIZONA STATE, WHERE HIS NEW NIL
VALUATION IS AROUND $400K.
WHICH IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR A
19- YEAR-OLD IF YOU WERE NEVER
PROMISED 13 MILLION DOLLARS!
IT'S CRAZY THAT HE COULD HAVE
GOTTEN THAT MUCH CASH FOR DOING
SO LITTLE.
AND EVEN CRAZIER THAT IT COULD
JUST DISAPPEAR.
BECAUSE BASICALLY NO ONE IS
REGULATING THIS.
CERTAINLY NOT THE NCAA.
BUT NOT EVERYONE IS GETTING
BURNED BY NIL DEALS GONE AWRY.
IT ACTUALLY SEEMS TO BE WORKING
JUST FINE FOR SOME KIDS.
A SELECT GROUP OF NAMES YOU MAY
ALREADY KNOW.
THE TEXAS LONGHORNS PAID A
PRETTY PENNY TO GET PEYTON AND
ELI'S NEPHEW TO PLAY FOR THEM.
ACCORDING TO THE ATHLETIC, TEXAS
SHELLED OUT UPWARDS OF $280,000
TO RECRUIT ARCH MANNING.
ARCH MANNING HAS AN ON3 NIL
EVALUATION OF 3.4 MILLION
DOLLARS.
THAT PUTS HIM AT NUMBER 2 IN THE
NIL 100 JUST BEHIND BRONNY
JAMES.
BOTH BRONNY AND BRYCE HAVE
SIGNED NIL DEALS WITH RICH
PAUL'S KLUTCH SPORTS GROUP.
I TIP MY HAT TO YOU.
GREAT FATHERS.
LET'S GO.
Bomani: UP NEXT, FREEKEY
ZEKEY WITH THE TRAFFIC REPORT.
BUT BACK TO NEPOTISM, IMAGE, AND
LIKENESS.
KIDS LIKE ARCH AND BRONNY...
THEY MIGHT BE GOOD ATHLETES, BUT
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT WHO'S THE
BEST, IT'S ABOUT WHO'S THE MOST
MARKETABLE.
YOU KNOW, THE JACK HARLOW
FORMULA.
[LAUGHTER]
AND THE CHILDREN OF FAMOUS
ATHLETES INHERENTLY HAVE A LEG
UP BECAUSE THEIR NAMES ARE
ALREADY KNOWN.
BRONNY JAMES, ARCH MANNING,
DEION SANDERS' SON SHEDEUR,
MARVIN HARRISON JR, AND BRONNY'S
LITTLE BROTHER BRYCE, HAVE 5 OF
THE TOP 17 NIL VALUATIONS.
HAVING A RECOGNIZABLE NAME MAKES
YOU FAR MORE VALUABLE IN THE
WORLD OF NIL DEALS.
WHETHER THAT NAME COMES FROM
BEING BORN TO LEBRON JAMES OR
FROM HAVING A POPPIN' SOCIAL
MEDIA PRESENCE.
LIKE LSU GYMNAST OLIVIA DUNNE.
YOUR KIDS MIGHT KNOW HER FROM
TIKTOK OR INSTAGRAM AS LIVVY.
HER REAL NAME IS OLIVIA DUNNE,
SHE HAS OVER 10 MILLION
FOLLOWERS ACROSS HER SOCIAL
MEDIA PLATFORMS.
THIS INFLUENCER STATUS HAS ALSO
GOTTEN HER SPONSORSHIPS, BECOME
ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAID ATHLETES
IN THE COUNTRY.
Bomani: SHE'S FLIPPING ALL
THE WAY TO THE BANK!
- ON3. - COM PUTS HER NIL VALUATION
AT $3.4 MILLION.
AND THOUGH SHE WAS NAMED AN ALL
AMERICAN, THAT FIGURE HAS LESS
TO DO WITH HER ATHLETIC
PERFORMANCE THAN YOU'D THINK.
'CAUSE SHE'S NOT EVEN THE TOP
GYMNAST ON HER TEAM.
HER TEAMMATES, KIYA JOHNSON AND
HALEIGH BRYANT, ARE MORE
DECORATED GYMNASTS THAN DUNNE.
[APPLAUSE]
AND TOGETHER, THEY EARN LESS
THAN 2% OF WHAT SHE MAKES FROM
NIL.
SO WHAT SETS LIVVY APART? GROSS
YOUNG MEN ON THE INTERNET LOVE
HER.
DUNNE'S CONTENT IS A MIX,
DANCE VIDEOS, BEHIND THE SCENES
WITH THE TEAM, AND IMAGES LIKE
THESE, WHICH ARE NOT THAT
DIFFERENT FROM SOME OF THE MOST
POPULAR INFLUENCERS.
DUNNE SAYS IT SOMETIMES
GENERATES THREATENING COMMENTS.
ARE THERE PEOPLE WHO ARE
REACHING OUT IN A WAY THAT IS
SCARY?
YEAH THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE
OCCASIONALLY THAT DO REACH OUT
AND IT IS A BIT CONCERNING.
LIVVY!
WE WANT LIVVY!
Bomani: THAT MANY WHITE
DUDES CHANTING MAKES ME NERVOUS
TOO.
BOTTOM LINE,
POPULARITY TRUMPS PERFORMANCE.
WHICH IS WHY THE BIGGEST
BENEFICIARIES OF THE NIL SYSTEM
ARE 5 STAR RECRUITS, ATHLETES
WITH FAMOUS LAST NAMES, OR
PLAYERS WITH MASSIVE SOCIAL
FOLLOWINGS
BUT FOR THE 95% OF COLLEGIATE
ATHLETES THAT DON'T FALL INTO
THOSE CATEGORIES?
YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GET
PAID.
INFLCR SAYS THE AVERAGE DEAL
SIZE FOR MOST ATHLETES IS AROUND
$1100.
YOU SEE A HANDFUL OF
ATHLETES ACTUALLY MAKE 6 AND 7
FIGURES PRETTY FAST, BUT THEN
YOU SEE THOUSANDS OF ATHLETES DO
$20 T-SHIRT DEALS WITH BARSTOOL.
Bomani: $20?
SO THAT'S LIKE A WEEK'S WORTH OF
RAMEN NOODLES?
THE FACT IS:
MOST NCAA ATHLETES AREN'T
GETTING ANYTHING FROM NIL.
WE WANT TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE
NIL SYSTEM SO WE DON'T HAVE TO
THINK ABOUT THESE ATHLETES BEING
EXPLOITED.
BUT HOW CAN YOU FEEL GOOD WHEN
YOU SEE HOW LITTLE THE MAJORITY
OF THESE KIDS ARE MAKING?
MOST
OF THESE PLAYERS GET NIL DEALS
THROUGH A PLATFORM CALLED
OPENDORSE.
IT'S LIKE A DATING APP EXCEPT
THERE'S NO SEX AND YOU CAN
ACTUALLY CONFIRM THE DUDES'
HEIGHTS.
FOR $5, STEFAN DOBRIJEVIC, A
SOCCER PLAYER AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF AKRON, WILL RECORD YOU A
PERSONALIZED VIDEO SHOUTOUT.
OR FOR $15, HE'LL COME TO YOUR
EVENT OR PRACTICE.
OR FOR THE LOW LOW PRICE OF $1,
YOU CAN PITCH HIM ON ANYTHING.
HOPE HE LIKES REFRESHING
TICKETMASTER!
IF IT'S NOT OBVIOUS
BY NOW: THE WHOLE GAME IS RIGGED
AGAINST ATHLETES.
EVEN NIL.
'CAUSE EVEN THIS, A BATTLE THE
NCAA LOST, IS STILL A BENEFICIAL
DISTRACTION FROM THEIR POOR
LABOR PRACTICES.
AS LONG AS WE'RE FOCUSED ON NIL
DEALS, WE FORGET THAT WE
WOULDN'T EVEN NEED THEM IF THE
NCAA AND SCHOOLS JUST CALLED
THESE ATHLETES EMPLOYEES.
[APPLAUSE]
BUT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY MESS UP
THE NCAA AND THE SCHOOLS' MONEY.
CONVERTING STUDENT ATHLETES
OR HAVING THEM CHANGE FROM AN
EMPLOYEE-EMPLOYER RELATIONSHIP
FUNDAMENTALLY BLOWS UP COLLEGE
SPORTS
PASSING AN NIL BILL AT THE
CONGRESSIONAL LEVEL IS CRITICAL
TO MOVING FORWARD IN PART
BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THIS DONE
AND WE WANT TO DO IT AND NOT BE
THEN IMMEDIATELY SUED FOR HAVING
DONE THE RIGHT THING IN THIS
CASE.
Bomani: AS LONG AS THESE
ATHLETES ARE STUDENTS RATHER
THAN WORKERS, THE NCAA DOESN'T
GOTTA PAY!
AND THAT MUST CHANGE.
BUT THE NCAA'S REAL AFRAID OF
ATHLETES BEING CALLED
EMPLOYEES.
YOU SEE, A STUDENT
UNION IS A PLACE TO WATCH MOVIES
OR FLUNK OUT OF SCHOOL PLAYING
AIR HOCKEY.
AN EMPLOYEE UNION WILL SHUT YOUR
SHIT DOWN.
[APPLAUSE]
POINT IS-- THESE ATHLETES
SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE POPULAR TO
GET PAID.
THEY SHOULD GET PAID BECAUSE
THEY GENERATE BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS FOR THE NCAA AND THEIR
RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS.
AND UNTIL THEY DO GET PAID,
YOU'LL HAVE MORE STORIES LIKE
JADEN RASHADA, MORE DONOR
COLLECTIVES ENGAGING IN
SHENANIGANS TO GET RECRUITS,
MORE BIJAN ROBINSONS GETTING
LAMBORGHINIS, ALL WHILE 95% OF
COLLEGE ATHLETES GET ALMOST
NOTHING.
THE NCAA AND COLLEGES ARE
FIGHTING TO UPHOLD A MASSIVE
INDUSTRY THAT IS DEPENDENT ON
FREE LABOR.
IT'S TIME TO PAY WHAT YOU OWE.
[APPLAUSE]
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
THAT'S OUR SHOW!
I'M GONNA GO BUY A LAMBO BECAUSE
A KID TOLD ME TO!
GOODNIGHT!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
IF YOU COULD BE A PAID
SPOKESPERSON FOR ANY BRAND OR
PRODUCT WHAT WOULD IT BE?
SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE WATER.
EVERYBODY NEEDED TO.
ADDERALL?
IF YOU HANG OUT WITH ME MORE
THAN 5 MINUTES SHE NEEDS IT,
THROW IT AT HER L TIC TAC'S.
Bomani: THEY SEEM TO BE
SELLING THAT LIKE HOT CAKES.
THE COWBOYS.
Bomani: THE DALLAS COWBOYS?
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GET
THESE COWBOYS PRODUCTS I GOT IT
RIGHT HERE, AMERICA'S TEAM, GOD
LOVES AMERICA'S TEAM.
TWO PLY TOILET PAPER.
THE LITTLE THINGS THAT YOU
REALLY DON'T REALIZE YOU NEED IN
THE MOMENT.
Bomani: I LOVE THAT YOU
SPECIFY TO APPLY.
I KNOW SOME THINGS ABOUT HOW
TOUGH YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN BECAUSE