Calhoun makes millions off the back of what amounts to free employment. Given the millions a few of these employees will make in a different market, why do we cluck our tongues and wag our finger and say, “No.” Calhoun earns his living solely off the backs of this free labor.

He does not want to change the system. His colleagues do not want to change the system because they benefit in the exact same fashion as Calhoun. The schools do not want to change the system because they do not want any additional expenses that would decrease the millions generated by the free labor.

If there is any justice in this situation, Calhoun would be investigated for violating the state’s ethics board. Perhaps he can join the former governor as an ex-state employee?

We are silly if we try to change those people.

Instead, the new breed of agents should see the potential economic incentive of bucking the old trend. Providing openness and transparency into their recruiting methods and letting the world, and more specifically, athletes and their families, into why they should be picked over an agent who hires a runner who works with a coach…all to gain access. Only then, will the Josh Nochimsons be forced to change their ways. Only then, will the runners be weeded out of the system. Only then, will many coaches start to earn their salaries based on what they know instead of who they know.

Education is a key component, but the more I think about it, openness and transparency are very important as well. We live in a world where information spreads as soon as I click the button to add this comment. It just depends on my reach after I click that button.

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I do think education would be the answer if the system was, let’s see, in the ballpark of fair. I have pretty much covered WHY summer coaches, runners, boosters, coaches and athletes cheat on Money Players. I think good agents should work to root out bad agents by naming names. (I was critical of David Falk when he alleged to Darren Rovell that some agent paid a college player $500k.) Self-policing by agents is unlikely because, like college coaches, it’s hard to be perfectly clean in this business.

I seriously hope education is the answer. Not only will athletes benefit from understanding how this business works and how to select the most competent, ethical agents, but I personally stand to benefit financially if there colleges put significant resources behind educational programs. Of course, I will believe it when I see it. I think this system works so well for pretty much everyone precisely because athletes are neither educated nor organized.

While I would like to think we could improve the system through policy change and education, what economic and legal incentive do the entrenched powers have to change anything? That’s not a rhetorical question.

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As well, even if you clean up some of those issues, we still have the issue of kids that need money and assistance immediately. The NCAA will never budge on paying kids, so as long as kids are forced to go through that system (because of the age limit), you’ll see kids trying to find agents, coaches, etc. that are willing to play the game.

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