The Missouri legislature did at least one thing right during its 2021 session.
It approved a bill that allows college student athletes in Missouri to receive compensation for their name, image and likeness starting in late August – a week before the Tigers open their football season.
“Great job by our legislation. And Great Day for our Student Athletes,” said Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz’ via Twitter. He obviously meant ‘legislature’, but you don’t expect Mark Twain from a college football coach, especially if it is on Twitter.
Ramogi Huma, who spoke on behalf of the bill in Missouri and other states as National College Players Association (NCPA) executive director, told KMOV “college athletes can have representation just like any other American, legal professional, or otherwise.”
“At this point, the NCAA has made it clear that it’s not going to act. Congress is not likely to act anytime soon. So, college athletes’ fates lie in the hands of the state lawmakers, and Missouri’s lawmakers came through today.”
Missouri is now one of 15 states to have passed similar legislation, according to Huma.
“(Athletes) are able to make money from third parties who want to pay them for their name, image, or likeness,” said Huma.
“Every other American has these freedoms every other student on campus has these freedoms and soon Missouri college athletes will have these freedoms as well.”
Keeping up with other SEC schools in recruiting – especially in football and basketball -was certainly important in the bill’s passage by a 145-8 margin. Kentucky is the lone state with an SEC school to not approve a similar bill.
Kansas has not either, which led Hall of Fame basketball coach Bill Self to say, “I know that all the universities (in Kansas) are certainly disappointed that the name, image and likeness did not pass.”
“There’s a chance that we’ll be recruiting our athletes in all sports at a different level of playing field than what other states could be recruiting their people,” Self told the Lawrence Journal-World.
State Rep. Joe Adams (D-U. City) said he often does not agree politically with bill sponsor Rep. Nick Schroer, (R-O’Fallon) “but I agree with him wholeheartedly on this.”
Cubs call on history
I doubt the St. Louis Cardinals have ever done this, so I can’t be upset that the Chicago Cubs made team history on Monday night.
Jeremiah Paprocki, 21, made his debut as the team’s public address announcer as the Washington Nationals, making him the first Black person to ever hold that high-profile job.
“To be able to sit in that chair behind the microphone at Wrigley Field of all places, it’s truly an honor. I’m looking forward to that opportunity,” he told the Chicago Tribune.
The lifelong Cubs’ fan is a senior at the University of Illinois-Chicago, where he also calls games for several of their teams.
“Being the first African American PA in Cubs history, it definitely means a lot,” he said.
“I hope that it inspires other African American boys and girls out there that are interested in broadcasting that opportunities are available to you if you keep going and to never stop and to never let anything discourage you from pursuing opportunities.”
The Reid Roundup
David Perron, the St. Louis Blues regular season MVP and leading goal scorer, missed the first game of his team’s opening round playoff game against the Colorado Rockies because of COVID protocols. It had not been announced whether he contracted the virus, but he could miss several more games. St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright also missed time this season after being waylaid by COVID-19…The Cardinals took on a depleted San Diego Padres lineup last weekend because several of their best players were out because of COVID-19 protocols. Superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., and Will Myers contracted the virus, and Eric Hosmer is out for contract tracing protocol and further tests…All the players mentioned here, and dozens more in various sports in the U.S. and abroad have one thing in common. They are selfish. Regardless of how they feel about a vaccination, they should have been willing to put their fear/questions/whatever aside for the sake of their respective teams…The 2020 Class of Basketball Hall of Fame enshrines – led by the late Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett – were enshrined on May 15. Other inductees include 10-time WNBA All Star Tamika Catchings and 30-year Washington Post columnist and current ESPN NBA analyst Mike Wilbon…Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry capped the 2020-21 regular season with a 46-point effort against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which secured the NBA scoring title over Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal. Curry averaged 32 points per game while Beal, who scored 25 in the regular season closer against Charlotte, posted 31.3 ppg.
