College Student lawsuit

Case analysis

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2022/01/19/student-loses-rhodes-scholarship-lying-past/6570699001/?fbclid=IwAR2WO_8jSesYOUsnMfIycMEU46p2D2ZSS2Pcj-2Im0YTNV59NaZtrQIrJPI


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South Carolina Athletics Provides Alston Funds to…

https://gamecocksonline.com/news/2022/1/20/featured-south-carolina-athletics-provides-alston-funds-to-all-student-athletes.aspx


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Conference USA Statement - Conference USA

https://conferenceusa.com/news/2022/1/20/general-conference-usa-statement.aspx


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https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/bigeast/2022/01/20/kevin-ollie-arbitrator-rules-uconn-coach-improperly-fired/6599249001/

Case analysis

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/bigeast/2022/01/20/kevin-ollie-arbitrator-rules-uconn-coach-improperly-fired/6599249001/


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Prominent WVU alumni form Country Roads Trust to assist in NIL deals - WV MetroNews

Case analysis 
https://wvmetronews.com/2022/01/19/prominent-wvu-alumni-form-country-roads-trust-to-assist-in-nil-deals/

Prominent WVU alumni form Country Roads Trust to assist in NIL deals

January 19, 2022 - 3:08 pm

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Recently-passed name, image and likeness legislation has given student-athletes across the country the chance to capitalize on their own brands in a way that professional athletes have always enjoyed. At WVU, high-profile figures like Jalen Bridges, Sean McNeil, Taz Sherman, Zach Frazier, Dante Stills, Doug Nester and James Gmiter have all cashed in on endorsement opportunities since the start of the current academic year.

The newly-formed Country Roads Trust has been established to help engineer deals for current Mountaineers. The group has been launched by several prominent WVU alumni, including Arizona Diamondbacks owner/managing general partner Ken Kendrick and former WVU Director of Athletics Oliver Luck.

"We determined that somebody needed to step up and produce a platform in a very organized and professional way that would help us at WVU and their student-athletes to take advantage of this new playing field that the Supreme Court created," Kendrick said on Wednesday's edition of MetroNews Talkline.

ICYMI: Ken Kendrick, a WVU alum & head of the newly formed @CountryRdsTrust, joined @HoppyKercheval today. They talked about how Country Roads Trust came about, and what role it will play in NIL. You can find the full discussion below:https://t.co/yCFQ3nDJuy

— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) January 19, 2022

"This is a game-changer for Mountaineer student-athletes," Luck said. "The changing landscape of college athletics makes the coordinated services Country Roads Trust will offer the donors as well as the athletes a necessity. We want West Virginia University to attract the most competitive student-athletes, not only because of our fine land-grant institution, our excellent coaches, staff and facilities, but also because of top-notch NIL opportunities. We believe our Mountaineer athletes and fans deserve the very best."

Former WVU & Colts punter Pat McAfee (Photo by George Walker IV / Tennessean.com)

In announcing the formation of Country Roads Trust on Wednesday morning, several WVU sports legends are included in the group's "Athlete Advisory Team". Jerry West, Don Nehlen, Pat McAfee, Pat White, Da'Sean Butler, Ginny Thrasher, Daryl Talley, Jaida Lawrence Hart, Mike Gansey and Jedd Gyorko will all be involved in the organization.

"We have engaged this group and all are volunteering," Kendrick said. "There's no compensation to any of us. A hundred percent of the funding we have obtained through our own contributions as well as those of others, other than the overhead of operating the business, will go to the athletes."

Arizona Diamondbacks owner/managaing general partner Ken Kendrick (Photo by Michael Chow)

Kendrick says all WVU student-athletes are welcome to work with the trust to pursue NIL opportunities.

"We then could engage with them and with corporate enterprises that might want to use them in some fashion to promote their product or service. In exchange, the athlete would receive a stipend from the business arrangement we would make.

"We think we can provide some guidance to connect them with the corporate community around West Virginia who might be interested in working with them."

In addition to endorsement deals where athletes are involved in promoting goods or services, the trust will also be involved in setting up public speaking and appearance opportunities.

"We will help them to connect them in all the settings that an athlete may be desired to be a part of an organization or an event," Kendrick said. "Athletes who would be a part of our group will be able to appear in charitable settings where they will receive some compensation or commercial settings where they will receive compensation.

"We are going to have a leadership team that in the next few days will be full-time employees of the trust. They'll be on the ground in West Virginia. They will be people you will know and many of our Mountaineer fans will know."

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Case analysis 
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33104829/nfl-moves-dismiss-jon-gruden-lawsuit-calls-ex-las-vegas-raiders-coach-claims-league-baseless

NFL moves to dismiss Jon Gruden lawsuit, calls ex-Las Vegas Raiders coach's claims against league 'baseless'

play

Stephen A.: 'Jon Gruden's career is over' (1:14)

The NFL filed a motion asking a Nevada court to dismiss former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden's lawsuit against the league, saying accusations that the NFL leaked Gruden's emails are "baseless" and "should be dismissed for failure to state a single viable cause of action."

The league responded Wednesday to the suit that Gruden filed in district court in Nevada's Clark County in November. The NFL filed a motion to dismiss the case and also asked the court to stay that motion until it first rules on whether the case should be moved to arbitration.

Gruden resigned as coach of the Raiders in October with more than six seasons remaining on his 10-year, $100 million contract.

He claimed a "malicious and orchestrated campaign" was used by the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell to destroy his career by leaking the old emails that included racist, misogynistic and anti-gay language.

The emails were sent to former Washington Football Team executive Bruce Allen and others from 2011 to 2018 during Gruden's time as the lead analyst for ESPN's Monday Night Football. The emails came from a set of 650,000 obtained by the league in June during an investigation into WFT's workplace culture.

The Wall Street Journal first reported on Oct. 8 that Gruden used a racist trope to describe NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith.

Gruden apologized then coached two days later as a listless Raiders team lost at home to the Chicago Bears.

On Oct. 11, the New York Times revealed Gruden sent additional emails using misogynistic and anti-gay language over a seven-year period. He resigned that evening, apologizing again and saying he never meant to hurt anyone.

"Gruden does not, and cannot, dispute that he wrote the published emails. He does not, and cannot, dispute that he sent those emails to multiple parties," the league's filing said. "Nor does he claim that they were somehow altered or edited and that the repugnant views espoused in them were not in fact expressed by him. Instead, Gruden filed the instant complaint against the NFL and the commissioner, painting himself as the victim in a fictional story and seeking money through baseless claims against the NFL."

Gruden's lawyer had said "there was no explanation or justification for why Gruden's emails were the only ones made public out of the 650,000 emails collected in the NFL's investigation of the Washington Football Team or for why the emails were held for months before being released in the middle of the Raiders' season."

The league denied leaking the emails, which had been sent to up to a half-dozen people, and added that Gruden had no "expectation of privacy" for the emails.

The filing said that even if the league had leaked the emails, it still would not constitute "intentional interference with a contract," as claimed by Gruden, because the NFL had no obligation to protect the confidentiality of the emails, had the right to disclose truthful information to the media and could have suspended or canceled Gruden's contract because of the emails.

Raiders owner Mark Davis said in October he had reached a settlement with Gruden over the final six-plus years of his contract. Davis did not reveal the terms of the settlement.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

NCAA updates policy on transgender participation, to let each sport set eligibility requirements

The NCAA announced a new policy Wednesday in which eligibility requirements for transgender athletes will be determined by each sport's national governing body.

The new requirements go into effect immediately. The previous policy, adopted in 2010, was uniform across all sports and was based on hormone therapy requirements.

The new policy comes at a time when transgender athletes continue to be a focus of national debate. Since 2020, 10 states have enacted laws restricting participation for transgender athletes in school sports, many of which affect collegiate participation at the competitive, club and intramural levels.

This winter, University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who is transgender, recorded the top times in the country in the 200-yard and 500-yard women's freestyle. Under the NCAA's new policy, Thomas would need to be in compliance with USA Swimming's criteria in order to participate at the NCAA championships in March.

USA Swimming did not respond to a request to provide details of its existing policy. The University of Pennsylvania also did not respond to a request for comment.

"We are steadfast in our support of transgender student-athletes and the fostering of fairness across college sports," said John DeGioia, NCAA Board of Governors chair and Georgetown president. "It is important that NCAA member schools, conferences and college athletes compete in an inclusive, fair, safe and respectful environment and can move forward with a clear understanding of the new policy."

Beginning with the 2022 winter championships, transgender athletes wishing to compete will need to document their testosterone levels, in compliance with their specific sport, four weeks before the sport's selection of championship participants. If a national governing body does not have a policy, then the international federation's policy will be used. If the international federation does not have a policy, then the previously established International Olympic Committee policy will be used.

During the 2022-23 season, athletes will need to provide testosterone level documentation at three predetermined points, including four weeks before championship selection.

"This update complicates the NCAA policy in a way that I don't believe they are equipped to handle," said Chris Mosier, a duathlete and transgender inclusion advocate. "Given that many NGBs have not created policies for transgender athletes and that policies vary from sport NGB to NGB, tracking compliance is going to be a nightmare for the NCAA. This creates many different standards for trans athletes."

Former Olympic swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a member of the Women's Sports Policy Working Group, also took issue with the revisions.

"The new NCAA policy sounds a lot like the old one," she said. "The board hasn't resolved the intractable balancing between fairness, playing safety and inclusion. They failed women by not prioritizing fairness."

The NCAA policy shift is an attempt to bring the organization in line with the IOC's approach.

"Approximately 80% of U.S. Olympians are either current or former college athletes," NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement. "This policy alignment provides consistency and further strengthens the relationship between college sports and the U.S. Olympics."

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Case analysis 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33103144/deaths-woman-2-year-old-son-san-diego-padres-petco-park-ruled-suicide-homicide

Deaths of woman, 2-year-old son in fall at San Diego Padres' Petco Park ruled suicide, homicide

A woman who fell to her death at Petco Park while holding her toddler son last September died by suicide, according to a statement Wednesday from the San Diego Police Department. Authorities ruled her 2-year-old son's death a homicide.

San Diego residents Raquel Wilkins, 40, and her son, Denzel Browning-Wilkins, fell around 3:50 p.m. on Sept. 25 as baseball fans were heading into the stadium for a San Diego Padres game against the Atlanta Braves.

Wednesday's statement said detectives "conducted a thorough and comprehensive investigation that included dozens of interviews, reviewing of available video footage, and collecting background information to determine what led to the deaths." It said the decision was made in consultation with the San Diego County Medical Examiner.

Lt. Adam Sharki said San Diego police will not release any further information on the case.

Dan Gilleon, an attorney who represents Wilkins' parents and sisters, expressed disappointment Wednesday over the lack of information shared with the family by the San Diego police about the investigation and how they came to their conclusions.

Gilleon said a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Wilkins' parents is pending against Petco Park and the city of San Diego, and that he planned to file a tort claim with the city in about a week.

The Padres released a statement after authorities announced their rulings Wednesday, saying, "In light of today's statement from the San Diego Police Department, we want to reiterate our deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of those involved in this tragedy."

Wilkins and her son were pronounced dead at 4:11 p.m., about 20 minutes after police were alerted. The pair had fallen from a dining and concessions area on the third-floor concourse -- the equivalent of six stories high -- to a sidewalk below on 200 Tony Gwynn Way, police said. The child's father was also at the ballpark, police said. The father did not respond to an interview request from ESPN late last year.

In a previous statement, San Diego police officials called the deaths "suspicious," and the department's homicide unit was called to investigate. At least one witness told San Diego's Fox 5 that Wilkins had jumped on a bench and was laughing before losing her balance and falling.

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NCAA updates policy on transgender participation, to let each sport set requirements

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/33105305/ncaa-updates-policy-transgender-participation-let-sport-set-requirements

NCAA updates policy on transgender participation, to let each sport set eligibility requirements

The NCAA announced a new policy Wednesday in which eligibility requirements for transgender athletes will be determined by each sport's national governing body.

The new requirements go into effect immediately. The previous policy, adopted in 2010, was uniform across all sports and was based on hormone therapy requirements.

The new policy comes at a time when transgender athletes continue to be a focus of national debate. Since 2020, 10 states have enacted laws restricting participation for transgender athletes in school sports, many of which affect collegiate participation at the competitive, club and intramural levels.

This winter, University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who is transgender, recorded the top times in the country in the 200-yard and 500-yard women's freestyle. Under the NCAA's new policy, Thomas would need to be in compliance with USA Swimming's criteria in order to participate at the NCAA championships in March.

USA Swimming did not respond to a request to provide details of its existing policy. The University of Pennsylvania also did not respond to a request for comment.

"We are steadfast in our support of transgender student-athletes and the fostering of fairness across college sports," said John DeGioia, NCAA Board of Governors chair and Georgetown president. "It is important that NCAA member schools, conferences and college athletes compete in an inclusive, fair, safe and respectful environment and can move forward with a clear understanding of the new policy."

Beginning with the 2022 winter championships, transgender athletes wishing to compete will need to document their testosterone levels, in compliance with their specific sport, four weeks before the sport's selection of championship participants. If a national governing body does not have a policy, then the international federation's policy will be used. If the international federation does not have a policy, then the previously established International Olympic Committee policy will be used.

During the 2022-23 season, athletes will need to provide testosterone level documentation at three predetermined points, including four weeks before championship selection.

"This update complicates the NCAA policy in a way that I don't believe they are equipped to handle," said Chris Mosier, a duathlete and transgender inclusion advocate. "Given that many NGBs have not created policies for transgender athletes and that policies vary from sport NGB to NGB, tracking compliance is going to be a nightmare for the NCAA. This creates many different standards for trans athletes."

Former Olympic swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a member of the Women's Sports Policy Working Group, also took issue with the revisions.

"The new NCAA policy sounds a lot like the old one," she said. "The board hasn't resolved the intractable balancing between fairness, playing safety and inclusion. They failed women by not prioritizing fairness."

The NCAA policy shift is an attempt to bring the organization in line with the IOC's approach.

"Approximately 80% of U.S. Olympians are either current or former college athletes," NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement. "This policy alignment provides consistency and further strengthens the relationship between college sports and the U.S. Olympics."

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