Geo Baker

[csphi]

Hahaha Exactly. It’s Friday night and we’re all sitting here arguing on a board about Rutgers sports that costs money to sign up for. Every person here cares about cam Spencer’s nil whether they’ll admit it or not.

This forum doesn’t exist without the players. The entire thing is business related yet players shouldn’t get paid according to some

Geo
I think most people agree with you regarding the players being compensated…I know I do

But…..the current situation how this is playing out is like the “Wild Wild West” with no guardrails to the process

That is what I think people are taking issue with

 

[knightfan2000]

I am just really, really sad about the current situation. I actually had a conversation with Cam Spencer last week and he said he loved Rutgers and was definitely coming back next season. I also spoke briefly to Pikiell and he seemed pretty dejected - I can only assume he was in the process of trying to fend off efforts to poach our players.

While I was and am supportive of Geo and others’ efforts in seeking fairness in use of NIL, I am still very sad about this new world of college athletics. Of course, I understand why players would leave for more NIL money. But I feel for the young kids who proudly wear their Rutgers gear and support their “heroes” only to see them walk out the door for more money. I feel for the alums who truly love Rutgers University and have supported the school academically and athletically for years – it will be harder to stay invested financially and emotionally when the athletes appear to have no loyalty to their school, teammates and coaches. I feel for Pikiell and staff who have worked so hard to build the program and recruit great athletes, and people, only to have to deal with other schools dangling more money to lure them away. He doesn’t seem like the type of person who would endorse underhanded tactics to steal players.

I know people will say then we just need to step up and donate more for NIL, but we already are pushing the loyal donors to the limit – and we are way behind in facilities upgrades and scholarship funding as it is. I speak as someone who has had season tickets for multiple sports for decades and support 5 sports with scholarships. I've had 4 athletes who received those scholarships transfer out of Rutgers over the past couple of years, so it is difficult to stay engaged.

 

[RW90]

Narrow minded is thinking that someone shouldn’t have the rights to their own name while the industry owning it is making billions of dollars.

There is a reason why Jersey Mikes bought the Rac, and a reason why SHI bought the football stadium and i promise you it isn’t because they’re fans of Rutgers. It’s because the sports and the student athletes bring eyes and attention.

The entire thing is a business. I get it that NIL doesn’t suit the fan perspective of what college sports was. But the original view of college sports was a wrong one. Anyone who doesn’t see the bigger picture is the narrow minded one.

Agree with everything except "the original view of college sports was a wrong one". There are many of us who grew up when the nation differentiated Olympic athletes from professional athletes too. Everyone has a right to earn their living, but many of my generation associated labeling student athletes focusing more so on the former role than the latter. Just a sign and change of the times I guess.

 

[RepeatedCrown6]

Please

Now it’s Geo and all the other athletes that advocates for NILs fault… man shut up😂😂😂

Ron’s going in today! Lol

 

[cyrock3]

I am just really, really sad about the current situation. I actually had a conversation with Cam Spencer last week and he said he loved Rutgers and was definitely coming back next season. I also spoke briefly to Pikiell and he seemed pretty dejected - I can only assume he was in the process of trying to fend off efforts to poach our players.

While I was and am supportive of Geo and others’ efforts in seeking fairness in use of NIL, I am still very sad about this new world of college athletics. Of course, I understand why players would leave for more NIL money. But I feel for the young kids who proudly wear their Rutgers gear and support their “heroes” only to see them walk out the door for more money. I feel for the alums who truly love Rutgers University and have supported the school academically and athletically for years – it will be harder to stay invested financially and emotionally when the athletes appear to have no loyalty to their school, teammates and coaches. I feel for Pikiell and staff who have worked so hard to build the program and recruit great athletes, and people, only to have to deal with other schools dangling more money to lure them away. He doesn’t seem like the type of person who would endorse underhanded tactics to steal players.

I know people will say then we just need to step up and donate more for NIL, but we already are pushing the loyal donors to the limit – and we are way behind in facilities upgrades and scholarship funding as it is. I speak as someone who has had season tickets for multiple sports for decades and support 5 sports with scholarships. I've had 4 athletes who received those scholarships transfer out of Rutgers over the past couple of years, so it is difficult to stay engaged.

Gonna be blunt - problem is someone is selling you a bill of goods on facilities upgrades.

You’ll probably gnash your teeth at me and call me a jerk and I very well may be such a person to you right now.

But we’re Jersey folks so we’re going to be blunt about it. All of that money for facilities - should go to NIL. I’m not gonna say anything about scholarship funding because that’s also funding the athlete staying here. But facilities? They were always just a proxy for NIL funding. No one needs the latest and greatest facilities to get better. You think players who improve by leaps and bounds in the G-League have better facilities than they did in college?

They don’t, they just have what they need to get better. And those “subpar” facilities work just as well as the fancy college facilities. Far better to spend on a player directly vs. spending on playstations for a locker room.

 

[bac2therac]

Narrow minded is thinking that someone shouldn’t have the rights to their own name while the industry owning it is making billions of dollars.

There is a reason why Jersey Mikes bought the Rac, and a reason why SHI bought the football stadium and i promise you it isn’t because they’re fans of Rutgers. It’s because the sports and the student athletes bring eyes and attention.

The entire thing is a business. I get it that NIL doesn’t suit the fan perspective of what college sports was. But the original view of college sports was a wrong one. Anyone who doesn’t see the bigger picture is the narrow minded one.

Then remove the facade of scholorships and make it semi pro

 

[RUBlackout7]

Gonna be blunt - problem is someone is selling you a bill of goods on facilities upgrades.

You’ll probably gnash your teeth at me and call me a jerk and I very well may be such a person to you right now.

But we’re Jersey folks so we’re going to be blunt about it. All of that money for facilities - should go to NIL. I’m not gonna say anything about scholarship funding because that’s also funding the athlete staying here. But facilities? They were always just a proxy for NIL funding. No one needs the latest and greatest facilities to get better. You think players who improve by leaps and bounds in the G-League have better facilities than they did in college?

They don’t, they just have what they need to get better. And those “subpar” facilities work just as well as the fancy college facilities. Far better to spend on a player directly vs. spending on playstations for a locker room.

Ding ding ding

 

[knightfan2000]

So Jersey Mike's arena doesn't need to be upgraded?? I am in agreement about other facilities - as far as I am concerned we do not need a new indoor football practice facility or a separate lacrosse stadium. But the basketball arena is about 20 years past due. And the tennis team is finally getting 6 courts to replace the ones paved over for Hale Center parking. They actually played matches this season at Piscataway high school - embarrassing.

 

[Geo_Baker_1]

Geo
I think most people agree with you regarding the players being compensated…I know I do

But…..the current situation how this is playing out is like the “Wild Wild West” with no guardrails to the process

That is what I think people are taking issue with

I get it and i sort of agree. Nothing can stop a coach from leaving for more money. So why stop a player? But it is definitely crazy right now. My thought process on NIL is the donor craziness will eventually slow fown and shift to businesses and companies paying the players. Again, there’s a reason why jersey mikes, shi, and others want to be involved with Rutgers athletics. As NIL continues to evolve these companies will want to have athlete influencers additionally to the school itself.

Think about that knights of raritan million dollar match. It happened this year (i think) but how does it happen again? And then again? And again… the reality is that is probably doesn’t. Focus needs to be on corporations and how you can create a win win situation for them thru student athlete promo on social media

 

[Nach19]

Imagine trying to blame Geo because one kid transferred for money in a billion dollar industry where kids were being exploited before without being able to take a penny 😂

 

[Geo_Baker_1]

Then remove the facade of scholorships and make it semi pro

This is the part where i say remove academic and music scholarships too since they’re also allowed to own their nil, and then you say no one is paying someone on academic scholarship 6 figures on the side, and then i say there’s a reason for that and move on with my night 😂

 

[Kbee3]

I don't know if I missed it in this thread, but if it's just about money why can't Rutgers just match the other school's offer to Cam ?

 

[Nach19]

This is the part where i say remove academic and music scholarships too since they’re also allowed to own their nil, and then you say no one is paying someone on academic scholarship 6 figures on the side, and then i say there’s a reason for that and move on with my night 😂

Couldn’t agree more with this. Why should athletes differ from other students? A music major who’s teaching on the side isn’t bringing in 8k paying spectators 20x a year for the university to watch them perform

 

[Nach19]

I don't know if I missed it in this thread, but if it's just about money why can't Rutgers just match the other school's offer to Cam ?

Rutgers wasn’t given the chance to apparently

 

[cyrock3]

So Jersey Mike's arena doesn't need to be upgraded?? I am in agreement about other facilities - as far as I am concerned we do not need a new indoor football practice facility or a separate lacrosse stadium. But the basketball arena is about 20 years past due. And the tennis team is finally getting 6 courts to replace the ones paved over for Hale Center parking. They actually played matches this season at Piscataway high school - embarrassing.

No need to upgrade Jersey Mike’s if we don’t have the horses to keep people watching games.

As for the tennis courts - yes that’s nice, but I imagine the players would be fine with more money in their pocket over new courts.

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

This may be the funniest and most ironic statement you’ve put on the board and the best part is you don’t even realize it

Nah just facts. Name the lie.

 

[Nach19]

No need to upgrade Jersey Mike’s if we don’t have the horses to keep people watching games.

As for the tennis courts - yes that’s nice, but I imagine the players would be fine with more money in their pocket over new courts.

We sold out the 100s and 200s again this year from season tickets and the 300s are filling, people are dying to get in for once

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

Narrow minded is thinking that someone shouldn’t have the rights to their own name while the industry owning it is making billions of dollars.

There is a reason why Jersey Mikes bought the Rac, and a reason why SHI bought the football stadium and i promise you it isn’t because they’re fans of Rutgers. It’s because the sports and the student athletes bring eyes and attention.

The entire thing is a business. I get it that NIL doesn’t suit the fan perspective of what college sports was. But the original view of college sports was a wrong one. Anyone who doesn’t see the bigger picture is the narrow minded one.

People care for the name on the front, not the back. When you left RU the same amount of people came to games. When bohanon left iowa, the same amount of people came to games.

Do more people comes to games when youre 20-11 and competitive rather than 7-25 and dont have a pulse? Of course. But dont get it twisted, whether the back of the jersey said baker or smith the same amount of people would be coming to games.

 

[cyrock3]

We sold out the 100s and 200s again this year from season tickets and the 300s are filling, people are dying to get in for once

Yes but my point is that we need to keep our players here if we want this to remain the case.

 

[cm_13]

But dont get it twisted, whether the back of the jersey said baker or smith the same amount of people would be coming to games.

This is an odd choice of argument when you consider how few people came to basketball games the few years before Geo was here vs how many people came to basketball games while he was here.

 

[RutgersNo1]

This is the part where i say remove academic and music scholarships too since they’re also allowed to own their nil, and then you say no one is paying someone on academic scholarship 6 figures on the side, and then i say there’s a reason for that and move on with my night 😂

Another bad comparison.
I agree you guys should be allowed to open a camp or something to earn money. But now it's 99% pay-for-play. You already got free education/housing/food from the schools but now you want the schools to pay more for the athletes to play? It's completely different than opening a camp or concert.

 

[cm_13]

Another bad comparison.
I agree you guys should be allowed to open a camp or something to earn money. But now it's 99% pay-for-play. You already got free education/housing/food from the schools but now you want the schools to pay more for the athletes to play? It's completely different than opening a camp or concert.

Okay but they literally could not do that before. That was the entire point. What you’re describing here is exactly the type of thing these guys were asking for in the first place.

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

I get it and i sort of agree. Nothing can stop a coach from leaving for more money. So why stop a player? But it is definitely crazy right now. My thought process on NIL is the donor craziness will eventually slow fown and shift to businesses and companies paying the players. Again, there’s a reason why jersey mikes, shi, and others want to be involved with Rutgers athletics. As NIL continues to evolve these companies will want to have athlete influencers additionally to the school itself.

Think about that knights of raritan million dollar match. It happened this year (i think) but how does it happen again? And then again? And again… the reality is that is probably doesn’t. Focus needs to be on corporations and how you can create a win win situation for them thru student athlete promo on social media

You need to meet more rich assholes. I dont think you realize how rich assholes operate.

They make $X annually from dividend and investment income sitting on their asses.

They have all this extra cash perpetually they dont know what to do with.

They tell their college buddies on the golf course or in the banya, “im gonna buy jack, dick and harry and win us a natty”

The thing many of us realized when this “nil” aka P4P starting gaining steam is that this wont end well for Rutgers. We dont have alot of the above who care enough.

Anyway, join the new york athletic club if you get the chance. Just hang out there for about a week and youll see what I mean.

Thinking these kids serve any value to businesses is naive. 99% are a losing proposition they wont make their money back on

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

This is an odd choice of argument when you consider how few people came to basketball games the few years before Geo was here vs how many people came to basketball games while he was here.

You conveniently cut off most of my post for good reason lol

 

[Jerseylegends]

People care for the name on the front, not the back. When you left RU the same amount of people came to games. When bohanon left iowa, the same amount of people came to games.

Do more people comes to games when youre 20-11 and competitive rather than 7-25 and dont have a pulse? Of course. But dont get it twisted, whether the back of the jersey said baker or smith the same amount of people would be coming to games.

Let's say you were a player on Rutgers basketball. I don't know you but I know that the same amount of people would not come to the games to watch you play. You are minimizing the skills these kids posses. To be a division 1 basketball player at a high major is no small thing. Just look at the conversations you guys have about them on this board. Do you think attendance, media coverage even Rutgers enrollment will increase if we land Dylan Harper, ace bailey? Let's use our common sense..

 

[RutgersNo1]

Okay but they literally could not do that before. That was the entire point. What you’re describing here is exactly the type of thing these guys were asking for in the first place.

I know. Geo thinks the world is black and white and said we think players shouldn't get paid. I never said that. I agree that players should be allowed to make money from a training camp or something. But nowadays 99% of this NIL nonsense is about recruiting bidding war.

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

Let's say you were a player on Rutgers basketball. I don't know you but I know that the same amount of people would not come to the games to watch you play. You are minimizing the skills these kids posses. To be a division 1 basketball player at a high major is no small thing. Just look at the conversations you guys have about them on this board. Do you think attendance, media coverage even Rutgers enrollment will increase if we land Dylan Harper, ace bailey? Let's use our common sense..

Im not a division 1 basketball player. There are around 4500 of them though. And if a guy with the last name smith averaged 12ppg or baker averaged 12ppg it wouldnt matter to the fans. They care about the name on the front.

G League teams would paste RU. Why doesnt anyone watch or follow the g league? Because the name on the front. G league has more talent

 

[cm_13]

You conveniently cut off most of my post for good reason lol

Okay fair, I’ll add the whole quote.

“People care for the name on the front, not the back. When you left RU the same amount of people came to games. When bohanon left iowa, the same amount of people came to games.

Do more people comes to games when youre 20-11 and competitive rather than 7-25 and dont have a pulse? Of course. But dont get it twisted, whether the back of the jersey said baker or smith the same amount of people would be coming to games.”

So you acknowledge that people are more willing to spend their money and buy tickets for Rutgers basketball games for a team that goes 20-11 than a team that goes 7-25? Even though the name on the front of the jersey is the same regardless? Why is that?

 

[fluoxetine]

kyk: The individual players aren't worth anything, it's all about the name on the front.
also kyk: Rich assholes will pay individual players a lot of money to win a natty.

 

[RutgersNo1]

Okay fair, I’ll add the whole quote.

“People care for the name on the front, not the back. When you left RU the same amount of people came to games. When bohanon left iowa, the same amount of people came to games.

Do more people comes to games when youre 20-11 and competitive rather than 7-25 and dont have a pulse? Of course. But dont get it twisted, whether the back of the jersey said baker or smith the same amount of people would be coming to games.”

So you acknowledge that people are more willing to spend their money and buy tickets for Rutgers basketball games for a team that goes 20-11 than a team that goes 7-25? Even though the name on the front of the jersey is the same regardless? Why is that?

Better coaching staff and better administration? Wanna respond to his Gleague comparison?

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

kyk: The individual players aren't worth anything, it's all about the name on the front.
also kyk: Rich assholes will pay individual players a lot of money to win a natty.

Haha nailed it.

Their name images and likenesses are worthless.

Their ability to put the ball in the hoop and allow rich people to play their fantasy GM in real life has intrinsic value to the rich guy.

Youre trying too hard here, this one aint complicated

 

[AdventureHasAName]

This may be the funniest and most ironic statement you’ve put on the board and the best part is you don’t even realize it

I think the funniest part is that he was defending you and it went over your head.

 

[fluoxetine]

You already got free education/housing/food from the schools but now you want the schools to pay more for the athletes to play?

Sure, why not?

You want to come work for me? I'll give you free room and board and minimum wage. You'll be generating $1mm/yr for me. Seem fair? Want to bargain? Well **** you, you should be happy I'm even talking to you.

 

[fluoxetine]

This idea that someone like Geo Baker is responsible for NIL market problems is absurd. The rules that existed were obviously bullshit. The fact that the NCAA has failed to make any new, reasonable rules is not Geo ****ing Baker's fault. And it's not Geo's or any other college athlete's responsibility to be a steward of the "purity" of college sports.

 

[cm_13]

Better coaching staff and better administration? Wanna respond to his Gleague comparison?

You’re not intentionally leaving a very key component out here? Or you’re actually suggesting people come to basketball games to watch the administration?

People probably don’t watch the G League because it’s an NBA developmental league that runs at the same time as the NBA?

 

[NickRU714]

Im not a division 1 basketball player. There are around 4500 of them though. And if a guy with the last name smith averaged 12ppg or baker averaged 12ppg it wouldnt matter to the fans. They care about the name on the front.

G League teams would paste RU. Why doesnt anyone watch or follow the g league? Because the name on the front. G league has more talent

There sure are alot of threads bemoaning players leaving (Spencer, Mag) or hanging on every random tweet about potential players coming here (Harper, Ndongo).

Definitely means nobody cares about the names on the back. Not even the slightest.

 

[LETSGORU91]

Hahaha Exactly. It’s Friday night and we’re all sitting here arguing on a board about Rutgers sports that costs money to sign up for. Every person here cares about cam Spencer’s nil whether they’ll admit it or not.

You are incorrect. I don't. What I care about is Cam appears to be using my alma mater as a spring board for financial gain, then tossing RU aside. Going by the wayside are loyalty and repping the R on the front in search of the almighty dollar. This is happening all across the college landscape and for those who think college should be about learning first with athletics NOT driving the bus see an athletic system which is getting pretty rotten and putrid in a real hurry.

 

[cm_13]

Haha nailed it.

Their name images and likenesses are worthless.

Their ability to put the ball in the hoop and allow rich people to play their fantasy GM in real life has intrinsic value to the rich guy.

Youre trying too hard here, this one aint complicated

This makes no sense. The value of literally anyone’s name image and likeness is tied to their ability to do something.

I just watched a Papa John’s commercial with DJ Khaled in it. If I were to say “DJ Khaled’s name image and likeness are worthless. His ability to do… whatever the **** DJ Khaled actually does… only has intrinsic value to Papa John’s” would that make any sense?

 

[fluoxetine]

Hahaha Exactly. It’s Friday night and we’re all sitting here arguing on a board about Rutgers sports that costs money to sign up for. Every person here cares about cam Spencer’s nil whether they’ll admit it or not.

This forum doesn’t exist without the players. The entire thing is business related yet players shouldn’t get paid according to some

I don't think bolded is exactly correct. I think kyk does have one correct point, which is that what I care about regarding Cam Spencer was his ability to put the ball in the hoop. That's not really NIL. It's definitely value, but it's not NIL value. No one is going to put Cam Spencer on TV and sell me a sneaker.

So what we have now is this kind of ass-backwards situation where the primary party getting value from the player (the school / athletic department itself) isn't allow to pay so the payments are being termed "NIL". I think it's absurd to blame YOU for this but it does seem to be the situation.

 

[RutgersNo1]

Sure, why not?

You want to come work for me? I'll give you free room and board and minimum wage. You'll be generating $1mm/yr for me. Seem fair? Want to bargain? Well **** you, you should be happy I'm even talking to you.

Then it’s pay-for-play. Let’s regulate and make it a semi-pro league then. Geo keeps saying how the name, image, and likeness are gonna help business. LOL.