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Its a big week for NCAA college players. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that a group of Northwestern college football players, led by quarterback Kain Colter, are employees and have the right to form a union and bargain collectively. The NLRB is a U.S. government agency that deals with labor law. This matters because as a bargaining unit, players as a group can now start to ask for more - a lot more. Think about how baseball was changed when the players unionized and fought for their rights. So this decision will potentially have a major impact on college sports and force the NCAA to change how it does business. For decades, the NCAA has offered scholarships in exchange for athletic services. However, the NLRB says that falls short, and with this ruling, threatens to tear down the very foundation of the NCAA and its billion dollar business model. Control Control Control In concluding that players were entitled to employee status, NLRB director Peter Ohr focused on the level of control that Northwestern exercised over its student athletes. That level of control, he said, moved players from being primarily students to being athletes that have earned the right to unionize. If they were primarily students, they couldnt unionize. In ruling that Northwestern players were athletes first (and students second), he relied on a bunch of factors to demonstrate control over the players that no longer made them primarily students (like others on campus) and effectively turned them into employees. Here are a few of these factors: (a) The NCAA limits athletic activities to 20 hours per week during the season and 8 hours during the offseason. Despite that, Northwestern players dedicated 50 to 60 hours a week on football during training camp, and another 40 to 50 hours a week during the football season. While the workouts that would take players beyond the 20 hour cap were deemed "voluntary", players knew if they didnt show up there would be serious consequences. Some days players had to engage in football related activities from 5:45am to 10:30pm. Devoting so many hours a week to football was a massive consideration for the NLRB. The players basically had a second job: football. (b) Players allege they were steered away from certain courses because they conflicted with football. Colter wanted to go to medical school but was discouraged from taking a pre-med course because it conflicted with his football schedule. He ultimately ended up transferring to psychology. (c) Players have to abide by restrictive social media policies, and cant refuse a friend request on Facebook from a coach. They have to let the coach know the type of car they drive. As well, players are subject to alcohol and drug policies, as well as anti-gambling and anti-hazing policies. A violation of these policies can result in serious sanctions, including suspensions and revocation of scholarships. (d) If a player wants to get a job off campus, he needs permission. Hes required to live on campus while a freshman and sophomore. He also cant do interviews without the coachs approval. (e) The player cant profit off his own likeness and image; thats reserved for the university and the NCAA. (f) A player is prohibited from swearing in public, and if a player "embarrasses" the team, he can be suspended for one game. A second offense can result in a 1 year suspension. Players who transfer to another school to play football must sit out a year before they can compete for the new school. (g) During the regular season, the players must wear a suit to home games. (h) Players are required to remain within a six-hour radius of campus prior to football games. These are just some of the factors that Ohr relied on when he concluded that the university was exercising a level of control that converted the students into employees. Also important was that Northwestern was providing compensation in the form of scholarships in return for services that had nothing to do with academics. All The Benchmarks of an Employment Relationship So when it all shakes out, Ohr believed that this case had all the standard benchmarks of an employer/employee relationship, including controlling the employees schedule, the discretion to hire, fire or suspend the employee and evidence of compensation. What Do the Players Want They want to negotiate limits on practice time and medical benefits. Thats their starting point. They will probably also ask for a stipend to reflect cost of attendance. Remember that scholarships cover a lot – living expenses, tuition, room and board and book fees – but not everything. At some point, players may ask to be paid. The NCAA is big business. The media deal for NCAA football is a $7.3 billion/10 year deal, while the March Madness deal is valued at $10.8 billion over 14 years. Northwestern generated $235 million in revenue between 2003 and 2012 off things like ticket sales, television contracts, merchandise sales and licensing agreements. In 2012-2013 alone, the program generated $30.1 million in revenue, while spending about $5 million on scholarships. The university also says that its expenses add up to about $22 million all in for the football program. In theory, the players as employees could also be entitled to disability insurance, workers compensation and maybe even a pension. They could also be taxed on non-scholarship income they receive. Next Steps: Appeal Central As for next steps, the players will hold a vote to form a union, while Northwestern appeals the decision to the next level at the NLRB. If Northwestern is unsuccessful on appeal, they will probably refuse to bargain with the students and take the matter to federal court. So we could still be years away from a final decision. That being said, this was a potentially historic win for the players and a step closer toward sharing in the billion dollar pie that is the NCAA. Clearance NCAA Jerseys . -- Falcons running back Steven Jackson, who has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury, is expected to practice on Wednesday. Fake NCAA Jerseys . According to the CFL Scouting Bureaus January rankings, four of the top five Canadian prospects line-up on the offensive side of the trenches, which is good news for Bombers general manager Kyle Walters. With only one selection in the first two rounds — Walters sent his second-round pick to Saskatchewan in the days ahead of the 2013 trade deadline — the No. https://www.chinajerseysncaa.us/.com) - The Hatch Attack is back in the Southern Conference. NCAA Jerseys China . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Custom NCAA Jerseys . Sami Salo scored two goals as the Canucks overcame a hat-trick from Edmonton Oiler rookie sensation Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to win 4-3 in NHL action Saturday.TORONTO - James Hinchcliffe awoke from a 20-minute nap between Sundays two races at Torontos Honda Indy and thought for a moment hed slept through his alarm. He said his nap briefly turned into a nightmare. What he didnt know was that the nightmare was yet to come. Race 2 of the IndyCar Series event was marred by several cautions, rain and contact with another driver, which would leave Hinchcliffe in 18th when the 80-minute race concluded. The Oakville, Ont., native finished Race 1 Sunday morning in eighth place, matching his personal best at Torontos Exhibition Place. "At least we have two races because before that, it was the one race that was a nightmare," said Hinchcliffe. "I think here we were in for a strong result, maybe a top five, who knows, but it wasnt meant to be today." The 27-year-old set his career-best eighth place finish in Race 1 of the 2013 event before finishing and 21st in Race 2. Hinchcliffe finished 22nd in the 2012 event while posting a 14th place finish during his rookie season in 2011. On Sunday, in Race 2, Hinchcliffes problems began on Lap 12. After Juan Pablo Montoya hit the tires in Turn 8. Hinchcliffe was unable to avoid the Colombians No. 2 car, clipping it. "The rain had just started, Juan Pablo was already in the tires there. I slowed down a lot because I saw him," explained Hinchcliffe. "(Sebastien) Bourdais had already started to go wide so I actually turned in a little early to try and give him room to get back on track. "As soon as I hit the concrete, with a little bit of rain, the thing was just backwards before I knew it. Just so annoying and disappointing." Once he was back on track, Hinchcliffe found himself four laps behind the leader. "It was so tough not racing with those guys at the end," he said. "Its just such a bummer because I think we had a really strong car. To see how the carnage played out, if we had kept our nose clean, we wouldve been up there." Hinchclliffe finished third at Exhibition Place in his first season in the Indy Lights developmental series, but it has been downhill since for him on the 11-turn, 2.dddddddddddd8-kilometre track. Earlier in the week, Hinchcliffe joked that it couldnt possibly get worse for him at the lone Canadian stop on the IndyCar schedule. "Its one of those things, were sitting up here, talking, saying what do we have to do to catch a break, here or anywhere this season?" said Hinchcliffe. "The guys did a really good job on the car. I was having so much fun out there. Even in the wet, we wouldve been quick in the wet; we wouldve been quick in anything. "The guys gave me a solid car, Im just sorry we couldnt turn it into a result." Hinchcliffe has gotten used to doing a plethora of appearances to promote the event leading up to race day at his home stop. Hinchcliffe wasnt ready to blame the hectic week for his poor performances in Toronto. Still, he said he worked with Ryann Rigsby, Andretti Autosports Director of Communications, to arrange an optimal schedule. "Ryann here helped a lot in making sure that it was no more than a normal race weekend," Hinchcliffe said. "In a lot of ways, from a time commitment point of view, it felt very much like a normal race weekend. "In years past, I think weve tried to cram in a little more than maybe we shouldve and this year we didnt." Hinchcliffe struggled with tire strategy in Race 1, which saw him start and finish in the eighth spot while dropping from 11th in the point standings to 12th. He earned 36 points total from the two races. Entering the weekends event, Hinchcliffe had started 5-of-12 races in second spot, but hasnt found the podium once in 2014. "I was probably more confident this week more than ever coming here just based on the results weve had in Detroit and Houston," he said. "You cant buy a break, it seems like right now, if youre driving a blue 27 car." ' ' '