Event Recap: Union Days '14

This post was written by Taylor Kosakoff, Director of Career Services for the Cornell Sports Business Society.

On Thursday, April 10th, I spoke on behalf of the Cornell ILR Sports Business Society for the annual event, “Union Days”, in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. “Union Days” is an event sponsored by the Worker Institute at Cornell, which addresses current labor movement issues in various industries. The event I spoke at was titled, “Fighting for Equality in Education, Sports, and the Fashion Industry.”

I was called upon to address the background of the Northwestern football players’ attempt to unionize and the ramifications of this historic event. The reason I was chosen to speak on the panel was because of the research I conducted on this topic for an article that I wrote for the Cornell ILR Sports Business Society’s magazine, Sports Inc., earlier this semester. Although there were many prominent figures in the labor movement on the panel, the speakers that participated in the Northwestern discussion were two players on Cornell’s football team, senior quarterback Jeff Mathews and senior outside linebacker Taylor Engstrom.

The Northwestern football players’ attempt to unionize is a significant development in the labor movement, and could have a meaningful impact on the future of the NCAA and its relationship with student athletes. Previously, students have not had success in their attempts to be treated as employees of their universities. This recent effort to organize demonstrates however, that a change may be on the horizon for student athletes. Led by Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter, the students achieved a significant breakthrough by receiving a decision from a Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board which gave the Northwestern football players employee status. 

Colter and his teammates are trying to gain representation for the student-athletes by the College Athletes Players Association (CAPA), in order to secure benefits that they believe college football players deserve. Specifically, Colter and the CAPA are seeking medical cost coverage for players who sustain injuries during games or practices. Other benefits that they are attempting to secure include ease on transfer restrictions and security of scholarships after injury. Compensation is not a topic of discussion currently and is not the main focus of this movement, but could be a goal in the future. Colter and the CAPA believe that the players deserve more than what they are getting, especially when compared to the millions of dollars the NCAA and universities are making off the efforts by these student-athletes.

The discussion of the Northwestern football players was the final segment of the event. I discussed how the attempt by Northwestern’s football team to unionize could revolutionize the NCAA. This initial step, with the leadership of Colter, may be the impetus for other teams to join this initiative to gain more rights for themselves on the football field. This attempt may even expand to other college sports and include women’s teams. If the student athletes are ultimately deemed employees, there could be a difference in what rights these players may have due to their enrollment in public and private universities, with different laws regarding public and private employees. While there is support for the players’ initiative, many people oppose the idea of unionization and believe that it may ruin the entertainment of the NCAA and college sports.

To see how college football players themselves feel about the Northwestern football team’s attempt to unionize, Jeff Mathews and Taylor Engstrom provided their perspectives as student athletes. It was especially interesting to hear college athletes from Cornell talk about the labor movement from Cornell because players are not allowed to receive athletic scholarships in the Ivy League. Both Mathews, who recently signed with the Atlanta Falcons, and Engstrom, held similar views about college football players trying to unionize.

Both were intrigued by the movement and believed that medical cost coverage for injuries is a benefit that the NCAA should provide for student athletes. However, both student athletes stated that they did not want to be compensated for their play because they think that this would diminish the enjoyment of college football and the relationship between students and the university that they cherish. Matthews and Engstrom both emphasized that they feel lucky to attend such a prominent university as Cornell, and that they play on the football team and devote more hours than expected because they enjoy playing football.

This event was an interesting way to see how a topic from the sports world could be such a major factor in a discussion of the labor movement. It was intriguing to hear the perspectives of two of Cornell’s most prominent football players who both agreed that they would never want to be compensated for their college play, although they do not receive athletic scholarships in the Ivy League. Their views are similar to those of Kain Colter and his teammates, who are pursuing employee status primarily to secure medical cost coverage. There is a long way to go before a final resolution of the matter, and it will be fascinating to see how this case impacts the future of the NCAA.

This post was written by Taylor Kosakoff, Director of Career Services for the Cornell Sports Business Society.

Here's to the BCS: Top 5 Title Games of All Time

This year's National Championship Game between Auburn and Florida State marked the conclusion of the thrilling yet highly flawed Bowl Championship Series. Beginning in 1999, the BCS featured some incredible moments over the years, but the selection of the participants in these games has often been highly controversial. As a result, the College Football Playoff will finally come into effect next year in which the top four teams in the country will square off in two semifinal games prior to the championship game.

In recognition of the fiasco that was the BCS, here is a list of the top five title games of all time:


5. 1999 Fiesta Bowl: Tennessee 23, Florida State 16

In the first ever year of the BCS, the Volunteers triumphed over the Seminoles to cap off on undefeated season just one year after a fellow by the name of Peyton Manning left for the NFL. The Vols got off to a fast start in the game jumping out to a 14-0 lead. However, Bobby Bowden's Seminoles continued to fight after being down the 23-9 late in the 4th quarter. 

After a FSU touchdown and a lost fumble by star Tennesee running back Travis Henry, Florida State had a chance to tie the game up. Filling in for star quarterback Chris Weinke, backup Marcus Outzen went on to throw a game-sealing pick and the Volunteers came out victorious led by wideout Peerless Price's 199 receiving yards.

4. 2011 BCS National Championship: Auburn 22, Oregon 19

Both teams entered the season undefeated as Heisman winner Cam Newton went toe-for-toe against star running back LaMichael James and Chip Kelly's high-powered offensive attack. However, defenses led by Nick Fairley and Casey Matthews respectively reigned supreme in this one up until the final few minutes of the game. With just over two minutes to go Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas led the Ducks to a touchdown drive and a two-point conversion to tie the game up. 

Auburn was able to to rebound though as the Tigers marched down the field 73 yards all the way down to the Oregon one-yard line. The drive featured one of the most bizarre plays in BCS history on a Michael Dyer 37-yard run, which set up a game winning field goal as time expired.

3. 2014 BCS National Championship: Florida State 34, Auburn 31

The BCS certainly left with a bang as FSU and Auburn played in an absolute classic. It almost felt as though Auburn was a team of destiny following a season filled with dramatic plays against the likes of Georgia and Alabama. The Tigers stormed out of the gates to take a 21-3 lead. While FSU seemed overmatched early on, head coach Jimbo Fisher made a gutsy fake punt call on their own 40-yard line that changed the complexion of the game. 

The Seminoles chipped away from that point on, and a kickoff return touchdown put them up 27-24 in the 4th quarter. Auburn was able to answer back the following possession with a 37-yard score by star running back and Heisman finalist Tre' Mason. With just over a minute remaining in the game, Jameis Winston displayed great composure, displaying why he was the best player in the land this past season as he led his squad on a game winning drive with a touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin with just 13 seconds remaining, finally putting an end to the SEC's run of national dominance.

2. 2003 Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State 31, Miami 24

The heavy favorite Hurricanes came into the game riding a 34-game win streak, featuring a stacked roster of future NFL Stars including Andre Johnson, Willis McGahee, Jonathan Vilma, and Antrel Rolle. However, Miami's high-powered offense just could not get into a rhythm throughout the course of the game against Jim Tressel's defense. In fact, the Buckeyes controlled much of the game and it took a Miami field goal as time expired just to send the game into overtime. 

Following a Kellen Winslow Jr. touchdown pass on the first possession, it appeared as though the 'Canes had won the title on a goal-line stand, but a highly controversial pass-interference penalty was called on 4th down to give the Buckeyes life. Ohio State proceeded to tie the game up at 24 before scoring a quick touchdown to start of the second OT. On the next possession the Buckeye defense stepped up once again, stopping the Hurricanes at the 1-yard to pull off the upset.

1. 2006 Rose Bowl: Texas 41, USC 38

In one of the most widely anticipated bowl games of all time, the unbeaten Longhorns faced the unbeaten Trojans. Both teams were coming off long winning streaks with Texas having won 19 straight while USC had won its last 34 games. Pete Carroll's squad boasted the last two Heisman trophy winners in Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, but Vince Young didn't seemed to mind as the night belonged to him. 

The game went back and forth for the most part until USC looked like it was pulling away following a Matt Leinart strike to Dwayne Jarrett with just 6:42 remaining. Heisman runner-up Vince Young had something to say about this though as he rallied his squad down the stretch; VY then led a quick touchdown drive, and following a Longhorn defensive stop, he had one last shot to win his school its first national title since 1970. Refusing to let his team come up short of accomplishing this goal, Young capped off a brilliant game with one of the most memorable plays in college football history with an 8-yard TD run to give Texas the 41-38 victory.