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. Nike Air Jordan 5 Retro Uk . And rest hardly led to rust for the two-time defending NBA champions. Air Jordan 5 For Sale Cheap . - The New England Patriots needed help on defence so they added three experienced players at midseason. http://www.cheapairjordan5uk.com/ . His team rose to the occasion Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Sweden in the bronze-medal game. "The sting from yesterday is not something we hid from or pretend didnt happen," Dineen said. Air Jordan 5 Wholesale .com) - Roosevelt Jones had 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to lead No. Cheap Air Jordan 5 Uk .A. Happ is coming off his first start of the year, a win at Philadelphia Monday. The former Phillie allowed three hits in five scoreless frames of a 3-0 triumph.TAMPA, Fla. -- Steven Stamkos and Ben Bishop helped the Tampa Bay Lightning keep their solid start rolling along. Stamkos scored a tiebreaking goal with 5:04 left in the third period, Bishop made 25 saves, and the Lightning beat the Minnesota Wild 3-1 on Thursday night. "We found a way," Stamkos said. "When youre a good team, you have to find a way to win these games, and we did." Stamkos gave the Lightning (5-2) a 2-1 lead when he skated in from the right wing boards and lifted an in-close shot over goalie Josh Harding during 4-on-4 play. Sami Salo added an empty-net goal in the final minute. Bishop, 5-0 this season, made a series of saves midway through the second, denying solid scoring chances by Jason Pominville and Dany Heatley. "Again its early, but he gives us a chance to win the game every single night," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "Thats what you want in your goaltender." Tampa Bay had planned to split playing time between Bishop and Anders Lindback (0-2) this season. However, Bishops performance has earned him the bulk of the work thus far. "Its just not me," Bishop said. "Its the guys in front of me ... the guys are playing great. We win some games 7-2, and then we can win a game like this." Tyler Johnson also scored for Tampa Bay. Mikko Koivu scored for Minnesota, which was coming off a 4-1 loss at Toronto on Tuesday night in which the Wild outshot the Maple Leafs 37-14. "Obviously, were doing something good, but were missing something and we have to find a way to find the net more," Koivu said. Harding, who entered with an 0.94 goals-against-average, made a pad save on Stamkos during a two-man breakaway late in the second. He finished with 27 saves. Koivu tied it at 1 from the low left circle at 11:05 of the third. Tampa Bay, which entered with the NHLs sixth-best power play, took advantaage of its initial chance when Johnson scored from the left circle at 14:02 of the first.dddddddddddd. The Wild, who started play with the NHLs second-worst short-handed unit, have given up at least one goal while the opponent had the man advantage in seven of eight games this season. Minnesota stopped the Lightning on 6 of 7 power-play opportunities. The Wild went 0 for 2 with the man advantage. "To me, that was the story of this game," Minnesota coach Mike Yeo said. "We talked before the game about how we have to have the confidence to play the game, but weve got to be smart, too, against a team like that, with that power play, in their building. "Just the momentum that they were generating off their power play put us on our heels all night. And then our puck work wasnt good enough to get us out of that. We have to address that. We cant expect to win an awful lot of games when were scoring one goal." Tampa Bay captain Martin St. Louis was in the lineup two days after taking a shot off his skate during a 5-1 victory over Los Angeles. The right wing was wearing a walking boot on his right foot earlier Thursday. "Tests were to a point where, whatever damage is done, he cant do anything worse to it." Cooper said. "Its a pain tolerance thing." St. Louis said he felt fine. "Its a big win for our team," St. Louis said. "Bis was strong again. Your goaltender is going to hide some of our mistakes, and I thought he did that." NOTES: Tampa Bay outshot the Wild 13-2 in the third. ... Minnesota D Keith Ballard, hit in the face by a puck during Monday nights game at Buffalo, sat out his second straight game "(Hes) not feeling well," Yeo said. "More than anything else this is preventative." ... Wild G Niklas Backstrom was the backup after missing the previous four games due to a knee injury. ' ' '