Apparently, the NFL is indeed keenly interested in keeping some members of its free minor league system happy.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban addressed the media for the first time since word broke that he was banning NFL scouts from his school and, while he said a lot was being made out of nothing regarding the banishment, the coach did reveal the wheels are turning behind the scenes to address the concerns he and other college coaches have over agents.
According to Saban, he helped organize a conference call recently that was meant to address concerns over what’s been perceived to be a growing problem of illicit interaction between agents and student-athletes. Included on that call was NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, members of the NFLPA and other college coaches, who Saban declined to name.
Among the things discussed during the call were potential deterrents to whatever illegal activity is occurring; per Saban, one of the possible penalties mentioned was punishing a player who’s already used up his collegiate eligibility and is playing at the professional level.
“All we want is the opportunity so that it doesn’t have to happen on a street corner,” Saban said in his best Pimp-ese.
As for his current policy toward the NFL, Saban added that the school “told the scouts that we would open it up and give them a schedule” for a return to campus sometime after Aug. 25.
Certainly there will be many more details to come out of Saban’s time in front of the media this afternoon, but, for now, it seems as if there are multiple entities at various levels who are making an effort to work toward a resolution to what Saban -- and a lot of other coaches and administrators -- feel is a huge problem in the game.