[mrmeyer]

Do it anyway. Then file suit against the NCAA for violating the 1st Amendment.

[rstrahan]

Problem is what else might be posted on eyeblack. Yes, that stops another Tim Tebow from posting John 3:16 under his eyes. But it also stops “Allah Akbar”, “Praise Gaia” or other more inflamatory things as well.

The NCAA has opted for a blanket prohibition as opposed to trying to legislate what is acceptable or not. I can understand their position. Just sad that it has come to this is all.

[Loud Mime]

Believe me, some of the powers and writers are anti-Christian. How do you think this became an issue?

[Sans-Culotte]

Eye-black is not just used for Christian messages. Some players put their area codes on the eye black, which is gangsta for the neighborhood they control. I remember Reggie Bush had his L.A. area code on his when he played @ USC.

[Melas]

While I understand and sympathize with your concern, calling it a violation of the 1st Amendment is disingenuous. The 1st Amendment does not, nor was it ever intended to regulate the rules and regulations of private organizations.

[camerongood210]

The NCAA instituted some questionable rules recently (including this one). The two others were that if a player is deemed to have celebrated before crossing the goal line then the TD doesn’t count. The other is that special teams can’t wedge block any more. From what I understand this essentially means no more than 2 players can be something like 2 yards apart when running down the field for kick/punt returns. Somebody needs to stick it to the NCAA soon or else crap like this will keep going on.

[Slyfox]

When a college accepts the endorsement of, say Russell or Nike, that company supplying their equipment does not like the players to wear anything that is not in their line. And the players are penalized if they wear something not in the company line. I think the restriction to not wear any messages on the eye-black is more to keep the players from any kind of advertising that might endorse a rival brand.

Personally, I find the messaged eye-black to be disrupting, much like when you see a player wearing big, old diamond earrings that look like they borrowed them from their grandmother.

Actions off the field speak louder than anything written under somebody's eyes during the game.

[trumandogz]

Not a First Amendment issue.

[Outlaw Woman]

These are proposed changes? What other types of messages (besides Tebow's 3:16) have been written in the sticky black stuff?

[Vindibudd]

The headline is so full of stupid that I can hardly wrap my head around it. This is a good policy for the NCAA. What are they going to do, sit there and say only Jesus messages are allowed? That is not going to work out.

[vpintheak]

Screw them, they aren’t a fiefdom.