[misterrob]

You cannot put limits on who you employ in this case. If someone is qualified to play then why can't he? The other organizations you cite are civil service or government positions.

Also, you mean to tell me that a team needing a running back or receiver would pass on the next Randy Moss, Terrell Owens or Clinton Portis if they could get them? Hell, leave them on the practice squad for a year and then turn them loose at the main team level. Screw the draft and screw your division rivals. If I am an NFL owner looking to win I would want underclassmen.

[Bogey78O]

But he isn't meeting the qualifications.

That's as asinine as saying that Shwartzenegger should be allowed to run for president since he meets all the qualifications.

[mhking]

You cannot put limits on who you employ in this case.

What makes this different from government or civil service positions? What makes this different from any position when a specific amount of experience or education is required?

Bottom line, the League can hire who it wants, provided it does not violate civil rights guidelines.

Those guidelines are not being violated here; the League can allow who it wants in, period.

You want to hire underclassmen? Fine. Go buy a team in the Arena League or the CFL. The NFL has put a specific limitation in. You don't like it? Tough. There are plenty of other folks who would gladly buy your franchise (and before you bring him up, screw Al Davis.)

[discostu]

They can put limits because those limits define who is qualified. THe NHL won't allow players who don't have measurable eyesight in both eyes, there have been a few players in the minors that only had sight in one eye but the NHL said no. They defined measurable sight in both eyes as a qualifying characteristic. The NFL has defined the ability to legally knock back a beer with teammates as a qualifying characteristic.

A team needing a running back that is thinking with their head certainly WILL pass on the next Cryin Ryan Leaf. Players like that are bad for team chemistry and teams with players like that never win. An NFL owner looking to win passes up on them FAST, the Chargers STILL haven't recovered from the mistake of not passing on Leaf between the cap hit and the draft spots they'll be paying that one off for another 3 or 4 years.

[Bikers4Bush]

He is not qualified to play based on the requirements of the NFL.