Williams, Bloom get the last laugh

I believe it was Pink Floyd who said it best: "We don't need no education." As of last week, this lyric became the theme song for former college football players Mike Williams and Jeremy Bloom.\nBoth Williams and Bloom lost long-fought appeals with the NCAA for reinstatement into college football. Sadly enough, both players had two years of eligibility remaining, which will now be tossed out the window. The funny thing is, however, neither player should have reason to complain.\nAfter only two years at the University of Southern California, the star wide receiver Williams was on pace to break nearly every receiving and scoring record in USC history. As of last spring, however,Williams sent clear signs to USC and the rest of the football world of his eagerness to enter the NFL by hiring an agent and dropping all of his spring classes. Bloom, on the other hand, had been accepting money from a sponsor to help fund his run at the 2006 Winter Olympics men's skiing.\nBy 2006, neither one of these young men will even remember this whole fiasco or feel any repercussions from it. \nWilliams should have absolutely no problem entering the NFL in 2005, considering he was slated to be a first-round pick in 2003. Experts have called Williams the greatest receiver in Trojan history (Keyshawn Johnson is still jawing away about that one). They say he has the size of Randy Moss, the hands of Marvin Harrison and the big play abilities of Terrell Owens. Williams is not crying over this situation, and neither should USC fans. \nBloom, however, is a different story. Colorado fans should be concerned, considering their program is in enough trouble as it is. Even though Bloom was not a regular starter for the troubled Buffaloes, he made his presence known by returning punts and kickoffs and occasionally standing in as receiver. He, even more so than Williams, should have little to complain about. This guy is set for life. He's established himself as one of the best skiers in the world and has ludicrous endorsement deals waiting for him. Plus, at this point, who in their right mind would want to play for Gary Barnett and the Colorado football program?\nIn the end, the NCAA is the loser in this battle. Williams and Bloom can laugh at college football losing two of its the most exciting players. If the trend hasn't become bad enough, the NCAA is now, more than ever, discouraging high school athletes from even considering entering college. Many of the top high school athletes in the country are foregoing college and going directly to the pros on a very regular basis. Though this jump is not as common with football, the chaos of the Maurice Clarett appeal mixed with that of Bloom and Williams may further the NCAA's losses. \nI, along with many other fans, will still watch college football. However, in my mind it just won't be the same anymore. All of the dirty money and controversy surrounding it is watering down the game. But the players aren't the ones to blame. NCAA officials, coaches and agents are corrupting some of the most promising players in the country -- Williams and Bloom are just the latest examples of that.\nLastly, I'll put this out in the open: If any professional newspapers or sponsors want to throw some money my way, heck, I'll go pro too.