GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 01: A UCF Knights helmet sits on the field after the UCF Knights defeated the Baylor Bears 52-42 in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2014 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
NCAABy Alex Putterman on

Of all the many sagas over the years in which the NCAA has restricted athletes from doing things they totally should be allowed to do, the one involving Donald Da La Haye might be the weirdest.

De La Haye, the kicker on the Central Florida football team, likes to make YouTube videos, and he sometimes makes money off those YouTube videos, thanks to the site’s policy that anyone with 10,000 or more lifetime views can profit off ads on the clips he uploads. And because the NCAA exists to prevent players from making money at every turn, the organization is not cool with De La Haye cashing checks from YouTube, arguing he’s using his status as an athlete for profit. In June, De La Haye posted a video called “Quit College Sports or Quit YouTube,” explaining that Central Florida had told him he must choose between his two talents.

Well on Monday, UCF declared him ineligible, after he refused the conditions set by the NCAA.

UCF released a statement explaining what had happened. Apparently the NCAA, somewhat conscious of how ridiculous keeping a player off YouTube sounded, offered De La Haye a waiver to remain eligible while still making his videos. But the organization imposed a few conditions—including that he post his videos to a non-monetized account—and Da La Haye said no thanks. That left UCF no choice but to declare the kicker ineligible.

After some reports suggested the NCAA had barred De La Haye from playing, NCAA representative Stacy Obsurn tweeted that it was UCF that declared the kicker ineligible, as if to say the NCAA was totally innocent here. This argument is, of course, extremely pedantic, as UCF sidelined De La Haye to comply with the NCAA’s rules and the NCAA’s waiver.

Here was De La Haye’s take on his situation:

What’s silly about this whole mess is that everyone seems to think De La Haye should be allowed to play… and yet De La Haye is not allowed to play. The NCAA could solve the entire issue by simply granting the kicker an unconditional waiver, thus letting him make all the YouTube videos he wants. But here we are.

That the NCAA won’t simply fix this illustrates the folly of “amateurism” as a principle. Because if you don’t see the absurdity of the NCAA banning players from selling autographs, trading memorabilia or doing local car commercials, maybe you can see the absurdity of the NCAA banning a player from making a few bucks off his YouTube channel.

About Alex Putterman

Alex is a writer and editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. He has written for The Atlantic, VICE Sports, MLB.com, SI.com and more. He is a proud alum of Northwestern University and The Daily Northwestern. You can find him on Twitter @AlexPutterman.

View all posts by Alex Putterman

36 thoughts on “UCF kicker ruled ineligible after failing to agree to NCAA conditions on his YouTube videos”

      1. No it’s you troll who can’t see the forest from the trees. The article never said he lost his scholarship. Just he has been ruled ineligible. Second you and the author want a waiver for him to do this and keep playing. Ok fine and what happens the next time when it’s 20, 5 star recruits from bama, Norte dame and USC now all doing it. You would just create a bigger divide between power 5 and group of 5 schools. Also the Lamar ball factor of a parent saying crazy stuff just to get hits on YouTube. Or maybe you are the outlier who loves hearing that loud mouth. Spare me your orange slices and everybody get a trophy lifestyle. This topic is way over your head. They asked him to stop, he didn’t. Oh well

    2. Probably the dumbest comment I’ve ever read here. If you said that at the bar we’d be going outside and you’d face some pretty heavy consequences.

        1. I’m a trained MMA fighter who used to wrestle professionally. There is literally no chance you’d last more than 30 seconds with me. Every weekend a guy spouts off at the bar and I just look up laugh and say alright were going outside. They learn a very painful lesson.

          2. I’m ACTUALLY in Virginia. Let me know what part and you’ll learn the hardest lesson of your life.

          5. Well I’m in Richmond right now and head down to Hampton about once a month. I wouldn’t let me know where you are if you know whats good for you. If you do we’ll meet up and settle this like men.

          6. You’re arguing with someone you don’t know on the internet and you think you’re a “man”.

            LOL you’re both idiots.

            You however may be the ONLY person alive that thinks “used to wrestle professionally” makes you a fighter. It makes you a stunt man, it makes you an entertainer, it does NOT make you a fighter.

          7. I’ll do you one better. I’ll see you this Saturday at George wythe hs this Saturday at 3pm and you teach me those manners

          8. George Wythe high school? Do you realize how ghetto that is kiddo? come meet me in Short Pump aka my part of town and get the beating of your life . Let me know!

          10. Yep, just as I thought when told where you can come to settle things like men you backed down very fast. Please tell why you say “goodbye” to Short Pump but are gung hu to go to George Wythe high school which is literally in the poorest neighborhood in the state. You sound broke as a joke!

          11. A “trained MMA Fighter” scared to come to a poor area. I know Richmond and I know short pump very well. You can keep chatting but you not getting the last word.

          12. You’ve been proven to be a scared little punk. I pray you aren’t dumb enough to meet me in Short Pump. I would teach you a lesson that you would NEVER forget.

          13. Whatever you got to tell yourself snowflake. It was first willing to come to tidewater, then it’s anywhere in richmond, now a part is ghetto. You childish… Word of advice, keep those internet muscles to yourselves before getting hurt in the real life..

          14. I’m more than willing to meet you ANYWHERE in Short Pump and you are voiding that fight. I’m very well off I don’t go within 25 minutes of George Wythe much less right to it. You sound broke as a joke. Oh I hope I get my hands on you.

          16. Hahah I love it. Mr Tough guy suddenly got very tired when it got real. If you ever bring up the courage to face me let me know!

          18. Yep you got punked out. Nice talking to you kiddo, you did the right thing. Would have ended very painfully and very poorly for you. Much better guys than you have backed down to me before don’t feel bad!

          19. Oh I don’t. You an answering machine. All talk… like I said you ain’t getting the last word.

          20. I got the last word when I punked you out. Funny you are calling me all talk when you aren’t man enough to meet up. Another internet tough guy down!

          21. I gave you a location and you bitched up… oh its in a bad neighborhood but you a mma fighter. But want lock up in short pump… pathetic. Pussyk

          22. Yep scared little man won’t meet me in Short Pump. I would totally waste you. I worked 18 years as a pro wrestler and now train mma. you would have literally no chance.

          24. Actually good try by I’m 49 years old. You keep responding back with all these comments if you wish but everyone saw you get punked out BAD.

  2. Twitter is really dumbing down the standards for verified accounts. I know townies in my town of less than 40K people that have as many followers as him.

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