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Former Florida defensive tackle and beloved bear-like human Sharrif Floyd is suing the NCAA and SEC as part of a class-action lawsuit against the NCAA and several major athletic conferences, and seeking "damages and injunctive relief under the antitrust laws of the United States."
Floyd is the first and most prominent named plaintiff in the case, which was filed on Friday, and includes six other named plaintiffs, none of whom I've ever heard of. Sports Illustrated sports law expert Michael McCann was the first to break the story.
Attorney @NFLAttorney just told me his firm, @ZelleHofmann, has filed a fed lawsuit v. NCAA over grants-in-aid caps for men & women's hoops.
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) April 25, 2014
This is 1st grants-in-aid case v NCAA to include both male & female plaintiffs (basketball player Ashley Holliday of Kennesaw State is one).
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) April 25, 2014
Here's PDF of Sharrif Floyd etc. v. NCAA, a grant-in-aid lawsuit filed by attorney & ex NE Patriots LB @NFLAttorney: http://t.co/It1IvqYPQG.
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) April 25, 2014
2 key differences about Floyd v NCAA from other grants-in-aid lawsuits: 1. 10 conferences (not 5) sued as well. 2. plaintiffs include women.
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) April 25, 2014
Floyd was infamously suspended for the first two games of the 2011 season by the NCAA for taking improper benefits from a man who later adopted him, prompting a vociferous defense of his actions from Will Muschamp.
But I'll be honest: I don't know what this lawsuit really means, nor why Floyd would be one of the people spearheading it, other than because Floyd strikes me as a really savvy person who understands the value of a dollar more than most athletes.
Update, 10:00 p.m. Friday: Floyd took to Twitter late Friday to issue a statement on his lawsuit.
Student athletes need to be respected more. It's hard for great coaches to do their job when their athletes are just looking for something as simple as an extra meal, a movie date with a friend and comfort that they are gonna be taken care of and not taken advantage of. Athletes shouldn't be suspended for raising money, to better his life or for looking at a mentor as a father. This has nothing to do with the Gator Nation. I love my college and will always be a Gator.
I've embedded McCann's copy of the lawsuit below. If you're a lawyer, feel free to take a stab at deciphering it in the comments.