Sam Keller sues the NCAA

[Husker_bassist]

I'm a big NCAA fan and really it's not like they are using Keller's photograph as the player picture like in Madden. None of the game models look like their real world counterparts at all. All that is being used is the college's jersey and the number they wore on that jersey. You have to download the rosters from another person, not from EA. Really Keller's argument reads like this "Uhhh, well there is this video game that has the football team I played for... and there is this player that plays quarterback... like I did, and he has the same number that I had, and if someone wants they can change his name to mine."

[Foppa]

Sour grapes Sam? Maybe if you were any good you'd be in the NFL and you wouldn't have to worry about stupid lawsuits. Maybe your buddy Bill can get you a job in NY...call daddy and have him set something up.

[knapplc]

poor Sam, can't make a buck any other way?

 

Clearly it would be better for EA sports to make money from Keller's likeness than Keller himself.

[Apathy]

I heard that Sam Keller was more upset that EA Sports had his arm sleeve on his right arm instead of his left arm

[Pedro Guerrero]

he had nothing else to fall back on except sue EA in some bogus case.

 

Besides that degree he received in 2007 from the University of Nebraska.

[Saunders]

I'm a big NCAA fan and really it's not like they are using Keller's photograph as the player picture like in Madden. None of the game models look like their real world counterparts at all. All that is being used is the college's jersey and the number they wore on that jersey. You have to download the rosters from another person, not from EA. Really Keller's argument reads like this "Uhhh, well there is this video game that has the football team I played for... and there is this player that plays quarterback... like I did, and he has the same number that I had, and if someone wants they can change his name to mine."

 

BINGO. They (wrong) argument I hear all the time in support of Sam (get a job) Keller, is that these are digital "likeness" representations. The problem is, the people making this argument haven't even played, or seen the game. Sure some of the statistics may be close, but facial features aren't even close, and quite often, they aren't even the correct skin color. Last year, HB #19 (Quentin Castille) was white, and TE #81 (Ben Cotton) was black.

[huskered17]

I'm a big NCAA fan and really it's not like they are using Keller's photograph as the player picture like in Madden. None of the game models look like their real world counterparts at all. All that is being used is the college's jersey and the number they wore on that jersey. You have to download the rosters from another person, not from EA. Really Keller's argument reads like this "Uhhh, well there is this video game that has the football team I played for... and there is this player that plays quarterback... like I did, and he has the same number that I had, and if someone wants they can change his name to mine."

 

BINGO. Last year, HB #19 (Quentin Castille) was white, and TE #81 (Ben Cotton) was black.

 

Wow somebody has some explaining to do, at home .

 

GBR!!!

[RedDenver]

I'm a big NCAA fan and really it's not like they are using Keller's photograph as the player picture like in Madden. None of the game models look like their real world counterparts at all. All that is being used is the college's jersey and the number they wore on that jersey. You have to download the rosters from another person, not from EA. Really Keller's argument reads like this "Uhhh, well there is this video game that has the football team I played for... and there is this player that plays quarterback... like I did, and he has the same number that I had, and if someone wants they can change his name to mine."

 

BINGO. They (wrong) argument I hear all the time in support of Sam (get a job) Keller, is that these are digital "likeness" representations. The problem is, the people making this argument haven't even played, or seen the game. Sure some of the statistics may be close, but facial features aren't even close, and quite often, they aren't even the correct skin color. Last year, HB #19 (Quentin Castille) was white, and TE #81 (Ben Cotton) was black.

The more pertinent question is "Does the game try to match the players actually on the team?" I have and do play the game, and the players are usually the correct listed height, weight, number, and skin color of the actual players. Using a couple examples, which could easily be mistakes by the programmers, does not refute the argument. And arguing the facial features is pretty weak in a game where the players wear helmets and facemasks.

[RedDenver]

In a separate vein, I'm curious if the difference in people's opinions is split along the lines of who plays or does not play the game. I think Keller has a strong argument and claim, and while I used to play the game all the time, I play much less often nowadays.

[ADS]

Failure, thy name is Sam Keller.

[Pedro Guerrero]

In a separate vein, I'm curious if the difference in people's opinions is split along the lines of who plays or does not play the game. I think Keller has a strong argument and claim, and while I used to play the game all the time, I play much less often nowadays.

 

I also think people don’t like Keller. If it was a Joey Ganz or Zac Taylor people wouldn’t be bashing it as much. IMO.

[scarletNcream]

I have to agree with Husker_bassit, in the first place the game writers only produce 6 maybe 10 generic images of fictitious people. Much like the people in the stands. You could argue "Hey EA Sports and the NCAA, that's my seat in the background, and it looks like you used the image for my seat in ALL of your stadiums! You owe me for my generic image. I know this to be true so pay up even though its a women sitting there. Its still my seat!" Maybe we should all join Keller in quest for his Holy grail, after all didn't I see section 16 row 10 seats 5 and 6 in the video? Who's with me....

[billdozer15]

The lamest part of the argument is that the players dont get paid and should. They do.....alot....its called getting a free education and in some cases that can be worth up to 100k depending on where you go. I have an idea lets get rid of scholarships and make these guys pay their own way to school and see where alot of them end up. Likely they will be living in the hood dodging bullets because they cant afford to go.

 

BTW the NCAA and school they sign with owns their ace once they sign the papers, they have no foot to stand on in this case. The only way they could/should get money is if they dont sign the papers and dont take scholarship money. In that case there is no contractual agreement to allow the NCAA and school to use you for marketing purposes and since you dont have a scholarship you technically arent recieving a benefit with monetary value. I am pretty sure most of the players in the NCAA would be flipping whoppers if they had to pay to go to school and I am pretty sure a school would never let you be on the team with out signing the waivers.

 

In conclusion you take your scholarship money, get your education, get an opportunity to travel all over the US, get gifts (ala bowl games ect), have a chance to showcase your talent for a shot at the league and you are B****ing you dont get paid.....hmmmmmm.

 

Sounds alot more glorified than my college experience which consisted of paying for all my meals mostly of which were raeman noodles and i came out with 60k in debt, didnt get to travel, didnt get free gifts, didnt have a chance to showcase talent for a shot at millions.

[RazzinGTO]

The lamest part of the argument is that the players dont get paid and should. They do.....alot....its called getting a free education and in some cases that can be worth up to 100k depending on where you go. I have an idea lets get rid of scholarships and make these guys pay their own way to school and see where alot of them end up. Likely they will be living in the hood dodging bullets because they cant afford to go.

 

BTW the NCAA and school they sign with owns their ace once they sign the papers, they have no foot to stand on in this case. The only way they could/should get money is if they dont sign the papers and dont take scholarship money. In that case there is no contractual agreement to allow the NCAA and school to use you for marketing purposes and since you dont have a scholarship you technically arent recieving a benefit with monetary value. I am pretty sure most of the players in the NCAA would be flipping whoppers if they had to pay to go to school and I am pretty sure a school would never let you be on the team with out signing the waivers.

 

In conclusion you take your scholarship money, get your education, get an opportunity to travel all over the US, get gifts (ala bowl games ect), have a chance to showcase your talent for a shot at the league and you are B****ing you dont get paid.....hmmmmmm.

 

Sounds alot more glorified than my college experience which consisted of paying for all my meals mostly of which were raeman noodles and i came out with 60k in debt, didnt get to travel, didnt get free gifts, didnt have a chance to showcase talent for a shot at millions.

 

First thing is that those two comments above are pretty harsh. Not all NCAA athletes are thugs living in hood and there are a lot that have done more with their education then most people with a 60k college debt.

 

Secondly - the money a school makes off athletes, like football players at a school like Nebraska, completely out weighs the money the school spends to pay for their college education, trips, etc. This isn't the case in all sports of course but when the school is raking in millions of dollars EACH GAME. The LEAST that the schools can do for these kids is pay their way through school. I am not advocating paying college athletes but I wouldn't be against some kind of stipend.

 

On the Keller issue, I agree with the posts above that he is basically looking to take something back from the NCAA, whom he seems for some reason to think wronged him. He was no where near a NFL calibar QB. His head was pumped so full of BS by his dad and Callahan that he could not believe he failed to make the NFL. So in an effort to recoup this money he thinks he is going to take something up against the NCAA and EA sports. The games DO make players stats/play like the actual athletes. Anyone that plays it can't really argue that. Making white players black and black players white is simply a programmers lame attempt to cover it up.

[RazzinGTO]

BTW - I agree with the post above. I'll be pissed if Keller causes EA sports to stop making the game or reduces how fricking fun it is!