uNILateral Decisions

Tampering is nothing new in college sports, but is anyone actually trying to stop it? In Episode 9, the crew dives into the latest fallout from Iowa’s tampering violations and unpacks a system where enforcement feels inconsistent, penalties miss the mark, and the real decision-makers often walk away untouched. From self-reporting debates to whether consequences ever truly outweigh the reward, the...

Can an executive order actually fix college sports? In Episode 8, the guys break down the latest federal push to “save” college athletics, unpacking what the executive order says—and what it actually means. From directives aimed at the NCAA and federal agencies to potential challenges against state NIL laws, the conversation explores how much power is really behind the headlines. They dig into the...

What even is eligibility anymore? In Episode 7, the guys break down the rapidly evolving landscape of NCAA eligibility—from postgame frustrations like Nate Oats’ comments on Charles Bediako, to the growing wave of legal challenges reshaping who gets to play and why. What was once governed by NCAA waivers is now being decided in courtrooms, with inconsistent rulings, new loopholes, and a system str...

The conversation around college athletics is no longer confined to campuses and courtrooms — it’s now front and center in Washington. In this episode of uNILateral Decisions , the group dives into the growing involvement of Congress, the flood of proposed legislation, and whether any real progress is actually being made. Joined by our usual crew — Dominic Shelden, Joe Nickell, Mike Walsh, and lega...

The evolution of college athletics has reached a new turning point. In 2025, a landmark settlement in House vs. NCAA fundamentally reshaped the relationship between student-athletes and their institutions, opening the door for direct revenue sharing and signaling a new era in college sports. In this episode of uNILateral Decisions, host Dominic Shelden is joined by former college athletics adminis...

In the final episode of uNILateral Decisions, the conversation turns to one of the most recent legal battles shaping the future of college athletics. In 2023, a group of ten states and the department of justice filed suit against the NCAA in Ohio et al. vs. NCAA, challenging the organization’s rules around athlete transfers. The case quickly became another flashpoint in the growing legal pressure...

In Episode 3 of Unilateral Decisions, the conversation moves to the landmark 2021 Supreme Court case NCAA v. Alston, a ruling that fundamentally altered the landscape of college athletics. Dominic Shelden, Joe Nickell and Mike Walsh sit down with sports law expert and professor Sam Ehrlich to unpack how the case challenged the NCAA’s long-standing control over athlete compensation and why the cour...

The transformation of college athletics didn’t happen overnight. Years before NIL became a household term, another landmark lawsuit challenged the NCAA’s definition of amateurism, and forced the industry to confront a difficult question: should college athletes be compensated for the use of their name, image, and likeness? In this episode of uNILateral Decisions , Dominic Shelden is joined by form...

The modern era of college sports didn’t start with NIL. Long before athletes could profit from their name, image, and likeness, a landmark Supreme Court case reshaped the foundation of college athletics. In 1984, NCAA vs. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma challenged the NCAA’s control over college football television rights—and changed the power structure of college sports forever. In...