If NCAA players believe they’re getting fleeced, well, a war over a rug is a little on the nose.
The carpets that adorn each team’s locker room, bearing the March Madness logo, have become a hot commodity for players — or, sorry, student-athletes — who are not seeing bigger wallets for their services, but maybe could be spared an Ikea trip with a new rug for their apartment.
Purdue guard Ryan Cline wanted a victory token after defeating defending champion Villanova.
“I thought it would be a really cool souvenir to take home,” Cline told the Wall Street Journal. “But a security guard was like, ‘No, you can’t take it. Somebody from Florida State tried to and we wouldn’t let him.’ ”
David Worlock, NCAA director of media coordination and statistics, said the rugs — which cannot be found in stores or the NCAA site for purchase — are not fair game.
“There is team-specific signage in every locker room that teams can take once they have finished playing at the site but we were clear that the rugs could not be taken,” Worlock said.
After the Wall Street Journal published its account of the unpaid players, just like the mats, getting walked all over by the NCAA, more rug-thieves and -admirers came out of the woodwork — and some with threats.
“Give us the ability to make money off our own name and we’ll you your rug back. You have 24 hours, @NCAA, Iowa guard Jordan Bohannon wrote Sunday on Twitter, complete with a picture of the rug he was now holding hostage.
“Haha we took 2 of them too,” came a response from former Wisconsin forward Duje Dukan.
The Bohannon situation was rectified without tensions escalating. Within 10 hours, Bohannon reported the two sides had struck a deal.
“After much deliberation, the @NCAA has agreed with the @uiowa the rug can stay in Iowa City as long as I issue a mea culpa,” he wrote. “With that, I am sorry for my actions. No one is denying the incredible opportunities the NCAA provides for athletes like myself. I am forever grateful.”