Chris Webber: NCAA system like slavery?
Steve Schrader
So the National Labor Relations Board on Monday rejected Northwestern football players' request to unionize saying it doesn't have jurisdiction over state-run colleges and universities.
That doesn't seem like the usual kind of topic that would interest TMZ, but it paid off when one of its roving reporters at the Los Angeles Airport asked Chris Webber about the ruling.
The former Michigan star injected the word "slavery" in his answer.
"I definitely think student-athletes should have the right to make sure that they can take of each other," said Webber. "Bill Russell told me any system that gets free labor is slavery. I'm sure that they have the right to unionize. ...
"Hopefully they'll work everything out, because college basketball could be great."
Agree or disagree, that answer's sure to get people's attention.