Greed is NOT Good

Cloud Nine Higher is geared toward sports fans. If you're into college football, wherever you are in America, you'll appreciate this email broadcast more.

Regardless, as we begin this Holy Week of 2025, you'll appreciate the message in this message.

Anyone heard of Nico Iamaleava? If you're from my home state of Tennessee, the smart money says that you may have heard his name called, written, or stated.

If not, you've probably still heard of him if you are a big fan of college football.

The Tennessee Volunteers are a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They didn't quite make the conference championship game in 2024.  They did make the cut for the College Football Playoff, losing to eventual national champion Ohio State, 42-17, on the road on December 21, 2024.

The football Vols were all set for another playoff run in 2025. But quarterback Nico Iamaleava put a gash into those plans with a last-minute holdout just prior to the spring Orange and White game.

My hometown newspaper here in Nashville, The Tennessean, reported that Iamaleava was playing under a "Name Image Likeness" contract worth over $2 million per year.

Iamaleava apparently took the advice of someone (When are college athletes allowed to hire agents these days?) and decided to be a jerk to his school as the spring football game approached - cutting off all communication and not showing up for practice.

Vols coach Josh Heupel was quoted at his best by The Tennessean: "There's no one bigger than the Power T - and that includes me."

It's a good bet that no more pay is coming from Tennessee for Iamaleava. He will have to enter the transfer portal and test his record there to be able to continue his college career.

As for the Vols: Jake Merklinger and Brentwood Academy product George MacIntyre (grandson of the former Vanderbilt Commodores head coach from the 1980s) are on the horizon.

Then there's the transfer portal, which goes both ways.

In any event, the consensus is that Josh Heupel acted wisely and in the best interests of his football team.

The Holy Bible is full of warnings against greed and the love of money. My current favorite verse is from the book of Hebrews:

Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; What can man do me?"

More to come soon.