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The NCAA is facing the biggest lawsuit in its history right now, but the organization seems to be focused on the future. As CBS Sports' Jon Solomon explained, it may have even conceded a loss in this trial and is planning for a long appeals process.
In a bold statement, O'Bannon lead attorney Michael Hausfeld essentially said the NCAA thinks it's going to lose this trial. Hausfeld noted the NCAA's hiring of prominent appeals attorney Seth Wexler in 2013 and many efforts by the NCAA to delay or redefine the trial in the weeks before it started.
In order to build an appeal, the NCAA has to have legitimate objections to certain things that have happened in the trial, like admittance of evidence. That's happened mostly during the testimony of expert witnesses.
So its goal on Monday, during the testimony of Drexel sports management professor and NCAA critic/expert Ellen Staurowsky? OBJECT TO EVERYTHING.
It started before the testimony:
NCAA attorney trying to get Staurowsky's testimony thrown out before she says anything. Saying she isn't qualified.
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) June 16, 2014
And it continued throughout the testimony:
The NCAA objecting to Staurowsky commenting on rise in coaching salaries. (Many of the contracts are public documents.)
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) June 16, 2014
The #NCAA objects to every question asked Staurowsky, and gets overruled each time.
— Amy Miller (@Siliconlaw) June 16, 2014
Testimony resumes and so does the NCAA's objections
— Mark Schlabach (@Mark_Schlabach) June 16, 2014
Staurowsky quoting figures mostly from media reports. NCAA saying it is hear say. Judge Wilken still wants to hear it.
— Brady McCollough (@BradyMcCollough) June 16, 2014
And the best one ...
NCAA now objects to any facts reported by newspapers. Judge overrules
— Steve Berkowitz (@ByBerkowitz) June 16, 2014
How'd all those objections work? Almost all of the NCAA's objections were overruled, except for one.
NCAA objects to @Deadspin map being submitted as evidence -- and wins
— Mark Schlabach (@Mark_Schlabach) June 16, 2014
Here's the chart the judge called "argumentative" http://t.co/vBRWuzzGJ2
— Mark Schlabach (@Mark_Schlabach) June 16, 2014