I’m a regular legal analyst on sports radio, and I’ve been saying essentially the same thing about college sports since name, image and likeness changed the landscape:

It’s the Wild, Wild West.

The rules are confusing. Enforcement is uneven. Athletes transfer constantly. Collectives have become enormously important. Schools operate under different state laws, while coaches, administrators, athletes and families try to figure out the rules while living under them.

So I’m the first to agree that college sports needs some order.

But here’s the part we should be able to discuss without choosing political teams: acknowledging that the current system is really messy doesn’t settle the question of what Congress should do about it.

Both things can be true.

NIL can be the Wild, Wild West, and the Protect College Sports Act, which sailed through the Senate in September by a 77-22 vote, can still create significant disadvantages for college athletes.

Before the House considers it, forget the slogans for a minute and look at what the bill actually does.

Start with transfers.

Under the Senate legislation, an athlete can transfer once from one four-year school to another without losing eligibility. A second transfer generally means losing eligibility for the following academic year, subject to exceptions including a sport being eliminated, a head coach leaving, sexual assault or harassment, or pursuing a graduate degree.

There are reasonable arguments for limiting transfers. Constant roster turnover is tough on teams, coaches and fans, and at some point moving repeatedly from campus to campus makes the “student” part of........

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