Jeremy Bloom made it to the Olympics and starred in Hilfiger fashion shoots with Dubya's niece. He has earned a black belt and won state prep titles in track and football. He's also got a spot waiting for him on Colorado's powerhouse football squad. But right now, the baby-faced 20-year-old has a new mission: take down the NCAA.

"The NCAA is a dictatorship," says Bloom. "Their rules are ancient and unconstitutional. They basically control the lives of 350,000 student-athletes. It's supposed to be a free country. But because of the NCAA, I feel like I'm literally fighting for my freedom."

Bloom is suing the NCAA for the right to play college football and receive sponsorship deals he says fund his skiing career. He also planned to pursue modeling, acting and endorsement opportunities. Those potential earnings, he says, fall into the same category as his ski deals -- they were not generated by his playing football.

	“	The NCAA is a dictatorship. Their rules are ancient and unconstitutional. They basically control the lives of 350,000 student-athletes. It's supposed to be a free country. But because of the NCAA, I feel like I'm literally fighting for my freedom. ”
		— Jeremy Bloom

"This (case) really has nothing to do with the modelling," he told ESPN.com Thursday. "The bottom line is I just want to ski and have a shot at Italy in 2006 and play football. This is about me being able to pay for my (ski) season and I can't do that without my endorsements.

"This whole thing is crazy, man. The NCAA is trying to make my life a living hell. They're trying to bleed me dry with all these depositions. It's really expensive. And the ironic thing is the reason why the NCAA has all this money is from all the athletes like me."

Bloom, who has been working out with the team in 7-on-7, plans on starting drills with the team Aug. 8 -- just four days before his Aug. 12 hearing. Since his lawyers have to be present at all depositions, taking place all across the country, Bloom's legal fees could reach six figures.

Wednesday, he was deposed by NCAA attorney Linda Salfrank for three-and-half hours. The setting, he says, was straight out of a Hollywood interrogation. Salfrank argued that while Bloom may collect prize money, the organization prohibits sponsorships stemming from athletic activity. Salfrank said the NCAA would allow Bloom to enroll without risking his eligibility. However, the NCAA expects him to cut ties to Oakley, UnderArmour, DynaStar skis and his other sponsors by Aug. 17 to remain eligible. Bloom's modeling deal with Tommy Hilfiger expired Thursday.

Even though Bloom has yet to take his first college course at CU, he says he feels like he is getting a real education from this whole ordeal. "I'm on the phone with my lawyers daily, sometimes five and six times a day," he says. "But hopefully we will win."

Just what Bloom is hoping to achieve he says is much bigger than just being able to put on the Buffs' gold helmet and play at Folsom Field. "Best case scenario, this wakes people up to what a dictatorship the NCAA is," he says. "The next-best case scenario is that I'm allowed to play football and ski.

"Worst case scenario? I don't know if there is one because no matter what happens, I know I stood up for myself in the eye of a giant and I'll have that piece of mind. Well, assuming that I don't come out of all this completely insane."

Bruce Feldman covers college football for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at bruce.feldman@espnmag.com.