ESPN.com’s Dana O’Neill has posted a story in which she says a source familiar with NCAA rules says that Kentucky would not be out of the clear, even if it did not know about Eric Bledsoe’s academic status or alleged improper benefits.
An excerpt:
Because the NCAA recently changed its rules to include people associated with a prospect, that payment could be construed as an extra benefit, which could make Bledsoe ineligible under NCAA rules.
The source said that the NCAA Student Athlete Reinstatement Committee considers a four-prong test when deciding eligibility. The committee has leeway and considers case-by-case evidence, but failure to meet any of the four prongs could result in an athlete being rendered ineligible.
The committee would consider:
• Did the relationship develop as a result of the athlete’s participation in athletics?
• Did the relationship predate the athlete’s status as a prospect?
• Did the relationship predate the athlete’s status achieved as a result of their athletics ability/reputation?
• Was the pattern of benefits provided before the athlete’s notoriety similar to those provided after?
O’Neill also brings up the Derrick Rose case at Memphis, and the Souhern Cal case of improper benefits being given to O.J. Mayo.
The sky could also be green when we wake up tomorrow. That doesn’t mean we should write an article about it.
If you cant beat the CATS on the floor I guess you can always try another way.This makes me sick.
I highly doubt that Bledsoe is the only player that had circumstances like this for this year. I also doubt that its coincidence that only UK and Bledsoe are under investigation. Will Kansas be investigated for all the benefits Selby is probably receiving? Doubt it.
The NCAA is a power hungry, money seeking society which makes millions of dollar on the backs of these athletes. I think the Univiersities should band together and critique the way the NCAA conducts their process in declaring a player eligible and then withdrawing that declaration months and years later. Are they so inept that it takes them so long to discover things they should have known before declaring a player eligible? What business is it of the NCAA to meddle into the affairs of a student and his/hr high school. If the high school says the player met their criteria for graduation, what right does the NCAA have to tell the University they did wrong because of their ineptness to detect it. Now if the University or anyone associated with the school was involved in payments of rent or inducements to lure a player, then they have a responsibility to check it. Otherwise if it was a high violation at the school level it is the states responsiblity to seek punishment. I wish they would check and find out why those good players stay three to four years at Duke and UNC, when they have the talent to go pro. The NCAA is a joke. Maybe some of the schools need to organize another organization and run the NCAA out of business like they have done to the NIT; all because of selfishness and for the big buck on the backs of athletes.
No news on this for over a year, but suddenly it is a story? However, there are no facts….just a bunch of “possibly”, “maybe”, “allegedly”, and “could be’s”. Tell the New York Times to report on something worth while……like the US President’s bribe/job offer to a person running for US Senate. Go Big Blue.
I guess it must be a joke that the NCAA is bringing down UCONN. With World Wide Wes on Campus it is only a short while for UK. Enjoy CAL, everyone has room for jello.
If UK should have known, why shouldn’t the NCAA should have know too? They are the one’s doing the screening.
I think it’s sad when a high school kid who happens to be a good basketball player is on the brink of being homeless and almost has no choice but to live in a cardboard box on the streets. I am talking about Eric Bledsoe. Maybe his high school coach did have a heart and was a good Samaritan and tried to help Eric. Maybe Eric did get some tutoring support to try and get his grades up in order to go to college.
The NCAA needs to stop being a bully. They have no compassion, heart, or soul. All they care about is their fat paychecks to help pay for their mansions and vacation mansions in Florida.
To sum things up, I ask myself WWJD. NCAA could care less about Jesus or God. They think they are God. And all they care about is the money. It’s time for the NCAA to change. They need to show more support for the poverty stricken athletes and all college athletics fans. They cleared Eric to play, what good does it do to punish everyone in this picture. None. I just inflates the NCAA ego and the image of a Big Bully.
Only in the NCAA’s bizarre world could a school not know of issues with a high school player BEFORE they were recruiting him, yet be blamed and held accountable after the fact. And after the NCAA says “he’s OK to play…”
Man it must be nice to have hindsite and unlimited power like the NCAA eh?
Jerry Tarkanian sued the NCAA and won many years ago. Some school (be it UK or others) needs to show some gonads and take these clowns on regardless of cost.
Principles are involved here.
It’s simply not right and beyond common sense to say a school is liable after a good faith examination by the school itself and again by the NCAA.
Mark Liptak
then after the fact, after their own sanctioned clearinghouse allowed him to play,
When I think of calipari-I think of Tark the Shark!
When the NCAA recently (January 2009) changed its rules to include people associated with a prospect, it was to prohibit college coaches from funneling money and other benefits to people associated with a prospect. To plug the loophole in the rule prohibiting payment directly to prospects. “The intent of the NCAA rules prohibiting the provision of money, employment or benefits to prospects (or those tied to prospects) is to keep the recruiting process free from undue influence.” There’s no hint of Calipari or UK funneling money or in any way attempting to exercise undue influence in its recruitment of Bledsoe.
The $1200 in question allegedly came from Bledsoe’s high school coach. Not for bling or a car or merchandise or prostitutes. But for an ordinary and necessary living expense. Like the kind Enes Kanter received to play basketball with professionals. He got room, board, travel. And the NCAA is cool with that. So what’s their concern here? That unlike Kanter, Bledsoe is a professional? Nonsense. This is an Alabama High School Athletic Association matter.
Very well reasoned column. Also be sure to give close association to the four examples of the NCAA’s random ways of handing out “justice.”
http://ericcrawford.courier-journal.com/
Mark Liptak
Another terrific blog / column. Ranks right up there with some of the material that John Clay does (and I mean that in a very complimentary manner…)
I’ve been in the business myself for 30 years and the questions and points brought up in the column are certainly legit ones:
http://kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=53115#comments
Mark Liptak
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