More evidence that the COLLEGE part of college athletics is a farce
 

Ben Simmons of LSU Tigers ineligible for Wooden Award

One should ask why the heck is he eligible to play?
Also, with his godfather being an asst coach, there couldn't have been any undue influence in recruiting!

Another part of the article:
"This is not the first time a player has been ineligible for the award. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim wrote in his recent book that Carmelo Anthony was disqualified from the Wooden Award in 2002-03 because he had a 1.8 GPA in the first semester."
Yet Carmelo was eligible to play in the second semester and win the National Championship. :Rolleyes: Boeheim has been cheating for years, and he's not the only one.

OK, this is one kid. Not everyone is going to be the top pick or is said to be a top pick.

Actually this says more about this kid and the program of LSU than anything.

Peace

Anyone think that Lamar Odom was academically eligible at Rhode Island under Jim Harrick? Please.

I can also tell everyone that Allen Iverson withdrew from all of his classes the day after Georgetown was eliminated from the NCAA tournament in 1996.

The NCAA should penalize schools for garbage like that.

Now that the D-League exists, I'm more convinced than ever that scholarships should be a two year commitment and the school should lose it for the next two years if the player departs with less than acceptable academics during/after that time.

I really wish college basketball had the NFL model of staying 3 years. I don't care what the financial logistics and legalities are or would be, just would love it. I'm a fan and think it would do wonders for the game. Plus, I like watching players "grow up" at college, no matter what jersey they wear.

As far as the issue in the OP, yes, I do wish there was more focus on the student aspect of being a student athlete.

First, I don't think it's cheating if they're following the rules as written, even if the rules are absurd.

I'd love to see this, but I find the D-league irrelevant. Even if they didn't have it, I'd still support the change you suggest and would think the NBA should develop their own players who aren't college material.

I'd like to see them simply tie up the scholarship for 3 years every time they sign a kid. If he leaves early, that scholarship is still tied up. They could perhaps allow for some exceptions such as a limited number of transfers, injury, etc.

It's a small percentage of the overall college basketball landscape.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

More evidence that the COLLEGE part of college athletics is a farce
 

It may be a small percentage but its the percentage that is the face of the game. It's a problem and one that should be at least addressed, if not a serious attempt to fix. I understand the notion that it's only a few guys but when is the last time ESPN didn't mention Simmons on a broadcast? He only needs a 2.0 to be eligible for the award. Seriously, a fricking C avg? That's just not even trying bc he knows he is gone

It's not the face of the game for us officials. The overwhelming majority of college officials work games involving true student-athletes.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

I realize this is an officiating board but this thread and this topic have zilch to do with officiating. Not to mention, how could you ever know the truth about that? You take report cards at captains meetings?

I agreed that it's likely a small percentage, but again, it's a percentage that matters.

That is between those individuals and their schools and coaches. I do not care who went to class or took advantage of their opportunity. The vast majority of the players graduating are not going to ever be an NBA player. If you are not drafted in the first round or drafted in the top 30, you are not guaranteed anything at that level.

Peace

I am not sure I have ever officiated a single kid that even made the NBA at the college ranks. HS, I have had maybe two.

Peace

Because I've seen plenty of players in the college games I officiate sitting on the bench in street clothes due to academic suspensions. Just because you don't have personal knowledge don't be so smug to think others don't.

I'm speaking from personal knowledge and experience, not from newspaper articles and ESPN reports. I'm not a consumed fan of the sport.

Calling me a fanboy, which is a helm I proudly wear, in addition to being an official, doesn't change the issue. Academics in college sports should matter. But first you say it's a small percentage and now you've seen plenty of players on bench because of this very reason? You are contradicting yourself. You being a college ref and myself not the same has nothing to do with it. I find it sad that the threshold for this award is a 2.0 and there are those that are big time players who can't even be bothered to attain that mark.

I'm not sure what's raised your ire here.

He's saying that the vast majority of college athletics are not marred by this sort of stuff. In the vast majority of college programs, players will be sat down if they aren't eligible. THAT is BNR's point.

And it is still a small percentage; when true student-athletes aren't cutting the grade they get sat down. One-and-done schools are an extremely small percentage of college basketball. College basketball is a business to me, and I have business-like discussions with others involved in the sport. So yeah, it does make a difference that I am involved in the business of college basketball and you have no association with college basketball other than being a fan.

I'm not at all upset. I do find it funny that since I'm not a college ref, I've chosen not to go that route in softball and basketball I've gotten into this too late to get there imo, lots of folks who do college ball are dismissive. Just bc I don't ref college ball doesn't mean I'm not able to understand discussion on this topic

If Adams interp of BNR is correct, then that is my point as well. To a point in the article in the OP, and Rut said it as well, Simmons shouldn't be playing now. Maybe the answer should be some kind of grade review before season or before conf play etc? By that time they have been in class long enough to establish a gpa

Condemning all of college athletics because of one individual situation or even the collective one and dones that represent a fraction of a percentage of student athletes is completely misguided IMO.

If there is any farce here its that people want to hold onto some romanticized notion of amateurism when billions of dollars are being made off of power 5 conference football and high major/NCAA tournament basketball.

Ben Simmons is a college freshman who knows he has a 7 figure job offer coming in a few months. After meeting eligibility requirements for the first semester he's likely blowing off class- like many other non athlete college freshman btw- and not too interested in the student part of being a student-athlete at this point in time. Who is being harmed here? What is the "problem" we are trying to solve? What difference does it make to any of us if Ben Simmons has a 1.8 or a 2.0 GPA?

The APR is the NCAA's current rule to incentivize member institutions to ensure its student-athletes are indeed working toward completing their degrees. Like most things with the NCAA there is tremendous room for improvement but there are measures in place to address the supposed problem here.

As someone who worked briefly in the athletic department of a D1 school-and has several close friends who still work at various levels of athletic administration- I feel very strongly about many of the problems associated with college athletics. Worrying about a future millionaire's second semester/freshman year GPA is not one of them.

I guess I don't know what the APR is, sorry. I know the game is worth billions as well. But to me, just being there a year shouldn't be an excuse as to why they can't maintain a good gpa. Eligibility shouldn't be established after the basketball season is over. I'm not condemning the whole lot of NCAA athletes. I'm saying that with everything that is "policed", this should be higher on the list.

I simply can't get all that worked up about this when the entire sport at that level is filled with hypocrisy and hands out, grabbing billions of dollars, while an infinitesimal percentage gets to those creating the value. No, I don't advocate paying players, but I don't care if they sign a piece of paper or a photo or a jersey or grabs some other crumb while everyone else is gorging on cake.

Ben Simmons is ready for his career, did what he was supposed to do according to the rules right now, and is likely only in college in the first place because of the 1 yr eligibility rule preventing him from going and making a living out of the gate in the first place. He doesn't need to be a college student for his career. And even if he wanted to be, the time demands of a Power 5 basketball or football player are extreme. They get 'encouraged' out of taking tough classes, shepherded away from real majors way too often, or in the case of UNC, corralled into outright fake classes. Ben didn't make this system a sham, it was like that a long time before he got there.

In the top 10 list of things wrong with college athletics, this is about 17th in my opinion.

I know it's not his issue to care about, he is doing what is required to get to the NBA. It's just a sad reality that nobody cares. I would rather guys who want to go pro be allowed to do so but if you go to college, you have to stay 3 years. I believe mlb has that type of system. Maybe that would serve both aspects

He had another option. It's caked the D league. But he choose this option because it have him a better opportunity. Sounds like some value there.

It's my home university's first high profile "one and done". Hope it's the last one.

But remember in baseball you can be drafted and signed right out of high school. And unlike most other sports once drafted baseball there is still quite a process to go through to make the top of the ladder(MLB). So there is the big difference which the NBA once had but removed in a CBA. So for this to happen it would have to be bargained with the NBA players association. The NCAA has no say in the matter. Obviously they would like to keep players longer but if the NBA changes the rules on player eligibility the NCAA had no say over that.

Yep. But all these things are in my little perfect world. I miss the days when you could love a player for your team for four years. And the same goes for hating a guy. I've not hated a tarheel since hansborough. Guys just don't stick around if they can get drafted. I don't blame them at all. I just selfishly want them to stay around