The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Celebration Edition

UK was right to do what they did based upon what information they had at the time. There is no way that UK could have known the information that came out in that investigation for one reason only.

There is no action of that nature required to bring in a student to college. If I had been Eric Bledsoe and presented my transcripts to UK to enroll for the fall semester and was not a basketball player, my transcripts would never have even been questioned. If I was coming in on let’s say a music scholarship, there would have been no problems.

Now for reality.

The procedures have to be changed for bringing in any recruit to the UK athletics programs, AND to the NCAA athletics programs in general. Not because of the Bledsoe situation, which ended up being much ado about nothing, but what if those grades had been John Wall’s? How much incentive could there have been for someone to make changes to his grades knowing that a possible six figure payoff was waiting in the wings? Am I saying that is going to happen? No. But it could. And not just here at UK. The “Haters” , as Coop so eloquently put it, aside, the NCAA has to not only review their guidelines, they need to get some procedures in place to allow for some control and assistance for these kids in getting qualified.

Give these kids NCAA approved testing centers with NCAA appproved personnel in them. Establish qualification personnel in each school that do nothing but meticulously investigate kids who are coming in on these scholarships. We should be able to take these kids at their word, but we cannot, not any longer. And hoping that every kid is a Brandon Knight is a joke too. We cannot just recruit Rhodes Scholars. But if we get involved with them early, say as juniors, with the NCAA’s help and guidance, do things the right way, and get them where they should be, we can eliminate a lot of this. Are there always going to be people screaming bloody murder when they get their chance? Sure. But that is life.

Sandy Bell and Co. must have really done their homework to know this could go this far and turn out this way. Or they , just as some have said, got really lucky this time. I don’t fault the teacher or the school, because they are there to teach, and to get kids to learn. And I don’t care how they do that, but if the NCAA wants pristine records and athletes, then they are going to have to give the schools enough room to get those kids that way. Let them help the kids do it right, and not have to rely on the teacher’s good will to make the requirements.

Some will say this is overkill, and that’s OK, I understand the wanting to keep the schools and the NCAA out of high schools. It is not what I would call the best solution. But if it will prevent this “retro investigations” nonsense I am all for it.

Mike Hartline did not play badly. A Heisman Trophy candidate could have thrown 2 picks against Florida. I was actually really impressed with his attacking Florida like that. Showed me the kid had some big league cojones. This one hangs solely around the necks of the defense. If we do not learn to tackle, and to cover receivers one on one, we cannot compete in the SEC. At least not for Championships anyway. And Matthews was amazing. He better thank Randall Cobb for all of those double and triple teams he was fighting through for those receptions. T2 not being at his best did not help either, but what can you do?

Offense gets a solid C+/B-. I am not going to even bother grading the defense…….

not that we “got away” with anything (ala Parish) but that the process worked – ie, there was no evidence (only personal opinion) that grades were changed and as a result the transcript was not changed. without a changed transcript, the ncaa could not be capricious and arbitrary in any decision.

one last statement – had he picked any other school besides UK, this matter NEVER would have arisen. call it hate or whatever, but we had better be on our toes with all our recruits….

of a blog entry than I do this one. You took the words right out of my mouth.

And for the record, Mr. Parrish needs to understand that I am not celebrating the changing of an athletically gifted high school athlete’s grade from a “C” to an “A”- – if we threw a celebratory party for every time that has happened across the country we would have Lindsay Lohan tweeting us and saying “Whoa, guys— back off the partying a little bit and take it easy” – - I am celebrating the fact that Coach Cal is still doing his thing and Pete Thamel is exposed as a hack who tried to make his name at the expense of a high school kid.

Coach Cal makes money off high school kids by building them up, and helping them reach their potential and realize their dreams of playing in the league. Guys like Thamel try making money off high school kids by rummaging through their closets trying to find something to play “gotcha” with and tear them down. How pathetic is that? Seriously?

And how naive can Parrish really pretend to be about high school athletes and school work? Didn’t he ever overhear them talking to each other after they stuffed him in a locker?

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http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/09/city_schools_should_seek_more.html

I tend to agree with this fellow. There is something not quite right about the Bledsoe grade change.

With that said:
What does Kentucky have anything to do with it? They did more due diligence than Santa Claus. The NCAA cleared the kid to play, based on Birmingham’s transcripts.

If there are houses to be put in order start with the Birmingham School System, then move on to the NCAA who could have held UK hostage with that cockamamie “strict liability” crap based on the aforementioned school system’s problems.

And, by the way, who was celebrating?
I must have missed something. If the report led to UK celebrations — if there were sacrificial offerings, drunken debauchery, other forms of gratuitous sex and or violence — please respond and I will send you my personal e-mail address.

From my take there was just relief, and some analysis.

link

Apparently we UK fans are disappointed. We were drooling over the prospect of the prince of the Narcissus Tweet coming to UK. Did I miss something?

the NCAA has closed the Bledsoe case. Now we can focus on freeing Enes.

Absolutely agree with the article. Hell yeah, we should be celebrating. Because the good guys won by playing by the rules. Thamel broke the law and tried to create gold from tin. He failed and that is worthy of celebrating. And with all due respect to Mr. Edwards’ suggestions, I totally disagree. Either the initial clearing house ruling should stand forever or the NCAA simply needs to get out of the academic qualification arena and let each university decide their acceptance policy. I’d prefer the later.

that the NCAA was more than glad to move on from the Bledsoe matter.