Reason #1,687 to hate big time college athletics

[SFHoya99]

Ole Miss F Murphy Holloway has a sick mother and a six month old daughter in South Carolina. He has decided to transfer to South Carolina, but he won't be able to play next year or even take scholarship money, because, well, Ole Miss won't grant him a transfer release to Clemson or South Carolina.

So the guy wants to be around his sick mother and be a father to his child, and you grant him a transfer to anywhere but where he wants to go?

Post and Courier

[TBird41]

We were only at 1686 prior to this? Or are you deciding to slot this one in the middle?

Sorry, it's just so unbelievably stupid I don't have any response but snark.

[RDF]

I'm not buying it. Sorry but put away the violins--that isn't an NCAA thing--it's an Ole Miss thing--and in every legitimate instance where a player has been in need--the school has let them go--and went to bat for them to have immediate elgibility-when it's something they feel is "shady"--they don't.

Sick mother can be a lot of things--and unfortunately some people abuse the process that is set in place to help those who need it. He's got a kid--well so do a lot of college athletes and he knew this when his girl was pregnant--so it's on him in first place for leaving/not returning.

[hifigator]

I haven't studied this story at all, and when they were talking about it on the late afternoon sports show yesterday, I didn't know anything about it. Larry Vettel -- the host, and generally someone I agree with, aside from a couple of issues -- was totally on the kid's side. Again, I didn't really know anything about it, but his position sided with the student-athlete. Also, I think there is another issus involving a player from Alabama wanting to transfer and the school hesitant about giving his release. He was critical of Anthony Grant, Bama's coach and former Gator assistant, in this case as well. Apparently in that situation, the kid is trying to graduate by the summer, so that he can then use an NCAA rule which allows graduates who still have remaining eligibility to transfer for post-graduate reasons, without sitting out a year. When Meyer came here from Utah, we had a player do just that. Ryan Smith graduated and transferred to Florida and was able to play immediately once he was accepted into a graduate program.


On Edit: I wanted to say this before I read the article. In general, I tend to side with the student athlete, if he is in good standing. But if there were to be some form of restrictions, transferring in conference would be near the top of the list. I'm not saying that I am against it, but it does make some sense that a coach might give a release contingent on it not being to a conference opponent. Of course, if that is the only option, then I would think cooler and wiser heads would prevail and an exception would be made. Without reading the article however, I don't see any reason to wish to keep the kid from going to Clemson. Clemson and Ole Miss really have no issues with one another that I know about. On to the article

[Jack]

I wish you could place wagers on things like "hifigator will add a comment here that is somehow related to Florida and/or attributed to something he heard on local yokel sports radio."

[kchoya]

May 21, 2010 10:54:34 GMT -5 Jack said:

I wish you could place wagers on things like "hifigator will add a comment here that is somehow related to Florida and/or attributed to something he heard on local yokel sports radio."

Don't forget he also listens to that piece of crap Cowherd.

[hifigator]

OK, RDF, I just read the article and while I understand some of the issues you bring up, I don't see any reason to think that they apply here, at least aside from the knocking up his girlfriend angle. The article says a "2 year" detour through Mississippi. If that is correct, then he didn't have a child or even know he was going to when he first made his decision. I'm not sure it would matter anyway. As a father, I can't explain how much things changed when I first became one. Now granted the second and third children didn't offer the same level of culture shock, but the point is, at least from what I read, when he chose Ole Miss, he wasn't a parent and she wasn't pregnant. Even if the article is wrong, and he's only been there 1 year, since the daughter is only 5 months old, he still made his decision well before she was born. It's very reasonable to think that you can be a long distance dad -- until that moment arrives. Again, I don't know anything other than what the article said, and the little bit they discussed on the radio. But from what I know, I side with the kid in this case.

As for the Clemson angle, the article said they feared "tampering," and that is a much tougher issue. You don't want to reward negative behavior with positive reinforcement. And I get that much. But unless there is a pattern, then I think you have to errror on the side of the kid. If a particular school or particular coach is building such a reputation, then I think it's reasonalbe to place a scrutinous eye anytime such transfers arise. But again, I see no reason to think so in this case.

[hifigator]

jack and kc, your points would have some legitimacy if my comments weren't dircetly related to the topic. But I'm sure you already know that. The point in what I said, is that I try to formulate my own opinions first, based on what I know, and then to see what other people have to say. At that point, and as I learn more about the details, opinions may/should change. My only point in local radio was that aside from that very cursory discussion I caught part of, I didn't know any details, so I wasn't prebiased. As for the "Florida story," I was illustrating a current event that is clearly related to this very topic. The Bama kid also wants to transfer and the coach -- who yes, happens to be a former Florida assistant -- is putting up some resistance. I'm sorry that you two are so narrow-minded and or naive that you don't see the obviously logical thought progression here. I have no interest in hijacking the thread, so in that regard you are both on your own.

On Edit: kc, I actually only listen to Cowherd during the summer, when I am frequently driving in to work from the lake. I prefer the local guys since I hear local news and sports. As National guys go, however, I admit that I do find Colin entertaining, if not informing. I'm not exactly sure why some of you are so against him as a radio guy. Now I'll be the first to admit that his tv show leaves a lot ot be desired.

[SFHoya99]

RDF, there may or may not have been something shady done by Clemson/USC. But the kid is obviously transferring to be closer to family. A good person would just let him go. A petty person who thinks his ego is bigger than this kid's life doesn't.

[Boz]

What is the reasoning behind a school having the power to OK or not OK specific schools?

A school should be able to grant a release or not, I understand that, but why should they be able to tell a player where he is or isn't allowed to transfer to?

If someone can explain that, I'll be happy to be educated on the subject, because it sure seems pretty ridiculous.

[Boz]

May 21, 2010 12:16:42 GMT -5 Boz said:

A school should be able to grant a release or not, I understand that, but why should they be able to tell a player where he is or isn't allowed to transfer to?

Also, I'm going to self-nominate this as the most poorly constructed sentence in my entire history of posting on Hoyatalk.
;D

[TBird41]

May 21, 2010 12:18:04 GMT -5 Boz said:

May 21, 2010 12:16:42 GMT -5 Boz said:

A school should be able to grant a release or not, I understand that, but why should they be able to tell a player where he is or isn't allowed to transfer to?

Also, I'm going to self-nominate this as the most poorly constructed sentence in my entire history of posting on Hoyatalk.
;D

Don't sell yourself short, Boz. You've written a lot of sentences that were even more poorly constructed then that one.

;D

[Boz]

Do not, in the interest of stylistic construction, not to mention the practice of rhetoric and composition -- of which I am a foremost advocate -- assume an incapability on my part (or even an unwillingness) to always seek ever increasing levels of achievement in the realm of dialectic obfuscation.

[hifigator]

You clearly obfuscate with the best of them.

[kghoya]

hoddy toddy

[hoyarooter]

May 21, 2010 13:35:51 GMT -5 Boz said:

Do not, in the interest of stylistic construction, not to mention the practice of rhetoric and composition -- of which I am a foremost advocate -- assume an incapability on my part (or even an unwillingness) to always seek ever increasing levels of achievement in the realm of dialectic obfuscation.

Post of the year nominee - or at least the week.

[RDF]

May 21, 2010 11:27:14 GMT -5 SFHoya99 said:

RDF, there may or may not have been something shady done by Clemson/USC. But the kid is obviously transferring to be closer to family. A good person would just let him go. A petty person who thinks his ego is bigger than this kid's life doesn't.

Ever watch Blue Chips. Think of when Butch McCray wants to leave and you'll get your answer.

It's a shady "world" and it's intensified in big time college athletics. These "kids" know exactly what they are doing--and the schools do too. They also know that guys on roster are still recruited or "reached out to" by other coaches/schools and promised playing time, etc.....and told how to get out.

It's the $EC---this is common way of doing business. Tyler Smith was let out of his scholarship at Iowa to go to TN for his dad--and he sure "honored" the passing of his father this past year. Tennessee recruited Florida State football player Brandon Warren with same approach--"sick parent"--which is 100% true--but they recruited these guys.

Just don't feel any sympathy towards these guys and it's not the NCAA's fault--it's the scumballs who like to roll in the mud and do their dirt and then want to be cleansed when they need it. Life is full of lessons--this is just another.

[jerseyhoya34]

It is funny to read about reasons to dislike big time college athletics in parts of this thread. It has its drawbacks, but my read of many comments on this site is that our fan base wants GU to be run like a big time program - good facilities among the benefits. We seek a more effective McD administration almost to a person. For lack of a better term and having seen how a "big time" program is administered, the McD administration frequently comes across as small time. There is a belief, I think, that we can be big time without sacrificing what we believe to be a strong academic emphasis in our programs.

So, which one is it? Surely not all big time programs are this way, and you might even find some clowns in a small time program. Villanova had one take a leak in a parking lot IIRC. Providence seems to have difficulties of their own. SHU comes to mind as well. We've had our share to be fair, including the baseball work-study problem. You will also likely find scummy recruiting in smaller programs.

There are indeed some big time programs that get things right with the study halls, mandatory attendance, etc. They kick players off/suspend indefinitely when charges are filed. They pull scholarships if there is a plea/conviction if not earlier.

These issues may be intensified in big time programs, but what is causing that? It may be pure numbers rather than the intensity of the spotlight.

[hoyaalf]

Mr. Ambassador, could you elucidate on your coda? Are you meaning there's more scrutiny now therefore more villany discovered?

[jerseyhoya34]

Yes, in part, and another part of simply having more numbers in big time programs (generally).