Damien Lee/Trey Lewis press conference

[orange79]

I don't think the NCAA should give them anything, and they won't. Their lost opportunity is fully on Louisville. The NCAA didn't take anything away from them and their penalties, when they come down, won't impact this season. So them not playing in the ncaa's is 100% Louisville's decision.

I agree with this. L'ville tried to stem more severe penalties by sacrificing this year's team. The NCAA had nothing directly to do with this.

 

[Alsacs]

Lee is out with an "injury" today. Good for him. I wouldn't play another home game/moneymaker for UL this season.

 

[Alsacs]

I don't think the NCAA should give them anything, and they won't. Their lost opportunity is fully on Louisville. The NCAA didn't take anything away from them and their penalties, when they come down, won't impact this season. So them not playing in the ncaa's is 100% Louisville's decision.

NCAA can do whatever they want. They don't owe those kids anything I am not saying they do. I am saying the NCAA says they care about student-athletes so here is an opportunity for them to show they can be compassionate and give these kids a chance to play another semester for a team next year.

 

[rrlbees]

I agree with this. L'ville tried to stem more severe penalties by sacrificing this year's team. The NCAA had nothing directly to do with this.

And with it being February, no matter when the NCAA penalties come down it won't include anything related to this year such as an NCAA ban.

 

[jdubs30]

Wasn't Blakeney a big part of this 'Ville scandal? LSU is probably safely in the field (you know how much they want Simmons to play in March); but it is very ironic that he will get to play in March while Lewis/Lee won't.

 

[bballbeadle]

NCAA can do whatever they want. They don't owe those kids anything I am not saying they do. I am saying the NCAA says they care about student-athletes so here is an opportunity for them to show they can be compassionate and give these kids a chance to play another semester for a team next year.

Yes, BUT. The NCAA is anything but compassionate. We know they are hypocrites. The system is totally distorted. Capital punishment is supposed to deter capital crimes. Doesn't work, but at least when the criminal is caught,s/he is the one who is punished. (I am not for the death penalty but am trying to make an analogy here.) When school infractions are discovered - or self-reported - the NCAA usually can't punish the offenders because they are long gone - so they punish the innocent. I believe they do this without qualm. It will be interesting to see, Alsacs, if they do anything at all to show compassion. What I despise about the NCAA is their sheer vindictiveness. It is because of this vindictiveness that schools pull the pre-emptive trigger in an attempt to appease them.

 

[Orangeblue2]

Just about an hour ago, the 2 UofL graduate transfers Damien and Trey gave a local press conference here in Louisville about the situation. They sat and gave a statement and answered questions, while the rest of the team stood behind them in close support and unity.

These guys came to UofL to play in the tournament. They love playing here, even still today they said, and they love the community and fan support. These guys were absolutely devastated early today and were crying. Pitino and their teammates consoled them. In their 15-minute pressor, it is unbelievable the character, positive attitude, and composure these 2 very fine young gentlemen exhibited. Their faith in God will bring them thru this they said and they know it's much more than about them. Damien even joked about 5-10 years from now this group of players will reunite every time one of them gets married. These 2 have wisdom and leadership way beyond their years! They didn't say one negative thing. We can all learn a lesson or 2 from them!

It made me tear up listening to them. It's just such a shame all around. Thought you all would want to know.

Please! They went to Louisville to increase their exposure and profile. They accomplished that. Of all of life's inequities, even in sports, this isn't a biggie.
On a related note, a caller to the Mark Packer/Bobby Cremins show on Sirius College Sports Nation yesterday made a valid point. The college game is a "Coach's game" and the HOF coaches are made out to be geniuses by fawning TV analysts, many of whom are ex-coaches themselves. But when the hits the fan, they all seem to deny knowing anything that is going on away from the court.
Unfortunately, in addition to Pitino, Larry Brown, and Roy Williams, Packer had to bring up JB's name in the ensuing discussion

 

[Dave85]

get the off your high horse. yeah, I'm sure it was that rigid Louisville grad program that attracted them. They left their teammates to jump to a big time program. That is the risk they took. I never once said they were the bad guys. You really have trouble with your reading skills. Among other things.

I think a general rule should be to politely disagree with other posts. We are ultimately all Orange.

Not you, the post you were responding to.

 

[pearl31]

Lee is out with an "injury" today. Good for him. I wouldn't play another home game/moneymaker for UL this season.

This is interesting that he's not playing today...

 

[CuseHulk]

Wasn't Blakeney a big part of this 'Ville scandal? LSU is probably safely in the field (you know how much they want Simmons to play in March); but it is very ironic that he will get to play in March while Lewis/Lee won't.

That is a smart young man. Also Jaquan Lyle at Ohio State.

They got theirs and they won't be held liable. Smart guys.

 

[pfister1]

Please! They went to Louisville to increase their exposure and profile. They accomplished that. Of all of life's inequities, even in sports, this isn't a biggie.
On a related note, a caller to the Mark Packer/Bobby Cremins show on Sirius College Sports Nation yesterday made a valid point. The college game is a "Coach's game" and the HOF coaches are made out to be geniuses by fawning TV analysts, many of whom are ex-coaches themselves. But when the . . . . hits the fan, they all seem to deny knowing anything that is going on away from the court.
Unfortunately, in addition to Pitino, Larry Brown, and Roy Williams, Packer had to bring up JB's name in the ensuing discussion

Interesting that the more closely you look the more of the "great" coaches you find ultimately bent rules in some way to achieve the success they have achieved. I think this is largely the way of the world. One of the reason that great achievers achieve greatness is they are better at playing angles, seeing different opportunities than others and generally not following the crowd and doing things the way that everyone else does. I think it is naive to think that very many, if any, programs follow the NCAA's rules to a T, most just aren't caught or held accountable for their transgressions.

 

[SUintheVille]

I wouldn't play another home game/moneymaker for UL this season.

I understand your point, but their character is too high to do this.

 

[SUintheVille]

Here's a wild and crazy idea. To penalize the school but not innocent kids, why not get rid of post-season bans and let players play, but don't allow the school to collect any revenue from any post-season play, or even make the university pay an entry fee into the tournament.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Here's a wild and crazy idea. To penalize the school but not innocent kids, why not get rid of post-season bans and let players play, but don't allow the school to collect any revenue from any post-season play, or even make the university pay an entry fee into the tournament.

Too late. After UNC gets their five year ban maybe.

 

[SUintheVille]

After UNC gets their five year ban maybe.

Good point.

 

[MSOrange]

NCAA can do whatever they want. They don't owe those kids anything I am not saying they do. I am saying the NCAA says they care about student-athletes so here is an opportunity for them to show they can be compassionate and give these kids a chance to play another semester for a team next year.

But I thought it was all about getting their graduate degrees

 

[Scooch]

Here's a wild and crazy idea. To penalize the school but not innocent kids, why not get rid of post-season bans and let players play, but don't allow the school to collect any revenue from any post-season play, or even make the university pay an entry fee into the tournament.

I said in another thread that if anyone really cared about deterring violations the punishment would be the one year suspension, without pay, of the head coach and AD.

I imagine BS artists like Pitino would suddenly be much more "aware" of things in his program if he knew his multi-million dollar earnings were on the line.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

I'm confused. I thought those guys went to UL to get master's degrees, playing basketball and getting to the tourney was just a bonus???

 

[GoCuse14]

I feel bad for those two...again, it's punishing the players who are there...not the ones who went through the allegations

Well...who's to say they didn't need a little "swaying" on their visits to campus?

I keed.

 

[73CAV]

You feel badly that they graduated on time, playing basketball at a D-1 level, then wanted to enroll in a graduate program not offered at their college and play at a higher, non-professional level. You think they are the bad guys? That is a perverse and warped sense of what is and is not important and what using athletics as a means to a free education is all about.

Of course, you might also speculate about the probability that they will actually get graduate degrees in a single playing season. I suspect the time contraints on scholarship basketball players might be too prohibitive for that. Perhaps it is a bit cynical, but I really don't believe they went to Louisville to further their educations, and I have heard nothing in their press conferences to suggest that they transferred for any other reason than to compete on a higher level. IF the NCAA were truly interested in allowing student-athletes to pursue post-graduate degrees, then they would probably require a redshirt year while allowing unconditional transfers. That extra year might actually end up producing an MA or two.

 

[jncuse]

Here's a wild and crazy idea. To penalize the school but not innocent kids, why not get rid of post-season bans and let players play, but don't allow the school to collect any revenue from any post-season play, or even make the university pay an entry fee into the tournament.

This idea is flawed. You are not creating any disincentive against the activity by the schools -- you are actually encouraging them to cheat if the penalties are purely financial. They will just cheat more and if they get caught, they will pay to play. Being suspended from a few tournaments, or facing scholarship losses, are much more harsh penalties to the blue bloods and other elite programs..

I am getting tired of the "poor student" arguments as well. Not because I don't feel bad for the players -- I do. But they are not the only stakeholders, nor are they the major stakeholders. , The schools are even bigger stakeholders, and we can't let them off the hook easily because it impacts current players.

Here is my solution -- ESPN can glam it up and call it Penalty Week.

- The week following the NCAA tournament (around April 10)
1) All NCAA penalties they have handed out in the past year get announced (or those that have already been announced) become effective
2) If schools that are being investigated (with no conclusion) want to show responsibility they can still Self-Ban. But it can only be done this week.

If a school is banned from the NCAA tournament for the next season, or a school gives itself a self ban, all players become immediately eligible to transfer without transfer penalty.

In this way the institutions are still punished and the players at least can go elsewhere if they desire. It's unfortunate for some of the players because they are happy at the school and will not want to leave. But at least the option was given to them.

****** I also want to say this is not an acceptance of some of the ridiculous penalties the NCAA has issued. That is a totally separate issue in itself.

 

[jncuse]

Of course, you might also speculate about the probability that they will actually get graduate degrees in a single playing season. I suspect the time contraints on scholarship basketball players might be too prohibitive for that. Perhaps it is a bit cynical, but I really don't believe they went to Louisville to further their educations, and I have heard nothing in their press conferences to suggest that they transferred for any other reason than to compete on a higher level. IF the NCAA were truly interested in allowing student-athletes to pursue post-graduate degrees, then they would probably require a redshirt year while allowing unconditional transfers. That extra year might actually end up producing an MA or two.

Of course it was not purely about academics. But the NCAA holds the upper hand the entire player career based on using "Academics" as a convenient excuse, and now they are not only going to hold the upper hand on graduates, the graduates are going to get punished. Not fair.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Please! They went to Louisville to increase their exposure and profile. They accomplished that. Of all of life's inequities, even in sports, this isn't a biggie.
On a related note, a caller to the Mark Packer/Bobby Cremins show on Sirius College Sports Nation yesterday made a valid point. The college game is a "Coach's game" and the HOF coaches are made out to be geniuses by fawning TV analysts, many of whom are ex-coaches themselves. But when the . . . . hits the fan, they all seem to deny knowing anything that is going on away from the court.
Unfortunately, in addition to Pitino, Larry Brown, and Roy Williams, Packer had to bring up JB's name in the ensuing discussion

Not really a surprise at all- Bobby Cremins and Billy Packer's son, Mark? Actually it's very hypocritical of both of them.

 

[RF2044]

Here's a wild and crazy idea. To penalize the school but not innocent kids, why not get rid of post-season bans and let players play, but don't allow the school to collect any revenue from any post-season play, or even make the university pay an entry fee into the tournament.

I kicked this idea around when we got hammered by the NCAA. Financial penalties / fines make a lot of sense to me.

But the more I thought about it, the more clear it became that even despite fines, that it would just make it easier for certain schools to cheat indiscriminantly. Imagine what UK would do if they didn't have to fear NCAA postseason bans--they'd break every rule and just pay the fines.

And they aren't alone. So ultimately, while financial penalties wouldn't punish the innocent [as you describe], I don't think they'd be much of a deterrent, either.

 

[orange79]

If a school is banned from the NCAA tournament for the next season, or a school gives itself a self ban, all players become immediately eligible to transfer without transfer penalty.

In this way the institutions are still punished and the players at least can go elsewhere if they desire. It's unfortunate for some of the players because they are happy at the school and will not want to leave. But at least the option was given to them.

I assume you mean immediately after the season, not 'immediately'. Allowing 'immediate' transfer would only further incent schools to cheat in order to obtain premier talent in advance of the NCAA tournament.

Other than that, if the players were not involved with the situation that was the reason for the penalty, I have thought for a long time they should be allowed to walk.