OT: Phil Martelli and the NCAA are pathetic

[djcon57]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/ncaa/12/19/todd.obrien/index.html

 

[jordoo]

ST. Joe's and Marrtelli must have blinders on if they cannot figure out that by refusing this release they will look bad plain and simple. Even if the kid legitimately bailed on them (which is sure doesn't sound like was the case) how does it help you as St. Joe's to hold the release?

 

[arbitragegls]

if true.....k St.joes

 

[moqui]

O'brien is a self serving mercenary who is reaping what he has sown . . . he likes to talk about "the real world, " well now he is finding out what happens in the real world when you %^&# someone in the @#^

 

[jordoo]

O'brien is a self serving mercenary who is reaping what he has sown . . . he likes to talk about "the real world, " well now he is finding out what happens in the real world when you %^&# someone in the @#^

Even if that is true how does it help St. Joe's program tp hold his release?

 

[IthacaBarrel]

what a dick.. the kid was a role player as well, good lord sign the waiver and move on.

 

[CusefanATL]

1st and foremost I place blame on martelli and st joes. They should just let him go no matter what the situation is. I would hope JB would let mookie go.

But this kid is as cheesy as cheese gets...

"To be honest, I didn't want to be "that guy", the player who had bounced around to three schools in five seasons."
"Confused, UAB contacted Saint Joseph's to ask why they had done this. Turns out, Coach Martelli was adamant to the athletic director that I should not be allowed to play because I had "wronged him." A few days later, St. Joe's submitted a letter saying my move to UAB was "more athletic then academically motivated." For them to say it was not academic is foolish; I did an internship in the exact area of study, and Saint Joseph's did not offer any grad degree programs pertaining to that field."
"I appealed the NCAA's decision, and I hired an attorney."

" I kept waiting for a higher power at the school to intervene and do the right thing, yet nobody did. I was disgusted. Where were the Jesuit values?"
"I am the first person to be denied this waiver based on a school's refusal. I was crestfallen. The NCAA has done a lot for me in life -- I've gotten a free education, I've traveled the country playing basketball, and for all of this I am thankful. But in this instance I think they really dropped the ball. To deny a grad student eligibility to play based on the bitter opinion of a coach?"

and the ultimate:
"To work so hard for something, waking up at 6 a.m. to run miles on a track, spending countless hours spent in the gym shooting, and to have it all taken away because a head coach felt disrespected that I left in order to further pursue academics? It's just not right."

COME ON MAN! you sound like a spoiled brat. 1 who knows the rules and how to bend them and then act all innocent in concocting your story. I have personally suspended a lot of posters from this board in the last 24 hrs (as a joke of course) and if you actually think this kid transfered to UAB for a degree in public administration because it is vaugely (at best) related to real estate development is hearby suspended for all of basketball season from the board.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/ncaa/12/19/todd.obrien/index.html#ixzz1h0o7bwkd

 

[pfister1]

I assume Martelli refused it because this kid was a returning senior and his roster is small in number and in size and also young. St. Joe's has 10 players that travel on roster 3 Frosh, 5 Sophs and 2 juniors only 1 of the 2 juniors appears to be a significant contributor.

This would be selfish on Martelli's part, but he may have had plans for the 7 footer to have a bigger role this year (even if a back up role) and learning over the summer that he wasn't coming back left him with little time to find a replacement.

It would be interesting to hear Martelli's side of the story.

The NCAA should really make kids that have completed their degrees free agents to the extent they have remaining eligiblity.

 

[moqui]

Even if that is true how does it help St. Joe's program tp hold his release?

I don't have any love for St. Joe's or Phil Martelli, but this kid, too, pulled a sleazy move and is paying for it, and is doubling down by peddling this phoney story and trying to tug at our heart strings. He wants a free ride and a free lunch but he doesn't want to honor the commitment that goes along with it. him and his phoney baloney story.

 

[djcon57]

O'brien is a self serving mercenary who is reaping what he has sown . . . he likes to talk about "the real world, " well now he is finding out what happens in the real world when you %^&# someone in the @#^

Nah, it the "real world", coaches can leave whenever they want regardless of contact.

 

[PoppyHart]

I'm surprised the school has a veto power upon a student's graduation. I can see it with a transfer, but I thought the new rule was essentially all about helping the students.

Now obviously these rules are a farce. Kids see what grad options are offered at current school, compare it options at target school, and say, "hey, that seems doable." (See Masoli, Jeramiah conveniently finding his calling at Ole Miss).

I'm sure there's something missing with this story, and I agree that St. Joe's looks bad for their actions.

I also can't see why a school would want to have someone on their team if he didn't want to be there. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Fortunately, when SU wouldn't release me from my LOI I took it like a man and it made be a better player.

 

[Ghost]

Martelli has always seemed like a douche...I'm going to blame him for that reason. If it was Jay Wright or someone else I might give the coach the benefit of the doubt.

Jesuits are mean.

 

[Garbs]

awful

 

[dasher]

the kid didn't start. Let him go.

 

[Cusefan95]

Am I correct that scholarships are renewed annually - players can be dropped from scholarship between, say, their jr and sr years if they aren't performing well? But then if the player wants to leave he needs to sit out a year before being eligible to play anywhere else?

There's no hero's in this story...but my lord the NCAA is really a sleazy organization. I'm convinced part of the reason they spend so much PR focus telling us how wonderfully they do preparing kids for future careers is that they are desperately trying to keep everyone from looking behind the curtain.

 

[Digable5]

Am I correct that scholarships are renewed annually - players can be dropped from scholarship between, say, their jr and sr years if they aren't performing well? But then if the player wants to leave he needs to sit out a year before being eligible to play anywhere else?

There's no hero's in this story...but my lord the NCAA is really a sleazy organization. I'm convinced part of the reason they spend so much PR focus telling us how wonderfully they do preparing kids for future careers is that they are desperately trying to keep everyone from looking behind the curtain.

This (the bolded) is exactly what I was thinking as I read his story. This is what Marrone does with his "earning your redshirt" type stuff. I think I would have a really hard time finding any situation where keeping a graduated student from leaving was acceptable. Restrict where he goes maybe to prevent him from joining a rival or something, but someone who doesn't have a future in basketball professionally should be allowed to find a more appropriate graduate school, whether that's the true reason or not.

 

[Whitey23]

There's another side to the story. Check @hawks586 on twitter.

 

[djcon57]

There's another side to the story. Check @hawks586 on twitter.

LOL...ok so the reason Martelli is upset is because "he stuck his neck out for O'Brien when a teammate stole a laptop and TOB covered up"

So he's mad that he helped cover up a possible crime? Seriously? This is a valid reason?

 

[Whitey23]

LOL...ok so the reason Martelli is upset is because "he stuck his neck out for O'Brien when a teammate stole a laptop and TOB covered up"

So he's mad that he helped cover up a possible crime? Seriously? This is a valid reason?

Don't kill the messenger. Just passing on.

 

[djcon57]

Don't kill the messenger. Just passing on.

OH, wasn't at you at all.

Just reading the twitter replies. Bilas kills it, "If true, why did SJU want to keep him? (Do you imply that SJU covered up criminal behavior?) SJU should be happy he wanted out."

 

[Flacusian]

Martelli strikes me as a smarmy slimeball and this story just reinforces it.

 

[690West]

Looks like lunardi sees this story differently as well. Deadspin needs to get to the bottom
https://mobile.twitter.com/#!/ESPNLunardi/status/148984708448006144

 

[Ghost]

There's another side to the story. Check @hawks586 on twitter.

Okay, from this Twitter it seems like O'Brien covered for a teammate that stole a laptop, and then Martelli didn't kick anyone off the team - as a result he shouldn't be allowed to transfer.

 

[Whitey23]

Okay, from this Twitter it seems like O'Brien covered for a teammate that stole a laptop, and then Martelli didn't kick anyone off the team - as a result he shouldn't be allowed to transfer.

Correct

 

[Whitey23]

The other issue, sources told CBSSports.com, is that Martelli believed O'Brien knew all along he was going to transfer -- but didn't inform the staff or the school until July and took three summer classes that were paid for by the school. Jackson reiterated that O'Brien was told he wasn't in Martelli's plans, but that something may have changed in terms of current players transferring or him not getting players into the program that were anticipated.

http://eye-on-college-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/33967871