48 Hours. Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy are chomping at the bit to see if one of the great injustices of modern times can be righted. Can Enes be set free?
Kentucky filed their formal appeal to the NCAA Appeals Board, who is not the same board who declares eligibility for the NCAA, ironic isn't it? Basically, we have let out our rally cryThis is the point in the story where Billy Bob hurls in the washing machine and then yells Beer Rally! This is when Wooderson would say he was just getting his third wind. It's the time when we find out if we are going to steam roll through the NC A Double, or if we are going to have games too close for normal blood pressure levels.
Enes Kanter was being punished due to a number of reasons by the NCAA. The big one is, in my opinion, is the culture barrier and the lack of understanding on his behalf of what constituted as an ameteur in Europe, and what is classified as the same status here in America. The big bonus for us, is that we have not denied the money was accepted and used from day one, and we have not disputed the amount in question. We have been open and truthful, and I think that burns the collective ass of the NCAA that much more. We tried to hide nothing. No UPS packages at Leron Ellis' house, no study buddy issues with Eric Manuel, no Alabama Department of Education inquiries. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Not even Shawn Kemp beating up Sean Sutton. We have stayed clean in this one. And it being Kentucky and Calipari, well, that has to piss alot of people off.
Just hours after Auburn pulled a Area 51 and decalared Cam Newton ineligible, and the NCAA turns him around declares him eligible, Kentucky fans have reason to be upset. Obviously, Auburn used their ruling as a ploy, a diversion to appear that they have done everything on the up and up. Weeks after the same exact situation, only more wrong becuase Josh Selby was fully aware of the the NCAA rules, nothing lost in translation, was permitted by the NCAA to sit out 10 games and play this year. They are letting Kansas pay back the money for him. John Wall paid money back last year. Why not Enes?
Enes Kanter is being punished unjustly, and when Dick Vitale and Jay Bilas both go on record on the Worldwide Leader and state this fact, you know that to be true. And don't get me wrong, I enjoy Cam Newton alot, but to say that his situation is on the up and up and allow him to play, well there is no justice. There is a difference here, One kid was pimped by his father, the other kid was protected to the full extent of the law within the guidelines as he understood them to make sure he remained pure, un-tainted, and an amateur.
The NCAA is gearing up for a monumental injustice the likes which haven't been seen since Bret Hart was screwed in Montreal. They seem to have no issue with closing the door shut on Kanter, and the lucritive European pipe line which could be opened with Kanter's allowance into the NCAA. The language needs to be tweaked in this case, use this as the starting point and make sure it is more understandable and clear to future Euros as to what is and isn't acceptable.
Now, I have pled Enes case every chance I have gotten, and even went round and round with my dad as to why the NCAA's original permanately ineligible status ruling did not neccessarily mean permanent. But would I care if Enes was at another program? I would like to say I want to be able to watch the kid play. I want to see his skills on the floor against the best. Unfortunately, I don't know if I can say that. However, if it was another program that was trying to get him on the floor, I seriously doubt there would be this much of an issue. If it were Duke, UNC, or Kansas, I honestly think that he would already be on the floor. Same would go for UConn, Michigan State, or even Gonzaga. Do I really want to see Enes play if not for the Cats? No. He will be in the NBA soon enough. He will get all the minutes he wants. Half of the romanticism is the fact that the dreaded Big Blue Empire is being perceived as trying to get one by the NCAA again. I do want the kid to be happy though, and his bank account next season will be more than enough to get him there. Now, regardless of who he would be playing for, I will say he deserves to play regardless. I just wouldn't care as much if it wasn't for us. I don't think that feeling is way off.
Other news.... I don't mean to be ridin' the poor guy, and I have gone on record(and by stating such am doing so again), That Harrison Barnes is a great talent, and he is going to have a great career. He has skills, that is for sure.... but from what I have seen, Barnes is not as advertised, and is undeserving of the hype machine that was thrown his way. As fair or unfair as it may be to him, Harrison Barnes is not in the elite in the NCAA.
And even with all the jock riding that Dickie V does, Kyrie Irving is maybe the best freshman of all RIGHT NOW. Terrence Jones is not far behind though...
Kimba, Kimbo, Kendra, Simba, Sachmo, whatever his name is Walker, is going to fizzle out at some point this season, Bank on that.
Back to Barnes real quick, his lack of production and living up to hype-ness is a perfect, and the best, evidence that the recruitment ranking is by far a very poor indication of a player's talent and worth. I have seen it in the Football ranks too, fact of the matter is, is that those who rate these players have managed to mislead and have everybody believe their fancy wording and has allowed them to make money and gain unwarranted notoriety for seemingly knowing something, or having an eye for something, to which they do not. i blame Mel Kyper for all this.
It appears that Cannonsburg has reason to cheer... Randy Anderson has already matched the Lions win total from last season, 2, in the first 2 games of the season, and they broke the century mark for the first time in a very long time. It's good to see BC resembling a basketball program again, and the people who make the decisions looks like they have made a genius move by hiring Anderson. Hopefully for the scarlett, they can erase the debacle that was the Pratt and Wooten years, and mix in with the return of Roger for good measure. They fell a long way down, but it appears they may have the arm strength to push themselves back up.
Mitch Barnhardt, AD at Kentucky, was rumored to be considering leaving for the same position at Kansas. There are a few schools that you would never leave us for, Kansas is one of them. you just don't do it. It does not matter that He is a native of Kansas, you came here, you have to erase that part of your life. However, he apparently told Kansas he would be interested, but would need to be exempted from the interview process... He told them basically that he was qualified and they had no right to question that. So, that is a semi- F U. I can dig.
The Donald has told Miami who to hire. It wasn't Charlie Strong.
Seriously, is there some factory that produces Ivy League type, trust-funded, homosexual, caucasians who can play basketball that Duke has a pipeline to? If you are white, can read well, and dress in cardigans from the age of 3 on, you end up at Duke... and to beat all, as much as this hurts, they are good.
Now ask yourself if you would rather those types come to Kentucky in comparrison to the players we have gotten/get? Even sadder, is that I know alot more people who would care to admit it, but WOULD rather have a Duke-type team at Kentucky. And it has everything to do with those 'types' of players, and I ain't talking the facade they would hide behind by saying they don't like the one and dones. Don't get me wrong, the overwhelming majority of our fans love and accept the players we get,more so than any other program in the nation, but we do have our share of those who sit on the other side of that spectrum...
Finally, last Satruday hurt. It hurt bad. And I know full well we are getting a Bowl because, as fickle as we are, our fanbase travels well and spends money. Peyton Manning's forehead was happy about the win saturday though... No word on how Peyton felt.
We got UNC this Saturday in the Dean Dome... GO CATS. Terrence Jones is coming to eat Harrison Barnes' shit.
Ninjas...... Damn.
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