Well it was a nice try.

UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart Statement on the Ruling

“We are disappointed in the result and equally disappointed in the process. We have spent significant effort and resources to help this young man play college basketball in the United States. This has been on our radar screen daily for 10 months.

 

“We were informed by the NCAA that the flexible decisions made by the NCAA staff in other high-profile cases could not be used in case precedent and were not binding on the NCAA going forward. The University of Kentucky was very hopeful that our student-athlete might receive the same type of consideration afforded to these other athletes but that did not happen. We were also reminded on a regular basis that the amateurism and professionalism piece, including benefits received from a professional team, is the one area of Bylaw 12 that has not been deregulated.”

 

Wow, Mitch really hammered the NCAA here.

 

So basically the NCAA told UK: Yes, we know we let Selby and Cam Newton play for basically the same thing, however you're (UK) not allowed to bring that up. All you need to worry about is bylaw 12....

In retrospect, I think Kanter/UK's biggest defense is the one Jay Bilas (I believe) mentioned, and that is the whole "intent" defense. While I understand $33 is excessive, what is the intent? If the 1/3 of that really is sitting in a bank and it's always remained untouched, and if the family is indeed willing to pay back the excessive amount in full, what's the harm in deeming him ineligible? And besides, it's hard to imagine anyone being a "professional" making $16,500 annually. Seems if Kanter wanted to be a tried and true pro, he could have made a lot more money.

 

Just my thoughts.

But what is excessive? And to whom? Selby's family compared to the Kanters, that $5,600+ that Selby received would be like Kanter receiving 100's of thousands of dollars! PLUS Selby doesn't even have to come up with the money to repay it, it is somehow coming out of some scholarship money?

 

And Kanter and UK was not allowed to use case precedent?

 

The kid turned down playing on Turkeys national team for the FIBA WC, they were very heavy favorites to get to the championship game, and they did get there. The players were told long before the game they would get over 1.5 million US, a new car and condo if they get to the finals, more if they actually won. Knowing this, if Enes was all about the money, then he would have played the end of this summer with the Turkish men's team!

 

I have coached many teams in NCAA sanctioned events, and EVERYONE of them you have an NCAA rules seminar that all players and coaches must attend. In EVERYONE of those they bring up you are not allowed to except money, stay away from agents, you cannot be given anything from anyone with the agreement to pay it back once you turn pro or to hire the person later. Also in those seminars you are told your family and any other person who could have influence over you are an extension of you! You cannot even attempt to ask for money for your services! But Selby and Newton are somehow cleared!

 

The NCAA will continue to do whatever they want, when they want, and pick and choose who they will be fair to. Someone needs to take them down! Not only because of Enes, I have said many times even before this issue, that the NCAA is not fair to many of the kids!

But what is excessive?

 

In comparison to other kids (Selby), the $33,000 is excessive.

 

Like I said, I think intent was UK's greatest defense.

I agree with all of the questions LABS mentioned.

Maggette info via Dan Wetzel, if you're interested:

 

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=dw-ncaafavorites

 

Wasn't Renardo Sidney's repayment just a shade under $12k? Either way, I see your point that the $33k was excessive in the NCAA's mind.

 

They actually only proved about 800 bucks on Sidney if memory serves me. His punishment was for the 800 bucks and for not being forthcoming initially with the NCAA.

They actually only proved about 800 bucks on Sidney if memory serves me. His punishment was for the 800 bucks and for not being forthcoming initially with the NCAA.

 

And as we now know $800 is not considered enough money in the eyes of the NCAA. Basically they are making up the rules as they go.

How long until the Kanters bring suit?

 

 

I'm giviing it a week. Heck, I would donate to their cause!!

No clue but you need some hard evidence to punish a kid. They had none on Newton, they did on Kanter. If they find some on Newton Auburn will pay the price, they will undoubtably forfeit the season and suffer penalties going forward.

 

After the NCAA and all other sponsors get their $$$ from the BCS Championship game...

I want UK to move on, but I would like to see Kanter go after the NCAA.

The arbitrary application of rules by the NCAA is an issue. The NCAA has been on the defense here lately with their rulings.

I agree with Sportsguy, that how the NCAA allows "ignorance" to be an excuse....see OSU and Pryor and company.

The way the NCAA has handled this has been a disgrace. If you follow the bylawblog on twitter (compliance officer, and pretty good site too) he mentioned that the NCAA really botched the handling of this, maybe not the ruling, but the handling of it. One of the best college hoop writers said it was a disgrace, how the NCAA handled this, and feels it is more of an affront on Cal than the kid.

The whole refusal of allowing case precedent is confusing.

I think it is time to move on but we may very well see a court injunction. I don't recall all the in's and out's of UL's Mohammed Lasege's case but he played in 21 games under an injunction and UL did not have to forfeit any wins.

Edited January 8, 201115 yr by letabrotherspeak

I've read a couple different blogs, articles, etc. on this the past few days and I feel I now have full closure and clarity on this situation.

 

Sadly, the NCAA probably finally got one ruling right. As much as I respect Kanter and feel him and his parents tried to go about this situation as honestly and upfront as they could, they sadly were fighting a losing battle and as Gametime states above, once you are a pro you can't go back and sadly its black and white.

 

Still, the frustration in this situation isn't so much the Kanter situation. It's the other situations recently that the NCAA has ruled upon over the course of the last 6 months or so while we've waited on the Enes decision which really makes one wonder. One blogger made a simple yet accurate statement I had to agree with despite my bias. Despite the NCAA messing up and getting the Selby, Newton, and Ohio State rulings wrong its not enough as a fan to simply hope they also vote wrongly in this situation. Hopefully this ruling will finally turn the NCAA around in their backwards rulings (probably wont but hey, wishful thinking).

 

As for Enes. Whether he played for UK or not, his presence has been felt in many ways. I don't think Coach Cal would have brought him here if he had thought he had no potential to ever play, but still, from helping our other players develop, generating more fan loyalty and support, and giving us national exposure has been good. Enes Kanter may be one of the greatest (non coach, announcer, or equipment manager) names associated with the UK program to have never gotten to play a regulation game with the team.

As for all other accounts or speculation. Yup, Kanter could have taken a lot more money to be a pro if he wanted to. He didn't. Yes he could be playing professional basketball right now on a myriad of different levels and leagues if he wanted to. He didn't. Yes the money he did take is a lot, but when broken down fully and shown where it was applied to, it really seems like the bare minimum. Yes the defense of a father acting as agent for his son without the son's knowledge (and is this respect this actual would be plausible versus the Newton defense) does seem credible. Yes the can pay the sum back, just like Selby.....

 

Still, these are all speculations in which we are looking for the justification of why the NCAA didn't turn a blind eye to this case when they did to other cases. Frankly the NCAA is letting kids who don't deserve it, off with a wrist slap and giving Enes, a pretty good kid, the death penalty of Collegiate Athletics. Still, in the end, they ruled accurately on Enes and I'm glad its over at least.

After the NCAA and all other sponsors get their $$$ from the BCS Championship game...

 

 

If that's all it was the NCAA would want Kanter eligible because he almost guarantees UK to last another weekend in the dance on his own. UK playing farther in the tourney means higher ratings. Higher ratings mean more cash. So that can't be all it's about.

If that's all it was the NCAA would want Kanter eligible because he almost guarantees UK to last another weekend in the dance on his own. UK playing farther in the tourney means higher ratings. Higher ratings mean more cash. So that can't be all it's about.

 

Money is the kindest defense of the NCAA. Other defenses include incompetence and corruption.

Money is the kindest defense of the NCAA. Other defenses include incompetence and corruption.

 

I would go with incompetence. They honestly need to set a hardline dollar amount for this sort of thing. Then none of us ever have to wonder. But I guess that would be too easy. I mean Wall, Selby, Sidney can pay back money and play Kanter can't. Obviously Kanter's money is more but they need to just draw a line in the sand. Bias on the appeals decision could be part of it too. I would say the NCAA at it's main offices are pretty straight forward but the appeals committee is made up of people at specific schools who definitely do have an agenda. Independent officers at the NCAA headquarters probably have less bias.