NY Times: N.C.A.A. Is Looking Into Kentucky’s Bledsoe

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Somehow Slick Cal will get out of this one too. Maybe a move to the NBA before sanctions fall?
 

“I’m a poor black man. And when one black man tries to help another black man, there’s always something wrong.”

And the record for the quickest race card ever played goes to Mr. Maurice Ford.

Congratulations jackass.
 


Wow, investigations quicker than I even thought! I guess we'll see Cal bolt to the NBA sometime this summer before the dam breaks. This sounds like another Derrick Rose situation.
 



I hate to say I told you so but I will in this instance to "The Truth" about Bledsoe. Minnesota recruited him briefly until they took one look at his transcripts and that was pretty much the end of that, and many other schools did the same. We all saw how talented he was last year but until Cal and Kentucky came calling, he wasn't being recruited all that hard as most schools knew they had no chance of getting him into school and past the clearinghouse. I'm sure nothing will come of it as Cal knows how to cover his tracks and keep his fingerprints off anything that could come back and bite him.
 



Calipari might just be the first coach ever to acheive the "THREE CHEAT" lol :D
 

JohnnyGopher said:
I hate to say I told you so but I will in this instance to "The Truth" about Bledsoe. Minnesota recruited him briefly until they took one look at his transcripts and that was pretty much the end of that, and many other schools did the same. We all saw how talented he was last year but until Cal and Kentucky came calling, he wasn't being recruited all that hard as most schools knew they had no chance of getting him into school and past the clearinghouse. I'm sure nothing will come of it as Cal knows how to cover his tracks and keep his fingerprints off anything that could come back and bite him.
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Here's some facts for you before you take too much joy in this situation

1. Did you know Eric and his mother lived in a car during most of his junior year of high school and before that Eric's mother struggled to keep a roof over his head? Do you know he was so poor that the only meal he sometimes got was the free lunch he had in school? Did you know that the claims of rent amounted to a 400 dollar a month apartment ran by a Birmingham property company under investigation for "slum" like conditions and that his mother still owes 3200 in back rent? Or how about the fact that when he came to UK he had one pair of pants to his name and they had to ask for a special dispersion from the SEC and NCAA so they could get him some clothes in addition to the free stuff he got from the Athletic Apparel disbursement that all athletes get? Did you know any of that?

2. Yes, he had poor grades in some of his core classes in high school. A lot of kids do and a lot of coaches backed off of him because they thought he couldn't get eligible (and that included Calipari while he was at Memphis.) in time. You know who didn't back off of him? Ole Miss and Kentucky under Gillispie. Eric did raise the GPA in his cores from a 1.9 to a 2.5. He replaced three grades through night classes (with the help of tutoring) and an online course. He also went to summer school. And when those grades improved and reflected on his transcripts in the second semester of his senior year? All those schools that you say "backed off" came calling again. Florida, Memphis under Pastner (with Glenn Cyprien on his staff who was the primary recruiting contact for Eric while Glenn was at UK), Cincinnati, Kentucky and even Duke.

3. Calipari didn't start recruiting him hard until he came to Kentucky and AFTER his grades had improved and AFTER the accusation about the rent was said to have taken place. Florida was considered the school who had the inside track (and depending on who you talk to it was either Billy himself or Richard Pitino who were the "unnamed source" saying Maruice Ford was looking for money.) and it wasn't until Caliapri sold Eric about playing with Wall (and Maurice Ford was dead set against him going to Kentucky and publicly complained to the press about how it was bad for Eric) that Eric decided to commit to Kentucky.

4. Eric underwent (by UK's public and private admission) one of the more exhaustive academic reviews by the Compliance Office and the NCAA Eligibility Center of any Kentucky athlete in some time. He was cleared fully by both.

5. The NYT article was a load of crap designed to bring down Calipari. Find some other way to do it because doing that to a kid like Eric, who has overcome so much and is on the verge of rising out of a situation so dire you nor I can't even imagine how bad it really was, is horrible. And to do it with no actual evidence but innuendo, hearsay and "impressions" is *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#ty journalism. I think Johnny Gopher molests goats. Two unnamed sources have made that claim to me and it's a common impression among those around him. See how that works?

6. John Calipari isn't a saint and he isn't the devil. You know what he is? A successful coach who gets talent but doesn't have the halo of protection that certain members of the media place on coaches. You think anythings going to come of the Pump Brothers being knee deep in Kansas Basketball? No. You think Jim Calhoun's going to get more than a slap on the wrist even though he's had multiple violations over his career and they have him dead to rights this time? Probably not. You think we're ever going to get the truth about Duke and why it seems that every former K assistant runs afoul of the NCAA it seems? Never going to happen.


Don't let facts get in the way of a good lynching though.
 

UK enjoyed celebrating 2000 wins so much that they'll get to do it again once the NCAA vacates the season.
 

1. Did you know Eric and his mother lived in a car during most of his junior year of high school and before that Eric's mother struggled to keep a roof over his head? Do you know he was so poor that the only meal he sometimes got was the free lunch he had in school? Did you know that the claims of rent amounted to a 400 dollar a month apartment ran by a Birmingham property company under investigation for "slum" like conditions and that his mother still owes 3200 in back rent? Or how about the fact that when he came to UK he had one pair of pants to his name and they had to ask for a special dispersion from the SEC and NCAA so they could get him some clothes in addition to the free stuff he got from the Athletic Apparel disbursement that all athletes get? Did you know any of that?
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My first impression of everything you wrote was that you set out to make an excuse for everything that transpired in Bledsoe's situation, leading me to believe that, indeed, what ever happened with Bledsoe was not legal, but it was worth it in the end because of where he came from.

Just saying.
 



While bledsoe's story is a sad one he is about to get paid some serious money, happy for him, but cheating is cheating. Royce wasn't the richest guy either and when he stole some clothes we didn't cut him any slack. Bledsoe's payoff was getting a scholly and a chance for NBA scouts to recognize his talent, paying him off might have ruined other schools chances and probably did.
 

Never said he was a bad kid but it doesn't change the fact that he had no business at a div 1 school last year, should of been at a juco but Cal knows how to work the system better than anybody. Kentucky fans are certianly an interesting and crazy group, and what I do with goats is none of your business, thank you.
 

Blizzard said:
My first impression of everything you wrote was that you set out to make an excuse for everything that transpired in Bledsoe's situation, leading me to believe that, indeed, what ever happened with Bledsoe was not legal, but it was worth it in the end because of where he came from.

Just saying.
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Micheal Oher goes from a .6 to a 2.6 with the benefit of tutors and correspondence courses to get eligible to play college football due in large part to the influence of rich, white benefactors. They make a feel good movie about it and everybody goes "Awww".

The implication of that NYT article (and with no actual substantiating evidence other than a slumlord's word, an unnamed coaching staff spewing the same crap that gets tossed around in recruiting circles all the time and a "feeling") is that poor, black kids from Birmingham can't do that same thing without some sort of help. I find that conclusion extremely offensive and it's one that article was dead set on making in it's pursuit to pin this on Calipari. And judging from the responses here most of you followed right in line with it.

Even if it comes out that Ford paid for a 400 dollar apartment so that Eric didn't have to sleep on the street I'm going to apologize in advance for not caring. Because at some point this becomes about what is right and not about basketball. I coached a kid three years ago in a situation not as bad as Eric's but still pretty bad. Me and my wife regularly bought he and his family groceries and even paid a utility bill (which his mother eventually paid us back for). He's getting some interest right now as Junior from some low level D-1 and NAIA programs and if the NCAA came knocking on my door and told me what I did was improper and hurt his eligibility? I'd tell them politely to shove off.

Go Gophs eh? said:
While bledsoe's story is a sad one he is about to get paid some serious money, happy for him, but cheating is cheating. Royce wasn't the richest guy either and when he stole some clothes we didn't cut him any slack. Bledsoe's payoff was getting a scholly and a chance for NBA scouts to recognize his talent, paying him off might have ruined other schools chances and probably did.
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This isn't a criminal act. It's not the same thing at all. And there's no evidence! That's what is so damn annoying about this. It's all based around flimsy b.s. that doesn't hold up to any sort of real scrutiny or investigation. Either have proof he cheated and produce it or don't make a veiled accusation.

JohnnyGopher said:
Never said he was a bad kid but it doesn't change the fact that he had no business at a div 1 school last year,
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Based upon what evidence? Your opinion? You should have wrote the NYT article for Thamel. Because you're just as lousy at drawing b.s. conclusions and smearing kids based upon nothing more than a "feeling".

Cal knows how to work the system better than anybody.
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The timeline doesn't fit, the facts that are substantiated with real evidence don't support this conclusion and you want it to be true does not equal this outcome.
 

KyGopherfan said:
UK enjoyed celebrating 2000 wins so much that they'll get to do it again once the NCAA vacates the season.
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That's ultimately the bottom line. If NCAA deems Bledsoe was ineligible, UK may have to vacate all but 1 game from 2010 season.

I doubt that happens.
 

The Truth said:
Here's some facts for you before you take too much joy in this situation

(and Maurice Ford was dead set against him going to Kentucky and publicly complained to the press about how it was bad for Eric) that Eric decided to commit to Kentucky.
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I assume then that you have a link to these press releases. Thanks in advance.
 

The Truth said:
Micheal Oher goes from a .6 to a 2.6 with the benefit of tutors and correspondence courses to get eligible to play college football due in large part to the influence of rich, white benefactors. They make a feel good movie about it and everybody goes "Awww".


Even if it comes out that Ford paid for a 400 dollar apartment so that Eric didn't have to sleep on the street I'm going to apologize in advance for not caring. Because at some point this becomes about what is right and not about basketball. I coached a kid three years ago in a situation not as bad as Eric's but still pretty bad. Me and my wife regularly bought he and his family groceries and even paid a utility bill (which his mother eventually paid us back for). He's getting some interest right now as Junior from some low level D-1 and NAIA programs and if the NCAA came knocking on my door and told me what I did was improper and hurt his eligibility? I'd tell them politely to shove off.

This isn't a criminal act. It's not the same thing at all. And there's no evidence! That's what is so damn annoying about this. It's all based around flimsy b.s. that doesn't hold up to any sort of real scrutiny or investigation. Either have proof he cheated and produce it or don't make a veiled accusation.

Based upon what evidence? Your opinion? You should have wrote the NYT article for Thamel. Because you're just as lousy at drawing b.s. conclusions and smearing kids based upon nothing more than a "feeling".


The timeline doesn't fit, the facts that are substantiated with real evidence don't support this conclusion and you want it to be true does not equal this outcome.
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1) Correspondence courses are no longer allowed. You can thank Micahel Oher for that.
2) If Ford is paying for random nonathletic student's housing also, I have no complaints, but if he isn't then I have a problem with that.
3) See number 2, if the only reason why you and your wife lent a helping hand is because you were set to gain from helping out (i.e. winning games), then that's not right. If you gave the same to someone who wasn't on the team (in addition to the kid you helped), then you are a good person and it's not a violation.
4) And I know you posted it on a different reply, it's nearly mathematical impossibly to improve your CORE gpa that much. Better schools are HARDER.
 


What I see with Cal is a due diligence problem.

It seems that he takes things that look fishy at face value.
 

It gives new meaning.....

to the phrase, "coaching them up."

I get a bang out of the blue grassers giving Cal points for his fine humanitarian instincts. Do they really think if any team/coach could pluck players and help them with their schoowork and finances, that there wouldn't be boosters lined up to help them do it!

They are going down, and they are going down hard. Again.
 

1) Correspondence courses are no longer allowed. You can thank Micahel Oher for that.
2) If Ford is paying for random nonathletic student's housing also, I have no complaints, but if he isn't then I have a problem with that.
3) See number 2, if the only reason why you and your wife lent a helping hand is because you were set to gain from helping out (i.e. winning games), then that's not right. If you gave the same to someone who wasn't on the team (in addition to the kid you helped), then you are a good person and it's not a violation.
4) And I know you posted it on a different reply, it's nearly mathematical impossibly to improve your CORE gpa that much. Better schools are HARDER.
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Very interesting thread!

Always like how discrimination gets brought up. How much of discrimination today is fueled by the pure mention of it? I for one didn't even know Bledsoe was black; I just don't pay attention to Kentucky. Thanks for mentioning it TRUTH, now it occupies an unimportant place somewhere in my mind.

Really like 3 above. Humanatarian yes, very noble. Has TRUTH who mentioned they lent a helping hand helped out a poor luck youngster BLACK OR WHITE born to a hard luck single parent or no parent foster family and doesn't have any basketball skills?

Is Bledsoe deserving of the payoff in the NBA so he can help someone? Perhaps, sounds like he is a good kid, but what of the hard luck young man who is the last not drafted, or worse, last cut cause of the finite spot Bledsoe occupies on the NBA finite roster?
 

Friend Of Tubby said:
That's ultimately the bottom line. If NCAA deems Bledsoe was ineligible, UK may have to vacate all but 1 game from 2010 season.

I doubt that happens.
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Why do you doubt that happens. It happens all the time, doesn't it. It isn't like they'd be giving up a Final Four or anything.
 


NCgopher said:
1) Correspondence courses are no longer allowed. You can thank Micahel Oher for that.
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Bledsoe did night classes and an online course. When his PSA Review was conducted (and you can look this up if you don't believe me) when it comes to grade replacement they look at if the course was the same: the textbooks, the curriculum, the workbooks, etc. All those passed muster in everybody's eyes.

2) If Ford is paying for random nonathletic student's housing also, I have no complaints, but if he isn't then I have a problem with that.
3) See number 2, if the only reason why you and your wife lent a helping hand is because you were set to gain from helping out (i.e. winning games), then that's not right. If you gave the same to someone who wasn't on the team (in addition to the kid you helped), then you are a good person and it's not a violation.
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You do what's right. This sort of thing happens in communities all the time. This isn't a case like Renardo Sidney's or O.J. Mayo's. This is the case of an extremely poor family reaching out for help to someone they considered trustworthy so they wouldn't be homeless. And that's assuming if it actually happened.

As to my personal anecdote? That child was assigned to me as a FA in a Summer League. The only reason he was able to play in that Summer League was because he qualified for the financial assistance packet. Yes, he had talent but was very raw He became a great off the bench player for us that summer in fact. After talking to his middle school coach and learning of the dire situation he was in, me and my wife thought it was our duty as Christians to help. We've done/do similar things through our church for many other children and families around Middle Tennessee.



4) And I know you posted it on a different reply, it's nearly mathematincal impossibly to improve your CORE gpa that much. Better schools are HARDER.
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Not if you replace three bad grades from your freshman/sophomore and first semester junior year with higher ones. That's where the improvement came from. Athletes do it all the time when they see that their future is in doubt. This wasn't his total GPA. This was the GPA in his Core Courses that are mandated by the NCAA for academic eligibility: specifically two math and one science course.
 

The Truth said:
Bledsoe did night classes and an online course. When his PSA Review was conducted (and you can look this up if you don't believe me) when it comes to grade replacement they look at if the course was the same: the textbooks, the curriculum, the workbooks, etc. All those passed muster in everybody's eyes.



You do what's right. This sort of thing happens in communities all the time. This isn't a case like Renardo Sidney's or O.J. Mayo's. This is the case of an extremely poor family reaching out for help to someone they considered trustworthy so they wouldn't be homeless. And that's assuming if it actually happened.

As to my personal anecdote? That child was assigned to me as a FA in a Summer League. The only reason he was able to play in that Summer League was because he qualified for the financial assistance packet. Yes, he had talent but was very raw He became a great off the bench player for us that summer in fact. After talking to his middle school coach and learning of the dire situation he was in, me and my wife thought it was our duty as Christians to help. We've done/do similar things through our church for many other children and families around Middle Tennessee.

Not if you replace three bad grades from your freshman/sophomore and first semester junior year with higher ones. That's where the improvement came from. Athletes do it all the time when they see that their future is in doubt. This wasn't his total GPA. This was the GPA in his Core Courses that are mandated by the NCAA for academic eligibility: specifically two math and one science course.
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1) Do you know the difference between correspondence classes and online classes? Since you know so much about Mr. Bledsoe please enlighten us of what school he took his online course.

2) Congrats! Now tell me with the same gusto that Bledsoe's HS coach did the same thing for other non DI bound, future NBA picks. And if he did, then he gets a pass too, but since, by his own admission could never do that and afford to support his own family, tells me he is most likely NOT ever handing out money to less fortunate people, that he does not stand to gain from.

3)I know what CORE gpa is, I also know that unless you are replacing Cs (and I am being generous) with As, then it's not likely to happen. A kid does not go from being a D+ student to a C+ student via 3 classes.
 

The Truth said:
Here's some facts for you before you take too much joy in this situation

1. Did you know Eric and his mother lived in a car during most of his junior year of high school and before that Eric's mother struggled to keep a roof over his head? Do you know he was so poor that the only meal he sometimes got was the free lunch he had in school? Did you know that the claims of rent amounted to a 400 dollar a month apartment ran by a Birmingham property company under investigation for "slum" like conditions and that his mother still owes 3200 in back rent? Or how about the fact that when he came to UK he had one pair of pants to his name and they had to ask for a special dispersion from the SEC and NCAA so they could get him some clothes in addition to the free stuff he got from the Athletic Apparel disbursement that all athletes get? Did you know any of that?

Don't let facts get in the way of a good lynching though.
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I have to question how you know SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much about this kid.

The Truth said:
Even if it comes out that Ford paid for a 400 dollar apartment so that Eric didn't have to sleep on the street I'm going to apologize in advance for not caring. Because at some point this becomes about what is right and not about basketball. I coached a kid three years ago in a situation not as bad as Eric's but still pretty bad. Me and my wife regularly bought he and his family groceries and even paid a utility bill (which his mother eventually paid us back for). He's getting some interest right now as Junior from some low level D-1 and NAIA programs and if the NCAA came knocking on my door and told me what I did was improper and hurt his eligibility? I'd tell them politely to shove off.

This isn't a criminal act. It's not the same thing at all. And there's no evidence! That's what is so damn annoying about this. It's all based around flimsy b.s. that doesn't hold up to any sort of real scrutiny or investigation. Either have proof he cheated and produce it or don't make a veiled accusation.

The timeline doesn't fit, the facts that are substantiated with real evidence don't support this conclusion and you want it to be true does not equal this outcome.
Click to expand...

Paying a kid's rent= NCAA violation.

Bottom line is this: the guy didn't pay the rent so that Bledsoe could go to another school. He paid the rent so he could go to HIS school. and win HIM championships. HE didn't do because he cared about the kid and his mother. Because if that was the case he would have gotten a house in a different (better neighborhood) and helped the mom get a job.

Trust me the NCAA is not interested in talking to your mediocrity coaching self. Get over yourself.

real evidence? rent was paid by coach. what other evidence do you need?

The Truth said:
You do what's right. This sort of thing happens in communities all the time. This isn't a case like Renardo Sidney's or O.J. Mayo's. This is the case of an extremely poor family reaching out for help to someone they considered trustworthy so they wouldn't be homeless. And that's assuming if it actually happened.

As to my personal anecdote? That child was assigned to me as a FA in a Summer League. The only reason he was able to play in that Summer League was because he qualified for the financial assistance packet. Yes, he had talent but was very raw He became a great off the bench player for us that summer in fact. After talking to his middle school coach and learning of the dire situation he was in, me and my wife thought it was our duty as Christians to help. We've done/do similar things through our church for many other children and families around Middle Tennessee.
Click to expand...

What the hell community do you live in? This does not happen all the time. My brother played at a major D1 school and a lot of people were interested in helping us out (even though we didn't need help), because they saw something they could gain out of it. Now my brother is in the league and I get calls, texts and facebook messages from people I barely know asking for a handout. People who know my brother when he was like in 5th grade wanting free tickets, a bill here or bill there. My point is that very few people do anything if there ISN'T anything in it for them.

Tell me if this kid wasn't a member of your team would you have sought out his family and helped? I mean after all it is your duty as a Christian...
 


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