With Championship and Season Cancellations Looming... NCAA Must Do What Is Right

And that is to grant all athletes in winter and spring sports an additional year of eligibility.

All of these athletes… from basketball, to swimming, to golf and wrestling, have worked their entire lives for the opportunity to win a national championship for the college of their choice. Something completely out of their control has stripped them of that opportunity in 2020… some of them possibly for the last time…

So the NCAA needs to do what is right here and put a temporary moratorium on scholarship limits, and grant these athletes a 6th year of eligibility.

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Lee, we have our differences on a lot of things, but on this, we are in full agreement.

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A. MEN. Brotha.

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Oof, this is a good point.

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Yep, this is an excellent idea and really, I can’t think of any reason not to implement it.

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That’s brilliant, well said.

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+1 on this.

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Adding Cam, Lindy and Dizzy to a team where they would not be expected to be the go to scoring options…that would be a scary sight for the Big 12.

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It would be fascinating to see what players would actually come back in that scenario. If they’ve already graduated, do they want to come back, or get on with their lives whether that includes basketball overseas or just starting their careers? But, a senior-laden team like ours might have some advantages over teams like a KU or Kentucky that are stacked with one- or two-year players.

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That’s a good point. The one who would benefit would be McGriff. He probably could go overseas but I’ve always thought he could be a 2nd round draft pick. If he had Cade distributing for him with a much better team around him… oooooh boy, that could be a money making situation for Cam.

Also if this happens… a disappointing season would be anything short of the sweet 16!

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So here’s my thoughts. Idk if you give them a full year. But I think you give them till December that way they don’t take scholarships get to play their last few games and they are gone before conference play.

That doesn’t make sense. The whole point is playing for a championship. And it’s beyond basketball too. Wrestling and swimming and diving are likely to be cancelled next week. This could leak into baseball and softball and lacrosse and hockey and all of the other sports as well.

Give them to December… to do what? Play in some meaningless games and then move on? That doesn’t make any sense.

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True. I was just thinking about basketball. Idk if it will shut down entire baseball season or not. Made more since in my head at the moment with basketball than it does for college sports as a whole. I agree they need to do something. Be interesting to see what though. I’m worried the NCAA will say we can’t do that for them cause we’d have to do it for all sports though

I guess it’s not different enough from tearing your ACL the week of the Big 12 tournament for me to see them doing anything like this.

Why would they have to do it for all sports? Only spring/winter sports are affected, and only spring/winter sport athletes will need another chance to compete for a championship. Who cares about the sports that are already through with their seasons.

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It’s pretty significantly different… injuries are a by-product of participating in the sport and are, partly, in control of the athlete by taking precautions to prevent injury and learning how to fall / get hit in order to not get injured. It’s part of preparing for the championships.

A global pandemic causing mass hysteria and organizations taking extra precautions to protect society is so far outside of the control of the athletes and so far removed from the sport, that it’s unfair to compare the two… and it’s unfair for these athletes to be penalized for it.

Cause that’s how our society thinks we have to be fair. I don’t agree with it just saying I could see the NCAA using that as an excuse

Disagree. I don’t believe it’s nearly in anyone’s control to the degree you do apparently. Also, to paraphrase Set. Vincent Hanna, you can tear your acl walking your doggie.

This is unfortunate, but I don’t see the NCAA granting another year for it. If the whole point is to expand academic opportunities, participation in the NCAA championship is immaterial. I doubt they do anything that strengthens the argument that these guys aren’t students first and foremost.

Well a sixth year would give them all enough time to complete a masters…

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Speaking as someone who was on the 5 year plan, I can’t relate.