When News is not News

So for those of you watching the Indiana-Duke game on your couch, or in my case while doing a radio show, the news had to hit you like a load of bricks… RANDOLPH MORRIS RULED INELIGIBLE BY THE NCAA. When I saw the line, I thought to myself, “well there goes any chance at an NCAA title.” The story was even given legitimacy because it was supported by none other than Andy “How in the hell did I get this job?” Katz, the man so awkward looking that he makes John Clayton seem well-suited for his sport. Things looked bleak in Wildcat Nation and so with somberness, I reported the info on the show.

However it was quickly apparent that this “news” that ESPN was trumpeting was not news at all. The NCAA did what every person with any intelligence always knew they would do…..they declared Morris ineligible….FOR NOW. The NCAA (an absurd organization even when compared to Enron) went through their normal (corrupt) policy of making a declaration and then allowing the university to appeal the declaration to the group assigned to determine whether to reinstate athletes. Thus at this point all the NCAA was saying is that it looks as if Morris had an agent……well I wonder what tipped the NCAA off…..was it the Lexus or the press release saying that SFX was representing Morris. This must have been a tough call.

Thus while the news looks bad, it is not especially so. Where the rubber meets the road is how the NCAA will react to the case that Kentucky puts forth requesting reinstatement…..a case the University has known it will have to make for months. Thus we really have not advanced the ball forward in any meaningful way and are left exactly where we began…..skeptical about Morris’ future.

Jim Tirey said on the show tonight that he believes Morris will not be reinstated. I told Jim that he was as dumb as Rob Bromley looks. We shall see who was correct.