NCAA wrong on Masoli ruling

I say let him play. But with the NCAA, always expect the wrong decision.

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NCAA waited too long to announce the decision but they got it right, Masoli tried to circumvent the system.

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Completely agree, Tony. Rule of law and all that. You don’t follow the rules, you get exactly this – a bunch of self-righteous blowhards moralizing.

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Tony-

I am surprised you back up a guy like Masoli, who has down nothing but squander his talent. Here’s the deal, use your talent and opportunities wiesely, you get more opportunities, squander them, and they are taken away. Ole Miss should be ashamed of selling their soul to win a football game. I for one, will not condone that kind of hallow and shallow action.

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I Hit & Run This State!!!!!

He needs another chance… ain’t like he stole something!

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Tony, if his appeal is rejected, will Ole Miss still honor his scholarship? I wonder how ethical Ole Miss really is.

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NCAA rules should be applied equally and evenly in each case. They certainly follow the letter of the law, and their rules, when dispensing penalties on infractions.

Why then, do they think that they can slant their interpretation of their own rules. Without an exception to the rule, clearly stating that you may not transfer if you are suspended or dismissed from your former team, the NCAA doesn’t have a legal, due process leg on which to stand.

The NCAA seems to be playing God in this one…..they do seem to display that God complex from time to time.

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“There is a system in place that allows athletes who have graduated with eligibility remaining to transfer and become eligible immediately at another school. You simply have to fulfill the requirements, which Masoli did.”

That’s all I need to see on this. The NCAA likes making enemies don’t they.

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What’s wrong with college football, and this country, is we are becoming a culture of entitlement, where people expect benefits, without earning them, instead of a merit based culture. The kid didn’t earn the benefit of playing. He doesn’t deserve to play just because he has talent and was highly touted in high school.

It will be a great lesson for Masoli. You have to EARN your way to success in life. You arn’t entitled to anything that’s unearned.

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The NCAA has to follow their own rules. If they can make everyone else follow all their insane rules like the recruiting ones then they need to follow their own first.

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you are completely right Tony – you aren’t saying give the kid another chance- just follow your own rules

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The NCAA has rules. The NCAA should follow those rules. From reading the article the NCAA is using discretion it does not have. Maybe they should change the rules to allow their judgement on a basis of morals. That could really be fun. Tony appears to be correct in his assertions.

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He is walking on and is not on scholarship at Ole Miss. He has paid his dues to the Oregon legal system and followed the NCAA’s own transfer rules. Do we really want the NCAA in the business of judge and jury with every athlete with legal troubles? Their job is to enforce their own rules and they blew it on this one.

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txfood, way to pay attention. Masoli doesn’t have a scholarship with the University. He is a walk on player.

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This kind of reminds me of our federal government. Confusing the power to do something with the authority to do it.

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Don’t kid yourself, we will look back on this and the USC sanctions as what was the beginning of the end for the NCAA. Don’t you watch “true blood”? What happens to the magistrate when his governing hand becomes wrought with arrogance and entitlement? An effing vampire slices his head off….. Same scenario here, how much money in ticket sales, jerseys, concessions, and sports gambling do you think the NCAA just cost olemiss and USC?? Start there and you’ll be on the track to any true motivation for this group of bloodsuckers!

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Playing college football is a privledge and not a right. Unfortunately for Masoli he had his chance, twice, and blew it.

I think Nutt is taking advantage of a rule and in my opinion he should have never taken this guy in the first place. This says alot about Nutt. That’s bull when Nutt says we are in the people helping business.

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The NCAA is not the law of the United States. Masoli need to skip the appeal and get an injunction against the NCAA. NCAA need to have it’s non-profit status removed and it’s anti-trust removed. Let see the NCAA try to use its discretionary power then.

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Tony, as usual, great job. The No Clue At All finds a way to screw something up regularly. It does appear that Masoli followed the rules.

Can elaborate on exactly what the No Clue At All reasoning was in their decision?

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Tony until I read your blog, I thought that the NCAA was correct in their decision. And whereas I still don’t like Masoli or Ole Miss’ decision to go after him, I think you are right on the money. The NCAA should let him play and change the rule for the future. Unless of course there is some mechanism for subjective evaluation already in the rule.

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First, I do think the whole thing kind of smells because I think the spirit of why Masoli wants to transfer is to play, not to get another degree. HOWEVER, I do agree that with the rules in place as they are he should be allowed to play.

The NCAA is a gestapo organization that has the single-greatest power in the country to do whatever it wants with little or no due process of law. Until the NCAA is fixed and turned into an organization that can be respected and thought to do what is right and legal, nothing will change.

I didn’t agree with Ole Miss in taking him on, but I do feel for him because he did what he was asked to do and still got the shaft. Such is the way when dealing with the NCAA.

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I am without speech…..

I have zero clue as to what occurred in this CF writer’s life over the last year or so…but he has lost his friggin’ mind.

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Giving young people second … and even third chances is one thing. My particular faith … and the faith of about 2 billion other people on the planet …. demands that we forgive others. Extra chances and forgiveness are great, great things.

But if continue to take public figures (like college QB’s) and treat them as if there are NO CONSEQUENCES for screwing up, then we are teaching a terrible lesson to other young people.

The NCAA is a membership organization and has the RIGHT to make its own rules. Talking about NCAA rules as they are applied within the context of the U.S. Constitution is laughable. Unless you’re a George Orwell fan …. and want Big Brother looking over EVERYthing in society.

And sitting out a year of college football seems to me to be a “light sentence” consequence …. and whether or not it is “legal” is NOT the issue. SOME meaningful consequence IS warranted in this case.

Just because something is legal does NOT mean that it is “right”.

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I don’t like the fact that Masoli is there and think football is better off without him. But I agree with TB that the NCAA is wrong is their judgement. Whether you agree with Masoli being allowed to use the loophole or not, it’s there. You can’t make up the laws as you go just because you don’t like someone taking advantage of it.

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Tony, you’ve got it right, and from the looks of about 80% of your commenters, there are a lot of high horses out yonder. Regardless, if Masoli meets the standard of the rules (the spirit doesn’t matter), he should be allowed to play, until the law comes knocking. The NCAA is not the law.

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Tony:

I liked your article a few days ago on Masoli. It seemed reasonable. But today’s article? No, the end does not justify the means. No, winning 1 more game a year does not offset the risk of further embarrassment to a college. No, Masoli didn’t transfer because he was looking for a major that Oregon didn’t offer, he transferred because he wanted to play football. To leave out ethics from this, is appalling. But I did like what you had to say the other day, that your instinct was to not touch Masoli with a 10 foot pole.

http://blogs.ajc.com/barnhart-college-football/2010/07/28/should-ole-miss-take-jeremiah-masoli/

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NCAA similar to gubment….too much power, too many layers. And worng on the Masoli deal.

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NCAA is full of themselves. Their wrong on this issue. It’s nice to know they made this ruling one day before College Kick-off. They’ve know this for months. Sounds like our Federal Government,, Slow to react.

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First, I agree with many on here that Masoli is a scumbag and not worthy of playing in the NCAA.

HOWEVER – and this is a big HOWEVER – this is NOT about Jeremiah Masoli and what he did at Oregon. This is about NCAA rules, and the NCAA chosing not to follow its own rules.

The rules are clear in this case – a Player who has Eligibility remaining can transfer to a school that has a graduate program not available at the present school and if that is the case THE PLAYER IS IMMEDIATELY ELIGIBLE.

THAT IS THE RULE — PERIOD!!!!! Masoli and Mississippi followed that rule to the letter. Whether their intentions were honorable – they aren’t, the goal is get Masoli in uniform and on the field; whether Masoli is desrving of playing – he is not; is all beside the point — THE RULES ARE THE RULES and Masoli followed the rules.

The NCAA cannot expect anyone to take their enforcement of their rules seriously if they arbitrarily decide which rules they are going to follow themselves. AND THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE.

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It’s ok Jeff because now he CAN be put on scholarship instead of paying his own way.And he can get that parks and rec. degree he has so desperately wanted from the University of Mississippi for all these years…

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@TJ 9:06 AM — No, Masoli was not kicked out of school. Masoli GRADUATED. He was kicked off the Oregon Football Team — since he had already graduated from the University there was no school displinary action involved.

and THAT is the crux of this argument. Masoli is in GOOD STANDING with the University of Oregon. He is a GRADUATE of the University of Oregon, and his academic record is of high enough quality for him to fully qualify as a GRADUATE student at the University of Mississippi.

His standing with the ORegon Football team and athletic department has no bearing whatsoever on this decision (even if it should).

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You smoke weed and get busted, drive with a suspended license, get busted, burgularize, and get busted, 3 strikes, you’re out. Kid got busted twice, since Jan.

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Hey , as they stated, He would not have been eligible to Oregon! Plus he transferred what 2 weeks before the pre-season work outs? Hate to say it but NCAA hit this on on the head! Plus Nathan Stanley was being pushed aside by Nutt to get this guy, Would be funny if the went to Nutt today and said Hmmm think I will transfer someewhere that I am wanted.. Typical Nutt what ever it takes to win.. 1 extra game,, Welcome to the bottom of the SEC west HDN!

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I’m with you Tony on this one. At the end of the day this is all about about applying the rules and the NCAA has not followed its own set of rules. Did the NCAA actually state why they were denying the appeal?

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I have to agree with the NCAA on this one. The rule was intended to help STUDENT-athletes that wanted to continue their education. It was not intended to allow a problem kid that got kicked off of a team to be able to use as a loophole to immediately go play somehwere else.
Ask your self this, if Masoli had not gotten into trouble for a second time and thus got kicked off his team, do you really think he would have been interested in seeeking further studies in Parks and Recreation from the University of Mississippi? The clear answer is not only no, but heck no!
This guy is just trying to use a loophole because he has repeatedly failed to follow the rules. Now he wants to try and bend the rules to work in his favor. I’m sorry, but his college football days are over and rightfully so.
The NCAA is a group of pompous jerks, but I agree with this particular decision.

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If there are no unknown circumstances then clearly the NCAA is wrong. If the organization can’t follow their own rules how can they expect to hold universities accountable?
That being said, the fans of Ole Miss have been givin an example of why most Arkansans were ready for Nutt to go. He goes on Dan Patrick’s show saying that he wouldn’t have been interested in Masoli if he hadn’t had a quarterback transfer. He even goes as far as to say that he told Masoli that they “didn’t have room for him” when he was first contacted by Masoli. Now he states that “we are in the people helping business.” if that were the case why wasn’t he willing to “help” Masoli when he had 3 QBs on campus. After all walk ons don’t count against the 85 scholarship limit, so clearly there was always “room” for Masoli. Typical Nutt, Ole Miss fans may as well get used to these type of fiascos.

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(((( Nesbitt for Heismen ))))

((( 45 – 42 )))

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TXFOOD- He is not on scholarship. He agreed to pay his own way

Bama Fan # 2: He did make some mistakes, but don’t throw stones in a glass house.

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Social norms are there for a reason, a good reason. Masoli thumbs his nose at social norms. Masoli thinks he can excuse himself from social norms, and yet not have personal responsibility for rejecting the social norms of society. The U.S doesn’t reward people who do drugs, burglarize, and drive without a license. That’s a good thing. If Masoli wants to protray himself as some kind of victim, that’s inaccurate. He chose to ignore the social norms, that are reasonabe and there to protect society, and he must get the consequences.

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This is college football, not NFL free agency. Let him go try out for a pro team. He graduated already. Forcing him in at Ole Miss just made the school look desperate.

for once the NCAA got it right.

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STOP THE PRESSES!! THE NCAA GOT IT RIGHT!!! HOWEVER,THIER TIMING SUCK’S!! THIS KID TRIED TO FOOK-A-DOOK THE SYSTEM BUT IT BIT HIM IN THE END!!! HIS REAREND!!!

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The rule isn’t intended to allow athletes to run from their troubles from one school to another to play right away. NCAA got this right. He’s just dodging bullets.

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This one Barnhart article sutiable for framing on a wall.

Look, Masoli is a idiot law-breaker who cant stay out of trouble.
Nutt dug this hole all by himself.

But, here you have UGA-SEC super-homer Barnhart
making the following points:

Tony said:
“But this is not an ETHICAL argument. It is a LEGAL argument.”

Only to an SEC apologst like Tony should ETHICAL be considered separate and distinct from LEGAL. Thats one the PRIMARY reason this country is in such deep doo-doo, because of this type BS.

Tony then said:
“They(NCAA) should not have that kind of discretionary power.”

Excuse me but, isnt the NCAA the GOVERNING BOARD of ALL College Athletics ?? They make ALL the rules. Tony just doesnt like it when it doesnt benefit the SEC.

Here again you have ON DISPLAY an SEC apologist chastising
the NCAA for showing some BACKBONE FOR ONCE and
“messin up a good thang for Coach Hillbilly in Oxford.”

Tony is a disgrace.

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The NCAA has no place legislating what is morally right or wrong. People here saying they got it right are fools.

The letter of the law in regard to this situation is clear, but the NCAA, as always, picks and chooses how it will enforce the rules.

Agree with you on this, Tony.

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Barnhart is losing his grip & fading into sports irrelevancy.

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no he’s not wrong here. The kid and the school operated within the rules. Is it a bad rule? A loophole perhaps? Sure and maybe it should be better defined for the future. But you can’t apply new rules backwards. That’s hypocrisy. Furthermore its damaging to the school. If this is how the NCAA feels, then it felt this way 4 weeks ago and could have said so then. This would have allowed Ole Miss a chance to get another QB greased up. Instead Ole Miss’ ath dept asked the NCAA if this was going to be a problem and the inside thought at the time was, make sure he goes by the rule, which he did. And now they’re both hung out to dry. If this were Texas, Florida or Southern Cal the ruling would take 4 years and be very different. Or they may have just told ‘em up front “don’t take the kid he’s not going to play this year.”

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The NCAA should also require a course work clearinghouse whereby everything graded in a class for every athlete has to be turned in to the NCAA. It would be a blast seeing some of the creampuff things athletes get to do in order to keep eligibility at certain schools.

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His article is spot on. It doesnt matter what anybody thinks. Masoli met all the requirements to be cleared. They NCAA twisted the rule to give them a reason to deny Masoli. Masoli met every single requirement. Masoli was kicked of the football team, not out of the university. Rule says nothing about being in good standing with an Athletic team. You also have to find a major your current school does not offer, which he did. Thats it, its very simple. The NCAA decided to take in to account Masoli was booted from the Oregon team, which has nothing to do with there rulings. So everybody thought by reading the rule

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houston nutt has gone off the reservation on this masoli kid.

now nutt has put the whole season down the tubes.

most ole miss boosters were opposed to getting masoli to start with

rumor in jackson has it that some influential boosters told ole miss president to contact the ncaa and directly instruct the ncaa block the masoli approval.

important boosters have split with nutt over this masoli kid

this season will go very bad and boosters will push to
drop nutt at year end.

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If it were a per se rule then you would be right, and the appeal would result in an overturning of the initial decision. However, if there is any room for discretion in the boards decision, then the appeal will be unsuccessful. Double check the rule, Tony. I don’t know, because I haven’t seen the rule. But if there is anything in it that allows for discretion, then it doesn’t matter if Masoli met all of the other requirements.

And from a moral stand point, F’ him. He’s a criminal and should be serving prison time for a burglary.

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This is NOT the NFL. There is no free agency. Masoli isn’t going to OM to further his education. He is a hired gun. Maybe he followed the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. This was not put in to place to help people in Masoli’s situation at all. I don’t feel sorry for him, or Nutt. HN will take any one on his program. He doesn’t care what they’ve done. Maybe he should try to recruit a bit better and he wouldn’t always be in a situation to have to take a chance on other teams rejects…

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This isn’t about whether it’s right for Ole Miss to sign Masoli, it’s about the NCAA overstepping its own rules and unilaterally seizing discretionary power. Whether Ole Miss should have taken him or not is not the NCAA’s place to say. If they want it to be their place to say, then they have to pass a rule that says a transferring player has to be in good standing with the football program he’s leaving. (It can be known as the “Masoli rule.”) Or at least pass a rule granting the NCAA large discretionary power in such cases (if the member institutions can stomach that). But you can’t just make rulings cause you think it should be that way in that case.

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The ol I am the victim mentallity .. The problem with this all is that ole miss would take this loser. The NCAA stated very clearly that Masoli violated the intent of the rule. The rule was not put in place to allow players in trouble to transfer. Call lawyer and ask him about “intent of the law”

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Tony, why are you so vague in your statement “The NCAA rule says something about the transfer being for academic reasons.”?

That needs to be better defined or else your argument is specious. Who really thinks that Masoli’s transfer was for academic reasons? I bet they had to look long and hard to find a program that Oregon didn’t offer.

The fact is Masoli still wanted to play football for 1 yr. He looked around for a program to best fit his talents. Nutt, with his wildcat O and lack of incumbent QB, fit Masoli’s needs.

This was no transfer for academic reasons.

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example of “intent of the law” sell a undercover police officer bakeing soda tell him it is cocaine and you still go to jail”

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Double Standard? -

I believe the situation with Paulus was that it was a different sport. He played football for Syracuse, not the same sport – basketball – as he had at Duke. I don’t think he could have played basketball immediately, if at all (having played for 4 yrs at Duke) at Syracuse.

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If the NCAA stresses the supposed STUDENT athlete, and as a STUDENT he was in good standing and that is what the rule states then let him play. I agree with Tony completely.

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Not sure what Masoli’s major was at Oregon, but Ole Miss found a loop hole and took advantage of it. And they should have. I was really looking forware to seeing Masoli in the SEC. Businesses take advantage of loop holes in the law every day, and College Football is big business. If the NCAA wants to rewrite the rules to prevent Free Agency in the future, then do it at the next meeting and move forward, not act retroactively. They are arbitrarily using their power to cover up something they don’t like. This is way to close to the beginning of the season. Surely Ole Mill would have contacted the NCAA prior to enrolling Masoli and had been reasonably assured that he could play this year. Oh well, I guess Masoli will now drop out, look at his NFL options, and try to make himseld relevant for the combines. I would have preferred to see his talents in the SEC.

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Nice column Tony – I agree with you on this one. It looks to me as if the NCAA was more concerned about public image than anything else – never a good reason for making decisions.
The NCAA also seems to be flexible in its “rules” when it comes to graduating athletes. GT had a couple of OL with eligibility left who were forced to transfer after graduation (they weren’t accepted into the MBA program). They are playing at GA State this year. Greg Paulus transfered to play FB when he realized that he wasn’t going to make the NBA – he was imediately eligible because he had graduated from Duke.
There is no point in Ole Miss and Masoli appealing the ruling – at the NCAA’s typical glacial speed at which it deals with “awkward cases” (see USC for example), it will be August 2011 before they answer.

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There sure seem to be a number of “mind readers” posting today – they seem to know exactly what Masoli’s intent was.
Do I think this is about academics – No. Can I prove it’s not – No.

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Tony, you are wrong. The rule is NOT concrete, and does in fact provide the NCAA broad discretionary power. In fact, the rule states that a football, basketball, baseball, or ice hockey player may not transfer at all, but the NCAA granted Masoli a waiver on this part of the rule. Purusing a graduate degree that is not offered by your original institution is just one factor the NCAA considers in determining whether to grant a waiver of its rules.

Everyone knows Masoli’s transfer was an academic sham, and when the NCAA tries to protect the academic integrity of its member institutions, there is Tony Barnhart trying to shame them for it.

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Exactly Paul!!!! These assumptions should not be enough to hold this ruling against him.

Again, Greg Paulus did not transfer for academics, he transfered to play a year of college football…found a program Duke didnt have, and transfered.

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As the article said, this is no longer a moral question. So all of you can just drop it. Houston Nutt did what every college football coach worth his weight in NCAA paperwork would do and try to win football games. Anyone who says their coach wouldn’t want Masoli if he were in a similar situation is either lying or an idiot. The kid can play and that’s what Nutt needs him to do.

As for the ruling, this should only be based on previous precedent and the rules that are in place. The NCAA obviously didn’t want this to happen so they took a whole month to find some obscure part of their already pitiful rules to deny Masoli this opportunity. Shame on them.

Speaking of shame, all of you who are calling Masoli a criminal and saying he should be in jail need to check yourselves. Read the facts of the case and you’ll know that he’s never stolen anything. I’m not saying he’s an angel but he’s far from a criminal: he’s a young man with a lack of good sense and that got him in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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If he followed the rules in transferring then he should be allowed to play. The NCAA shouldnt just be allowed to bend the rules in whatever way they see fit for each situation. If they are going to do that then dont call them rules, call them high level guidelines. This isnt real surprising coming from the NCAA though.

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A key factor in this is was constitues “Good Standing” with his previous college.

While he might have acceptable grades, that doesnt necessarily mean
he was in “Good Stadning” as DEFINED by the previous college.

He might be a “C” student, but with his track record, I dont think the U of Oregon would DEFINE him as a student as “Good Standing.”

Hey, you could ba an “A+” student and a real law-breaker (theft, assault, or worse) and that college sure as Hell isnt going to DEFINE your status as “Good Standing.”

Example: The UVA student that beat his girlfriend to death was a an “Honor Role” student. Dont think UVA would categorize him as in “Good Standing.”

Nutt made a very high-risk gamble on this and lost.

Nutt is to blame for this, not the NCAA.

Its a very poor reflection on ANY journalist that takes the NCAA to task, rather than the COACH and SCHOOL that started this train wreck rolling.

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sorry tony,

dead wrong here…if the ncaa will punish usc for a player taking benefits a million years ago, but wont punish anything regarding dui’s, poking the eyes of other players(brandon spikes) they have to at some point step into a situation like this and say no way. this has been in alot of “criminal” “felony” trouble. just as case with mr newton down at auburn…yeah lets get busted for stealing school property but we can just transfer to another good school like auburn and play. the system sucks and im glad the ncaa actually told him no. shut up tony

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Nutt may be thanking the NCAA after the season is over. IF Masoli was granted the waiver then Ole Miss’ program would have been set back 2-3 years for this kids one year of eligibility.

Did the NCAA mention why they denied the waiver? I didn’t see that mention anywhere in the article. Was it because the kid has a pending criminal case? Or his parole officer wouldn’t let him leave the state? Sure the rules are in place for kids who do things the right way. For the kids who bust their arses to go to school and play a sports to better themselves. Paulus had a degree from Duke for Godsake. He was never arrested as far as I know.

Ole Miss should consider themselves lucky, unless they were planning on starting Masoli this weekend. LMAO if they were. Their other QB’s deserve that right.

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Um. If he transfers to a school that has a different masters program that is not offered at Oregon that he wants to take then it IS for academic purposes.

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To clarify one component of this conversation. Jeremiah Masoli payed for his tuition and expense to enroll at Ole Miss. He is not on any scholarship from Ole Miss. The jackasses at the NCAA have know for weeks they were going to deny his enrollment, yet they allowed him to pay his tuition, move to MS and incur all of the expense of enrolling and finding a place to live, etc. Now, it’s too late for him to do anything else. The NCAA jacked Jerrel Powe around for three years before allowing him to play ball. Now he is two semesters away from graduating and will be a multimillionaire come next years NFL draft. Could it be the NCAA is paying Ole Miss back for proving them wrong on Jerrel. The NCAA plays favorites every day. If Masoli was at Florida or Alabama or USC or Notre Dame, do you think he would have been denied? Watch and see if the player from Alabama is ruled ineligible after his interaction with an agent.
The NCAA wrote the rule and Masoli followed it to a T. If they don’t like the rule, change it. Another prime example of an organization out of control.

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I agree 100% with you. The rules are the rules. That is the way our country is set up. Not for someone, the NCAA, to have god like powers. Either go by the rules they set up or get rid of the rules.

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Hoops McCann, you idiot, if Saban has the NCAA in his pocket maybe you could explain why the NCAA reversed itself and ruled incoming Alabama freshman Alfy Hill ineligible at the last minute?

Masoli’s move to Ole Miss was a sham from an academic standpoint. The admission deadline for the Ole Miss grad school he supposedly is now interested in was April 1 for everybody else. Masoli could have been eligible for all but a bowl game if he never attended a class at Ole Miss. He shouldn’t be rewarded for being thrown out at Oregon.

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Powe was a 3rd year college studnet and could hardly read.

that why

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Rules are rules and morality is morality. One is personal and one is legal. Everyday people find legal ways to do things they want. There is an entire profession dedicated to this and many of them go to Ole Miss. They are called lawyers. There are loop holes in every set of rules and laws. I am from Oxford and ironically now live in Oregon. I am aware of both sides of this. The principle here is are there rules that are broken or not. You can not change rules situationally because you think it is fair or you become the rule breaker. If there was a crack left the rule, oh well. You can fix it for the next time. If Masoli continues to live as he has, he will run out of cracks soon enough and hit solid concrete. Let the system work do not become a vigilante in an attempt to execute some type super hero like sense of right and wrong.

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No, legally the NCAA is not wrong. Otherwise, a waiver not be needed. This ruling makes perfect sense. The rule is not in place to allow players to transfer to a better playing situation. The rule is to allow players to pursue their academic goals without having to give up football.

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i dont like tony barn at all but i cant help reading his crap while im bored at work i wonder if he would like to have candlelight dinners with saban and meyer

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I wonder if “stupid mutts” is a home grown idiot. Probably.

As far as Masoli is concerned, if he would have enrolled in the graduate program by the deadline, which was April 1st., instead of August 1st., I believe he would be able to play.

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Snipet borrowed from writer Alex Callos regarding Mettenberger :

” Whether or not he deserves a second chance is up for debate, but the fact is he is certain to receive one. When he chooses a team, Mettenberger will have to sit out another season due to NCAA transfer rules. He will then have three years of eligibility remaining and a wealth of potential.”

Same and similar to Masoli ruling..?

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Agree with Tony. NCAA allowed the 2 Tech linemen to enroll at Georgia State for the same reason, but won’t allow Masoli??? Can’t have it both ways. Masoli may be a bad kid, but he deserves the same chances as everyone else according to NCAA’s own rules.

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NCAA…Please! Please! Straighten this mess out before Congress decides to get involved!

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There is no loophole. Oregon does not offer the Parks and Recreation Management Masters degree. I don’t know how many schools in the Northwest, North or Northeast offer that degree, but there are a few in the South and Southeast that do.

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Now, now, gt.
Let’s try to use our “inside” voice, okay?

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92 colleges offer the degree (BS or MS not specified). Info from MatchCollege.com.

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You’re right, Tony. The “slippery slope” as someone noted, is not allowing someone to transfer under these circumstances. The slippery slope is the NCAA not following the rules THEY have in place. They are legally in the wrong, based on all the stories I’ve read. It’s not even, as many have called it, a loophole. He meets all the criteria to get this transfer waiver… again from everything I’ve seen. NCAA is not a moral enforcer. He wasn’t in any trouble with the NCAA. They can’t just say “That ain’t right.” Especially when everything seems to meet their criteria. For those that don’t get that, it’s very simple and common legal protocol.

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Why would the date of the application matter in a case like this? Does the NCAA really try to enforce application deadlines at the school it represents? Isnt that an academic matter for the school itself? Masoli definately wouldnt be the first student or student athlete to get an exception on an application deadline.

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I wasn’t in favor of letting Masoli on our football team, but I’m not Houston Nutt so that doesn’t really matter. With that said, I do not agree with the way the NCAA handled the case at all. They can say that he was trying to avoid disciplinary action from Oregon which may very well be true, but they should keep the same standard for everyone. Kenneth Cooper transferred and was granted eligibility to play at UAB after being dismissed from LA Tech. How is that for a good dose of hypocrisy? Also if the NCAA wanted to say that the transfers should only be granted for academic reasons I would be 100% okay with that, but if I remember correctly Greg Paulus was openly shopping for a football program after graduating from Duke. There goes that excuse…

Again, I didn’t agree with taking him on in the first place, but we did and he had all of the requirements needed. There was no grey area until yesterday…

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I can’t believe that Mark Richt didn’t go after this thug.

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Oh please. How thinly veiled can you get? He would have stayed at Oregon, then selected a graduate degree at Ole Miss solely to fit the criteria – Parks and Recreation. He may as well be a pro. This isn’t student athleticism. He is perfectly entitled to play next year (shouldn’t be), within the rules. Same school that was signing almost 40 in every class, causing the rules to have to be fixed. Ole Miss alums should be up in arms over this behavior.

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I would have to agree that the NCAA made the wrong decision here. What is the message they are sending? They are breaking their own rule to send a message about breaking team rules???? If he meets the letter of the rule, he should be allowed to play – if he can find someone willing to play him (which he did).

Frankly, I thought the NCAA was suppose to be about making sure the atheletes graduate (i.e. get the education they are on scholarship to get), which Masoli did. This sends the message that it is more about the football than the education (which of course we all knew anyway).

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NCAA killing by business plan.

w.masoliforHEISTman.com

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If the NCAA blocked every criminal from playing, nobody in the SEC wouldn be able to field a complete team.

PS Barnyard’s a bigger homer the me.

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You’re right Tony. He graduated, he got accepted into grad school. The rules say he can do that. It happens all the time. This is not about how much we may like him or not.
By the way, I have actually made more than one mistake in my life and I’m a good guy.
It’s that simple. Changing the rules when you feel like it is dead wrong, like it or not.
Is there any truth to the rumor I heard that Nick Saban was raising caine behind the scenes for this outcome??

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All I hear here is Masoli is victim or not victim…When it’s Nutt who is directing him through the loop holes !!! Now the NCAA is going to have to find another way to close a loop hole Nutt has exploited.

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He transferred to avoid the punishment of being suspended for the year. That has to be taken into consideration. I think the NCAA got it right. He was using a rule to avoid punishment and that is not right. It is very clear that this is the case and the NCAA finally did the right thing. He can still play next year at Ole Miss if he wants to. He just has to sit out this year.

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Isn’t Ole Miss’s graduate program that he’s enrolled in only a 1 year program? So if he redshirts this year he won’t be able to play next year will he?

http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/eslm/collateral/pdf/PRM-Master%20of%20Arts%20in%20PRM.pdf

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On a brighter note, the Gators on this blog might appreciate this story:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/gators/os-bianchi-john-brantley-dad-20100831,0,5605035.column

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According to some sanctimonious commets here, how can you be a “thug” and graduate in THREE years? Really? You guys DO know he has not even used a RS year in which most (who do grad in 3, really 4 total) use when they do essentially finish and play as grads. This guy is obviously disciplined enough to finish his studies in timely fashion, and yet his mis steps over shadow that.

Please…name another player of high profile (who many of you deem as a “thug”) that could boast not only graduating, but doing it in 3 years? The NCAA is a governing body of athletics. Masoli could have very well used his RS this year at Oregon after being dismissed (they were not revoking his scholarship, which happens often…as in the case of Masolis teammate – Jamere Holland, who transferred there from USC.

How about former SC backer Jordan Campbell, who was free and clear to transfer anywhere and the kid was BARELY in good standing and constantly disciplined by Carolls staff (on and off team for rules violations)?

The “spirit” of the rule? Really? Stop guys who are barely eligible (like Campbell) to transfer to another school with regard to an NCAA investigation that is 6 years to late. This situation is BIGGER than Masoli.

The NCAA is undermanned, and undertstaffed…yet attempting to regulate 110 plus division 1 football schools, 200 or so more that play D-1 basketball and the same amount with respect to baseball players.

The NCAA is attempting to send a message with their harsh line of delivering this 4-5 days before the opener. My only hope is that this system they employ would be done away with soas to not attempt to embody the “collegiate student athlete” crappola.

They have a vendetta, and with their probing of USC and various SEC schools….they are attempting to pump fear into AD’s and institutions. They know good and well through thier relations with university AD’s the message they could have communicated prior (as to chances these are granted and not) instead of allowing the deceit to continue…only to drop a bomb days before the opener.

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My main disagreement with those that either support Masoli or disagree with the NCAA’s decision is that they keep refering to him as a “kid”, as Tony did in his article. He is 22 years old. Period. He is old enough to suffer the consequences of his actions and as a result I have no sympthay for him.

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Danny Sheridan quote- ” The NCAA is a corrupt and highly politicized organization that would not be able to stand up to public or congressional scrutiny”.

Regardless of your feelings about Masoli being a thug your feelings are irrelevant. Rules are rules and MSREB post at 11:45 hit the nail on the head. It is a valid rule, Masoli fulfilled the requirements, his troubled past has ZERO relevance to this, and the NCAA needs to follow its own rules if it is to have any credibility.

Also, as Jackson noted in his 12:11 post Kenneth Cooper transferred to UAB after being dismissed from LA. Tech and was granted immediate eligibility. High profile former Duke B-ball star Greg Paulus was openly shopping for a football program after he graduated from Duke. Why was he granted eligibility?

Just cause you don’t like Masoli doesn’t mean you should be able to brazenly break your own rules as you go along. And I ask again- If an organization can’t even follow its own rules and bylaws then what good is it?

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They got this right. First it is called a waiver because the rule is he can not do it, but if he meets certian requirements they can waiver the rule. No where in their books those it say they have to. Also bending the rules to make it work is not right. As pointed out he graduated Oregon and to be eligible as a student athlete to play one must be enrolled in classes. He was already enrolled in a graduate program at Oregon so he could play there this fall. It is not like they did not have a program he wanted and left to find one. They had one he liked well enough to enroll there before he got kicked off the team. He decided after he got kicked off the team to change his program for he could play else where. It was all about football and nothing more. He had plenty of chances and blew them. So he is out and deserves to be.

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It’s a no brainer. This was a blatant attempt to use a rule, grounded in not penalizing a kid because his area of study is not offered, to circumvent punishment. Legally, arguments are made every day in courts regarding legislative intent. And these shenanigans are not what the NCAA was trying to facilitate by creating this exception.

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The NCAA is adjudicating the decision of Oregon to dismiss Masoli. I’m not sure that is within their scope. Gilbert and Yandell were both in good standing at Georgia Tech, both graduated early, but according to Yandell, he could not gain admission to Georgia Tech’s highly selective graduate program in management. In 2008 DT Daryl Richardson did play his final year while in the graduate management program. It depends on meeting the admission requirements.

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Ole Miss never gave Masoli a scholarship, so that is a non-issue. The NCAA specifically set up this transfer rule to benefit student athletes who were smart enough and motivated enough to seek out a legitimate second chance to play. Don’t let anyone fool you with the garbage academic argument. The NCAA obviously never expected a convicted criminal could be smart enough and motivated enough to play by their rules. Here are some examples: Greg Paulus from Duke to Syracuse. Eniel Polynice from Ole Miss to Seton Hall. I’m sure there are several more examples. Bryan Wright from Michigan to Bowling Green. I’m sure there are more. I’m comfortable assuming that none of these transfers was inspired by academics. Each team receiving one of these transfers had an immediate need for their services in athletics.

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It’s a no brainer. This was a blatant attempt to use a rule, grounded in not penalizing a kid because his area of study is not offered, to circumvent punishment. Legally, arguments are made every day in courts regarding legislative intent. And these shenanigans are not what the NCAA was trying to facilitate by creating this exception.

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Unless I have overlooked something, which is doubtful, there is no NCAA rule stating to be eligible, all a transfer has to do is enroll in a graduate program that is not available at his former institution.

That argument may have been used and/or could be used in a case, but the rule that you’re referring to – “The NCAA rule says something about the transfer being for academic reasons. But the requirement states that the transferring student must enroll in a graduate program not available at his former institution” – does not exist.

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Love that they bounced the convict off the field, Nutt was a schmuck for opening the door to the inmate. However, NCAA will NEVER win in court because they are way too self righteous about the rules and investigations. Rules? We don’t need no stinkin rules!
Whatever the reason this one works for me.

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The NCAA said that Masoli transferred to avoid punishment at Oregon.

They are wrong.

Masoli was kicked off the team. He could never play again. Therefore, he’s just moving on.

If Masoli attempted to transfer earlier, when he was suspended for the year, then they would be correct.

Masoli graduated thereby fulfilling his obligation to the U of O and should be able to take whatever remaining eligibility he has with him.

This is just another attempt by the NCAA to control players. There should be no reason why a school gets to retain a player’s “rights” after they have graduated.

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If the “spirit” of the rule was not to allow people like Masoli to circumvent it to avoid punishment then they need to rewrite the rule. You can’t fault Masoli or Ole Miss in this instance. If he followed the letter of the rule as it is written today then the NCAA should stand by it’s own rule and play fair. What’s next someone in the NCAA who has the authority to make a ruling decides that they don’t want to help a certain school or player for biased reasons?

This is the problem I have with the NCAA they have WAY too much power and no one oversees them. Throw out the moral issue of whether it’s right or wrong to give Masoli a 3rd chance or not. There are only two questions that matter:
1. Did he follow the letter of the rule as it is written TODAY?
-from all indications yes he did.
2. Based on the fact that he followed the rule as it is written TODAY should he be allowed to enroll at Ole Miss and play?
-YES.
As Tony stated it’s not a matter of what you, me or anyone else thinks or feels, the rule is the rule and it is unfair and flat out wrong to choose to enforce a rule or not enforce a rule based on feelings rather than facts. Otherwise, why have the rule in the first place?!

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Just Fine: It’s not a rule, it’s an exception. It applies to people who are unable to find their desired grad program at their original school. Not to allow people to find a major that isn’t offered at their school so they can transfer. What’s the point of making anyone wait a year otherwise, if all you have to do is find a major not offered? Seems pretty stupid. Go to H Ole Miss.

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Someone mentioned a scholarship. He is not on scholarship. He agreed to be a walk on and pay for his own schooling. I agree with Tony. The precedent is there. It has been done before. Everything in the rules that says he can be elegible Masoli met. He is in good standing with his former school and the graduate program he enrolled in is not available at Oregon. It’s clear that the NCAA is making a moral judgement and throwing out the rules, and yet they want their schools to follow the rules to the letter. Hypocrites!!

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TideWarrior, well said.

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Uona Kaveinga…in the same boat. But his issue was that he transferred from SC about 6 months too early. Sanctions came down, and BYU appealed him sitting out this year and being able to play under teh sanctions handed down though he transferred months before they were handed down…NOPE.

The sanctions are not academically related in allowing players to leave (frosh & Sophs). It’s to give young players a clean break…..and start over. Masoli finished. Which may othe rhigh profile players have done. To transfer and play as a grad. It’s mere formality. The NCAA makes, interprets, and hands down penalties. A self governing body. They need to be investigated.

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The NCAA got it right

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Delbert D,
“Oregon does not offer the Parks and Recreation Management Masters degree. I don’t know how many schools in the Northwest, North or Northeast offer that degree”

Unless snow plowing 101 is a major requirement of that program won’t see it in Michigan.

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The NCAA reads too many press clippings.

They came down hard on USC not because the evidence was strong, but because the media coverage was blistering.

Same with Masoli. The man has generated a lot of negative publicity.

The rabbit-eared NCAA doesn’t want to be seen to be enabling a “bad” man.

It’s a political decision by an organization that’s unaccountable and really rather unlikeable.

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“But this is not an ethical argument. It is a legal argument. There is a system in place that allows athletes who have graduated with eligibility remaining to transfer and become eligible immediately at another school. You simply have to fulfill the requirements, which Masoli did.”

No, Tony there is not a system in place where you simply have to fulfill the requirements. The requirements only allow you to be considered to recieve the waiver. It is not automatic and never has been.

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Hoops McCann,

Please provide your evidence of more corruption by Alabama. Most notably provide your proof that Saban has the NCAA in his back pocket. And while you’re at it please provide a reason as to why the NCAA refused Alfy Hill after initially approving his high school courses and his eligibility to enroll at Bama. I’ld like to see you try and explain that one.

Anyway, when you can provide your proof of Saban corrupting an official at the NCAA I will be happy to send you a check for $1,000. All you have to do is provide your proof. You can do that right? You know what they say money talks and boolsheet walks. I have a feeling you will be walking.

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It’s funny that Nutt got interested in the “people helping business” only after Cotton transferred.

Just because you can find a way to skirt around a rule doesn’t mean that it’s the right thing to do. The rule was put there for kids that already graduated and have a year of eligibility but want a 2nd degree and their school doesn’t offer the program. It’s very clear what it’s for and that Masoli didn’t fit the criteria.

He also doesn’t fit the general rule against transfers because of disciplinary reasons. “institution” could be interpreted as the university alone, but it certainly could also be seen as the athletic dept or the team.

14.5.1.3 Disciplinary Suspension. A student who transfers to any NCAA institution from a collegiate institution while the student is disqualified or suspended from the previous institution for disciplinary reasons (as opposed to academic reasons) must complete one calendar year of residence at the certifying institution.

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Just like Ben Mauk did a couple of years ago, when after losing his starting job at Wake Forest because of injury, he graduated, transferred to Cincinnati and started for the Bearcats.

And like Greg Paulus did last year. After four years of basketball for Duke, he graduated and transferred to play quarterback at Syracuse.

Well, Paulus might not be the best analogy. He sought a master’s in communications from Syracuse’s prestigious Newhouse School of Public Communications — and then he earned it in 11 months.

“I didn’t want to just have the extra year to play football,” said Paulus on Tuesday evening from Annapolis, Md., where he’s in his first season as an assistant basketball coach at the U.S. Naval Academy. “I wanted to compete and get the degree.”

But the big difference here, and no one is denying it, is Masoli’s off-field issues.

In a statement, the NCAA said it denied Masoli’s request because he was “unable to participate at the University of Oregon based on his dismissal from the team, which is contrary to the intent of the waiver.”

Well, OK — except this is an organization that routinely adheres strictly to the letter of the law, no matter how deserving a student-athlete’s case.

And now, when the law’s letter might favor a student-athlete — whatever we think of Masoli, deserving or not, he’s clearly a student — they’re discerning spirit, and intent?

Change the rule. Include a clause that requires a player to be in good disciplinary standing with his former school — or more to the point, with the football program.

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Also want to add, Reggie Nelson was NOT in trouble, I only meant that he and Masoli wanted to transfer to continue their collegiate careers.

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is the ncaa part of the federal guvmint?

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How many players get kicked off of a division 1 program for breaking team rules just to go to a division 2 program to play the next year!?….I don’t hear the NCAA making them sit out a season. In my opinion, it’s the same situation. He did everything he was supposed to do to be eligible. I feel that the NCAA should grant him eligibility.

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The NCAA is one of the most corrupt organizations on this planet, they should not be passing moral judgments. They hold the same lofty moral position as a sty-full of pigs.

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Bama Fan #2 said:
Tony you should be talking about Mark Ingram injury and want it could did to Alabama’s chances of
going 14-0 instead of this criminal story about him trying to play for Ole Miss!! RTR

… Seriously, Bama Fan #2 – “…want it could did…” Have you had any English classes since 3rd grade?

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There is nothing moral about the NCAA, they selectively stomp on the smaller schools while kissing the bottoms of the big boys. Mazoli should be allowed to play just as any other player’s have been allowed to. If is does not his family should own the Nasty NCAA lock stock and barrel.

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you, dude with the “stupid mutts” handle.

dont you know that “stupid mutts” is redundant ??

Just saying “mutts” will be sufficent.

Everyone knows the rest.

Thanks

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Hey Tide Rising/Delbert/UGA is Just Fine…(same guy using fake names?)

Why do you blog to yourself every day, using fake names, faking a conversation daily? 3 pages on Masoli? Give it a rest fella.

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I’m out of here, when the fake guy, comes in here, and starts talking to himself, that’s my cue to split.

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Tide Rising, how does getting kicked off the football team equate with leaving the university in good standing? He was in good standing academically but was kicked off the football team and I suspect out of the university as well. Kids get kicked out of universities for criminal behavior on a regular basis.

(A) – Who was kicked out of the University? Get the facts right. He GRADUATED. You cannot graduate if you arent in good standing with a university.

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How does Nelson figure into your discussion?

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Tony, When does the NCAA ever get it right. They suspended Renardo Sidney for a whole season +9 games, and they waited all season to do it, and they gave John Wall, who comitted the exact same infraction only a two game suspension. The NCAA has never been fair or equal in any of their punishments, it’s time for a whole new system.

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Reggie Nelson went to a community college and earned an associates degree before transferring to UF. Just like JUCO players do every year. His situation is not relevant to this PUNK Masoli.

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DP,

He was kicked off the team but he left the university in good academic standing. My only point is that according to the posts of several other bloggers on here the same exact thing has happened with several other players and they were granted eligibility. Where is the consistency? Seems to me the NCAA is just singling out Masoli in an arbitrary and capricious manner. I don’t like Masoli any more than anyone else on here. But rules are rules and the NCAA should follow its own rules and bylaws.

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How does Nelson figure into your discussion?

(A) Ryan Nelson, (not Reggie Smith) graduated from Utah. Transferred to UF as a grad the NEXT year when Urban was hired. Coincedence. Nelson used the same ruke Maoli was rejected for to move.

When he first heard about the new NCAA rule that allows a player that has graduated with football eligibility remaining to transfer without having to sit out, Urban Meyer was vocal in his opposition. Now that Ryan Smith has taken advantage of the rule and transferred in from Utah, Meyer still doesn’t like it but he’s happy it works in his favor this year.

Smith, who was a starter at Utah for Coach Urban Meyer’s 12-0 Fiesta Bowl championship team in 2004, got in his first practice at the University of Florida Tuesday evening and his presence adds a cornerback with starting experience at a position that is thin in both numbers and experience. The 5-10, 165-pound Smith graduated from Utah a few days ago with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He’s now enrolled in graduate school at Florida where he will pursue a master’s degree in educational leadership. He has two years of playing eligibility remaining.

Smith was planning to leave the Utah football team after a sophomore season where things just didn’t work out well. Meyer, the coach that recruited him to Utah, was at Florida where he took secondary coach Chuck Heater with him. The new defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Utah wanted bigger, more physical corners and that more or less squeezed Smith out. He decided to get his bachelor’s degree and then transfer to another school to play out the final two years of eligibility.

“I’m just glad to be here,” said Smith after Tuesday’s practice. “I don’t want to do too much talking about the past. Things happened and the cards fell that way. I graduated early. I took a lot of classes in summer school and I was done with my credits and I was ready to play football somewhere else.”

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@WreckBuzz…read all the examples given of players who did the exact same thing…got their degree, kicked off team or trouble with coaches etc. and were allowed to play. No where in the rule does it say anything about spirit of the rule or that they had to be in good standing with their team. They had to be in good standing with the school “Academically”

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If he’s met the requirements – then he should be able to play

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NCAA finally got one right. He was suspended from oregon and should not be able to transfer and compete this year. The kid has had chance after chance how is he going to ever learn unless he has some punishment!

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First of all, he isn’t on scholarship he is a walk-on. Secondly, the NCAA did not “arbitrarily say that this kid has a legitimate reason to transfer and that kid does not” There are specific notations in the rule that state that a player can not take advantage of this rule who are leaving to avoid punishment. This is the correct ruling on the issue and should not be overturned because TSUN needs a break at QB.

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The NCAA is right on the LEGAL side of this. The moral side is a non factor. Read NCAA bylaw 14.5.1.3 regarding disciplinary issues for transfers. Many predicted Masoli would not be eligible. There is precedence for this, check out Louis Irizarry from 2004. Per NCAA official regarding Irizarry: “A student athlete can’t just transfer away from their problems… If they say he’s ineligible at Ohio State, they are going to say he’s not eligible at your school either.”
Masoli was not in good disciplinary standing at Oregon, and was ineligible to play this year. Therefore, he must abide by the NCAA rules on bylaw 14.5.1.3 and be resident at Ole Miss one year in order to play. I’m a bit surprised that Ole MIss didn’t see this coming.

I can’t 100% confirm this, but I have also heard that the Ole Miss parks and recreation graduate program is a one year program, and that Masoli did not even sign up for enough hours to complete the program. Another NCAA bylaw on waiving the one year residency requirement is that the transfer be for academic and not athletic reasons. That is pretty difficult to prove, except in a case where the athlete does not register for the appropriate number of hours to make academic progress.

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Tony, I agree the NCAA got it wrong. I think it’s time the major conferences research pulling out of the NCAA. Brett McMurphy wrote a great article, http://tinyurl.com/2bpvut6, on this for fanhouse.com. While some of his suggestions were extreme, I do think it’s time to make the move.

Thanks to 468 US 85, conferences are free to negotiate their own TV contracts. Why do they need the NCAA? Individual conference, or a combination of conferences, are responsible enough and care about the student athlete enough to regulate themselves.

There have already been numerous references made here to the NCAA overstepping their bounds and being inconsistent. The instance that began this opinion for me was the Jeremy Bloom case at Colorado. Maybe Brian Bosworth had it right in that 1987 Orange Bowl after all, they are the National Communists Against Athletes.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks for your great articles about the game we both love.

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juvenal

“is the ncaa part of the federal guvmint?”

Dammit juvenal don’t give Obama any ideas!

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This kid should be allowed to play. The NCAA is trying too hard to change the rules as they go along. Last year Greg Paulus left Duke to play at Syracuse. He was not wanted on the Duke football team and left with no issues playing last season. Although the circumstances leading to the transfer are different they should lie in the same principles.

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He’s not on athletic scholarship, he still gets to pursue his degree in parks and rec mgt, just no football this season. Is it about playing football, or pursuing his degree? It should be about the degree…that’s what the rule is for. I don’t always agree with the decisions of the NCAA, but they got it right this time

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DP,

I have other issues with the NCAA as well. I know you probably hate rehashing the Bama probation but in that case the NCAA clearly did some unethical things- using another coach as a “secret” witness- does it get anymore disgusting than that? Also, one of the major violations in the Bama case Bama had self reported. According to the NCAA’s own rules they must respond to the self reported violation wihin 1 year or they cannot penalize the institution. The NCAA responded 16 months later, 4 months outside the window or statute of limitations. Bama pointed this out in its appeal. The NCAA acknowledged this but didn’t care. They simply chose to ignore their own rule.

I could write a termpaper about the fabrications proven in court documents of NCAA investigators in the Bama case, the case against Jackie Sherrill, and in the Jerry Tark case at UNLV. Tark successfully sued the NCAA and won big time- a lot of people don’t know that.

In the case against Tarkainian and UNLV the NCAA forced a player from Sudan to make up allegations against Tark. They told him that if he didn’t go along with the allegations they would have him and his family deported back to Sudan The guy was terrified because that was basically a death sentence. Ultimately he got a lawyer and all this crap that the NCAA was doing was exposed. That alone tells you how disgusting and filthy this organization really is. This organization answers to no one and its tactics are gestapo like in nature. So yes I do hate the NCAA and its not just because of the Bama probation. Its because of all the other arbitrary punishments and crap they do and the Masoli case is just another in a long line of examples.

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Also, how can Nutt (after b2b 9 win seasons) with oversigned recruiting classes, not have more than 1 QB on campus. I know about Cottons transfer, but cmon.

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Masolli has no shot at the NFL.

Guess he’ll just have to fina a place that offers a Masters program in Criminal Justice.

Does UGA’s Criminal Justice major, that so many current UGA football players are enrolled in, offer Bachelors and Masters degrees?

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Well damn.

Guess we’ll be running a lot of “Wild Rebel” formations.

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OK OK

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-KKKKKKKKKKKKKK !!!!!!!!!!

Who called me “Capricious and Arbitrary?”

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Sorry.

Wait, isn’t NCAA an acronym for Notoriously Capricious And Arbitrary?

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Every school has criminals Irish 11 players arrested FSU had players kicked off Tenn bar fights O Ducks with L. Blount and Masoli .

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The Paulus situation is nowhere close to comparable. Paulus returned home to Syracuse to attend grad school and enrolled in their prestigious communications program. Masoli was from the West Coast and Hawaii, went to college on the West Coast and then when Nutt mismanaged his qb’s into no depth Nutt finds him a Parks and Recreation program in Mississippi that Oregon doesn’t have. Masoli = criminal past. Paulus = Duke grad with no criminal record and willing to enroll in one of the country’s best academic programs in that field.

(A) So you are comparing “logistics” (Masoli is from the SF Bay Area BTW) to the pertinent reasons that Masoli being denied is relevant and nothing to do with Paulus?

Interesting two step you do there. I am gald you dont practice law. The NCAA has ONE duty. Follow their own guidelines.

-They both graduated
-They both relocated to places that had grad programs not offered at their previous schools (Paulus looked at Michigan, and the Carolinas as well…so there goes your “home” argument, who cares where he is from…he went where he would immediately play)
-The only difference was that Masoli had public troubles.

Masoli was in good academic standing at Oregon and could have stayed should he elected to. Masoli’s guilty plea has NOTHING to do with NCAA eligibility. Zero. The NCAA only hinges upon eligibility issues and academic standing which affects their OWN MEMBER institutions. Period. Stop with the lame generalizations.

Paulus sucked anyway. Badly.

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G8R GRAD,

I like the NCAA’s new nickname Notoriously Capricious And Arbitrary. It is a title very befitting such a corrupt organization.

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You know who should be thankful for this decision? The citizens of Oxford, Mississippi. They can thank the NCAA for making their streets safe to walk at night. Being able to leave their laptops at home. Being able to drive down the road and not have to wonder if some stoned punk isn’t going to hit them head on.

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Logistics? This isn’t about logistics but rather appearances. It is understandable on the surface that Paulus’ return to a place where he has a connection, in this case a big one, to enroll in a prestigious academic program could be considered within the spirit of the NCAA bylaw.

Masoli’s and Nutt’s intentions on the other hand are transparent and embarrassing to the NCAA. Masoli had no connection to Ole Miss or anything Mississippi, Nutt has admitted he had to find him a degree program and he didn’t leave Oregon and go to Ole Miss because of academics.

Why do some of you keep talking about law and lawyers? This isn’t a criminal case in a court. The NCAA can rule on waiver requests however they see fit. Has nothing to do with being a lwayer.

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As much as I would like to see Jeremiah face further consequences, this is not the right decison from the National Communists Against Athletes (ala Bosworth). The NCAA is fundementally just a collection of rules. It would be a terrible precedent to enforce the “spirit” of the rule and decline to enforce the “letter” of the rule. Programs all over would have a new defense, “we thought we were following the spirit of the rule if not the letter of the rule.” Its a Pandora’s Box.

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NCAA is dead wrong! Not only has he followed all of the guidelines, but Coach Nutt has saved this kid’s life! Masoli needed the Ole Miss community waaaay more than we needed him! He has made a complete 360 degree turn around, and for the NCAA to toy with a young man’s future without a legitimate basis is complete injustice! Futhermore, he is not on scholarship! Know your facts before you question my school’s treatment of players or its intent!
Last but not least, HOW MANY OF YOU ALABAMA FANS ACTUALLY STEPPED FOOT IN A CLASSROOM AT ALABAMA??? Saben will reap what he sows!
Hotty Toddy!

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Tony we know you love the SEC over everything. That being said I think you are wrong. Masoli is on PROBATION and can’t leave the state without premission. Do you think the agerage joe would get a chance to leave the state all the time without seeing their probation officer before they leave? We know the coach will say WE will make sure Masoli will be good, but hell what parent wouldn’t say the same. The SEC has proven time and again that they let LIL legal problems slide. I don’t think the Ole Miss fans want to pay the state to have a probation officer to travel with the away games and that is the only way to make sure Masoli is being a good boy.

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“(A) So how do you arbitrarily apply the rule and see it was for football only? Could the blind man see when Ryan Nelson (a starter on Utah’s 12-0 Fioesta Bowl Champ team) graduated and transferred to Florida where Urban Meyer HAPPENED to get a job the very next year?

Could the BLIND man see that? No difference here. It’s called inconsistency.

”
Answer.

I don’t know the details of that transfer. I guess Meyer did not go around poor mouthing about needing (whatever position Mr. Nelson played) because he had two no account players quit on him. Surely Mr. Meyer did not publicly state he had no interest in Mr. Nelson coming and then change his mind when a player at Mr. Nelson position decided to tranfer.

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Houston “No” Nutts gambled on a crook and was DENIED!! Watch No Nutts crying on ESPN because he doesn’t have any QB’s who are worth anything. The crime rate in Mississippi just dropped.

No
Crooks
Are
Allowed

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I think it is simple: If Jeremiah has met the specified requirments for the waiver, it should be granted. If not, he should not receive the waiver. If the NCAA does not like the way the waiver is being manipulated, WRITE A BETTER RULE! This is the NCAA’s problem to start with for writing a rule that did not incorporate the “spirit” of the rule into the rule itself. It is hard to believe that the NCAA is so incompetent as to not forsee such a circumstance as this. Is this the first graduate student that has been kicked off of a team and wanted to play somewhere else?

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MS. Bully,
I would hope to think that you are not a parent… and if so, I hope that your children are perfect and if not that they are never given a second chance at anything! Coach Nutt is a Class A, Christian man who takes pride in being a good role model for these players! Try gaining a little class instead of bashing a college kid whose made some dumb choices!
Hotty Toddy

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Scott,

If you can provide your proof that Saban pulled strings with the president of the NCAA to get Masoli denied then please provide your proof and I’ll send you a check for $1,000. Otherwise just STFU. Money talks and boolsheet walks.

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An unspeakable human tragedy.

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What is it you don’t see Tony? You said yourself that the rule says “something about the transfer being for academic reasons”. So there you go. He did not transfer for academic reasons, he transfered because he was no longer welcome on his former team. NCAA is right.

(A) How do you know he didn’t transfer for academic reason? Explain this please. The first leg of the spirit of this rule is WHAT? Furthering graduation rates. That’s it. Masoli fulfilled the core aspect of the spirit of this rule. GRADUATING.

Please Explain how it is a fact that Masoli did not transfer for academic reasons. Nothing he say she say or what we have read…but let us know what constitutes “non academic” reasons within the scope of what you state as being obvious.

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Tide Rising/MSREB said it best:
[Irrespective] of your feelings about Masoli being a thug, your “feelings” are irrelevant [empahsis added].

Anything else just looks punative, arrogant and condescending.

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George:

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Masoli met and meets every one of those requirements. He graduated from Oregon, was accepted into Ole Miss’ graduate school and began pursuing a Master of Arts in parks and recreation management, a graduate program not offered at Oregon.

The NCAA, in denying the request Tuesday, said, in part, that Masoli “was unable to participate at the University of Oregon based on his dismissal from the team, which is contrary to the intent of the waiver. The waiver exists to provide relief to student-athletes who transfer for academic reasons to pursue graduate studies, not to avoid disciplinary measures at the previous university.”

The intent of the waiver? Seriously? So now institutions are asked to not only know the rules numbered in the massive NCAA manual but they are also required to know the unwritten, unspoken intent of said rules?

Secondly, the NCAA ruled that there was a discrepancy between when Oregon dismissed Masoli and when Masoli began to consider transferring. For the record, Masoli pled guilty in March to misdemeanor burglary and was suspended for the 2010 season by Oregon coach Chip Kelly. In June, after Masoli was cited for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, the second-team All-Pac 10 quarterback was dismissed from the Ducks’ program (but not from Oregon University, which bears noting). Masoli completed his degree requirements at Oregon in June, applied to Ole Miss on July 24 and was accepted.

“Regarding the time discrepancies with the recollection of the institution and Jeremiah, the staff attempted to determine when Jeremiah started thinking of a transfer,” Ole Miss athletics director Pete Boone said. “I think this is a difficult task for anyone, even David Blaine, to try to accomplish.”

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Very well said OLEMISSMRS! Agree 100%

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G8R GRAD,

MSREB probably had the best post of the day. MoMo has a lot of logical points on the matter also.

But to the post of the day goes to George at 4;06. “An unspeakable human tragedy.”

LMAFAO over that one.

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DP, Marvin twitters about being broke, but he’s got a Visa w/ enough credit to buy a $375 ticket to Miami. And he decided to stay “broke” for another year and passed up millions to play his Sr. yr. Why would he take agent change w/ he’ll be a millionaire in a few months?
And the tutor is a tutor…not a nannie to BD’s 17 yr. old son. The son needed a tutor. Butch hired one used by the school. Where’s the foul? Her tutoring of several footballers was within her school sanctioned responsibility. She didn’t write papers. She got mentioned as a good tutor on Greg Little’s laptop emails sent to other teammates. The ncaa seized it. Where’s the foul in writing teammates emails about having a good tutor? This whole agentgate and tutorgate is crapgate.

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Cruiser

September 1st, 2010
1:59 pm
Hey Tide Rising/Delbert/UGA is Just Fine…(same guy using fake names?)

Why do you blog to yourself every day, using fake names, faking a conversation daily? 3 pages on Masoli? Give it a rest fella.

Guess some people find it hard to believe that 3 individuals could possibly hold the same opinion!

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I’ll take NCAA criminal conspiracies for $400.

Clue:
If Jeremiah Masoli hadn’t been suspended this year from the Oregon Ducks team, then subsequentially dismissed from the team, where do you people think he would be getting his Phd from?

What is the University of Oregon? Alex

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As written I think the rule should allows Masoli to play this season even if it isn’t intended to allow athletes to escape discipline at a previous school. That’s the NCAA’s fault for not covering this type of issue when they made the rule, but they’re not the court system so they can basically do what they want. If they were rational thinkers they would go ahead and let Masoli play and then fix the rule so this doesn’t happen again, but per usual they’ll continue to do things arbitrarily and continue to set bad precedents.

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Enter your comments here

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Masoli got so many chances, even after stealing the computer. At some point, after the drugs, and stealing the computer, you have to say enough.

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gdawginkalamazoo,
Not if he wanted a PHD in Park’s and Recreation… Your argument is of no merit. He GRADUATED and was free to persue a PHD from anywhere!

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That’s right guys, Van, as usual, makes an excellent point.

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UGA is Just Fine…

Yeah, most of us have a hard time believing more than 1 person, could say the same thing, the same way. You could be Tide Rising or Delbert, I think so too.

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Did you mean “Laughed My F’ing ( ! ) Off?”

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Thanks folks. Genius might be too strong, but I’ll take it.

You see, to want to get out of a bad situation, where you’ve admitted in court you stole property, by going to another school, as to allow yourself to play right away, is a way of attempting to circumvent the circumstances.

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Van, good point man. Thanks so much for spending a few minutes with us today.

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So because I referenced someone else’s point that I happen to agree with means it’s the same person? So using that logic: Larry, Cruisier and Greg are all the same person. whatever think what you will, just don’t try to become a detective.

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I agree, -the NCAA is wrong, -though I would not want Mr Masoli on my team. If the NCAA insists on players, member institutions, and their boosters to follow the rules in the strictest fashion, then the NCAA should not hypocrically ignore the rules. If the NCAA has a problem with the spirit of a rule being compromised, they should amend the verbage of the rule to reflect it.

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I think the problem lies with Ole Miss and their Masters program in Parks and Recreation. A two month course of study and you are ready to unlock the gate and turn on the lights to the tennis courts at the park. For the Phd level classes you learn not only how to run the leaf blower but also how to start it in less than three pulls. You also have labs where you learn to change the oil and sharpen the blades in the John Deere deck mower. The Scoreboarding 500 level course teaches neat things like: how to get the crowd to yell at you for not putting the score quick enough during tee ball games, speed up game play by skipping a couple of innings on the scoreboard, and end the game early by adding outs when the crowd isn’t looking.

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i see both sides, but posturing the NCAA as being bound by some law is a joke. there is no right to play college athletics. it is entirely a privilege. because masoli was using the transfer for the SOLE purpose of getting out of punishment that he both caused and should endure at Oregon, he was trying to weasel out of a situation that was his own doing. He didn’t transfer to Ole Siss in order to get a degree that wasn’t offered at Oregon. He transferred under the premise that this was the case, but it isn’t the case at all.

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The NCAA is totally wrong on this. How is it wrong for Masoli to use the rule to his advantage and not wrong for Greg Paulus? Everybody knows the rule was born out of academic concerns, but in reality it has been used as a loophole for players to pick and choose their team after graduation without sitting out. Paulus had a degree from Duke. Do you really think he had to go to Syracuse for academic reasons? He obviously went there for they’re football program and just picked a graduate program that Duke didn’t have, just like everybody else who has taken advantage of this rule. The NCAA shouldn’t all of a sudden be concerned about the “intent” of the rule. They should treat Masoli like everybody else before him. It makes no difference what you or I think about Masoli from a character standpoint. He has every right to use the rule to his advantage and expect his waiver to be approved just as those before him. If the NCAA doesn’t like it then change the rule allowing the waiver. But if a guy transfers to another school and enrolls in a graduate program that is not available at his previous school, and he has properly transfered, then grant the waiver.

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Greg

September 1st, 2010
4:49 pm
Sometimes Tide Rising sounds a lot like MoMo.

(A) Nice try. I am from Los Angeles (Long Beach specifically) and a former CFB player, so I def have an interest in the Masoli issue. Plus, I went to JC (in the late 90’s) in the same conf as the one Masoli came from CCSF who annually produces a gamut of the top talent in the JC ranks. One I know who went to Bama was a kid from kentucky (signed with Kentucky, didn’t report, wentto CCSF and was the def POY two years in a row in the conf and an All American) named Miguel Merritt.

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And Merrit after CCSF signed with Bama

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Mrs. Oxford Rebel,

Do you think for one minute that if Masoli had not committed and admitted to the crimes that he would voluntarily leave Oregon his senior year (Heisman contender, potential PAC 10 Champs, Rose Bowl, possible NC title shot) to go to Ole Miss for a year to get a masters in Parks and Rec? If so all hail the Nutt nation!

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Greg, nice, ouch!

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Momo/Tide Rising/BullDawg/Patrick Sulley (might they all be the same dude?)

Please, limit your posts to 50 words or less.

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Larry

September 1st, 2010
5:05 pm
Momo/Tide Rising/BullDawg/Patrick Sulley (might they all be the same dude?)

Please, limit your posts to 50 words or less.

(A) OMG…Sulley? The Sulley troll from the ESPN message boards????????? He is HERE too???? Wow. Now, HE is a troll.

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Anyone having never been given another chance at any time in their life has the right to say someone or anyone else doesn’t deserve another chance. The rest of you self righttous individuals should just shut up! Silence is golden and, in this case, deafenning.

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I don’t think someone like him belongs in college football….PERIOD!!! Send a message to the other thug felons that playing football in college is a luxury.

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No gdawginkalamazoo I do not! However, he made his choices and were dealt his cards. At least he did not quit school all together and earned a degree (unlike most “thugs”). And yes, we needed him at QB. BUT he needed us too! Ole Miss offers a staff of Christian men who are excellent role models to these young men! Masoli was headed in the wrong direction, and found Ole Miss to be a place to turn it all around! Futhermore as Tony stated, he was within the NCAA guidelines whether you like him or not or the idea of us having an outstanding QB or not! As stated on this site, it has been done before in this exact same case and the only injustice of any importance is to Jeremiah Masoli!

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everybody else has to sit out a year, why does he not have to? Gee, I cannot imagine why the NCAA would not consult with you…if the kid transferred somewhere besides the SEC, you wouldn’t even care

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The comments on Greg Paulus crack me up.
He was told by Cutcliffe that he wouldn’t play (Lewis was the starter). He had a try out with the Green Bay Packers after his SR year at Duke. He went to a number of schools to see how he would fit in their offense and eventually went to Syracuse. Now the “mind readers” on this blog seem to have read his intent to be governed academics rather than football, but the try out with the Pck kind of gives it away.
BTW – WHen it comes to Paulus, I hated him as a Duke b’ball player but love his smarts, toughness and work ethic. He’s going to be a good coach

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WRAL early news just announced that Marvin Austin has been suspended indefinitely. The reason is that he has been dogging it in practice and has been skipping classes, presumably because he knew he was not going to be playing any time soon.
We’ll find out who else is sitting out (possibly 7 starters according to the N&O) on Friday or Saturday.
The bad news for UNC fans continue – TJ Yates is not implicated in AgentGate or the tutor scandal.

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The NCAA, like unions, has outlived it’s usefullness……time to re-organize.

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Hey MoMo-

name all your brothers and sisters fast, and your Mom’s middle name.

By the way, if you’re stealing someone’s identity, you’ll be permanently banned from all AJC blogs.

(A) No, LOL…I am not. The picture HELPS to prove my identity. In fact…you would do some research on the photo….you would know that I played at a DII school after leaving JC and played 6 years in the NFL. Care to take a stab? I even played in Toronto one year. Take a guess? Not hard.

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No worries about stealing ANYTHING. The guys here I am certain can detect IP addresses, email similarities, etc…and plus…they have my REAL name in the email field. Go figure, right?

Like I said before dude, do better investigative work. Your shoddy work has seriously hijacked the ENTIRE thread! Relax.

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MoMo,

If you’re willing to tell me how Utah beat us in our own backyard then you and I are without a doubt 2 different people.

The guy posting as Greg and Larry is Patrick Sulley aka simple simon, q-dog, and about 100 other different handles.

Lately he is just using everyday names like Greg and Larry. And since this troll has been busted so many times trolling with the same stuff over and over he then turns around and tries to say that myself, beast from the east, and several other posters who call him out are all the same person. So today he is saying that me, Momo, and a few others including Patrick Sulley of all people are the same person. What a moron.

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wELL, LOOKIE HERE WHO SHOWED UP, NONE OTHER THAN tIDE rISING. WHAT AN AMAZING SURPRISE.

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F Dog-

Don’t think MoMo will be supplying any of his family’s name, or his birthdate, wonder why?

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MoMo/Tide Rising (all your handles, can’t keep up)

Why do you have conversations with yourself on the blog? I’d like to see you banned this yar, so we don’t have to read your useless monolgues to yourself for 3 or 4 pages a day on blogs like this. Who has the time?

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MoMo-

What’s your birthdate man?

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F Dog

September 1st, 2010
5:37 pm
MoMo-

What’s your birthdate man?

(A) Sulley. Nice. Nice way to try and turn the tables. I’m out dude.

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Lately he is just using everyday names like Greg and Larry. And since this troll has been busted so many times trolling with the same stuff over and over he then turns around and tries to say that myself, beast from the east, and several other posters who call him out are all the same person. So today he is saying that me, Momo, and a few others including Patrick Sulley of all people are the same person. What a moron.

(A) Makes sense. I got caught in the trap.

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look its not about if your feelings are hurt cause he stole something. he got kicked off the team for pot? come on now pot will be lagal b4 you know it and dont belittle him cause it makes you no better. im sure all you have never seen pot cause your morals are so strong! haha yea right. NCAA wrong again. there isnt a rule for morals. he completed all requirements. END OF STORY! theres nothing else to say. he did what he was asked. just another kid like dez bryant who is getting screwed. at least dez actually broke a rule. Masoli was in good standing. Therefore let him play and go by the rules you set NCAA. Arent you supposed to know the rules it is your job…just saying your wrong again!

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Most people are missing the point here. Yes Masoli probably doesnt deserve to even play D1 football at all. But the NCAA are pathetic. Everyone else has to follow their policy no matter how stupid but they can make it up as they go along. If Masoli found a loop hole, then thats the ncaa’s fault and they should have closed it long ago.

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Nonetheless it was good convo…some good points, in the end…consistency. Masoli should play under the letter of the rule as it was simply formed to boost graduation rates…and that is what Masoli did…graduate…so he should have the benefit of the rule as Kevin Kruger (son of Lon Kruger transferred from ASU to UNLV to play basketball for his dad, did not sit out..was granted the waiver)…or Greg Paulus who even tried out for NFL teams before deciding on Syracuse.

Let the man play. He graduated, nuff said.

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Kevin Kruger being given the waiver to play FOR HIS DAD! Crazy.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2512779

Kevin Kruger became the first college basketball player to use a new rule that allows players to transfer without sitting out a year as long as they graduated and have one year of eligibility remaining.

Kruger, the top returning scorer for Arizona State, graduated this week after the first summer session. Once he had his degree, he informed Sun Devils coach Herb Sendek that he was off to play for his father, Lon Kruger, at UNLV next season. Kruger redshirted his first season at ASU.

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MightyQuinn, given this recent Twitter from Marvin Austin, you might not want to be taking shots at the grammar and punctuation of SEC football players:

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/accnow/uncs-austin-suspended-indefinitely#ixzz0yJjnHzok

“I came back to school to have my character questions..[expletive]..i thought educationi was key.. I dont really understand…i though it was the right thing to do..maybe i was mistaken…i like to say thanx to all those who stand by me i really appriecate it. oh yea and to those who wanna see me fall i wont cause i dont great athletes stay on their feet!!!!!”

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It’s ALL corrupt. I mean the BG’s are legall sanctioned “non-profit” charitable events….but we all know there is a huge cash exchange going on here. It’s a CASH COW.

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DP,
That is a riot! Sounds like he was tutored by Corrine Brown, one of UF’s most (in)famous alums!

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Is Masoli a proven quarterback? Yes.

Is Houston Nutt’s decision making in question after getting him to Ole Miss? Yes.

Is this all about Ole Miss winning games? Yes.

Did Masoli get screwed by the NCAA? Yes.

There is no way I would want this kid on my team. He had two chances at Oregon and blown them both. Furthermore, I would not want this kind of kid involved in my program, period.

However, the kid got screwed by the NCAA. The NCAA is clearly not following their own guidelines here and they need to be held accountable. This comes as no surprise to me and I am sure anyone else who follows college football isn’t surprised either. I think Ole Miss has a legitimate appeal with the NCAA. The timing of the ruling is stellar too, but that’s just par for the course (i.e. 5 years late with USC).

A lot of “experts” are praising the NCAA with their decision on this kid. I have to disagree, this is a legal issue only, not an ethical or moral one.

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This might have already been pointed out but I will say it anyway. This is the right ruling for the future of college football. Someone needs to teach these young guys that you will be held accountable for your actions even if there is a loop hole you are trying to slide through. It makes my stomach sick to read the articles with Masoli and Nutt saying that this kid has done everything the right way. Are you kidding me??? How many times has he been arrested since he was in high school??? Someone needs to discipline him and make him actually pay for what he has done. Oregon did but then Ole Miss grabs him as soon as they need another qb. What does that teach other young guys coming up. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you win football games. Actually the president of Ole Miss should be the one ashamed for even letting him into their graduate school.

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Bottom line, this is all about winning ball games and putting your team in the best position to win. It seems to be a great opportunity for Ole Miss in that regard, getting a QB of this caliber. That being said, I think that’s all it is, winning games. Ole Miss is concerned solely with winning games, generating revenue, boosting recruiting and getting their program to the next level. That is definitely the name of the game and you won’t hear any argument from me on that topic.

I just think there is something to be said for coaches who are able to accomplish that with players whose character is not in question.

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I think all of you “God wannabes” should get together and stone Masoli. Just kill him. Throw “big” rocks at him. According to you he’s not worth his own skin. I’d be willing to bet that there are plenty of skeletons in your closets, or, you’re “perfect people” … not! So, give the kid a chance or throw him away? Better think hard. If you vote to throw him then I say you think more of yourselves than you ought.

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Couldn’t agree with you more. This is another example of the NCAA bending their rules for reasons other than the facts at hand. I agree that there are several arguments for and against the young man, but that is not the issue here. The issue is simply whether or not the NCAA should be allowed to manipulate the rules to meet an end that cannot be justified. A rule, is a rule, is a rule and this one was spelled out clearly. The player met the requirements that SHOULD allow him to play.

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My contention is that too many exceptions are made to “get winning players”. Colleges exist to educate, the Presidents, AD’s and Coaches should be collectively ashamed of the graduation rates of these players, most of whom will not become pros nor having achieved a degree. Its not the NCAA that is throwing players away, its the schools themselves.

(A) You hit the nail on the head. What is the spirit of this rule? GRADUATION…which is what Masoli did. The spirit of this rule was in regard to fledging graduation rates. I am sure the thought was that someone who graduates would not find themselves in situations like this. That is what makes this so unique.

Others have taken the “spirit” of the rule (Kevein Kruger transferring from Arizona State after graduating to play hoops at UNLV for his dad Lon as a grad) to their benefit. The NCAA is stepping outside of the bounds of the rule because Masoli has graduated, and the rule (and loophole in it) clearly benefits him.

The fact the NCAA is attempting to determine “when” he decided to transfer and essentially draw a timeline is circumstantial in this ruling. It sucks because they are self governed as an organization.

How can you logically go back and forth between letter and spirit when serving discipline and policing institutions? You can’t, it’s not ethical and not consistent. That is the problem here….consistency.

On paper, Masoli meets the criteria just as everyone before him does. How could they deny Masoli but look at Kevin Kruger and approved his waiver to play for his dad in Vegas a few years ago?

The double standard is mind boggling.

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I agree with you John…..One word, RACIAL…….I know a good lawyer.

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“However, the kid got screwed by the NCAA. The NCAA is clearly not following their own guidelines here and they need to be held accountable.”

Therein lies the problem with the NCAA. They are accountable to no one and this is why this is a corrupt, politicized organization that routinely flouts its own rules and bylaws.

Can someone on here tell me what the hell good is a governing body if it can’t or won’t follow its own rules?

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I disagree, Masoli had every intention of playing for Oregon, he wasn’t looking for a school to transfer to since Oregon did not offer this major. He was attempting to manipulate the system and the NCAA saw through this.

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Jamie and Neil,

First of all aint neither of you mindreaders. He transferred for academic reasons in the same way that Greg Paulus and about 5 other guys that took advantage of the rule transferred for. He was going for a masters. End of story. Jamie, not everyone can be the perfect person that you are and the fact of the matter is that his criminal history has no relevance to the debate at hand. Or maybe your dumbazz didn’t read that. Neil, there was no “manipulating” the system you dolt. The dude used the same exact rule that Greg Paulus and many other athletes used. Perhaps you also need to read the damn article.

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The NCAA is a cartel that operates to further there bias agenda and financial gain. A new regulatory agency should be put in place that is privately run and puts the safety of the student/athelete first. I don’t care if your getting a degree in Fart whistling. A student/athelete is a just that one who is benefiting the unversity both financially and academically at the same time. To much money is involved to run the NCAA like a government entity that regulates lives and the pursuit of happiness. Go PRIVATE and let the lawyers DESOLVE the NCAA.

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The NCAA is dead wrong on this one. Like Mazoli or not, rules are rules. Mazoli followed the rules and should be able to play. Any decent lawyer will have him on the field before their second game.
If the NCAA doesn’t like what happened then re-write the rule for the future but they are stuck with their own creation in regard to Mazoli.

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A rule is a rule. Follow it or change it but don’t manipulate it for your own benefit. Leave that to the Republican Party.

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No way should this kid get a chance to play. He’s been a problem since day one and should not get the benefits that other student athletes, who do the right thing, get. He was suspended from Oregon and should have to serve that penalty regardless of what this “kid” wants to do.

He’s had too many chances. If the theft was a first offense, fine, we’ve all made bad decisions, but this is a pattern. Just because he’s got athletic skills does not mean he should be put above the normal standards. I may not agree with the NCAA on many of their rulings, but this guy has no business to be given the opportunity to get away with no repercussions.

He’s a cancer to any program. He’ll be the same at Ole Miss.

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Va Dawg, that last line was pretty funny, i almost choked,,, you were being facetious, right??? please tell me you were being facetious..

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When Sam McGuffie transferred from Michigan to Rice to be closer to his family he had to sit out a year…..why should this little ciminal/burglar Masoli get special treatment? He’s lucky he’s not in jail in Oregon.

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CARDFAN – You are wrong. It is not in the NCAA charter , bylaws, and rules pertaining to granting eligibility to collect facts and but then make subjective rulings. It is clear they are to enfore their own rules and policies – not make them up as they go or arbitrarily alter them to fit different circumstances. This is a case where they only had to look at the eligibility requirments, say check, check and check, and rubber stamp it. This is a case where outside influences cried like babies and the NCAA in turn felt the pressure but then acted egregiously. They messed this one up plain and simple.

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JB,

You must not have read the article. First of all Masoli’s criminal misdeeds have zero relevance to the topic at hand. Secondly, if you wanted to bring it into the discussion there were several other players who had done criminal misdeeds and used this same rule. Why did they get eligibility after being booted from their teams but Masoli doesn’t?

tiger_7 88,

You sir are the dumb arse. Does Masoli not have the right to change what he wants to earn a masters degree in? Idiot! The idea that he is going to Ole Miss solely for football is your opinion. You can’t prove it because you are not a mind reader. Additionally, when Greg Paulus of Duke used this rule last year he basically went football school shopping. Why did he get to use the rule when it was obvious he was doing this solely to play football? Ever think of that genius? No? I didn’t think you did.

crabapple joe,

Sam Guffie transferring before graduating and sitting out a year is an entirely different situation. Idiot. Its apples and oranges and this rule applies to people who graduate and have a yer of eligibility left and want to pursue a masters.

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It is simply amazing that folks cannot seperate Masoli’s “thug” nature and how the decision of the NCAA should have gone down. Go splash water on your face and do your home work. The NCAA is not supposed to create rules and requirements around elgibility and act upon them for some and not for others – WITH THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES!!!

Read the following as this is th weak argument the NCAA made in trying to defend their waiver decison:

….”In its decision, the NCAA staff noted Masoli was unable to participate at Oregon based on his dismissal from the team, which is contrary to the intent of the waiver opportunity. The waiver process exists to provide relief to student-athletes who transfer to pursue graduate studies for academic reasons. The staff reasoned that the intent was not for student-athletes to avoid disciplinary measures at another university.”….

The stated rule in the NCAA handbook is:

…..14.5.1.3 Disciplinary Suspension.

A student who transfers to any NCAA institution from a collegiate institution while the student is disqualified or suspended from the previous institution for disciplinary reasons (as opposed to academic reasons). Okay, the issue is what constitutes “disqualified or suspended from the previous institution for disciplinary reasons”.. Was Masoli disqualified from the institution known as the University of Oregon?? No, but that’s the reasonable interpretation one would make after reading the citation verbatim.

Okay, while we’re on the topic of dismissals from institutions or teams, what about the case of Kenneth Cooper??

The interesting part is that Cooper was dismissed from the Louisiana Tech team after 15 games. He stayed at LA Tech that semester to complete his undergrad degree, then transferred to UAB so he could gain immediate playing time as a graduate student..

These circumstances likely established a precedent for the Masoli request to be approved, but no… The Cooper waiver makes you wonder about how the NCAA conducts its business. Is the NCAA more concerned about Masoli than Cooper, even though their circumstances are exactly the same??

Anyway, from the article about Cooper:

Cooper and Drake were granted graduate transfer waivers by the NCAA and will be eligible to play this season. They have been attending classes at UAB since August and participating in individual workouts.

The 6-foot-10, 260-pound Cooper gives UAB size and strength inside. He played in 67 games during two seasons with Oklahoma State before transferring to Louisiana Tech. Cooper sat out for a season and played in 15 games last season before being dismissed by Tech head coach Kerry Rupp for violation of team rules. Cooper averaged 11.7 points and 7.1 rebounds at the time.

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Here’s what ANOTHER Senior Sports Writer wrote:

The NCAA Got It Right: Masoli Should Be Ineligible at Ole Miss

September 1, 2010 Clay Travis Senior College Correspondent

http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/08/31/the-ncaa-got-it-right-masoli-should-be-ineligible-at-ole-miss/

In a move that renders moot all of Ole Miss’ attempted machinations to get former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli eligible for the 2010 football season, the NCAA ruled Masoli ineligible for this year. Masoli can go on scholarship immediately, but he has to sit out a year before he’d be able to take the field as a fifth-year senior in 2011. Ole Miss has appealed the ruling. But, in this particular instance, the NCAA made the correct decision.

For starters, the graduate transfer rule is frequently abused and many players who have graduated in three years have taken advantage of it. The graduate transfer rule allows a player who has graduated from one institution to transfer to another institution without sitting out a year if that institution features a course of graduate study not offered at the first institution. In practice, this makes three-year college grads free agents in their fourth year.

Suddenly, voila, you develop an interest in the one or two graduate courses not offered at your present university. Look around and, wow, it’s offered at another school that has less depth at your position. In Masoli’s case, it meant he was fulfilling a lifelong educational dream by enrolling in the graduate program in parks and recreation at Ole Miss. (Presumably the University of Oregon’s shrubbery is in a considerable state of disrepair). As a side benefit to the educational opportunity, wink, wink, Masoli would be able to take the field for the Rebels in the fall.

All he needed was for the NCAA to approve his transfer waiver.

But Masoli represents a unique precedent. Yes, he graduated from Oregon in three years, which makes him eligible to transfer and play immediately, but he isn’t eligible to continue playing football at Oregon because he’s been dismissed from the team. Put succinctly, Masoli’s situation has never happened before: a player smart enough to graduate in three years from college, yet also dumb enough to need to transfer because of two run-ins with the court system. Included is one guilty plea that left him unable to play football in 2010 at his former university (as he was kicked off the team).

That left the NCAA in a bind. Apply the bogus transfer rule and its fig leaf of a justification — that the reason the player switched institutions was because he wished to pursue a course of study not offered at his present university — becomes even more absurd. That’s because Masoli represents a dual delegitimization of the transfer rule. Masoli is transferring to Ole Miss because he a) wishes to pursue a course of graduate study not offered at his own school and b) can’t play football anywhere unless he gets that transfer.

Quoth the NCAA on the result:

“In its decision, the staff noted the student-athlete was unable to participate at the University of Oregon based on his dismissal from the team, which is contrary to the intent of the waiver. The waiver exists to provide relief to student-athletes who transfer for academic reasons to pursue graduate studies, not to avoid disciplinary measures at the previous university.”

The NCAA made the correct ruling on Jeremiah Masoli and used his particular precedent to avoid expanding the intent of an already abused rule. Sometimes, believe it or not, the NCAA makes the right decision.
Rule otherwise and effectively the transfer loophole rule is expanded to an even greater degree — graduate in three years from a university and you can immediately play a fourth year at any institution provided you aren’t serving time in jail. Read in this light, the NCAA’s ruling requires that the transfer rule not exist as a means to avoid an existing punishment levied at a previous university. For most objective readers, that reasoning makes sense. The intent of the rule matters, and Masoli’s situation was not within that intent.

But, and here’s the rub, that limiting language is not actually in the transfer rule. So does the NCAA exist to formally apply the rules or to functionally apply the rules? And here you could start a war with lawyers. Form vs. function, the Supreme Court’s Antonin Scalia vs. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, what is the job of a person or judicial body when it comes to applying a set of rules?

Ultimately, the NCAA has the power to functionally apply the rules — which is why it has to grant the waiver in the first place. A player may receive a transfer waiver from the general rule that requires a player to sit out a year before playing, but he isn’t guaranteed one. Ole Miss wants a rubber stamp on every graduate transfer — at least in this case, I suspect it would feel differently if Masoli was trying to get eligible at, say, Mississippi State — while the NCAA is insisting on the right to examine the circumstances surrounding the transfer.

The NCAA’s decision, predictably, left Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt all atwitter.

“We’re in the people-helping business,” Nutt said

By which Nutt meant he is in the business of helping people who give him a better chance to win football games. He continued: “We’re trying to make a difference in young peoples’ lives. That’s what we do. I really wish the (appeals) committee would look very very hard at it. He’s done everything the right way.” Presumably by “everything the right way,” Nutt means since the arrest, guilty plea, and drug possession citation in Oregon this past spring.

Despite Nutt’s plea, Masoli’s expressed graduate study interest in parks and recreation, significantly, isn’t at issue. Nor is his ability to transfer, accept a scholarship, practice with the team, pursue his chosen course of graduate study, or play football. All the NCAA has limited with this ruling is the year that Masoli can play, 2011 instead of 2010.

That seems eminently fair. After all, if Nutt really is in the “people-helping business” now he’ll have two years to help Masoli at Ole Miss instead of one.

Plus if Masoli is so enamored with parks and recreation at Ole Miss, he can work on that graduate degree for a year and take the field for the Rebels come 2011. If he isn’t, then he can sit out a year back at Oregon and be eligible to play there in 2011, assuming coach Chip Kelly is willing to take him back.

Or he can leave school and pursue a career as he sees fit without playing college football again. What he can’t do is skip his football punishment by leaping from one school to another without sitting out a year because of the graduate transfer rule. As I wrote last month, I’m not against Jeremiah Masoli using the transfer rule to his benefit, but upon closer examination, I think the NCAA ruled correctly in this case. The only way that Masoli could play football this year wasn’t just by exploiting a rule, but by exploiting the intent of a rule that already exploited a rule. Eventually, that was just too much exploitation. Even for the NCAA.

It’s easy to criticize the NCAA, but in this case that criticism is misguided. The NCAA made the correct ruling on Jeremiah Masoli and used his particular precedent to avoid expanding the intent of an already abused rule. Sometimes, believe it or not, the NCAA makes the right decision.

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Nice work, 404.

Clay Travis is to Tony Barnhart what Ed Orgeron is to Nick Saban.

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NCAA got it right. He can’t play this season – but he can play in 2011 if he attends class and makes his grades. Caulkins in the Commercial Appeal got it right. Barnhart is WRONG.

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Maybe it’s just me, but it seems everyone is making this harder than it has to be. I am no fan of the NCAA, but the rule clearly states that the reason for the transfer must be academic in nature. If Masoli had kept his nose clean and not been kicked off the team at Oregon, he wouldn’t NEED to transfer to Ole Miss. Other situations involving waivers that have been granted involved kids that were still eligible and welcome at their previous schools – and therein lies the difference.

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This is a poorly written NCAA rule that has been abused on multiple occasions. The NCAA needs to rewrite the rule. Until then, it needs to follow its own rule. This is not about Masoli’s conduct; it is about the NCAA following the letter of its own rules the way it expects players and coaches to follow them.

Is Masoli interested in a career in parks and recreation management? Look we all know the answer is no, but the NCAA gets to decide which players want to pursue a particular degree for academic reasons and which ones don’t? Really?

He graduated from Oregon. He is eligible to return to Oregon as a student. He is enrolled in a Master’s program not offered at Oregon. He meets the conditions of the rule and should be allowed to play. Again, this isn’t about what his conduct or what Ole Miss should have done. It is about the NCAA following its own rules.

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The NCAA is one corrupt organization. It’s time for the Justice department to open their doors and look in their closets, find out how they come up with some of this bias bull crap they load on some schools. If this had been Alabama or Florida, Masoli would be playing with a big check in his hip pocket. Corrupt corrupt corrupt, the NCAA is corrupt.

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Shut the dang NCAA down, they are a worthless organization that rules with prejudice. They have granted waivers to others that have done the same thing, they are ruling with and obvious prejudice.

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Masoli did everything the rules stated, the NCAA is not following their own rules, making them up as they go. They have never denied a transfer before, and they have had transfers for the very same reason, they are liars. They allowed players to transfer from Utah to play for Urban Meyer, that was not for Academic reasons, they are liars. They are punishing this man and they need to stop. FREE MASOLI!

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Ole Miss fans I understand your feelings toward the NCAA but blaming Saban and saying Masoli
would play at Bama with the NCAA blessings is complete BS!! RTR

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Bama guy Your coach was up to his eyeballs in this whole ordeal. It will be coming out eventually. Justy wait.

What’s laughable is if Saban is such a good coach, why would he need to worry about Masoli playing at Ole Miss. Why would he even care?

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The academic reasons of the NCAA transfer rule state the program for admissions can’t be offered by the previous school. This means his current field of study (sociology or related). He changed to parks & rec. The rule is meant for them to be able to expand on their education by leaving a university with limited studies in their field.

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Tony Barnhart, and everyone who agrees with his column, needs to read the latest statement from the NCAA about this (linked below). The rule is INTENTIONALLY arbitrary. In 2007, the NCAA considered passing a rule that would allow graduate transfers to play provided they met specific qualifications. That rule was REJECTED, because the member schools felt this would essentially create free agents. Instead the rule is that Graduate transfers CANNOT play unless they request a waiver, and waiver requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the transfer is academically motivated.

You can argue all you want about whether the NCAA is applying this intentionally subjective standard consistently. The simple truth is that a no previous case is identical to Masoli’s, and Masoli’s transfer unquestionably was NOT academically motivated.

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/resources/latest+news/2010+news+stories/september+latest+news/jeremiah+masoli+case+brings+attention+to+the+ncaa+waiver+process+for+graduate+students

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To txfood, Masoli was not going to be on scholarship at Ole Miss. He was paying his way.

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Those of you who are complaining about the NCAA waiting until the 11th hour for the ruling simply don’t have the facts. Once they had all the info from Ole Miss, they made the ruling LESS THAN 24 HOURS LATER.

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/resources/latest+news/2010+news+stories/september+latest+news/jeremiah+masoli+case+brings+attention+to+the+ncaa+waiver+process+for+graduate+students

“The decision was communicated to the school within the generally stated three-week time frame for this type of waiver. The NCAA staff received the waiver request from Ole Miss on Aug. 13 and received the final piece of information from the school in the evening of Aug. 30. After considering that final piece of information, the NCAA staff communicated the decision to the school in the morning of Aug. 31 “

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The NCAA allowed a basketball player from Ole Miss, Oneal Polynice, to play at a Big East school under the same circumstances. He enrolled in a graduate program not offered at Ole Miss when he had eligibility remaining. NCAA is anti-SEC. Look at how long it took them to do anything about the Bush situation at USC. They will always cater to big schools especially in metro big media areas. They don’t follow their own guidelings. It is a bunch of old men arbitrarily and dictatorally doling out decisions to suit themselves. If Ole Miss football decided to kick off a player for whatever reason, do you think the NCAA would enforce the Ole Miss decision on every other school? No! What if it was Notre Dame who wanted him? Case closed!

These players are not slaves or indentured servants! Or maybe they are! They just shouldn’t be!

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I agree with you Tony! The NCAA is wrong. Other student-athletes from around the country have used this rule to get playing time at another school because they were not getting it at one school. In that respect, Masoli’s situation is like so many others. I like the rule because it gives players extra incentive to finish their degree in a timely manner and transfer with eligibility remaining.

College athletics is just too arbitrary (based solely on personal wishes, feelings, or perceptions, rather than on objective facts, reasons, or principles). The college athletic leadership is not principle-centered. You cannot blame the NCAA, because those officials are not empowered to run a league objectively. What powers the NCAA officials do have has been arbitrarily given by university presidents. The arbitrary nature of university life is why we have the BCS and not a principle-centered playoff flowing from objectively-created conferences.

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Interesting that the NCAA Appeals Committee has reversed the deciosion on this, and he is now eligible to play immediately. Anxious to hear your thoughts on this. It certainly begs the question as to whether or not they took the “talk” about a possible lawsuit seriously and realized the intent of the rule had been met.

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Thank you for the great free pub, NCAA!!! I was wrong! You are NOT a hypocritical organization! You’re just concerned about the small businessman!

http://www.masoliforheistman.com

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