The shame of the NCAA’s handling of Kansas basketball player Silvio De Sousa

www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-bl...rticle223798645.html

He makes valid points, but sadly it'll fall on deaf ears and we're still stuck where we are. I highly doubt the head of infractions is going to wake up today and say, "Oh no! Mellinger from the Star (circulation 76,000) is calling us out. We better jump right on this and resolve things ASAP!"

From the NCAA's perspective, they see some miffed KU fans who will still be watching the Tournament on the edge of their seats no matter what happens. Outside of some groundswell of revolt from the fans (maybe a change.com petition, boycott, etc.) there's exactly zero pressure for them to change anything. And after the Cam Newton rule, they can claim that their hands are tied (...because now they're "trying" to enforce the rules evenly....*giggle*).

What MIGHT be interesting would be to see how many Silvios there are out there. I wouldn't be surprised at all if there were a much longer list of kids who have had their college careers left to rot on the vine due to NCAA inaction.

From what I can tell, the new NCAA standard operating procedure is to drag their feet for as long as possible (I think the UNC cheating investigation was longer than the decade-long fake classes scandal itself). Unless Silvio has it on VERY good authority that he'll be cleared very very soon, I think he needs to a.) go sign with a European team or G-League team, and b.) spend a portion of his signing bonus on hiring a mob enforcer to go break his guardian's legs for derailing his basketball career.

Mellinger is absolutely correct in everything he wrote.

But - I think my dear old KU is being punished - and in my opinion rightfully so - by the NCAA for Silvio being the final straw in a slew of embarrassing actions over the past several years. We've had too many incidents of players with questionable eligibility needing special clearance from the NCAA just to play, and too many who have ultimately appeared to have taken money or other benefits.

And we chose to partner with not the only dirty shoe company, but certainly the most prolific company in terms of shady tactics with the AAU circuit. We've heard for years about Adidas, Sonny Vacarro, etc. and their influence with AAU players and coaches.

It's not a coincidence that the Feds elected to try the Adidas folks first, and see how it went with a jury before taking on Nike. And we're the top Adidas school who got mentioned specifically in the trial. It's foolish for us to think that the NCAA would act quickly, or at all, to approve Silvio to play this year. We've been sent to the principal's office one too many times to expect leniency at this point. Frankly, I wouldn't do a thing if I ran the NCAA until I knew if and when the next trial against Nike, Duke, UNC and KY is going to occur. I'm not going to set a precedent with one player that could then affect several players after the next trial. Yes, Silvio gets caught up in the process, but his guy did take money, and with our track record just last year with Preston, he's getting no favors from the NCAA.

I don't disagree at all that punishing the players is a pathetic cop out by the NCAA and even the schools and coaches who for so long have benefited from their shoe company partners. But until this trial mess is over, and the system is changed overall, I don't expect the NCAA to lift a finger to help one player at KU,

And frankly, I don't blame them.

I referenced Billy Preston in my prior post, and wondered how life has worked out so far for him.

He's with the Erie Bayhawks of the G-League and is averaging 5 points and 3 rebounds in 15 minutes per game.

Sad really. Maybe he's still young and figuring things out.