Bediako situation, legal question | Page 2 | The Boneyard
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Bediako situation, legal question

No, the judge's ruling said the NCAA can't penalize Alabama in any way.
James H. Roberts Jr. of the Tuscaloosa (Alabama) Circuit Court ruled that Bediako "is immediately eligible" to participate in all team activities with the Crimson Tide. He also ruled that the NCAA is "restrained from threatening, imposing, attempting to impose, suggesting or implying any penalties or sanctions" against Bediako, Alabama, its coaches or players.

I guess that is open to interpretation.

Don't see how that would stand up. It's one thing to let him play and earn money. But should the courts adjudicate foul calls? Techincals? Suspensions for players and coaches? Where does it end?
 
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Anyone can do anything and then just take it to court, same way players are, so can the ncaa if they want.

If they’re annoyed enough and want the battle they can just rule him ineligible and say Alabama is not in the tournament and then see what the courts say.

Ultimately every rule in America is testable.
 
We’re inching closer and closer to literally anyone can play. I guarantee in the next 5 years a guy with NBA games under his belt will join a team, that team will take the NCAA to court and win.
 
Legally I predict there will be a cut off based on age only, maybe 23. The way courts are ruling in the trans cases seems to indicate only biological ability may determine who is allowed and barred from playing in various sport associations / leagues. Since college can pay players and they are allowing other pro league players, can they bar NBA players under a certain age from playing college. Curious to know what the Alabama judges reasoning will be when the case is heard.
 
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I haven't read the order so I don't know what the NCAA is enjoined from doing but as a general matter you don't do your "testing" by violating a court order. That's called "contempt."

I am aware.

The order talks in generalities, it's arguable what constitutes "punishing" Alabama.

I'm making the point that everyone is just taking everyone to court after they do something and seeing if the judge agrees. It's wild wild west.
 
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It was hilarious hearing the announcers heap praise on Carson Beck in the semifinal and again in the national championship game the other night. They made it out like his story is everything that's great with college football and they sounded devastated his college career ended on an interception. College ended for him over 2 years ago and he hasn't taken a college course in over two years. He lives in his house boosters paid for and drives to campus for practice in his Lamborghini (stolen and not recovered) or Mercedes boosters paid for.
 
I think David Benedict is correct in that the NCAA tournament has no obligation to invite Alabama if he plays. In that case, they are not denying him any financial or academic opportunities while maintaining a level field in the tournament.
 
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I think David Benedict is correct in that the NCAA tournament has no obligation to invite Alabama if he plays. In that case, they are not denying him any financial or academic opportunities while maintaining a level field in the tournament.

Precisely.

A court could reasonably (that's an oxymoron) say that isn't harming the athlete and isn't a "punishment" by the court order. The NCAA has the ability to include teams in their tournament as they see fit, I don't see how a court can conclude they can't leave out a team based on their own rules and standards.

The court ruling deals with allowing this "student-athlete" to play and receive financial compensation, it doesn't and shouldn't deal with every aspect of the NCAA and their tournament selection.
 
Precisely.

A court could reasonably (that's an oxymoron) say that isn't harming the athlete and isn't a "punishment" by the court order. The NCAA has the ability to include teams in their tournament as they see fit, I don't see how a court can conclude they can't leave out a team based on their own rules and standards.

The court ruling deals with allowing this "student-athlete" to play and receive financial compensation, it doesn't and shouldn't deal with every aspect of the NCAA and their tournament selection.
What would be the standard for leaving out Alabama?

The NCAA can't say he is ineligible according to the court order, so they can't leave out Alabama for having an ineligible player.
 
It was hilarious hearing the announcers heap praise on Carson Beck in the semifinal and again in the national championship game the other night. They made it out like his story is everything that's great with college football and they sounded devastated his college career ended on an interception. College ended for him over 2 years ago and he hasn't taken a college course in over two years. He lives in his house boosters paid for and drives to campus for practice in his Lamborghini (stolen and not recovered) or Mercedes boosters paid for.
How is he even a student if he doesn’t take classes?
 
What would be the standard for leaving out Alabama?

The NCAA can't say he is ineligible according to the court order, so they can't leave out Alabama for having an ineligible player.

They are ordered to let him play and make money. They are ordered not to impose sanctions or penalties. Does the court have the power to determine how the NCAA chooses their tournament field or that not including a team in their tournament is a "sanction"? A sanction or a penalty seem to be specific to the kid or the team, i.e. making him ineligible, taking away a program's scholarships, etc.

The courts do whatever they want, but ultimately that would be the argument.

It's dependent on how serious the NCAA wants to take the fight.

My job isn't to argue on NCAA behalf or to figure it out for the NCAA, I'm just saying the court order talks about punishing the player or team, but there are teams every year that think they're deserving and the NCAA arbitrarily determines via selection committee.
 
How is he even a student if he doesn’t take classes?
That ship sailed before Carson Beck told the world he wasn't taking any classes at Miami.
 
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The avenue is to move to vacate the TRO. Pretty good arguments that it didn't meet what are fairly strict standards for that type of relief. And the "no threats" remedy makes it an improper ex parte injunction. The NCAA should be free to state what will happen if they win on the merits. Whether the NCAA makes these arguments or not will reveal whether they are even trying to stop this or if they just want the mess to get so bad that they can push Congress to get in.

Turns out that the judge was a Bama donor, by the way . . .
 
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How is he even a student if he doesn’t take classes?
when was the last time we heard about a good ol' fashioned academic scandal? Have we heard any announcements out of the Big East this year from our conference mates about this kid or that kid being academically ineligible?
 
Precisely.

A court could reasonably (that's an oxymoron) say that isn't harming the athlete and isn't a "punishment" by the court order. The NCAA has the ability to include teams in their tournament as they see fit, I don't see how a court can conclude they can't leave out a team based on their own rules and standards.

The court ruling deals with allowing this "student-athlete" to play and receive financial compensation, it doesn't and shouldn't deal with every aspect of the NCAA and their tournament selection.
Exactly. Assume Alabama doesn't win the SEC tournament and is looking for an at large bid. Come Selection Sunday the NCAA should just not call their name, and when asked on why Alabama was left out their response is "didn't think their resume was good enough wink wink, next question". Send a clear message and deter other schools from doing the same in the future.

At the very least if Alabama is a projected 2 seed, give them a 6 seed or something. NCAA needs to show they are willing to use whatever power they do have.
 
You’d basically just freeze their record now and win or loss, the games he played in would not count towards their resume. Would a 13 win Alabama be enough to make the tourney?
 
Could the NCAA exclude Alabama (again as long as the don't win an automatic birth) saying they feel not inviting Alabama is essential to protecting the image and integrity of their business/institution and that based on negative fan reaction (which I imagine there is at least some outside The Boneyard as well) may hurt tournament viewership and thus advertising revenue down the road?
 
They are ordered to let him play and make money. They are ordered not to impose sanctions or penalties. Does the court have the power to determine how the NCAA chooses their tournament field or that not including a team in their tournament is a "sanction"? A sanction or a penalty seem to be specific to the kid or the team, i.e. making him ineligible, taking away a program's scholarships, etc.

The courts do whatever they want, but ultimately that would be the argument.

It's dependent on how serious the NCAA wants to take the fight.

My job isn't to argue on NCAA behalf or to figure it out for the NCAA, I'm just saying the court order talks about punishing the player or team, but there are teams every year that think they're deserving and the NCAA arbitrarily determines via selection committee.
The NCAA is free to choose the NCAA field how it wants, but I am guessing Alabama could have a separate lawsuit avenue available if the NCAA had no reason to exclude them and just made a "No Alabamas" club. (South Alabama is fine, it's a no Alabamas club... for the Simpsons fans of the forum). And they still could probably argue it was downstream punishment of the team.

The committee would presumably need reasons if they were very clearly in the field by all objective metrics and bracketologies. Alabama isn't on the bubble. You also can't change the selection criteria halfway through the season when there are millions of dollars on the line.
 
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Good article from Matt Norlander. He usually does a good job with these national topics.

Playing him before that hearing only enflames the situation. Alabama coach Nate Oats should reconsider, because if Bediako plays once and then is yanked off the team, this sideshow will look even more ludicrous.

 

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