The NCAA slammed UConn/Geno for merely congratulating 8th grader Mo'ne Davis. Accordingly, the hypocritical and shameful NCAA must -BUT WILL NOT- condemn Alabama in the harshest terms for what they are doing to Daisha Simmons. I taught at the prep school Daisha attended. I know her. She is a wonderful young lady who opted to travel more than 3 hours every day via mass transit from Jersey City to attend private school half way across the state, where she could have academic (yes, and basketball) opportunities she might otherwise only dream of. She had to work incredibly hard in the classroom (because JC and almost every other inner city NJ school is profoundly deficient in educating the children of those less privileged) and on the court. She has been hugely successful, graduating from a major university and wants to pursue a graduate degree - an unbelievable and praiseworthy accomplishment in the face of all the adversity Daisha has faced in life (and precious few of us have encountered).
Daisha is attending Seton Hall, doing graduate studies, and the miscreants at Alabama are interfering in Daisha's life. They are pissed off because her departure leaves Alabama without a point guard replacement. Well that's too damn bad. A Daisha, free to do what Daisha wants with her life, is far more important. Daisha has achieved so very much, making the most of a truly difficult and challenging time growing up. I am proud of all she has accomplished, and Alabama should be, too. In the end, neither Alabama nor the NCAA will succeed in holding down Daisha Simmons. She is a fighter, and she will ultimately prevail.