Cancer victim given the boot from BYU team

[HuskyNan]

I guess she isn't recovering fast enough for the coach.

Alexis Kaufusi cut from BYU women's basketball team

 

[Icebear]

 

[vtcwbuff]

There has to be more to it than this. I can't believe a coach would be this cold.

 

[ursusminor]

What's truly appalling to me is all the comments on that article supporting the coaches "basketball decision" and giving "another player a chance to earn a spot". This player still has her scholarship, because the paperwork was apparently already signed. The "spot", therefore, is not available anyways; he can't give her scholly to someone else. Letting her stay, even just to keep the bench warm, would cost the team basically nothing. She also she's healthier than she was last year when he didn't cut her.
I kind of hope vtcwbuff is right and there's more to this, because this is just stupid.

 

[EricSD]

There has to be more to it than this. I can't believe a coach would be this cold.

I'm with you. I think it's a stunning error on the part of the University and the coaches.

 

[bruinbball]

http://byucougars.com/athlete/w-basketball/alexis-kaufusi

Her dad is an assistant coach on the BYU football team too.

http://byucougars.com/staff/m-football/steve-kaufusi

 

[Man-Man]

Maybe it's something in those special rules agreements that BYU students have to sign, like if you have sex or something you get released maybe there is a cancer clause.

 

[arnie3]

Wow! What could her father possibly going through witnessing this, and working for the University? This just is awful!

 

[VAUConnFan]

She still has her scholarship. She can concentrate now on improving her health and on graduating. It is possible that this was a medical decision. Karl Nelson of the New York Giants is the only other example I am able to reference. Despite a valiant effort to return to the NFL, he was never the same player, his comeback very short-lived. It also seemed as if he was not able to maintain his weight. BYU's decison, as unpopular as it is, may just be better for Ms Kaufusi in the long run.

 

[justML]

She still has her scholarship. She can concentrate now on improving her health and on graduating. It is possible that this was a medical decision. Karl Nelson of the New York Giants is the only other example I am able to reference. Despite a valiant effort to return to the NFL, he was never the same player, his comeback very short-lived. It also seemed as if he was not able to maintain his weight. BYU's decison, as unpopular as it is, may just be better for Ms Kaufusi in the long run.

I too first thought "there has to be more to it". Possibly her doctors feel playing basketball will not help her towards a full recovery and this is being done for her own good?

Seems impossible that BYU - a university with such deep religious roots - could be so unfeeling.

I wish Alexis all the best.

 

[easttexastrash]

This girls sounds devastated. Seven weeks before school starts?

I know how it feels to need something to look forward to in order to help fight through a medical situation. Through my multiple hospital stays and 5 surgeries last year the thought of playing tennis again some day was a motivating factor. To have that taken away would have been demoralizing.

 

[Vowelguy]

I don't have a problem with sitting a player down and saying, "You need to concentrate on your health. You can keep your scholarship, but you're not playing anymore."

But that doesn't appear to be what happened here. Very odd.

 

[UcMiami]

Definitely a strange situation, and one we are never likely to understand from the outside. I am not prepared to blame the coach on this because it is such a strange decision that there must be more than simply cutting a bench player. She has been given a free ride for two years without really contributing last year and having the scholarship renewed this year before being cut. And I suspect the move would not have been made without at least the understanding of the rest of the team - otherwise it would be a surefire way to lose them.