CT Post finally says it...

[dsturdy5]

http://m.connpost.com/connpost/pm_10480/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=62T4xiOX

Blame UConn coaches and players for failing to hit a high standard, but it's clear what happened: The NCAA wanted to punish UConn, and it has.

 

[CL82]

A university student's education is almost always more important than fleeting achievements on the field of play. High standards are necessary and to be expected. But none of that changes the fact that UConn's punishment is arbitrary and unwarranted.
The NCAA came up with a penalty that made it mathematically impossible for UConn to achieve the necessary qualifying standards, based on a rolling four-year score. They changed the rules midstream and did not give member institutions a chance to adjust. Appeals are only permissible to the NCAA itself, which denied them.

This.

 

[Inyatkin]

In fairness, the Ct Post has made this point many times over the months.

 

[Deadrody]

A university student's education is almost always more important than fleeting achievements on the field of play. High standards are necessary and to be expected. But none of that changes the fact that UConn's punishment is arbitrary and unwarranted.
The NCAA came up with a penalty that made it mathematically impossible for UConn to achieve the necessary qualifying standards, based on a rolling four-year score. They changed the rules midstream and did not give member institutions a chance to adjust. Appeals are only permissible to the NCAA itself, which denied them.

And that right there is EXACTLY why they should take this to court. Regardless of whether UConn gets to play in the tournament that they are almost assuredly not going to make anyhow, the NCAA should not be able to get away with that kind of bull$hit.

 

[babysheep]

And that right there is EXACTLY why they should take this to court. Regardless of whether UConn gets to play in the tournament that they are almost assuredly not going to make anyhow, the NCAA should not be able to get away with that kind of bull$hit.

The NCAA is a private institution. They can change their rules how they want, when they want. Just because they chose to duck us over and not UK (I wonder how many people here would care to protest that) just makes them douches, not criminals. If we don't like it, we can leave when we want and compete in some other league. We just don't really have a choice in the matter since leaving the NCAA to avoid a one-year BET and NCAA tournament ban is essentially asinine. It's not the NCAA's fault that there aren't really any other options.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Well I don't know what to make of it now. I've always been of the opinion that the coaches and personnel responsible for the players' grades were the ones who were at fault - mainly for not being more on top of the situation. But if the NCAA changed their rules mid stream, then it seems UCONN should be making a much bigger deal out of this. Maybe they have no "organization" to appeal to, but why would a lawsuit against the NCAA be a bad thing?

 

[Inyatkin]

Well I don't know what to make of it now. I've always been of the opinion that the coaches and personnel responsible for the players' grades were the ones who were at fault - mainly for not being more on top of the situation. But if the NCAA changed their rules mid stream, then it seems UCONN should be making a much bigger deal out of this. Maybe they have no "organization" to appeal to, but why would a lawsuit against the NCAA be a bad thing?

What do you mean "if" they changed rules midstream? That's what happened; it's not in dispute.
The only arguments in favor of the postseason ban are from people who are misinformed or who believe that UConn deserves whatever it gets for having a bad APR, which is dumb on its own terms.

 

[UCONNfan1]

What do you mean "if" they changed rules midstream? That's what happened; it's not in dispute.
The only arguments in favor of the postseason ban are from people who are misinformed or who believe that UConn deserves whatever it gets for having a bad APR, which is dumb on its own terms.

I was not disputing whether or not the NCAA changed the rules midstream. I was acknowledging that if that was the case, I'm surprised UCONN isn't making a bigger deal out of the hypocricy, with lawsuits, or some sort of public campaign.

 

[8893]

The NCAA is a private institution. They can change their rules how they want, when they want. Just because they chose to duck us over and not UK (I wonder how many people here would care to protest that) just makes them douches, not criminals. If we don't like it, we can leave when we want and compete in some other league. We just don't really have a choice in the matter since leaving the NCAA to avoid a one-year BET and NCAA tournament ban is essentially asinine. It's not the NCAA's fault that there aren't really any other options.

Although I don't know nearly enough about the circumstances to say that we definitely should sue, I don't agree that, just because the NCAA is a private institution, that means that we don't have any legal options if they change the rules in bad faith. I believe we have a contractual relationship with the NCAA. In addition to the ways in which the NCAA may have breached that contract, the contract also contains a covenant of good faith and fair dealing. It seems to me that instituting retroactively a penalty that made it mathematically impossible for member institutions to achieve the necessary qualifying standards is at least a colorable basis for a claim that the NCAA has breached that covenant, which, if proven, would entitle us to the same remedies as a breach of the contract itself (i.e., money damages, injunction if warranted).