K-State Refusing to Release Player

[Wbbfan1]

http://cjonline.com/sports/2014-04-15/romero-compares-k-states-release-refusal-blackmail

Schools shouldn't make it difficult for players to transfer when coaches are fired or move on to other jobs.

 

[HoopsFan21]

The player could just quit the sport. Athletes aren't held hostage, as I'm pretty sure Kansas State is in America. The kid will just have to pay for school like everyone else if they want to leave.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

The player could just quit the sport. Athletes aren't held hostage, as I'm pretty sure Kansas State is in America. The kid will just have to pay for school like everyone else if they want to leave.

You wonder if any adults are left at K-State.

 

[HoopsFan21]

You wonder if any adults are left at K-State.

I'm sure there are, but I will never ever buy into the plight of the student-athlete. If it's such a raw deal they should quit. Tons of other people would love to fill their spot.

 

[Billybonggg]

Nobody cares, there or anywhere. This school offered 5 slices of bacon to try and get students to go to a game (serious ) They're still irked that they lost their final game this year to in-state rival Kansas in overtime. They won about 1/3 of their games. Release the ballplayer and move on.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I'm sure there are, but I will never ever buy into the plight of the student-athlete. If it's such a raw deal they should quit. Tons of other people would love to fill their spot.

Having a son who played baseball at DI level for four years gives me a different view than yours, so we can always just agree to disagree.

 

[Waquoit]

Just another reason UConn BB is so great. They don't stoop to this tacky BS.

 

[Artifact]

If the player has a problem with the school or coaches, then they should have a sit down & discuss any differences. If this does not resolve the issue or issues, then the player should be released from her contract. Team play is so important. Look at what has happened with the Conn 'Sun'. UConn has also in the past released some players to transfer. You do not want a disgruntled player on your team !

 

[Zorro]

You have to wonder just what K-State hopes to accomplish by this idiocy.

 

[Icebear]

I'm sure there are, but I will never ever buy into the plight of the student-athlete. If it's such a raw deal they should quit. Tons of other people would love to fill their spot.

Sadly, the school only has to give the student a scholarship one year at a time but can still hold them indentured refusing them a release.

 

[UcMiami]

I do hate this aspect of LOIs - I have no problem with the 'must sit out a year' as I think that puts a moderate restriction on 'impulse' decisions without damaging a player unduly. I have a little more of a problem on the 'two year in conference' restriction. And I guess I am OK with a school listing a very limited number of schools to which a release will not be granted as this allows for protection from coaches jumping and unprovable but suspected tampering.
I particularly dislike the enforcement of this rule by schools that have fired their coaching staff as they have truly changed the playing field for the athlete.

And ... in terms of early signing periods - if I were the parent of a recruit I would certainly suggest that my child wait until after the college season their senior year to sign the LOI - no problem in making a verbal commitment to the coach, but making sure that first year was in fact going to include the coaches we got to know would be important. Committing to Uconn or ND or Baylor or Stanford ... ok, long standing coaches that are guaranteed to be around because their program is very successful. But programs with mediocre results even with long standing coaches can change pretty quickly, and that is becoming more common.

 

[Scotter]

Interesting. I had missed the Deb Patterson firing so I assumed it was just another in a long line of issues with players not being given their release to transfer. Now it looks like the past issues may have had something to do with the K-State athletic department, rather than just the culture that Deb Patterson ran her program with.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Interesting. I had missed the Deb Patterson firing so I assumed it was just another in a long line of issues with players not being given their release to transfer. Now it looks like the past issues may have had something to do with the K-State athletic department, rather than just the culture that Deb Patterson ran her program with.

Oh, I don't think the two should "issues/cultures" are mutually exclusive...

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

But was makes the story especially annoying is that Mittie brings 2 coaches from the TCU staff AND he switched schools "in conference". All ok with his new employer but they have policies in place that appear to pretty much prevent a student athlete from getting a release.

Incidentally, I get that it is their policy, I just don't understand why or agree with it.

 

[AndyCT]

Incidentally, I get that it is their policy, I just don't understand why or agree with it.

When a player signs a Letter of Intent she has essentially signed a contract (via the NCAA bylaws); the requirement to sit out one year when transferring (two if transferring in league) is essentially a non-compete clause common to many/most contracts in the real world. While we tend to loath the NCAA and its rule makers, there are usually good reasons for the origin of most rules. Whether those rules are actually good or effective answers to the problems that led to their creation is another matter, but I think when we all step back we can see that there are at least valid issues or reasons for these rules.

As UcMiami posted the one year restriction prevents impulse decisions - or worse. The one-year requirement also keeps the best players from becoming “hired guns” and traveling from program to program (perhaps even more than once in the same year), wherever they may get a better offer for however long – remember, all it would cost is a U-Haul since everything else is free. It also keeps the lower and mid level programs from simply becoming farm teams for the few big programs that compete in the Final Four year in and year out. Think of what happens at the baseball trading deadline every year – would we really want UConn to say (hypothetically, of course) that it’s not looking good for the NCAAs this year so Breanna and Kaleena are available to Stanford if Tara wants them?

As for when the coach leaves, that is a trickier matter, since that is a large part of why a player comes to a particular school. I certainly think it would be necessary to prohibit players from following their coach for at least a year – otherwise, what’s to stop (again hypothetically, of course) St. John’s from calling Geno up and offering to double, triple, or whatever it takes to his salary, and to build a new Geno Auriemma Athletic Center etc. if he would come down to Queens – and if he would bring a few student-athletes, like say Kaleena, Breanna, and Moriah, for example. That rule has to be there to prevent a coach from just packing up his entire program and moving it to the best offer.

On the other hand, when a coach leaves involuntarily, I don’t see why the players couldn’t be allowed to leave right away, though again perhaps restricted from following their coach for a year (to prevent coaches from forcing their own dismissal and then taking their players with them).

 

[Icebear]

My answer to that is simply a one year scholarship should be viewed as a one year contract over and done. If you want the right to refuse a transfer within conference I can live with that as a non compete clause.

 

[easttexastrash]

Romero is a very good player. I hope it works out for her.

 

[HuskyNan]

I'm sure there are, but I will never ever buy into the plight of the student-athlete. If it's such a raw deal they should quit. Tons of other people would love to fill their spot.

I'm not sure you read the article. If she quits then transfers, she would have to pay tuition, etc for the year and she can't afford to do that. The young lady is from Spain and has no support system in the U.S.

 

[Icebear]

I'm not sure you read the article. If she quits then transfers, she would have to pay tuition, etc for the year and she can't afford to do that. The young lady is from Spain and has no support system in the U.S.

I foresee a GoFundMe effort.

 

[HuskyNan]

I foresee a GoFundMe effort.

I hope not. Could be a big issue with the NCAA combing through donors looking for improper benefits from boosters.

 

[Icebear]

I hope not. Could be a big issue with the NCAA combing through donors looking for improper benefits from boosters.

It was in jest, Nan. On the other hand if she leaves the team and is unaffiliated with a program it should be none of the NCAA's business. It may be possible she could return to Europe and have a state paid education.

 

[stamfordhusky]

And ... in terms of early signing periods - if I were the parent of a recruit I would certainly suggest that my child wait until after the college season their senior year to sign the LOI - no problem in making a verbal commitment to the coach, but making sure that first year was in fact going to include the coaches we got to know would be important.

In theory I agree, but the reality is that most ordinary D1 players cannot do this. Wait and most (maybe all) of your scholarship offers will be gone - especially the ones to higher-quality schools.

 

[HuskyNan]

It was in jest, Nan. On the other hand if she leaves the team and is unaffiliated with a program it should be none of the NCAA's business. It may be possible she could return to Europe and have a state paid education.

No, boosters cannot give benefits to current or prospective players.

 

[Icebear]

No, boosters cannot give benefits to current or prospective players.

Boosters don't need to be involved. Just people wanting to help a kid. The help can be unconditional without consideration of where she chooses. I don't know the kid from Eve but the NCAA could not keep me and my congregation from covering the kid's expenses.

 

[John Glass]

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/04/18/4968431/kansas-state-committee-denies.html

appeal denied