Oh, This Could Be Ugly

[RockyMTblue2]

"According to Staley, Cooper’s previous school, Tennessee, objected to the waiver, and while this did not itself cause the NCAA to reject the application, it did factor into the decision.

“I think it was a factor, but I don’t think it was the deciding factor,” Staley said."

For the life of me I read the article and can't see "the reason." Can you? Maybe in the video?


Dawn Staley reveals NCAA’s Te’a Cooper decision explanation, Tennessee’s influence

 

[wire chief]

"According to Staley, Cooper’s previous school, Tennessee, objected to the waiver, and while this did not itself cause the NCAA to reject the application, it did factor into the decision.

“I think it was a factor, but I don’t think it was the deciding factor,” Staley said."

For the life of me I read the article and can't see "the reason." Can you? Maybe in the video?


Dawn Staley reveals NCAA’s Te’a Cooper decision explanation, Tennessee’s influence

Uh, nope.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

This one ain't much better: Dawn Staley explains NCAA decision on Te'a Cooper

USC women's basketball coach Dawn Staley has read the NCAA’s explanation for not clearing Te’a Cooper to play this year, and it said there was a hiccup that had to be cleared before they could consider it. That hiccup was supplied by the University of Tennessee.

“It’s basically, if Te’a’s previous institution would have agreed to allow her to play, it would have helped our cause,” Staley said Friday. “But they didn’t agree.”

Staley pointed out that it was no guarantee the NCAA would have accepted the waiver if Tennessee had cleared Cooper. She also said she could see herself doing the same if it was one of her players transferring within the league.

“It’s probably because just her transferring,” Staley said. “I probably would have looked at it the same way, especially being in the same conference.”

So, when Tenn said she was free to transfer, including within the SEC, that was ... if she sits a year?

So, essentially Tenn blackballed the waiver.

 

[oldude]

I understand TN’s objection to a transfer being eligible in conference the next season after she left the Lady Vols. If Cooper had landed anywhere other than the SEC, it may have been different.

 

[EricLA]

I understand TN’s objection to a transfer being eligible in conference the next season after she left the Lady Vols. If Cooper had landed anywhere other than the SEC, it may have been different.

Exactly. Why should Tenn allow her to play almost immediately after transferring from their school to a competitor in their league? Make the kid sit out the year like the rules state.

Didn't the old rules state that if a kid transfers, she has to sit a year - if she transfers to a school in her own conference, it's an extra year of sitting out? If that's the case, SC should be grateful she's even eligible to play next year...

 

[stwainfan]

I think the problem is. That she didn't leave Tennessee on good terms. Because of her actions. If she had stayed out of trouble and transferred things would be different.

 

[CocoHusky]

I disagree. TN announced that Cooper could transfer "without restrictions". TN should have foreseen the possibility that Cooper could have ended up somewhere in the conference and if they cared enough put restrictions in place. Considering that South Carolina had accepted 3-4 transfers within the past few years TN would have been naive to think SC was not a possible destination for Cooper. This waiver request was ill conceived by Dawn on many levels. TN also miscalculated, because if TN didn’t care where Cooper ended up, TN shouldn’t care when she started playing either.

 

[DefenseBB]

Remember when she “tranferred” in June, normal protocol was to have to wait a year. Yes, there had been some exceptions, mostly having to do with coaching changes. So, in June, it’s logical for Tenn to say “no restrictions” and taking the higher road. Once Shepard was granted eligibility, that, caused Tenn to rethink as Cooper could face Nared, which, I think, is the main issue and I have been on record saying Cooper should not be granted eligibility due to her behavior.

 

[triaddukefan]

I look forward to their next matchup in Knoxville..... with a healthy Wilson.

 

[stwainfan]

I look forward to their next matchup in Knoxville..... with a healthy Wilson.

Since that's senior day. I have some mixed feelings. Seeing Russell, Nared, and Dunbar play thier final regular season game at TBA.

 

[CocoHusky]

Remember when she “tranferred” in June, normal protocol was to have to wait a year. Yes, there had been some exceptions, mostly having to do with coaching changes. So, in June, it’s logical for Tenn to say “no restrictions” and taking the higher road. Once Shepard was granted eligibility, that, caused Tenn to rethink as Cooper could face Nared, which, I think, is the main issue and I have been on record saying Cooper should not be granted eligibility due to her behavior.

There have been no exceptions due to coaching changes. That is a proposal being considered by the NCAA. If TN was concerned about Cooper playing Nared then TN should have restricted the schools to which cooper could have transferred i.e., outside the SEC.

 

[DefenseBB]

There have been no exceptions due to coaching changes. That is a proposal being considered by the NCAA. If TN was concerned about Cooper playing Nared then TN should have restricted the schools to which cooper could have transferred i.e., outside the SEC.

Coco, if I recall correctly, Tenn said no restrictions to the School she’s could transfer to, which allowed SC to get her. It was within Tennessee’s right to not allow a conference school at all. They allowed this in June before waivers became the flavor of the day.

 

[Jaybird65]

Wasn't that long ago where several of the conferences had a conference rule that a player had to sit 2 years if the player transferred to another in-conference school. Glad that one went away....

 

[CocoHusky]

Wasn't that long ago where several of the conferences had a conference rule that a player had to sit 2 years if the player transferred to another in-conference school. Glad that one went away....

That (player having to sit two years) is not my recollection of the practice. My recollection is that the player sat for a year and lost a year of eligibility and this practice was only specific to certain conferences.

 

[Bernie]

Dawn was trying to big boy the NCAA into getting the waiver. I don’t think UT now has much persuasion with the NCAA as it did back then. I think were Dawn went wrong was the timing and the digs on Twitter and interviews certainly couldn’t have helped her case.

 

[oldude]

I disagree. TN announced that Cooper could transfer "without restrictions". TN should have foreseen the possibility that Cooper could have ended up somewhere in the conference and if they cared enough put restrictions in place. Considering that South Carolina had accepted 3-4 transfers within the past few years TN would have been naive to think SC was not a possible destination for Cooper. This waiver request was ill conceived by Dawn on many levels. TN also miscalculated, because if TN didn’t care where Cooper ended up, TN shouldn’t care when she started playing either.

I think TN clearly knew that Cooper could end up in the SEC when they indicated that she could transfer “without restrictions.” Why else would they add that expression. At the same time, I seriously doubt that TN had any idea that SC would petition to have Cooper immediately eligible. TN should absolutely care when she started playing.

 

[MainefanSC]

It's unfortunate that the NCAA granted the waiver to ND, to begin this whole ordeal. Rules are rules and should be adhered to. We know the perception that ND is "holier than thou" and seem to get the "nod" where others are ignored. IMHO the NCAA has in the past and continues to bring upon itself questions concerning its own governance. I understand the need for a ruling entity. In the recent past, the NCAA seems to be on a self destruct course and maybe should have a "third party" audit of their decision making process. Private industry (I'm retired from such an enterprise) uses this avenue to have internal audits of various departments, to remain compliant with one's own policy, say nothing about legal compliance. This transfer waiver "rabbit hole" is only going to get more ugly as time passes. What's good for the goose (preferred) is not necessarily good for the gander (not so preferred).

 

[UConnCat]

Happy to see my favorite topic isn't dead yet. Dawn can't seem to let it go. She implicates Tennessee in the Cooper decision but then says she would have reacted the same way were it one of her former players seeking a waiver at another conference school.

So Nebraska gives a thumbs up and Shepard gets a waiver; Tennessee gives a thumbs down and Cooper is denied. It's all ridiculous. It should be either a hard rule (no exceptions) or immediate eligibility.


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