@BrianUK -> Just curious, what type of music does your son listen to? All the hoopsters here in the states are locked into hip hop. Just wondering if it’s the same across the pond.
The attached news article is a reminder that the business of big time college athletics in America is not completely governed by gentlemen who wear white gloves and have an unimpeachable character. As I said earlier, some schools and coaches do withdraw scholarship offers for reasons that have nothing to do with a student-athlete’s personal conduct or academic standing. Such coaches do so out of self-interest.
@DarkStar904 yes, it does seem that way in general. Thank God my son has a wide variety of music tastes.
@JHS this is a useful steer. From the outside they both look best in terms of the overall mix. Let’s see how the coach conversations go.
LakeWashington, that’s a bit of a special situation. He was the last of the students not recruited by Harbaugh, and better to have him look at schools that truly want him than to have him start at a school that is changing its program. Don’t feel too bad for him as he’s a 5 star recruit with a bunch of other offers.
On my daughter’s team, 5 girls are still on scholarship this year but not playing. One was asked to leave for discipline reasons, the others just didn’t want to play anymore, but they keep their scholarships through the end of the year.
Now if you talk about Louisville, I’d agree that no scholarship is a sure bet until they are handing you the diploma. That school seems to not honor any agreements or promises.
The colleges shouldn’t have it both ways. If Michigan or any other school wishes to renege on a signed agreement, then it should first ASK the recruit. The whole business is so one-sided, with the student-athletes having little if any leverage. And yet the colleges adamantly contend that FBS and D1 athletes are not “employees.”
“One thing about D1 athletics is the full-time tutors available. Schools spend a lot of time making sure athletes are making academic progress”
I’d say it’s more accurate to say that schools spend a lot time making sure athletes stay academically eligible, but there are plenty or programs that do not care one bit whether that also entails making meaningful progress toward a degree. This sometimes gets reflected by abysmal graduation rates for men’s basketball athletes at some schools.
It’s not a signed agreement. Once the student and the athletic director sign the NLI and award letter, the NCAA rules control how the agreement can be terminated, and the coach can’t just withdraw it. If student isn’t admitted to the school or has a disciplinary problem, the agreement becomes void. Otherwise, it’s pretty hard to end it. Well, the student can, but then can’t play for another school for a year.
Signing for football is early February, and until then all ‘commitments’ are oral, not binding on anyone.
@twoinanddone “Otherwise, it’s pretty hard to end it.”
If that’s the case then things have changed for the better in recent years and I am glad changes have come. At the time of the famous Dick Vitale - Billy Packer debate, colleges were free to withdraw scholarship offers prior to the student-athlete enrolling on campus. I believe it was a lawsuit by a student-athlete’s family that Vitale and Packer were arguing about. The college withdrew its offer very late into the recruiting season, leaving the high school student-athlete with few attractive options that year.
And let’s not believe that after a player matriculates, some coaches do not pressure some players to relinquish their scholarships at times. Some coaches with character flaws have been caught using heavy-handed tactics to force a player to relinquish his scholarship or even his/her place on the team. Years ago the BB coach at Maryland was caught doing this. He verbally intimidated a reserve player. When the story hit the press, the school reprimanded the coach and guaranteed a full tuition scholarship to the student until he completed his course of study, even though the player quit the team out of frustration. Also, as I recall, Coach Renee Portland of the Pens State women’s’ basketball team used intimidation to get a player or two to quit. If I remember correctly, she and Penn State lost a subsequent lawsuit over the matter.
All those things may have happened, and as you mentioned up thread, scholarships are/were for 1 year so the scholarship might not be renewed, but it is very difficult for either side to get out of the NLI once signed. (and it sounds like the Maryland case came out in favor of the athlete, just like the contract provided that once signed, the athlete got the scholarship). Of course the student can back out (Little Snoopdog) but then can’t sign another letter and has to sit out a year. The school is bound by the NLI/award letter, and if the school tried to break that agreement, the school should be sued. Randy Moss had his scholarship to Notre Dame withdrawn because he was arrested while he was on probation so had to serve time and ND wouldn’t admit him. ND coach (Lou Holtz) helped him get another scholarship (to FSU, which he also blew).
But this case at Michigan is before signing, so any offer by the school or commitment by the athlete is not binding. After signing, then it’s a contract. The coach doesn’t have to let the athlete play, but the scholarship is still granted and the coach can’t give it out again.
@BrianUK2209 Any update?