UC's Shaq Thomas ruled ineligible

[gladdenguy]

Looks like he is appealing it. Hope he stays ineligible.
Sorry. I hate sUCks.

http://www.zagsblog.com/2011/08/18/six-nia-prep-athletes-denied-eligibility/

[Masterofreality]

If this kid gets cleared and Justin Martin was denied last year, there is really something rotten.

Newark NIA Prep is a joke. Alif Muhammad is a carnival barker over an "academy" that is the size of a "one bedroom apartment and is carved from office space in the basement of the Robert Treat Hotel" in Newark. Celestial Academy in Philadelphia had more credibility.

Here's a story on Newark NIA.

NIA is Controversial (http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/boysbasketball/index.ssf/2011/04/alif_muhammad_has_become_controversial_basketball_ kingmaker_with_newarks_nia_school.html)

But it didn't stop ol' sippin Mick from showing up there.

Cincinnati Optimistic NIA Prep’s Thomas Will Be Cleared
By Adam Zagoria on August 19, 2011, 11:11AM

Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said he’s optimistic that incoming freshman Shaq Thomas of Newark NIA Prep will be cleared to play during the 2011-12 season.

“Our compliance department is working with the NIA school as well as the NCAA and we’re confident that everything is going to work out,” Cronin told SNY.tv Friday morning.

As first reported Thursday by SNY.tv, the 6-foot-7 Thomas is one of six NIA Prep athletes, including four basketball players, ruled ineligible by the NCAA. Alif Muhammad of NIA Prep said he is appealing on behalf of all six athletes.

Ryan Rhoomes (Texas Christian), Kelvin Amayo (Towson) and Ibn Muhammad (Fairleigh Dickinson) are the other three basketball players.
Muhammad said that since 2006, 28 NIA athletes have qualified to play Division 1 sports.

Sources said Cincinnati has been working with the NCAA on Thomas since August of 2010 because Tim Thomas, Shaq’s uncle and a former NBA player, initially wanted Shaq to enroll as a redshirt freshman for the 2010-11 season. Tim Thomas was not immediately available for comment.

It is possible that some combination of the four basketball players could get cleared, and others could not.

“One guy could get cleared, and another could get denied,” a source with knowledge said.

Meantime, NIA features other high-major players in Darrick Wood and Mike Taylor whose status remains up in the air because the NCAA is looking at NIA.

Neither Wood nor Taylor were immediately available, but Muhammad told SNY.tv that the 6-foot-4 Wood, who has over 50 scholarship offers, needs a standardized test score and a high school diploma.

“Before he came here he had 13 courses,” Muhammad said. “He only needs two from me and he’s still allowed by the NCAA to take one more. IF we lose the appeal, then I’ll outsource that one.”

The 6-3 Taylor, meanwhile, needs a high school diploma, Muhammad said.

“He has the classes, but he didn’t receive a diploma from Boys and Girls [High],” Muhammad said. “All he has to do is come here and once he’s here he gets that diploma.”


My hatred for this ridiculous system, what the NCAA allows and doesn't allow, and for the University of Sin-cinnati just keeps growing.

[JimmyTwoTimes37]

Every coach says something along the lines of:

"We're confident everything will work out and our appeal will win"

Then the NCAA rules against them.

[xubrew]

I don't know the specifics of the case, but for that many to be ineligible out of one school, it's probably a case where the high school was counting a class as a core class, and the NCAA was not.

That sucks, and in my opinion it is the complete fault of the high school. If a kid is advised ot do one thing, and then does it, and it then turns out to be wrong, is it the kid's fault?? I'd say that it isn't, yet they are the ones that are ineligible.

[ThePowerOfX]

I don't know the specifics of the case, but for that many to be ineligible out of one school, it's probably a case where the high school was counting a class as a core class, and the NCAA was not.

That sucks, and in my opinion it is the complete fault of the high school. If a kid is advised ot do one thing, and then does it, and it then turns out to be wrong, is it the kid's fault?? I'd say that it isn't, yet they are the ones that are ineligible.

At some point it has to become the kids fault for A) probably falling behind at his traditional high school and having to go to a prep school so he can attempt to qualify to play d1 basketball (probably what happens with 75% of athletes who attend a Prep School) and B) Choosing to attend an "academy" based out of a hotel basement.

[xubrew]

At some point it has to become the kids fault for A) probably falling behind at his traditional high school and having to go to a prep school so he can attempt to qualify to play d1 basketball (probably what happens with 75% of athletes who attend a Prep School) and B) Choosing to attend an "academy" based out of a hotel basement.

Well, if that's the case, then we need to get rid of high school guidance counsellors. When it comes to initial eligibility, most of them are always wrong anyway. If the guidance counsellors are telling kids to do something that's incorrect, and the kids are doing it, and are then blamed for doing the wrong thing, then I guess they're useless. They're actually doing more harm than good.

Maybe they weren't behind. They need sixteen credits, but it can't just be any sixteen. For instance, of the sixteen hours must be English, and it must be English that the NCAA recognizes as being core. So, you could have thirty credits, but if one of the English credits is not core because your guidance counsellor put you in the wrong one, you're not eligible.

And, again, I don't know the facts of the case, but for SIX PEOPLE to all be ineligible, someone at the high school wasn't paying attention, and that is their fault. The NCAA has a list with every high school in the country on it, and it lists what classes count. Guidance counsellors simply don't check it because many assume that if the H.S. considered it core, than the NCAA does as well. If they do, many of them don't know that the sixteen credits can't just be any sixteen.

[xubrew]

Well, if that's the case, then we need to get rid of high school guidance counsellors. When it comes to initial eligibility, most of them are always wrong anyway. If the guidance counsellors are telling kids to do something that's incorrect, and the kids are doing it, and are then blamed for doing the wrong thing, then I guess they're useless. They're actually doing more harm than good.

Maybe they weren't behind. They need sixteen credits, but it can't just be any sixteen. For instance, of the sixteen hours must be English, and it must be English that the NCAA recognizes as being core. So, you could have thirty credits, but if one of the English credits is not core because your guidance counsellor put you in the wrong one, you're not eligible.

And, again, I don't know the facts of the case, but for SIX PEOPLE to all be ineligible, someone at the high school wasn't paying attention, and that is their fault. The NCAA has a list with every high school in the country on it, and it lists what classes count. Guidance counsellors simply don't check it because many assume that if the H.S. considered it core, than the NCAA does as well. If they do, many of them don't know that the sixteen credits can't just be any sixteen.

Damn, I'm ranting too much. I must be stressed out.... :D

[JimmyTwoTimes37]

Damn, I'm ranting too much. I must be stressed out.... :D

Much more eloquent than your usual "Incorrect." or "Nice try"

[ThePowerOfX]

Well, if that's the case, then we need to get rid of high school guidance counsellors. When it comes to initial eligibility, most of them are always wrong anyway. If the guidance counsellors are telling kids to do something that's incorrect, and the kids are doing it, and are then blamed for doing the wrong thing, then I guess they're useless. They're actually doing more harm than good.

Maybe they weren't behind. They need sixteen credits, but it can't just be any sixteen. For instance, of the sixteen hours must be English, and it must be English that the NCAA recognizes as being core. So, you could have thirty credits, but if one of the English credits is not core because your guidance counsellor put you in the wrong one, you're not eligible.

And, again, I don't know the facts of the case, but for SIX PEOPLE to all be ineligible, someone at the high school wasn't paying attention, and that is their fault. The NCAA has a list with every high school in the country on it, and it lists what classes count. Guidance counsellors simply don't check it because many assume that if the H.S. considered it core, than the NCAA does as well. If they do, many of them don't know that the sixteen credits can't just be any sixteen.

I guess I'm kind of missing what you are saying here. You are referring to this NIA as a typical high school I think, which is not the case. From the articles I've read this place was literally made for 2 reasons: Get players to the D1 Level and to Make them eligible to play at that level. While yes, this is the "schools" fault that they are not eligible, what I'm saying is if you are Shaq Thomas or any of the other kids that went there, why would I choose a school that clearly has had NCAA questions in the past and is run out of a hotel basement? You are just asking for this kind of thing to happen. If you need to go to a prep school there are plenty of better options out there I'm guessing.

And I wouldn't place that much blame on the guidance counselors at traditional high schools either. From what I've read and heard the overwhelming majority of players who have to attend prep school are attending them because as Freshmen and Sophomores in high school they just wouldn't go to class, fail classes etc. Then Junior year rolls around, all the colleges come calling, all the colleges look into their academics, realize they are not gonna be eligible on time and have to suggest that they go to prep school to get it straightened out. While a guidance counselor may come in to play from time to time, I think a majority of it is a kid not realizing that you need to do at least some things in the classroom to be able to qualify for Division 1 Athletics.

Just my two cents

[xubrew]

I'm just going to digress from this one.

If the kid got bad advice, and that is a big reason as to why he's ineligible, then I'm sorry he's in that situation.

If it was his own negligence, then being a partial qualifier isn't the worst thing in the world. Hopefully it's a lesson learned.

I'll just leave it at that.

[_LH]

Much more eloquent than your usual "Incorrect." or "Nice try"

Sometimes that's all that is need to show a poster like yourself's ignorance. ;)

[PMI]

Sometimes that's all that is need to show a poster like yourself's ignorance. ;)

Please check your grammar. We've covered this ad nauseam.

[_LH]

Please check your grammar. We've covered this ad nauseam.

That's all you got? Grammar on a chat board? :rolleyes:

[xnatic03]

Cause you clearly always offer us so much more LH...

[Jumpy]

That's all you got? Grammar on a chat board? :rolleyes:

Stay on topic.

[_LH]

Cause you clearly always offer us so much more LH...

Much more than you ever have but thanks for trolling by.

[_LH]

Stay on topic.

I didn't take it off topic but nice try.

[JimmyTwoTimes37]

I didn't take it off topic but nice try.

You completely took it off topic.

As for Shaq, I seriously doubt the appeal will work. Mickey can cheerlead all he wants but the odds are stacked against him

[_LH]

Much more eloquent than your usual "Incorrect." or "Nice try"

This is where it went off topic and it was done so by jimmytwotimes, not me.

[Jumpy]

This is where it went off topic and it was done so by jimmytwotimes, not me.

Sorry. Nice try. It doesn't matter who took it off topic, you continued the off-topic conversation. Stay on topic. thanks.

[_LH]

Sorry. Nice try. It doesn't matter who took it off topic, you continued the off-topic conversation. Stay on topic. thanks.

But I didn't take it off topic.

Your original response should have been directed towards jimmy, not me. Nice try though.

[Jumpy]

But I didn't take it off topic.

Nice try, but sorry. Doesn't matter. You're wrong, but thanks.

[JimmyTwoTimes37]

But I didn't take it off topic.

Your original response should have been directed towards jimmy, not me. Nice try though.

How so? I made a comment to XUBrew about how its refreshing to read his eloquent and thought out posts. Where did I mention _LH?

[_LH]

Nice try, but sorry. Doesn't matter. You're wrong, but thanks.

No... I'm right but thanks for trying.

[_LH]

How so? I made a comment to XUBrew about how its refreshing to read his eloquent and thought out posts. Where did I mention _LH?

Your comment (no matter who it was directed towards) was off topic.

[xnatic03]

yeah trolling....whatever.
There's a reason no one likes you. There's a reason your reputation has been disabled. You just like to argue with people and claim you are always right. It's pretty comical actually (and a little sad).

[_LH]

yeah trolling....whatever.
There's a reason no one likes you. There's a reason your reputation has been disabled. You just like to argue with people and claim you are always right. It's pretty comical actually (and a little sad).

None of that is even close to true but if you want to think that, I really don't care.

[xeus]

Your comment (no matter who it was directed towards) was off topic.

Don't worry about what is on or off topic LH. We have a highly qualified staff of moderators. Thanks.

[_LH]

Stay on topic.

xeus,

Tell that to Jumpy, not me!

[XUFan09]

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[Jumpy]

xeus,

Tell that to Jumpy, not me!

Nice try. You can't shirk the blame. Stay on topic please.

[Eastside_J]

Brew its like throwing pearls to swine. Hope you are well.

**********************************************
OK Back to my episodic mock and torment...

Justin Martin? Jalen Reynolds? Mark Lyons? Sim Bhullar, what!?

No offense to these guys or Shaq Thomas but I am always pleasantly surprised to find an X recruited player that ISN'T in the land of questionable eligibilty status. (You know the ones you have been quietly filing under the heading "the players we will kick off them team if Semaj Christon and DSR come around").

You might be better off taking guys from Tulane and Vanderbilt and various lower conference or D2 teams. Sure your roster ends up looking like something out of Rudolphs "Land of Misfit Toys" but they certainly have a much better chance of being cleared to play.

[GoMuskies]

J, you sure have been coming around more now that your team isn't quite as terrible anymore. Strange that you apparently lost the Internet for a few years there.

[Jumpy]

J, you sure have been coming around more now that your team isn't quite as terrible anymore. Strange that you apparently lost the Internet for a few years there.

He just recently moved back into his mom's basement, so the interwebz just kinda come with the sweet new digs.

[_LH]

Nice try. You can't shirk the blame. Stay on topic please.

:rolleyes:

[gladdenguy]

Uh, am I missing something or did he lump Sim in with those partial academic qualifiers.

Eastside is jealous that Xavier is THE program in this city.....he needs to find something.

Is that all you got?

[xavierj]

Uh, am I missing something or did he lump Sim in with those partial academic qualifiers.

Eastside is jealous that Xavier is THE program in this city.....he needs to find something.

Is that all you got?

Yes you are missing something. I don't think Sim has made it to Xavier yet which should lead you to think there must be some more issues getting kids qualified. Hey it would not be Xavier basketball without at least one player not making it through the clearinghouse. This year it looks like 2 with Jalen already heading to prep.

[GoMuskies]

Yes you are missing something. I don't think Sim has made it to Xavier yet which should lead you to think there must be some more issues getting kids qualified.

I'm not sure why Sim not being here leads you to think that.

[xavierj]

I'm not sure why Sim not being here leads you to think that.

Classes have started and he is not there from what I understand. That would lead me to believe there is issues.

[GoMuskies]

Classes have started and he is not there from what I understand. That would lead me to believe there is issues.

Why were you so sure he was coming this year in the first place?

[powerofX]

Classes have started and he is not there from what I understand. That would lead me to believe there is issues.

Or he is just going to complete his senior year of high school...you know, because he is a senior. Nobody ever confirmed he was coming early, it was all speculation when the scholly opened up.

[PMI]

I've also been hearing there are issues. The plan was for Sim to be on campus this year and now it looks like that isn't going to happen. At least not this semester anyway. I don't know details, but it certainly sounds like the NCAA is once again making it more difficult for him to qualify than anyone could have reasonably planned for, as if there's such thing as reason when it comes to dealing with the low-life scoundrels that are the NCAA. We shall see soon I suppose.

[Eastside_J]

I've also been hearing there are issues. The plan was for Sim to be on campus this year and now it looks like that isn't going to happen. At least not this semester anyway. I don't know details, but it certainly sounds like the NCAA is once again making it more difficult for him to qualify than anyone could have reasonably planned for, as if there's such thing as reason when it comes to dealing with the low-life scoundrels that are the NCAA. We shall see soon I suppose.

The NCAA are absolutely low-life scoundrels when it comes to protecting the rights and interests of the KIDS involved (which they seem to have no concern for) on that I wholeheartedly AGREE.

[xavierj]

Why were you so sure he was coming this year in the first place?

I was not sure but I thought I heard he was coming as reynolds was going to prep. I thought his high school eligibility was exhausted. But I could be wrong.

[GoMuskies]

I was not sure but I thought I heard he was coming as reynolds was going to prep. I thought his high school eligibility was exhausted. But I could be wrong.

Until the Reynolds spot opened up, Sim had always been considered a part of the Class of '12.

[Masterofreality]

Nobody from XAVIER ever gave any indication that Sim Buhllar was coming to school this year. After Jalen Reynolds went prep, some OUTSIDE OF XAVIER jumped to a conclusion that Sim would show up this year. Not so.

Sim is 2012. Period.

As Chris Mack said at the AFO last night, there has been a ton of "misinformation" out there.

Eastside J has his head up his ass when it comes to Buhllar. PERIOD.

[XUFan09]

Yes you are missing something. I don't think Sim has made it to Xavier yet which should lead you to think there must be some more issues getting kids qualified. Hey it would not be Xavier basketball without at least one player not making it through the clearinghouse. This year it looks like 2 with Jalen already heading to prep.

Except he would have been coming a year early, so he's not in the same category.

[danaandvictory]

Nobody from XAVIER ever gave any indication that Sim Buhllar was coming to school this year. After Jalen Reynolds went prep, some OUTSIDE OF XAVIER jumped to a conclusion that Sim would show up this year. Not so.

That's exactly right. No one from Xavier ever said "Sim is coming in 2011." The scholarship situation, coupled with Reynolds's reclassification and Sim's apparent availability, led a lot of observers to put two and two together. But that was speculation and doesn't mean it was ever the plan.

Still, the fact that inquiries were being made as late as last weekend tells me it was at least a strong possibility. It's also possible the staff was a little circumspect at the AFO because they didn't expect those efforts to ooze out to the subhuman scum that write blogs.

[paulxu]

Sim is 2012.

Hold that thought. Maybe he'll be back after he spends a year in the desert.

[Eastside_J]

Nobody from XAVIER ever gave any indication that Sim Buhllar was coming to school this year. After Jalen Reynolds went prep, some OUTSIDE OF XAVIER jumped to a conclusion that Sim would show up this year. Not so.

Sim is 2012. Period.

As Chris Mack said at the AFO last night, there has been a ton of "misinformation" out there.

Eastside J has his head up his ass when it comes to Buhllar. PERIOD.

Per Sim Bhullar's sister:


“Xavier is a great program and we are so appreciative of all the time they spent recruiting my brother, however, Sim has some unique clearinghouse issues that have forced us to really examine the best course of action for Sim’s future. At this time we feel more comfortable going forward with New Mexico State due to their experience with Canadians and eligibility. We feel that New Mexico State provides Sim the best chance to get on the floor playing college basketball in the quickest time frame possible.”


Eligibility issues. PERIOD


Now don't go and delete my post - have a little respect for a guy who gave you a bit of info before it was posted by anyone on here. Its not like I want Bhullar or anyone else to have eligibility issues, decommit etc. UC could lose Shaq Thomas too for all I know. It would suck but those are the kind of dice you roll with foreign and prep school players.

[Xavier]

I believe Sim said it was money issues. He wanted to come this year and would pay his way but it was just too much. Had some ties with New Mexico state, it was cheaper, he went there.

[PMI]

I believe Sim said it was money issues. He wanted to come this year and would pay his way but it was just too much. Had some ties with New Mexico state, it was cheaper, he went there.

Yea I don't buy that excuse for a second.

[waggy]

Yea I don't buy that excuse for a second.

I think it was a factor.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

I believe Sim said it was money issues. He wanted to come this year and would pay his way but it was just too much. Had some ties with New Mexico state, it was cheaper, he went there.
I don't buy that either. He is not eligible to play college basketball anywhere this year, so why even spend the 25K at NMS, why not just stay in high school or prep. school and come to X next year? He is not going to get to NBA any faster that way he is going.

[PMI]

I think it was a factor.

The reason I don't buy it at all is because earlier today, his sister claimed unique clearinghouse issues. On top of that, there is speculation about several other factors. The tuition thing just seems way too convenient when you consider the situation. He is going to be able to pay off his student loans because he's clearly going to be playing professional basketball somewhere pretty much as soon as he wants, barring significant injury. Maybe he rationalized it enough to make it a factor, but at the end of the day, there's no way I can believe that the reason he's at NMSU instead of Xavier is because Xavier costs $17K more a year.

[waggy]

Student loans from where? The US or Canada?

[PMI]

I'm not sure I follow. Basically I just think that the he/his family are using that explanation as their main reason, but I think there are much bigger factors that far outweigh tuition. Call me skeptical, but I just don't buy it.

[xubrew]

I believe Sim said it was money issues. He wanted to come this year and would pay his way but it was just too much. Had some ties with New Mexico state, it was cheaper, he went there.

The reason he's having money issues is because he is a non-qualifier who is not permitted to receive any athletic aid.

[Masterofreality]

the reason he's having money issues is because he is a non-qualifier who is not permitted to receive any athletic aid.

bingo!!!

[outsideobserver11]

Declared eligible today but must sit out the first quarter. Can start play on I believe December 10th.