Maybe Dodged a Bullet with DeLaRossa from Last Class

[Stallion]

suspicious SAT score. 2nd player from St Jones' class to be ruled academically ineligible both under suspicious circumstances

http://nypost.com/2014/11/12/de-la-rosa ... neligible/

[Pony_Law]

Wonder if st. Jones fans are vowing not to support the university any longer because they didn't just decide to cheat and get this kid to play?

[gostangs]

great basketball = constant state of flux about academic issues. we better get used to this. It is a cost of the sport and happens with every great program.

[Rebel10]

Wonder if st. Jones fans are vowing not to support the university any longer because they didn't just decide to cheat and get this kid to play?

2 different situations. That was a high school clearinghouse issue not a St John issue from what it looks like. Also, they did not ride DeLaRossa back to prominence like SMU did with Kennedy. I love your holier than thou hardline approach. No one said cheat but if the kid is doing the best he can at a 7th grade reading level then have some grace with him. But I guess since we have depth now at his position people like you feel it is all on him and that we can just throw him away. I guess it is easy to stick your snobby SMU nose up in the air at the kid when you have a law degree.

[ponyinNC]

Wonder if st. Jones fans are vowing not to support the university any longer because they didn't just decide to cheat and get this kid to play?

you sir are ridiculous

[Pony_Law]

Wonder if st. Jones fans are vowing not to support the university any longer because they didn't just decide to cheat and get this kid to play?

you sir are ridiculous

I'm ridiculous? look at the posts on this board of people blaming SMU for MK's situation. Give me one example of something SMU could do to further help MK that is not a major infraction under NCAA rules, with the understanding that effort does note equal deserving a particular grade. If you think MK's effort (which is not even a confirmed fact) entitles him to a passing grade would you also let me preform major surgery on you because I promise I will try my best to be prepared and know what I'm doing. Why don't you hire one of 15% of the people who fail the Texas bar every year to handle your next legal matter. I promise you those people have invested 100's of hours and hundred's of thousands of dollars just to have the opportunity to take that exam.

[Rebel10]

MK is not trying to be a brain surgeon. He is trying to be a professional basketball player which has nothing to do with the particular class he is taking. Like I said you seem to be a lawyer with book sense but no common sense.

[Stallion]

Nobody is stopping him from being a PROFESSIONAL basketball player. SMU and the NCAA are just requiring that if he wants to play COLLEGE basketball he must make satisfactory progress toward his degree. Its up to him which avenue he wants to take to become a PROFESSIONAL basketball player

[Rebel10]

Nobody is stopping him from being a PROFESSIONAL basketball player. SMU and the NCAA are just requiring that if he wants to play COLLEGE basketball he must make satisfactory progress toward his degree. Its up to him which avenue he wants to take to become a PROFESSIONAL basketball player

Who said anyone was stopping him? He can sign with an agent at anytime. His stock is what is dropping. Anyway, I just can't believe a counselor would not have advised MK of the reading workload in history. As long as he comes back by conference play he can regain his stock value or professional basketball be it in international play or the NBA.

[Pony_Law]

MK is not trying to be a brain surgeon. He is trying to be a professional basketball player which has nothing to do with the particular class he is taking. Like I said you seem to be a lawyer with book sense but no common sense.

Your right MK is trying to be a professional basketball player by developing and showcasing his game through college basketball. College basketball requires you meet NCAA academic requirements. Ergo his grades have a lot to do with what he is trying to do. If I wanted to be a doctor I would still have to pass at least one college level physics class even though I've never had a Doctor apply the theory of special relativity on me during an exam. You know where they don't care about your grades? European professional basketball clubs and the D-league.

It seems to me that you are the one that is failing to logically look at the situation and appropriately place responsibility/blame for the situation. Instead you seem to be having an emotional reaction where you have decided to lash out and blame SMU/the NCAA system despite there being no evidence or logic behind blaming either of those institutions in regards to what has happened to MK. You argument in essence boils down to "I think it's stupid for colleges to require their athletes to meet basic academic requirements". You are entitled to your opinion but you are not entitled to believe that your opinion is anything other than your own subjective preferences and biases. If you think colleges should take on the mantel of being organized minor league feeder systems to professional sports leagues again that's fine to have that opinion but I don't think there would be the same kind of public interest in that type of system as evidence by interest of the general public in minor league baseball in this country (which by the way really screws the vast majority of players life wise).

[Stallion]

I can't believe an SMU basketball fan wants to criticize and lecture an SMU Basketball player on a message board on the academic major that he should pursue in College. Should ponyfans get to decide what the academic major and career Rebel10 should pursue. Markus is a grownup-maybe some SMU fans should grow-up too and stop being so concerned about waving their red and blue pom-pom at the NCAA Tourney

[Rebel10]

Ponylaw, no that is not my opinion. I just see the young man as having an opportunity to better his life financially to help him and his family. My point is similar to Hoopmanx's in that we knew what we had regarding the educational background with MK, now some like yourself are saying to heck with MK.

FWIW, I think this is a one time incident and will not happen in the future. I will say this if he picked history as a major after getting all the facts on the reading workload then it is more on him but if he did not get all the facts then it is on the SMU counselor that advised him.

[Stallion]

the best opportunity for 99.99% of kids like Markus is to get his college degree. Your argument hides behind the .01 making it big to justify the big lie the 99.99% have been told that basketball is the way out. Education is the way out for all but about 30 Americans every year

[ponyboy]

I think I've told the story about how my father gave that exact speech to Larry Johnson back in the day. Save your money. Watch your friends. Complete your education. Bball is temporary.

[Rebel10]

I think I've told the story about how my father gave that exact speech to Larry Johnson back in the day. Save your money. Watch your friends. Complete your education. Bball is temporary.

Basketball is temporary but there is timing factor for the short window of opportunity that an athlete who has the potential to succeed at the next level has. Markus can come back and get his degree at SMU after or during his playing days if he desires.