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Bryant: Money rules NCAA changes
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Clint Bryant vividly recalls the
days when college basketball play
ers were ineligible to play varsity
ball asfreshmen. Lew Alcindorand
Elviri Hayes were part of that pre
-1972 crew and Bryant would rather
not return to those days.
As Augusta State University ath
letic director, Bryant says discus
sion to make first-year players in
eligible for action is purely eco
nomical and could backfire—caus
ing increased exodus from college
ranks — making players consider
paydays with semi-professional
leagues like the Continental Bas
ketball Association or pro leagues
overseas.
‘Conversely, says Bryant, other
collegiate sports have experienced
early entries into pro ranks void of
attentionby NCAA committeesand
subsequent media stir.
“Foryears, baseball playershave
left college early and many of them
are drafted right out of high school.
You never hear about that. So why
all the fervor around basketball?
It’s purely a matter of economics,”
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said Bryant, who formerly coached
ASU’s men’s basketball team.
“It’s all about money,” Bryant
continued. “Why don't you hear
talk about making baseball play
ers stay beyond their freshmen
years? What about tennis, hockey,
golf ... you name it. It’s because
those sportsdon’tfill the stadiums
andbasketball does,” heexplained.
Bryant is reacting to a recent
proposal by a special 27-member
NCAA committee pondering the
issueofimprovinggraduationrates
for men’s basketball players by
makingfreshmenineligible toplay
at the varsity level their first year.
But Bryant, along with Charles
Welch, head men’s basketball
coach at Aiken Technical College,
say school books and grade point
averages are smoke screens, of
sorts.
“Academic integrity? C’mon!
Thisis about the NCAA losing big
time money. The big-time pro
grams — those are the ones being
affected. They hate to see their top
recruits stay for a year, then leave
the program in shambles,” said
Bryant whoused Stephon Marbury
for example.
Marbury was Georgia Tech’s
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prized recruit who played under
head coach Bobby Cremens’ tute
lage for just qne year before being
lured with big bucks to join the
NBA.
“With Marbury’s departure,
Cremens now hears talk about his
job because he (Cremens) hasn’t
produced awinnerin the pastthree
seasons,” said Bryant.
Welch, to some extent, agrees
with Bryant. “Too many times,
decisions are affected by how much
money a school will bring in. I just
hope they (rules committee) look
out for the players’interest. And, I
don’tlike the fact they’re consider
ing rule changes that affect only
Division I basketball players. That
seemsdiscriminatory tome,” added
Welch, who coached his Aiken
based, junior college level Knights
to a 22-10 record last season.
Bryant said NCAA football al
ready has a clause which states
student-athletesmust play atleast
three years of college ball before
being considered forthe NFL draft.
“Thhis pretty much means a player
will be at least 21 when trying out
for the NFL,” said Bryant.
The American Basketball Asso
ciation initially experienced un
derclassmendeparture when Spen
cer Haywood left the University of
Detroit early after winning a court
battleleadingtothe“hardshiprule”
for players who could declare eco
nomicneed forleaving college early
to earn money for supporting their
families. In that case, and others
that followed Haywood’s path —
from Bill Willoughby to Kobe
Bryant, have alsocentered around
money — in those cases, with the
athlete reaping the rewards in
high-paying salaries. Meanwhile,
Welch saysrulechangescould ben
efitjunior collegeswho accept play
ersunable to playtheirfirstyear at
the Division I level, but are imme
diately eligible to start play at the
JUCO level.
Bryant said the NCAA’s Final
Four tourney generates about 80
percent ofthe NCAA’s overall bud
get. Asan alternative for resolving
academic questions, Bryant pro
poses a shorter season like the
other sports. He says basketball is
the only sport which covers two
semesters, and excessive length of
season negatively affectsacademic
achievement — especially in the
early part of an athlete’s career,
said Bryant.
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JUNE 24, 1999