Update on Thompson/Carter

Hey everyone... here's an update on the situation with Thompson and Carter.

1) The rumor is true - they are indeed off the team.

2) They both have the opportunity to finish their education at UP with a full scholarship. If they choose to leave and go somewhere to play, the coaches will help them as much as possible to find a good spot for them.

3) This does not guarantee that new players will be signed on for next year now that scholarships are open. It's possible they may sign one player, but I wouldn't expect two - I think they want at least one scholarship open for next year.

OK, that's it for "real" news... now it's interpretation time. Like I posted earlier last weekend, there's no way this was an easy decision. Furthermore, I 100% do not believe that Reveno knew this was going to happen after the season ended. I think it took a very long time for the decision to be made and that the timing of it was in no way calculated to benefit the school or the coaches at the expense of Thompson and Carter.

Also... just being completely honest with ourselves... it's not an ideal situation to have the two senior leaders on the team as the two guys who play the least on the team. The young guys look up to the older players and follow their example, and just human nature tells you that if Carter and Thompson know they aren't going to be playing a major role on the team (and likely feel like they *should* be playing a major role) it would have been tough for them to bring the level of intensity and commitment that will be necessary for them to lead by example and for the culture of our program to continue to change.

I don't mean that as slight on them at all... I mean, if I were in the exact same position - recruited by a different coach, playing time very limited, and just due to my age forced to be a leader for the team - I definitely wouldn't be out there sacrificing my body and my time as much as would be needed. I would more have the mindset of just going through the motions and trying to get through the season. Which, ultimately, would be a distraction.

Anyway, like I said before... it's just a tough situation all around. But I do appreciate the fact that they still have an opportunity to finish their schooling at UP and that Reveno is trying his best to bring the program up.

Thanks for the update, Stonehouse. I am very glad to hear that they have academic scholarships available to them should they decide to take them...

And I think you make a very good point about them and being leaders. A tough situation, but I think the coaches/UP have done the best they could while still growing the program.

I know there are web sites out there indicatiing that we have made some offers to some high caliber Class of '09 kids... so I would assume that we would keep at least one schollie open to give next year.

Great post stonie.

Not a lot of time right now to respond, but I do recall a situation where a senior was not playing much, and was spending a lot of late nights during the season at the t-room and various parties - not naming an names, but that doesn't help the team. Also not insinuating that either walter of marcus would do that, I've never met either of them.

I'm relieved to hear they have the option of finish their educations at UP on full scholarship, if they choose to stay. That's the right thing to do, and doing anything other than that would be highly unethical in my book, and glad to see UP is not going down the road that some coaches/schools are choosing to take.

How does that work? Are their scholarships freed up for incoming players or do they still count against "the cap"?

goldhelmet wrote:
How does that work? Are their scholarships freed up for incoming players or do they still count against "the cap"?

Bottom line - the scholarships are there to use.....

Purplegeezer wrote:

goldhelmet wrote:
How does that work? Are their scholarships freed up for incoming players or do they still count against "the cap"?

Bottom line - the scholarships are there to use.....

OK - I was just curious if the basketball scholarship is somehow "converted" into some other type of scholarship in order to be able to use them for new players.

goldhelmet wrote:

Purplegeezer wrote:

goldhelmet wrote:
How does that work? Are their scholarships freed up for incoming players or do they still count against "the cap"?

Bottom line - the scholarships are there to use.....

OK - I was just curious if the basketball scholarship is somehow "converted" into some other type of scholarship in order to be able to use them for new players.

Any non-athlete is entitled to any kind of financial aid or scholarship they can garner. It's not under the purview of the NCAA to decide those issues. they only deal with sports related aid. So- if those kids were offered scholarships to attend UP as non-athletes, its not an NCAA issue. One thing for sure, they can't play basketball for UP if someone else gets those slots and they receive money unless they can show they are academically competitive with other non-athletes, and they may also not be able to play another scholarship sport for UP.

I only hope they were offered that choice. It seems like the decent thing to do...

As to what the University is committed/credited with, they need to honor the scholarships they have signed or renewed letters of intent for or have actually financed (those two things aren't technically the same, but most Universities that give sports scholarships follow the letter of intent program).

In some sports, the NCAA counts the players receiving aid on the first day of practice (soccer, for instance). With some, it's the first day of classes. I'm not sure what the Basketball rules are.