Immediate reaction to the reduction of Kentucky center Randolph Morris' season-long suspension to 14 games: Disappointment in the NCAA. Disbelief with the process. Disillusionment at amateur athletics.
|
|
| Randolph Morris averaged just under nine points last season. (Getty Images) |
You know, it just might be fair.
Don't misunderstand me. For months, the view here has been that Morris has no business participating again in NCAA sports. Not after he received $7,000 in pro-style expenses while exploring his spot in the 2005 NBA Draft. Letting Morris play this season isn't right. The right thing would be to declare him a pro and dump him on the NBDL's doorstep.
But sometimes, being right isn't as important as being fair. And letting Morris play this season -- although wrong in the most basic sense -- might just be the fair thing to do. Fair to Kentucky.
Kentucky is, after all, a national program competing against other national programs. And let's look at some of the Wildcats' competition:
Boston College: The Eagles already have welcomed back forward Akida McLain, who was arrested this offseason for passing counterfeit $20 bills, and are trying to get back sophomore center Sean Williams -- who was suspended for one semester after a series of off-court issues culminating in his being charged with marijuana possession on campus.
Connecticut: The Huskies soon will be run by a point guard, Marcus Williams, who accepted a plea bargain in a case in which he had been charged with felony larceny against other UConn students.
George Washington: The Colonials' best player, center Pops Mensah-Bonsu, also had an illicit dalliance with the 2005 NBA Draft. Mensah-Bonsu was suspended for three games.
Kansas: A Kansas booster has given sophomore Darnell Jackson and his family roughly $5,000 in extra benefits. Jackson was suspended for nine games.
UTEP: UTEP's best player, Jason Williams, broke the jaw of a teammate, Stefon Jackson, in a practice fight. Jackson is out for more than a month. Williams was suspended for just one game.
Oklahoma State: Oklahoma State's best player, JamesOn Curry, never missed a game after pleading guilty to felony counts of marijuana distribution. That went down before last season, but the point remains: If Oklahoma State is entitled to Curry -- much like the above teams are entitled to their various players -- who's to say Kentucky isn't entitled to Randolph Morris?
With Morris, Kentucky again becomes an important player in college basketball. Without Morris, the Wildcats have bordered on irrelevance. They were stomped by inconsistent Indiana, beaten at home by young North Carolina, and beaten on a neutral site by Iowa.
