Updates?

[AdaSooner]

Saw Lon today, talking with Al Eschbach, and overheard him say that Buford is probably out due to the HS classes. He said it wasn't anything Buford did, but the school's fault. He also said they are still waiting on official word, but they don't expect him to be eligible.
He said they are hoping he can practice with them this year, but made it sound like that wasn't a sure thing. He doesn't think it will cost him a year of eligibility though.

Al then asked who would start if Thomas doesn't get to play, and the first name Lon brought up was DJ Bennett, and then Lattin.

That was all I heard before they both walked out of listening range.
I know a lot of this has been said already, but just wanted to pass along what I heard.

That's the part about Buford that gets me riled up. I know what you heard is accurate, because everything I have heard and read says the same thing.

Dante thought the classes he took would qualify, but the people he trusted at Arlington County Day dropped the ball and put him in a position where he can't play this season. What a shame this kid has to suffer the consequences of a total screw up at the high school he attended! Makes me want to kick somebody in the nads!

 

[WTSooner]

That's the part about Buford that gets me riled up. I know what you heard is accurate, because everything I have heard and read says the same thing.

Dante thought the classes he took would qualify, but the people he trusted at Arlington County Day dropped the ball and put him in a position where he can't play this season. What a shame this kid has to suffer the consequences of a total screw up at the high school he attended! Makes me want to kick somebody in the nads!

That is part of the problem though.....and I'm making a few assumptions here, but isn't that school one of those new basketball factories? Why would anybody trust anybody at a school like that? There are obvious motivations from the people running the school, and I can promise, it isn't making sure they have their academics in order to help the kids that are enrolled there.

It's why I'm against any of those players that transfer all around the country, for no reason other than basketball. And most of the time, they don't even need to be doing that. Travel with AAU. But make sure your butt is in a legit school that at least attempts to focus on academics.

 

[sperry]

That is part of the problem though.....and I'm making a few assumptions here, but isn't that school one of those new basketball factories? Why would anybody trust anybody at a school like that? There are obvious motivations from the people running the school, and I can promise, it isn't making sure they have their academics in order to help the kids that are enrolled there.

It's why I'm against any of those players that transfer all around the country, for no reason other than basketball. And most of the time, they don't even need to be doing that. Travel with AAU. But make sure your butt is in a legit school that at least attempts to focus on academics.

It's not unreasonable at all for Buford and family to have trusted them. Obviously they don't care about the kids academics in and of themselves, but they do care about their ability to recruit talented kids, and if they can't get kids eligible for college they're not going to be able to recruit.

 

[jerry]

That is part of the problem though.....and I'm making a few assumptions here, but isn't that school one of those new basketball factories? Why would anybody trust anybody at a school like that? There are obvious motivations from the people running the school, and I can promise, it isn't making sure they have their academics in order to help the kids that are enrolled there.

It's why I'm against any of those players that transfer all around the country, for no reason other than basketball. And most of the time, they don't even need to be doing that. Travel with AAU. But make sure your butt is in a legit school that at least attempts to focus on academics.

Very well said WT.

 

[AdaSooner]

That is part of the problem though.....and I'm making a few assumptions here, but isn't that school one of those new basketball factories? Why would anybody trust anybody at a school like that? There are obvious motivations from the people running the school, and I can promise, it isn't making sure they have their academics in order to help the kids that are enrolled there.

It's why I'm against any of those players that transfer all around the country, for no reason other than basketball. And most of the time, they don't even need to be doing that. Travel with AAU. But make sure your butt is in a legit school that at least attempts to focus on academics.

I agree with the points you're trying to make. Some of these so-called "basketball factories" do indeed focus more on sports than academics in preparing their student athletes for life at the next level. I have no idea if that includes Arlington County Day?

Your comments sent me scurrying to do a Google search. ACD is definitely not a newcomer. The school was founded in 1954, received their accreditation in 1968, and introduced their first freshman high school class in 1995. What we don't know, of course, is when the school decided to give their basketball program more attention?

Here's the link to the history portion of their web site:

http://arlingtoncountrydayschoolfoundation.org/arlington-country-day-school-history/

 

[MI Sooner]

Wouldn't you trust a school like that more? They're in the business of placing kids at D1 programs. The counselor at your local public school likely deals with kids who play D1 sports as a much smaller percentage of their students.

 

[brettromar]

Wouldn't you trust a school like that more? They're in the business of placing kids at D1 programs. The counselor at your local public school likely deals with kids who play D1 sports as a much smaller percentage of their students.

Not if all of their classes and programs are accredited. Some schools have classes that help you graduate but don't help you get qualified to play sports in college. The P/F classes are the ones that come to mind.

Trier left his school and stated in an article it was because of the classes the school placed him in that made him leave.

 

[soonerfud]

A lot of the college coaches are telling kids to go to prep schools these days. I was told to take my son to a prep school to get him more exposure and more offers by a guy who is a career asst. college coach. He's kind of between jobs right now, but I got the impression that's what they advise kids to do all the time. And no, I don't like or agree with that philosophy. I DO understand that they like showing up to one game and seeing 10 D1 kids, but to me that would kill high school basketball.

 

[nallen34]

Some tweets I saw from a scout.com reporter:

Justin Hite ‏@justinmhite

OU men's basketball coach Lon Kruger says he expects an eligibility decision on transfer F TaShawn Thomas by the end of the week. #Sooners


Justin Hite @justinmhite · 2h 2 hours ago

Kruger said freshman wing Dante Buford likely won't be eligible this year. #Sooners

Justin Hite @justinmhite · 2h 2 hours ago

Buford didn't practice today. Still waiting on eligibility. #Sooners

 

[vbdad]

The Thomas decision is expected this week.

 

[Swans]

Looks like Kedren Johnson at Memphis received his waiver. Hopefully we are accorded the same treatment.

 

[usedtobe1]

Looks like Kedren Johnson at Memphis received his waiver. Hopefully we are accorded the same treatment.

Johnson was a clear case of the "run-off" waiver rule. I thought it was interesting that he didn't even announce his transfer to Memphis until late August so his waiver application couldn't have been submitted to the NCAA until September.

This is similar to the OSU PG who was run off from LSU. It seems the bad boys have an easier time getting a waiver to play at another school.