The NCAA Screws Up Yet Again, Bans Findlay Prep from Rupp

The NCAA has once again proven its worthlessness by enforcing a rule that prohibits non-scholastic events from playing on a collegiate campus or main practice/playing facility.

Ironically, the rule was apparently enforced late on Wednesday night, just in time to move Friday's scheduled event at Rupp Arena to Lexington Christian Academy.

It's no surprise that Findlay Prep and Kentucky recruit Anthony Bennett happened to be one of the teams scheduled to participate in Friday's all-day event.

My Thoughts:

I think, for the most part, the NCAA consists of a bunch of biased idiots. There is no excuse for the organization to step in and shut down a high school event. Here are a few points:

- The University of Kentucky plays at Rupp Arena, but the school does not own Rupp Arena.

- The Sweet 16 is scheduled to be played in Rupp Arena. Kentucky is recruiting several in-state kids. Are we going to shut down the Sweet 16 and move it to Scott County High School? Alright, after reading more about this, I realized that it said "non-scholastic" events, which means the Sweet 16 will be fine. That being said, it's still a very stupid rule and the NCAA sucks.

- Since when did the NCAA begin governing high school events? I would personally file a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the NCAA.

- There are countless events around the nation that are played on college campuses. We'll be watching.

Here is a message from Rob Blair of Bleid Sports that explains his communication with the NCAA:

I regret to inform you that the NCAA has enforced a new rule (enforced on Wednesday, November 23 at 10:05 pm), that prohibits non-scholastic events from playing on a collegiate campus or main practice/playing facility.

Bleid Sports had maintained on two separate occasions official approval to host these events at collegiate arena (i.e. Rupp Arena). Rupp Arena’s attorney also received approval to have these scholastic events at Rupp Arena. Rupp Arena has signed contracts with Bleid Sports, and the deposits for the building have been paid.

We have fought and will continue to fight the NCAA on this matter. Our lawyer, a man accustomed to fighting the NCAA and winning, will bring some justice on the NCAA.

However, this does nothing but hurt our schools all around the country playing in collegiate facilities. The NCAA is unjust in cancelling an event 36 hours prior (especially over the Thanksgiving holiday). I hate that the schools, the programs; those are the bodies affected.

Tates Creek girls’ coach Justin Cheatham, whose team was scheduled to play in Rupp on Sunday, said in an email that his “players, as well as countless others across the state, are broken-hearted by the NCAA stepping in at this last minute and stomping on the dreams of kids all across this and neighboring states.”

Rupp Arena is the center of the basketball universe, and to tell these student-athletes just one day before tip-off of the first game that they won’t be able to play speaks strongly to the diminished character of the NCAA.

Schedule for the scrimmages at LCA:

Nov. 25

•9 a.m.: Bluegrass United vs. Somerset Christian
•10:15: Deming vs. Trinity Christian
•11:30: Paris vs. Garrard County
•12:45 p.m.: Cooper vs. Bracken County (girls)
•2:00: Livingston Central vs. Beth Haven
•3:15: Butler vs. Sheldon Clark
•4:30: St. Xavier vs. Southwestern
•5:45: Findlay Prep vs. Christian Faith
•7:15: Henry Clay vs. LaRue County
•8:30: Lafayette vs. Montgomery County

Nov. 27

•12:30: Tates Creek vs. Barbourville (girls)
•1:45: Model vs. Western Hills
•3:00: Sayre vs. Ludlow
•4:15: University Heights vs. Nicholas County
•5:30: Blue Ridge vs. Christian Faith
•7:00: Augusta vs. Wesley Christian
•8:15: Silver Grove vs. Piarist

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