Post by Will Rogers Beach on Apr 9, 2004 6:56:01 GMT -5
www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?id=28269
BYU’s slippage through NCAA loopholes hits volleyball hard
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Gilbert Quiñonez
By Gilbert Quiñonez
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
gquinonez@media.ucla.edu
It was a match between good and evil. David against Goliath.
And surprisingly, the UCLA men's volleyball team represented good.
It's normally hard for the most storied program in the history of collegiate volleyball to be David.
But this was the case Thursday night, when No. 1 BYU came to Pauley Pavilion.
The Cougars aren't Goliath simply because they're a good team – UCLA is hardly weak in comparison at No. 3 in the country.
But BYU is bending the rules to win – and may even be breaking them.
BYU's strategy of going around the intent of a rule without actually breaking it is bad for college volleyball.
Many had suspected that BYU opposite hitter Joe Hillman was not eligible to play at BYU. But after an investigation, Hillman was ruled eligible.
But that's not the greater issue.
Because when you try to get away with what the rules are trying to prevent, fans everywhere stop trusting the legitimacy of the sport.
Also, it's not hard to break the rules while trying to get around them. Hawai'i had its 2002 NCAA championship title stripped because star player Costas Theocharidis was found to be a professional, according to NCAA rules.
And Lewis, the 2003 NCAA champion, has already self-reported NCAA violations and is sitting out two of its best players.
This is horrible for collegiate volleyball. It puts a dark cloud over a sport that is so exciting to watch and so fan-friendly.
The interest of volleyball is peaking. There were 1,728 fans at Pauley on Thursday night – a season-high attendance.
Another major volleyball scandal can destroy the interest.
UCSB coach Ken Preston questioned the NCAA about Hillman's eligibility last week, because records show that Hillman was a four-time All-Tournament player while at Utah Valley State – before playing at BYU.
A loophole in the NCAA eligibility rules allowed him to still have two years of eligibility at BYU.
But BYU may have more problems. One of its other star players, Victor Batista, sat out Thursday night's match because the NCAA asked BYU to bench him as a precautionary measure while his eligibility was reviewed.
I know that in this country, you're innocent until proven guilty.
But with the prior evidence of Hillman, it would not surprise anyone if Batista is found eligible – even though BYU broke the intent of the rule.
And whether or not the Cougars actually broke the rules, a championship this year (they are the clear favorites) would always have an imaginary asterisk next to it because of their recruiting practices.
The issue of bringing foreigners onto a team is a touchy one. Especially when the foreigner is older than the average American collegiate player, age 18-21.
Several players from Europe and Brazil on NCAA rosters are 27 or 28 years old.
BYU conveniently left the birth years of many of its older players out of its media guide, while leaving it in for many of its younger ones.
Is BYU trying to hide something?
It's not against the rules to play a 27-year-old.
But it does make you look bad, and it gives you an unfair advantage.
Steve Klosterman, one of UCLA's best players, is 19 years old.
Players that are upwards of 26 would have seven more years of volleyball experience. That's a huge advantage.
BYU isn't alone in hurting collegiate volleyball. Many other teams use 26-year-olds or players with questionable amateur backgrounds.
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NCAA coaches need to stop this practice now. It only hurts the sport in the long run. E-mail Quiñonez at gquinonez@media.ucla.edu.
BYU’s slippage through NCAA loopholes hits volleyball hard
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gilbert Quiñonez
By Gilbert Quiñonez
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
gquinonez@media.ucla.edu
It was a match between good and evil. David against Goliath.
And surprisingly, the UCLA men's volleyball team represented good.
It's normally hard for the most storied program in the history of collegiate volleyball to be David.
But this was the case Thursday night, when No. 1 BYU came to Pauley Pavilion.
The Cougars aren't Goliath simply because they're a good team – UCLA is hardly weak in comparison at No. 3 in the country.
But BYU is bending the rules to win – and may even be breaking them.
BYU's strategy of going around the intent of a rule without actually breaking it is bad for college volleyball.
Many had suspected that BYU opposite hitter Joe Hillman was not eligible to play at BYU. But after an investigation, Hillman was ruled eligible.
But that's not the greater issue.
Because when you try to get away with what the rules are trying to prevent, fans everywhere stop trusting the legitimacy of the sport.
Also, it's not hard to break the rules while trying to get around them. Hawai'i had its 2002 NCAA championship title stripped because star player Costas Theocharidis was found to be a professional, according to NCAA rules.
And Lewis, the 2003 NCAA champion, has already self-reported NCAA violations and is sitting out two of its best players.
This is horrible for collegiate volleyball. It puts a dark cloud over a sport that is so exciting to watch and so fan-friendly.
The interest of volleyball is peaking. There were 1,728 fans at Pauley on Thursday night – a season-high attendance.
Another major volleyball scandal can destroy the interest.
UCSB coach Ken Preston questioned the NCAA about Hillman's eligibility last week, because records show that Hillman was a four-time All-Tournament player while at Utah Valley State – before playing at BYU.
A loophole in the NCAA eligibility rules allowed him to still have two years of eligibility at BYU.
But BYU may have more problems. One of its other star players, Victor Batista, sat out Thursday night's match because the NCAA asked BYU to bench him as a precautionary measure while his eligibility was reviewed.
I know that in this country, you're innocent until proven guilty.
But with the prior evidence of Hillman, it would not surprise anyone if Batista is found eligible – even though BYU broke the intent of the rule.
And whether or not the Cougars actually broke the rules, a championship this year (they are the clear favorites) would always have an imaginary asterisk next to it because of their recruiting practices.
The issue of bringing foreigners onto a team is a touchy one. Especially when the foreigner is older than the average American collegiate player, age 18-21.
Several players from Europe and Brazil on NCAA rosters are 27 or 28 years old.
BYU conveniently left the birth years of many of its older players out of its media guide, while leaving it in for many of its younger ones.
Is BYU trying to hide something?
It's not against the rules to play a 27-year-old.
But it does make you look bad, and it gives you an unfair advantage.
Steve Klosterman, one of UCLA's best players, is 19 years old.
Players that are upwards of 26 would have seven more years of volleyball experience. That's a huge advantage.
BYU isn't alone in hurting collegiate volleyball. Many other teams use 26-year-olds or players with questionable amateur backgrounds.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA coaches need to stop this practice now. It only hurts the sport in the long run. E-mail Quiñonez at gquinonez@media.ucla.edu.
