NCAA Announces New Approved Proposal

This year’s Most Valuable Player of the NCAA tournament, Shabazz Napier made headlines last week during the Final Four when he complained that he sometimes goes to bed “starving” because he can’t afford food. The NCAA responded Tuesday and have decided to expand meal allowances for all Division I athletes.

The NCAA also announced the decision to reduce the penalty for a student athlete’s first positive drug test. This rule will only be effective for those who fail drug tests in which the substance is something other than a performance-enhancing drug. The decision also changed the rule of a player failing a drug test during NCAA tournaments. Instead of the student athlete missing the entire next season, the new proposal would cut the penalty to only half a season.

These new rules not only apply to scholarship student athletes, but they apply to walk-on participants, as well. Although the legislative council approved the new rules on Tuesday, the NCAA board of directors still have to make the final decision. That meeting is scheduled to take place on April 24^th.

Perhaps the decision of “unlimited meals” for Division I athletes can be viewed as being a little over the top. Currently, many Division I student athletes receive some sort of scholarship or at the very least, some sort of stipend deal. In my personal opinion, those who complain about “going hungry” at night are not using their school-funded scholarship funds appropriately.

There’s a certain point when the NCAA and universities around the country have to stop babying student-athletes. How are they ever going to grow up? I’ve had the opportunity to visit numerous colleges around the country and spend time with friends of mine who are Division I athletes. A continuous theme seems to be that many of these student athletes use a lot of their stipend money on some of the most expensive living villas offered on campus.

On top of not planning out their scholarship funds, numerous student athletes spend their money on clothes and different accessories. Today, tattoos have become more and more evident on student athletes bodies. Some tattoos cost hundreds of dollars depending on the size. So my question is if you have enough money to put ink all over your body, how do you not have the funds to get food if you’re hungry?

It’s hard to avoid the numerous eating opportunities these student athletes received prior to the new ruling. In fact, the NCAA previously had a bylaw that allowed schools to provide snacks such as fruits, bagels, and nuts to athletes. Each school that I visited had a variety of these offerings, and you would think if a player were “starving” he or she would at the very least have those snacks to choose from.

The argument on these new rulings could go on and on and to be quite honest there are valid points that come from both sides. However, I think many of these athletes need to spend a little more time managing their money. Who knows, maybe it would translate to professional athletes who seem to need financial practice most.

BYU Will Miss Carlino

One of the most talented college point guards in America is on the bidding table and is eligible to play right away.

On Tuesday evening Brigham Young announced that junior standout, Matt Carlino, would transfer from the school after graduating in June. That will allow Carlino to play right away at any school he decides, thanks to the fairly recent graduate transfer rule that started back in 2011. The new rule allows any NCAA athlete who graduates and still has eligibility, to transfer and play immediately.

Many experts consider Carlino to be the “most coveted transfer on the market” and to be honest; there isn’t any debate about it. If you have paid close attention to Carlino’s career at BYU, you would understand that there were numerous times where it seemed that he was held back from playing to his greatest strengths throughout the past three seasons.

Carlino can pretty much do anything that you ask of him, and is considered by many of his teammates as the “ultimate teammate”. He not only sacrifices his game for the better most of the team, but when head coach Dave Rose asked him to play the two guard for more than half the year, he responded and said, “whatever makes the team better.” (Matt is most effective playing the one)

Carlino is the type of player who can come down the floor and contribute to a scoring play on every possession. Whether that’s finding an open teammate, getting to the rim, or knocking down jump shots, he’s comfortable doing it all. Many experts who have followed BYU basketball for years considered Matt to be one of the school’s all-time best passers.

Carlino ends his BYU career as the school’s all time leaders in assists (seventh), steals (sixth) and three pointers (sixth). Matt also finished 27^th on the school’s all-time scoring list.

With Kyle Collinsworth (split time with Carlino at the one) out rehabbing his knee after tearing his ACL in the West Coast Conference Championship, Eric Mika leaving for his mission, and Carlino transferring, the Cougars might be in trouble next season. BYU still returns first-team WCC player selection, Tyler Haws.

It will be interesting to see where Matt lands next, but let it be rest assured that wherever he ends up, he will be an immediate impact player.