SHAME on college basketball

Ok, so I lied.  I said the other night I was going to move on from college basketball to the real sport of baseball.  Well, I've been checking once a day or so to see if Frank Martin is headed home.  The University of Miami is looking for a coach to replace Frank Haith, who left for Missouri last week.  The appeared to be after Tommy Amacker from Harvard, but yesterday he turned them down.  I know it's hard to say no to home, but if someone wants to stay at Harvard, a school that has never made the NCAA tournament, instead of taking a job in the weaker ACC, that can't be good for Miami.  But I wondered if him turning them down, might get them to pursue Martin.  As of the other day, no contact has been made, but that may all change now.  FAU's Mike Jarvis, formerly of St. Johns is being rumored next, and would be a better fit, but only time will tell.  My website of choice for this is the Kansas City Star's website, as they will be the first to know and publish any developments.  ESPN would report if Martin takes the job, but talks won't make the "mother ship's" website.  Today, while checking for developments I saw something that absolutely infuriated me.  And even that is an understatement.  There was an article about an idea for them to do with some of the money that college basketball generates.  All through and after the tournament analysts were critical of "talent" level of the field.  Their reference, of course was to the players leaving early for the NBA.  I blogged about this a while back.  These players have one thing and one thing only on their minds, and that's getting to the NBA ASAP.  It's like being forced to do something.  If it's done voluntarily, it's more willingly, but you try to force someone to do something, they are going to fight you the whole way.  Forcing someone to do something is not the way to go about it.  They think forcing them to stay is going to help college basketball, but it's only going to make it worse, and I wish these idiots would see that.  I made reference in that blog to the KSU team with Michael Beasley and Bill Walker.  Both were VERY talented players and have done well for themselves in the NBA.  But the college team (KSU) barely made the tournament field, and if not for Beasley, probably wouldn't have even been in.  The same team, minus Beasley and Walker, the next season, went to the Elite 8.  These guys want to go, let them go.  While looking in the Star, I found another article that illustrates my point as well.  Josh Selby has been MIA since the season ended, missing a team luncheon, while in Vegas trying to decide whether he wants to go pro.  These guys don't care about their school, teammates, etc.  Who would you rather have on your team, Josh Selby, or Tyler Hansbrough?   Selby has left his team and coach hanging, while Hansbrough, while at UNC was the ultimate team player.  If they want to go, LET THEM GO.  But no, they want to take the money college basketball makes and offer the students, such as Selby, a no interest loan to stay in school.  The amount would depend on their draft stock.  This would also be on top of their FULL RIDE scholarship.  These guys are offered a free education, room and board, etc. while at school.  That is something that MANY people would cherish and not take for granted like these guys do.  But that's not good enough, they want to pay them now.  They would be allowed to spend the loan on whatever they wanted.  So, in Selby's case for instance, he would be offered a $30,000 loan to remain at Kansas for another season.  Oh, the things I could do with a full ride scholarship and $30,000.  Here's what will happen in 90% of the cases.  They will blow it on something, like a car, jewelry, etc. and within a few days of getting it, be complaining again about being broke.  As if that's not bad enough, wait for the repayment options.  If they make the NBA, they pay back the loan with their big signing contract, and if they don't make the NBA, they don't owe a dime.  It's wrote off as an investment in the person's future.  Really??  Seriously??  That is just asinine.  There are SO many people out there that could benefit way more from this.  If they want to get athletes to stay in college, here's my suggestion.  Talk to Roy Williams.  In his tenure at Kansas, the ONLY player to leave early for the NBA was Paul Pierce.  Hansbrough stayed and graduated at UNC, and their stars who would easily be first round choices have already announced that they are staying in school.  How many Kansas players, under Bill Self, that are currently PLAYING in the NBA have played all 4 years??  And SHAME on Bill Self for supporting this plan.  If you want guys to stay in school, talk to the coaches.  Why can't these idiots see what will happen to college basketball when they start paying players.  It will be exactly like the Yankees and Red Sox are in baseball.  The Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, UCLA, etc. will be bigger and better.  How are schools like Butler and VCU supposed to compete with that?  All that shamefulness aside, you can not tell me these players are not getting anything for what they do?  EVERY school does it, I don't care who it is.  These boosters find ways to get these athletes compensation.  Everyone does it, it's just a matter of not getting caught, like KSU and O(Ohio)SU did.  These guys are doing just fine, there is no need to compensate them more than they already are.  Shame on Bill Self, and anyone else who supports this idea.  This, not players leaving early will ruin college basketball.