|
|
| |
| Sat, Aug. 30, 2008 |  |
 |
|
||
| | College basketball schedules affected by lawsuit
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2004 By Harry King LITTLE ROCK - On the Web site for the Coaches vs. Cancer basketball tournament, the promo mentions Cal, Duke, Kentucky, and Syracuse with a tiny asterisk that denotes scheduled to participate. Hedging is a good thing. Kentucky is out. And, Duke is about to get out. Those two perennial college basketball powerhouses are among many schools affected by a lawsuit challenging the NCAA's rule that prohibits Division I teams from playing in more than two exempt tournaments in a four-year period. Such tournaments include the Great Alaska Shootout, Maui Invitational, Preseason NIT and others. The advantage of playing in an exempt tournament is that it only counts as one playing date against the limit of 28, but it can mean as many as four games. For instance, Arkansas opens the season with a three-for-one tournament in the Virgin Islands, maybe in pool play with Winthrop and Troy University. The Razorbacks should win both of those games and then play the winner of the other side, which includes St. Louis University, Austin Peay and Eastern Michigan. The lawsuit, filed by four tournament promoters, said fans want to see such high-profile teams as Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, and Arizona and that the NCAA rule amounted to restraint of trade. On July 28, 2003, U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus Jr., agreed. Six weeks later, the Cincinnati-based U.S. Court of Appeals granted the NCAA's request for a stay - a return to the status quo for the regulations that went into effect with the 2000-01 season. A three-judge panel heard both sides in early February and a ruling could come any day. An attorney in the firm that includes Stan Chesley - Cincinnati's best known class-action lawyer and a man who has raised much boodle for the national Democratic Party - said the court ruled recently in a case also heard in early February. Scott Stricklin, the men's basketball contact at Kentucky, said the Wildcats couldn't wait any longer to finalize their schedule because it was time to begin selling tickets. As long as the two-in-four rule is in effect, the Wildcats are ineligible for Coaches vs. Cancer because they played in the exempt NABC Classic in 2001-02 and in Maui the following year. It's still possible, he said, the Wildcats will make a trip to Mexico for some games during the fall break in October. Under the gun from the Atlantic Coast Conference and television, Duke is on the verge of announcing its schedule. If the court rules against the NCAA in the next few days, the Blue Devils could still play in Coaches vs. Cancer. Otherwise, that option is out the window because Duke has participated in two exempt events in the last three years. Cal and Syracuse are eligible for Coaches Vs. Cancer - expanded to 16 teams this year with the winners at four regional sites advancing to New York - and a spokesman for the sponsoring Gazelle Group says the tournament bracket should be complete in a week or so. Phil Wendler said tournament organizers made adjustments once it became clear that Kentucky was out. With the ruling up in the air, other schools are also in a bind. Indiana is down to the 11th hour on its schedule, said Pete Rhoda of the Hoosiers' sports information office. Indiana is supposed to participate in something called the Corpus Christi Challenge, which includes two home games and two games at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi all for the price of one playing date. Coach Mike Davis said his team needed the games to prepare for a non-conference schedule that includes North Carolina, Connecticut, Notre Dame, Kentucky and Missouri. In addition to Arkansas, other SEC teams are finding ways to schedule additional games. Florida will play three games in Nassau, Bahamas during Labor Day while Alabama is scheduled to participate in the Preseason NIT. Mississippi State is headed for Alaska, ironically replacing Winthrop. Tennessee is going to Maui and Auburn is ticketed for San Juan. No matter which way it goes, the court ruling will affect basketball schedules for years. If the promoters win, Chesley might go after the NCAA on other fronts. After all, he told The Cincinnati Enquirer last year that many colleges are frightened of the NCAA. "My bottom line is that the NCAA is a fine institution, but they're not above the law." ----- Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media Group's Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com. |
