Shabazz Napier's Postgame Comments

[WilsonHog]

http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaab/eye-on-college-basketball/24518524/shabazz-napier-uses-stage-to-create-one-really-great-and-awkward-moment

[immahog]

Im glad he said it ....I hate the NCAA .....Big daddy kane aint got nothin on the NCAA

[latrops]

I don't really get it.  It was an APR ban.  The NCAA, as far as I know, really didn't have any option but to ban a program for failing to meet the minimum standard.  That's just how it works, and most believe it is necessary in order to guarantee that education receives some emphasis.

http://q.usatoday.com/2014/04/08/connecticut-huskies-shabazz-napier-ncaa-tournament-post-game-celebration-apr-ban/

[bigredone]

Rules are rules and as long as they are not changed in the middle of a season to affect one team I don't see a problem. Actually being a student is kind of important in the student/athletes life.

[immahog]

HA lets be clear these kids are not student/athletes they are athletic students

[The real Hogules]

I disagree with the NCAA on many topics, but on this particular issue I believe that the NCAA got it right.

[hoglady]

I saw all of Napier I ever care to see last night.
He's got great talent, but I was less than impressed with his shoving on his own teammate and his reaction when both he and Boatwright were trying to save the ball out of bounds.

[kingofdequeen]

I saw all of Napier I ever care to see last night.
He's got great talent, but I was less than impressed with his shoving on his own teammate and his reaction when both he and Boatwright were trying to save the ball out of bounds.

really?  you know how much better off the hogs would be if they had that kind of leadership?

Why do you think people love Corey Beck so much?

[Cotton]

I don't really get it.  It was an APR ban.  The NCAA, as far as I know, really didn't have any option but to ban a program for failing to meet the minimum standard.  That's just how it works, and most believe it is necessary in order to guarantee that education receives some emphasis.

http://q.usatoday.com/2014/04/08/connecticut-huskies-shabazz-napier-ncaa-tournament-post-game-celebration-apr-ban/

The thing people don't understand is how ridiculous the rules and expectations are. Degree completion percentages, ect.

You've got some athletes taking 15 hours of summer school just to be eligible. Athletes that have good grades and passed the classes they took, but don't meet some expectation set by some big wig sitting behind his glass windows in a skyscraper.

NCAA is a complete joke of an organization.

[kingofdequeen]

The thing people don't understand is how ridiculous the rules and expectations are. Degree completion percentages, ect.

You've got some athletes taking 15 hours of summer school just to be eligible. Athletes that have good grades and passed the classes they took, but don't meet some expectation set by some big wig sitting behind his glass windows in a skyscraper.

NCAA is a complete joke of an organization.

and the players on the team that have to deal with teh penalties aren't the ones who screwed it up.  they have to bear the punishment from the sins of their predecessors.

[PorkRinds]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/07/us/ncaa-basketball-finals-shabazz-napier-hungry/

"I don't feel student-athletes should get hundreds of thousands of dollars, but like I said, there are hungry nights that I go to bed and I'm starving," he said.

[kingofdequeen]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/07/us/ncaa-basketball-finals-shabazz-napier-hungry/

wha???  he got to eat in the cafe until 715 PM!!!  it's his fault!!!

[Cotton]

and the players on the team that have to deal with teh penalties aren't the ones who screwed it up.  they have to bear the punishment from the sins of their predecessors.

Yes, along with coaches jumping ship for new programs where they escape any sanctions.

[PorkRinds]

wha???  he got to eat in the cafe until 715 PM!!!  it's his fault!!!

Not sure I'm buying what he's selling...

[Cotton]

wha???  he got to eat in the cafe until 715 PM!!!  it's his fault!!!

You obviously have no clue what it's like as a student athlete.

[kingofdequeen]

Not sure I'm buying what he's selling...

my buddy played Div II ball and played overseas.   Granted, Div II, but a superb player who won a bunch of awards.  dude was an on 11,000 calorie per day diet just to maintain weight.

i believe it.

[kingofdequeen]

You obviously have no clue what it's like as a student athlete.

please tell me that there's at least a glaze of sarcasm on that one.

[Cotton]

my buddy played Div II ball and played overseas.   Granted, Div II, but a superb player who won a bunch of awards.  dude was an on 11,000 calorie diet just to maintain weight.

i believe it.

If you were being sarcastic about the 7:15 thing I take back my comment.

If you were serious, God have mercy on your soul lol

[kingofdequeen]

If you were being sarcastic about the 7:15 thing I take back my comment.

If you were serious, God have mercy on your soul lol

frick being a student-athlete.  just being a student is enough to know that 715's bullcrap and you spend a ton of money on food if you have it.

[Cotton]

frick being a student-athlete.  just being a student is enough to know that 715's bullcrap and you spend a ton of money on food if you have it.

Hahaha, whew you had me worried for a second.

Unfortunately there are people out there (NCAA) that think it's more than enough to give athletes a meal plan.

[kingofdequeen]

Hahaha, whew you had me worried for a second.

Unfortunately there are people out there (NCAA) that think it's more than enough to give athletes a meal plan.

costs the school next to nothing for that food, too.  another scam.

where my UCA/Aramark Bears at?

[Cotton]

costs the school next to nothing for that food, too.  another scam.

where my UCA/Aramark Bears at?

If you can eat 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, in a cafeteria... You aren't human.

[HognotinMemphis]

Rules are rules and as long as they are not changed in the middle of a season to affect one team I don't see a problem. Actually being a student is kind of important in the student/athletes life.

That's the point. There is no student/athlete. Not for men's basketball and football and baseball. They do not have time to go to class. It is a farce. They do not have time to learn and get an education. But the universities are making billions off these athletes. If you want a squad of athletes to represent your university to pump up the school spirit, hire them and pay them. Otherwise, stop giving them scholarships and working them so hard they are not able to get the education part of the scholarship.

[hoglady]

really?  you know how much better off the hogs would be if they had that kind of leadership?

Why do you think people love Corey Beck so much?

I wouldn't call shoving your teammate out of frustration leadership. If he does that crap when he gets to the NBA - he'll be replacing some teeth.

[Fatty McGee]

I wouldn't call shoving your teammate out of frustration leadership. If he does that crap when he gets to the NBA - he'll be replacing some teeth.

I don't think he meant to shove him that hard.  Boatright was running the wrong play so he stuck his hand out to turn him back the other way and it was just momentum.

[Dr. Starcs]

Napier is a great player, but he acted like a punk last night. Reamed Boatright out for hustling after a loose ball a mere 30 seconds before Napier himself didnt pay attention and got the ball stolen from him. Boatright shoulda got in his face after that one.

[avatar]

napier is a great player. other than that he is a punk. it's nice he can speak two languages ........english and whatever else he speaks

[Biggus Piggus]

That's just how it works, and most believe it is necessary in order to guarantee that education receives some emphasis.

No, it is a ridiculous way of trying to raise academic standards. Underperforming student-athletes are the ones who should be penalized.

The APR represents the four-year average of how many student-athletes stay in school and remain academically eligible. The big problem is that players who leave early for the draft are counted against the school. A school also gets only half credit for a player who leaves, even if academically eligible.

[jry04]

The thing people don't understand is how ridiculous the rules and expectations are. Degree completion percentages, ect.

You've got some athletes taking 15 hours of summer school just to be eligible. Athletes that have good grades and passed the classes they took, but don't meet some expectation set by some big wig sitting behind his glass windows in a skyscraper.

NCAA is a complete joke of an organization.

I always laugh when people make comments like this. I really feel like fans need to be educated on how the NCAAT operates before they form opinions like yours.

The NCAA is a membership driven organization. Every rule that is set is proposed and voted on by its member institutions. The NCAA employees do not sit in some skyscraper in fancy offices coming up with ridiculous rules. Every rule was made by the schools.

Also, any player that meets the minimum requirement of credit hours per semester, and makes good grades, would not be required to take 15 hours of summer school. Maybe you are misinformed, but there is no way an athlete was forced to take 5 summer courses, and the NCAA certainly doesn't make those decisions. Each school and conference have different requirements. Each school has different curriculum. The NCAA does not force athletes to take summer school because they did not meet a certain requirement.

[ArkansasI]

The issue is circular to me.  Which party benefits more from the relationship - the player or the university?

Most of us are likely to agree that college athletics have morphed considerably from their origins.  Many Division I schools derive tremendous financial benefit from one - and perhaps two or three - of the athletic programs they sponsor.  However, when we focus on what drives the financial bus of college athletics should we ignore whatever role that the non-revenue sports play in this opera?

If the public doesn't buy the non-revenue sports, it is easy to support arguments that eliminate scholarships in areas that don't pay for themselves.  Would paying athletes result in an impairment to most men's sports and about all women's sports in college athletics?  If not, how do you allocate funds - do all football players receive the same stipend?  Why should the guy that sits on the bench get paid the same as a starter?

Whatever advantage schools take of their student-athletes, is it also true that the schools enable players?  Aside from the tremendous exposure these kids now receive - media have significantly changed in the last 10-20-30-40-50 years - do scholarship athletes obtain a bullet on their resume that non-athletes don't receive?  What is that worth?  What is the public access worth on ESPN, etc. to the individuals that are there because of their university?

Players that have no interest in education have choices.  They don't have to go to college.  If they do, then they should take the opportunity on their recruiting visits to discuss with fellow players what expectations they should expect when accepting a scholarship to a given university.  Accept with full disclosure.

I think it is fair to believe that most fans are truly interested only in the success of players that attend the schools they support.  I don't know if any of us would know who Shabazz Napier is if it weren't for his affiliation with UConn.  To the extent Shabazz just benefitted UConn, is it safe to say that he is about to get paid richly for it?

I recognize that there is huge money in athletics and I understand why athletes want a greater share of it.  However, there are significant risks involved.  Risks to gymnasts and tennis players.  Risks to women's sports.  Risks that the importance of education will be further reduced and value/cost of an education will become unavailable to more people.

I fear we cannot rely on the general public to make important decisions concerning the funding of education.  We are more interested in football and basketball.

[cosmodrum]

costs the school next to nothing for that food, too.  another scam.

where my UCA/Aramark Bears at?

Stir fry in the Christian Cafeteria was my ish.

[choppedporkextrasauce]

I disagree with the NCAA on many topics, but on this particular issue I believe that the NCAA got it right.

You're as wrong as the NCAA.

With any student that isn't a student athlete the responsibility of academic progress and graduation lies solely with the student.  No coach can make a student athlete graduate or even study for that matter. Where is the logic that if student A does poorly but student B does well but because A and B are friends B is penalized for A's mistakes. Better yet why should the class of 2013 suffer for the class of 2009 ' s shortcomings.

[Cotton]

I always laugh when people make comments like this. I really feel like fans need to be educated on how the NCAAT operates before they form opinions like yours.

The NCAA is a membership driven organization. Every rule that is set is proposed and voted on by its member institutions. The NCAA employees do not sit in some skyscraper in fancy offices coming up with ridiculous rules. Every rule was made by the schools.

Also, any player that meets the minimum requirement of credit hours per semester, and makes good grades, would not be required to take 15 hours of summer school. Maybe you are misinformed, but there is no way an athlete was forced to take 5 summer courses, and the NCAA certainly doesn't make those decisions. Each school and conference have different requirements. Each school has different curriculum. The NCAA does not force athletes to take summer school because they did not meet a certain requirement.

You are completely wrong. You couldn't be further from the truth actually. I have experienced this first hand and witnessed it multiple times every year.

These rules are made to look good on paper, but the people making them have no idea what it's like to be a student athlete. Nor do you apparently.

There are degree completion requirements. Yeah it's great that we get athletes degrees, but nobody wants to talk about how many athletes didn't get a degree they wanted to pursue because of these stupid requirements. I won't expect you to understand any of this though, you have the same type of "knowledge" of this subject that the people making the rules do.

[kingofdequeen]

Stir fry in the Christian Cafeteria was my ish.

camaroonian folk worked the wok's over at hendu high.  could barely squeeze in.

pretty much ate sandwiches and cereal every day at pomfret.  NEVER walked up the hill to brough.  took ziploc bags to fill up and take back to the room.

SEE NAPIER?  JUST RESORT TO STEALING YOUR FOOD AND YOU NEVER GO HUNGRY.

[cosmodrum]

camaroonian folk worked the wok's over at hendu high.  could barely squeeze in.

pretty much ate sandwiches and cereal every day at pomfret.  NEVER walked up the hill to brough.  took ziploc bags to fill up and take back to the room.

SEE NAPIER?  JUST RESORT TO STEALING YOUR FOOD AND YOU NEVER GO HUNGRY.

Tots in my pocket Napoleon Dynamite styles

[Inhogswetrust]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/07/us/ncaa-basketball-finals-shabazz-napier-hungry/

When I was a regular student I went hungry sometimes as well.

[Inhogswetrust]

You are completely wrong. You couldn't be further from the truth actually. I have experienced this first hand and witnessed it multiple times every year.

These rules are made to look good on paper, but the people making them have no idea what it's like to be a student athlete. Nor do you apparently.

There are degree completion requirements. Yeah it's great that we get athletes degrees, but nobody wants to talk about how many athletes didn't get a degree they wanted to pursue because of these stupid requirements. I won't expect you to understand any of this though, you have the same type of "knowledge" of this subject that the people making the rules do.

If a student athlete doesn't get a degree it is their fault not the schools.

[Inhogswetrust]

His comment reminded me why I never liked Uconn in the first place.

[Biggus Piggus]

There are degree completion requirements. Yeah it's great that we get athletes degrees, but nobody wants to talk about how many athletes didn't get a degree they wanted to pursue because of these stupid requirements.

EXACTLY.

[Fatty McGee]

If a student athlete doesn't get a degree it is their fault not the schools.

Unless the school cuts them because it feels like doing so.  Which it can do at the end of any year.  Then whose fault is it?

[Fatty McGee]

When I was a regular student I went hungry sometimes as well.

Did the school make millions off your performance there and have control over virtually every minute of your waking day?  If not, then your comparison is inept.

[Inhogswetrust]

Unless the school cuts them because it feels like doing so.  Which it can do at the end of any year.  Then whose fault is it?

Still the players fault. After they are cut loose they can go to a different school OR stay there and get their degree and use other methods to pay for it.

[Fatty McGee]

Still the players fault. After they are cut loose they can go to a different school OR stay there and get their degree and use other methods to pay for it.

Oh, you meant like if ANY person doesn't get a degree it's their fault.  As a general observation, perhaps that's true.  Don't know what it has to do with this discussion though.

[Inhogswetrust]

Did the school make millions off your performance there and have control over virtually every minute of your waking day?  If not, then your comparison is inept.

Doesn't matter. Afterall it is about the student and not the school when it comes to being a dedicated student and WANTING to graduate. I've known and still know plenty of  former players. They had personal time to do things. I will admit they didn't and don't have as much time as other students but they do have time.

[Fatty McGee]

Doesn't matter. Afterall it is about the student and not the school when it comes to being a dedicated student and WANTING to graduate. I've known and still know plenty of  former players. They had personal time to do things. I will admit they didn't and don't have as much time as other students but they do have time.

Doesn't make your comparison any less inept when you compare the life of a regular student to a scholarship athlete in a revenue sport. 

[ricepig]

Remind me again, who is forcing these students to play ball?

[HognotinMemphis]

Did the school make millions off your performance there and have control over virtually every minute of your waking day?  If not, then your comparison is inept.

Not to mention risk of permanent injury.

[Fatty McGee]

Those of you who are offended or annoyed by his comments don't make sense to me.  Every fan in college sports criticizes the NCAA every day, but when a player, who bears the real brunt of it, does so it's something to be criticized? 

PS - the NCAA is simply the schools.  They wisely set up a convenient scapegoat in it, but the NCAA only has the power they give it.

[Inhogswetrust]

Doesn't make your comparison any less inept when you compare the life of a regular student to a scholarship athlete in a revenue sport. 

Your idea of ineptness is.........................................inept.

[Inhogswetrust]

Not to mention risk of permanent injury.

A risk they willingly take just like they willingly take the scholarship.