It is time for change: The NCAA has completely outlived its usefulness

Charles Bediako (14) can only watch as Alex Condon dunks (Photo courtesy of UAA Communications)

“G-League dropout! G-League dropout!”

The Rowdy Reptiles chanted that every time Charles Bediako touched the basketball Sunday at the O-Dome. The 7-footer, who spent the previous two years toiling in the G-League on an NBA 2-way contract, is going to hear something similar every time he steps on the court until some judge rules he has no eligibility. Fat chance that will happen any time soon. Even with the judge who issued the temporary restraining order (TRO) that has allowed Bediako to play being replaced, this is still going to court in Tuscaloosa. At the very least, expect the new judge to extend the TRO for a full 60 days, which would conveniently expire AFTER “One Shining Moment” is played in Indianapolis on April 6.

We really shouldn’t blame Bediako for this. He has merely seized an opportunity that shouldn’t even exist because the NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, has figured out a way to screw things up. Again.

And, since Bediako has found a friendly judge all too willing to exploit loopholes that are of the NCAA’s own doing, former NBA player Amari Bailey is seeking to have his eligibility reinstated. Bailey played his freshman year at UCLA in the 2022-23 season, was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets and then traded to the Brooklyn Nets after his rookie year. On a 2-way contract with the G-League, Bailey was called up for 10 days with the Hornets.

Like Bediako, he’s been a bust at the G-League level so now he’s petitioning to play another year of college basketball. It shouldn’t be this way, but it’s what we expect from the NCAA, whose solution is to run to the United States Congress for answers. If there is one organization in America more inept than the NCAA it is our congress, which can’t agree on something simple, like spending less money than the country takes in.

It’s not just basketball that will be affected by the Bediako and Bailey rulings. It will be every sport under NCAA jurisdiction. For that we can thank the NCAA which lacks the guts to enforce its own rules and NIL, which is way out of control. Just wait until some practice squad QB in the NFL realizes he can make more money playing college football. For example, Miami paid Carson Beck $4 million last year, which is quite a bit more than the average practice squad QB makes. And what about that pitcher who can dominate AAA but can’t crack the Major League roster? The average salary in AAA is $57,500. A nice NIL deal, college baseball, one start a week … you don’t think this won’t happen?

Now there are solutions, but solutions require common sense. When it comes to common sense, the NCAA looks like one of those horrific photos out of a refugee camp that shows some kid with scurvy holding an empty bowl. But, here are common sense ideas.

1. John Calipari’s idea is you get five years to play four in your sport from the day you graduate high school. You get one free transfer during that time. If you wish to transfer a second time you sit a year. If you are injured three years of the five, doesn’t matter. If you stay in school four years and graduate, you get a fifth year of eligibility.

2. To add some teeth to Cal’s idea: If you don’t have a 2.5 GPA when you transfer, you sit a year. If you are taking remedial courses, you sit a year.

Those two suggestions alone would clear up about 70-75 percent of today’s problems, but here are a couple other solutions.

1. Abolish the NCAA completely and start a brand new organizations with its own set of rules and a commissioner who enforces the rules with an iron fist.

2. Membership is VOLUNTARY and each member who joins agrees to play by the rules or else the death penalty comes into play.

3. A salary cap for each sport with the money paid by the athletic department. Eliminate outside money except to donate to the athletic department salary fund. Try to cheat or circumvent the rules, and your program is subject to the death penalty.

4. All athletes are under contract.

5. No appeals to the commissioner’s rulings.

Take a moment and consider the NFL or Major League Baseball. When the commissioner suspends a player without pay for 60 days, 90 days or maybe a year, the players don’t take it to court. Why? Because what they can and can’t do is written in the contract.

I’m not a big fan of the NFL. I much prefer college football, but I credit the NFL with being the ideal model for how a sports organization has to be run. The late, great Pete Rozelle set the standard and the NFL has been run that way ever since.

So, why isn’t the NCAA abolished? For one thing the NCAA Basketball Tournament, which rakes in $2 billion a year and is under contract with CBS and Turner until 2032. The tournament doles out lots of cash to member schools and it has plenty enough left over to fund all the other championships it sponsors as well as its bloated bureaucracy. Brace yourself for this one: The NCAA paid Mark Emmert $4.3 million his final year on the throne.

The time has come to do something radical, which should include seceding from the NCAA. If we intend for college sports to be recognizable in the near future, something has to be done soon or else the games we love will be gone forever, replaced by something they were never intended to be.

GRIZZLIES TRADE FOR WALTER CLAYTON JR.

Gator All-American Walter Clayton Jr. was one of the key pieces in a multi-player trade between the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday. In a deal that involved four players from each team and future draft picks, Clayton, Taylor Hendricks, Kyle Anderson and Georges Niang and three future No. 1 draft picks were traded by Utah in exchange for Jaren Jackson Jr., Jon Konchar, Vince Williams and Jock Landale.

Jackson (19.2 points, 5.8 rebounds) is one of the best defenders in the NBA, and Landale will provide instant depth at center for the Jazz. The Grizzlies get a young power forward in Hendricks, who, when healthy, is better than GG Jackson, and Clayton (6.8 points, 3.6 assists in 18 minutes per game) is comfortable at both the point and the wing. Anderson can play three positions. Niang is somewhat of a wildcard since he hasn’t played this year, but when he’s healthy he is a very productive backup. Then you throw in three future No. 1s and the Grizzlies, one of the worst teams in the NBA currently, have a foundation for a much stronger team in the future.

SEC BASKETBALL

SEC in Joe Lunardi (ESPN) bracketology

WEST: 1. Arizona; 2. Gonzaga; 3. Michigan State; 4. Vanderbilt (Other SEC: 7. Auburn; 11. Texas)

SOUTH: 1. UConn; 2. Houston; 3. Nebraska; 4. BYU (SEC: 5. Alabama; 6. Arkansas)

EAST: 1. Duke; 2. Illinois; 3. FLORIDA; 4. Texas Tech (Other SEC: 5. Tennessee)

MIDWEST: 1. Michigan; 2. Iowa State; 3. Purdue; 4. Kansas (SEC: 7. Kentucky; 9. Georgia)

SEC teams in Bart Torvik analytics: 6. FLORIDA 16-6; 10. Vanderbilt 19-3; 15. Tennessee 16-6; 18. Alabama 14-7; 26. Texas A&M 17-4; 28. Arkansas 16-6; 38. Texas 14-9; 42. Georgia 16-6; 43. Kentucky 15-7; 55. LSU 14-8; 61. Missouri 15-7; 71. Oklahoma 11-11; 81. Ole Miss 11-11; 82. Mississippi State 11-11; 98. South Carolina 11-12

Tuesday’s scores

No. 25 Tennessee (16-6, 6-3 SEC) 84, Ole Miss (11-11, 3-6 SEC) 66: Freshman Nate Ament scored 28 points and Ja’Kobi Gillespie poured in 20 as Tennessee won its fourth straight game. It was the fourth consecutive loss for Ole Miss, which was led by AJ Storr and Patton Pinkins, who each scored 15. Ole Miss coach Chris Beard was ejected with 6:15 left in the game.

Texas (14-9, 5-5 SEC) 84, South Carolina (11-12, 2-8 SEC) 75: Dailyn Swain had 22 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals as Texas improved to .500 in SEC play. Meechie Johnson scored 35 points and had six assists for the Gamecocks, who lost their fourth straight game.

Wednesday’s games

Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC) at Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC)

Oklahoma (11-11, 1-8 SEC) at Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC)