Myron Allen Eligibility

[star2city]

This story was reported this morning in the Fargo Forum:

UND to investigate Allen

An excerpt:

The University of North Dakota will investigate whether men

[diggerdan]

This story appears to be well investigated and I have little doubt it is accurate. UND will have to forfeit all games played so far for sure. Anything else would depend on the NCAA although it is unlikely they would impose additional sanctions in this case. Allen's career in college basketball is over however and Reverend Richie looks foolish. The only positive (if there is such a thing) is that it was discovered before NCC action took place. Kudos to the Forum for not sitting on this.

[jimdahl]

Right -- the thing to do is clearly to sit him immediately until this is resolved, so as not to compromise any future games.

I always wonder how these things go undetected. I would think that on their way into college athletics, students would go through some compliance training/Q&A in which the school's compliance people learned any concerns. It sounds like this wasn't something he was hiding, but rather misinterpreted. Why didn't it come up earlier?

Of course, my viewpoint depends very much on the facts and interpretation in the Forum story being 100% accurate.

[donalexander]

I think part of why it wasn't detected was because he spent the time in junior college. The NCAA had 2 years to catch it and didn't. I think any head coach would deem someone playing 2 years at a juco as being implicitly eligible. I don't think any schools do background checks that include determining whether a potential recruit signed a professional contract.

[JBB]

Well, at least the Moorhead State forfiet wont hurt your record, but if this pans out will the forfiets cost you the playoffs, assuming of course you would otherwise qualify?

I would think some of you are wishing you had shown a little more empathy to the UNC situation with Cutlip. It appears your willing to accept this as just a slip up. Some of you wished UNC good ridance from the NCC and goodby to a dirty program after the Cutlip thing came up.

[RD17]

I would think some of you are wishing you had shown a little more empathy to the UNC situation with Cutlip. It appears your willing to accept this as just a slip up. Some of you wished UNC good ridance from the NCC and goodby to a dirty program after the Cutlip thing came up.

Not me. UNC's football program has never about class. Like NDSU, there finest moments seem to have been overshadowed by all of the individuals of questionable character surrounding the program.

I was, and continue to be critical of UNC's athletic department for not being forthcoming when the problems with Cutlip's transfer became public. There is no way something as simple as whether or not a couple of 'Fs' were changed on a transcript takes 2 months to sort out. It was pretty apparent that UNC was stalling so as not to lose out on a shot at the playoffs. If UND's athletic department uses these same stalling tactics in the Allen situation, I will be just as critical.

[jimdahl]

The AP version of this story just summarizes the Forum article. Guess we'll see what the Herald has to say in coming days.

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/s...rts/4758515.htm

[teamsioux]

Does anyone have a timeline or any idea at how long this will take to be sorted out. After the UNC fiasco, who knows how long this will take. If he is done, lets move on. Let's just not have a situation like UNC and not know what the future holds for us as the season drags on.

If this story pans out to be true, this HAS to be Reverend Richie's last hurrah!

[sprig]

forfiets

What sort of animal is this?

[choyt3]

What a shame that this happened. I fail to understand how the UND staff was unable to discover this. A simple internet search would have found the info about his release from the Bees. And even I can do that. It is on the second page of resultsfrom a Google search with the keywords "Myron Allen", basketball.

Just seeing his name should draw a red flag, as it is too much of a coincidence to not do some digging.

What is really embarassing is the fact that all of this took place in FARGO, for godsakes. If Forum sports staff can uncover this by connecting a few dots, it's pretty disappointing that not one person at UND was able to do the same BEFORE the season began.

As an aside to this situation, is there a possibility of bringing in a juco point guard at the semester break? Do NCAA basketball rules allow for this? I know it happens in hockey, but wasn't sure about BB. Anyone?

[jimdahl]

What is really embarassing is the fact that all of this took place in FARGO, for godsakes.    If Forum sports staff can uncover this by connecting a few dots, it's pretty disappointing that not one person at UND was able to do the same BEFORE the season began.

That was sort of what I was saying above. While I don't think we need to hire private investigators to search into everyone's past, I would have guessed that there would be some sort of meeting with new recruits at which we stressed NCAA rules about eligibility, taking gifts, etc... If we sat down and listed the rules for each recruit, violations such as this should be obvious to the student (though you are counting on him to disclose it, which is not to his advantage).

The NCAA rules are quite clear on this situation, though:

http://www.ncaa.org/eligibility/cbsa/amateurism.html

Before enrolling in college, you may:

   * Try out (practice with but not participate against outside competition) with a professional sports team at your expense;

The activities listed below may cause you to lose your eligibility.

...

Sign a contract or verbally commit with an agent or a professional sports organization;

I mean, there's no room for honest error here (assuming the facts as presented are true, which is NOT yet proven).

[teamsioux]

I just find it absolute hilarious how easy it was to find this (Clayton's google search). I mean come on, what the hell is the Atheltic Department here doing with their time. If this turns out to be true, heads had better roll in the department. If it was this easy for everyone to find, well, enough said about for those people whose job it was to find it.

[choyt3]

I just find it absolute hilarious how easy it was to find this (Clayton's google search). I mean come on, what the hell is the Atheltic Department here doing with their time. If this turns out to be true, heads had better roll in the department. If it was this easy for everyone to find, well, enough said about for those people whose job it was to find it.

Not only that, but didn't we have alumni that played for the Beez (Todd Johnson) and are still in the area?

The conversation could (should) have went something like "Hey coach, it's TJ. I see you signed that Myron Allen from Texas. We had a kid from down there try out for the Beez a couple years back by that name. Is he the same guy?" Coach Glas, "Thanks, TJ, I'll check it out."

Wouldn't have been too tough, not that it's TJ's (just an example) responsibility to keep tabs on UND by any means.

[bisonguy]

Here's a couple links that show a "Myron Allen" with the FM Beez.

FM Beez Roster

"Myron Allen" Bio

"Myron Allen" released from FM BeezLook in the left column- transactions, BB, IBA, FM Beez. Looks like "he" was released from the team.

It looks like he has an extra year of college BB, as well. '98-99 with Trinity CC, which he may have red-shirted, but I don't see too many CC's doing that. Looks like there is a Trinity CC in Texas(Myron's home state), Shawn Kemp even went there. Shawn Kemp's SchoolShawn went there because his grades weren't good enough to get into any other school. I wonder if this reflects anything about all the "scholar" athletes at UND. Are there really that many more "scholar" athletes at UND, from the same recruiting area as many other schools? Or are classes easier, or are AD-induced "grade-inflation" practices common?

[choyt3]

He attended a college (maybe the one you mention) for a semester, but didn't participate on the basketball team. Thus, the 8 semesters of eligilbility within 10 is intact. Guess that doesn't matter anymore anyway.

This has no bearing on UND's other scholar athletes. "AD-induced "grade-inflation" practices"-- Please

***Newsflash***

NDSU has recruited juco players in the past, with some even on the current Men's BB roster.

[bisonguy]

***Newsflash***

NDSU has recruited juco players in the past, with some even on the current Men's BB roster.

Thanks, I guess when Tom Billeter was coaching a successful Bison program he recruited a "couple" juco players. None of them had played semi-pro BB, though

Please, don't be so ignorant to dismiss the possibility of "easy-A's" at UND.

[RD17]

Here's a couple links that show a "Myron Allen" with the FM Beez.

FM Beez Roster

"Myron Allen" Bio

"Myron Allen" released from FM BeezLook in the left column- transactions, BB, IBA, FM Beez. Looks like "he" was released from the team.

It looks like he has an extra year of college BB, as well. '98-99 with Trinity CC, which he may have red-shirted, but I don't see too many CC's doing that. Looks like there is a Trinity CC in Texas(Myron's home state), Shawn Kemp even went there. Shawn Kemp's SchoolShawn went there because his grades weren't good enough to get into any other school. I wonder if this reflects anything about all the "scholar" athletes at UND. Are there really that many more "scholar" athletes at UND, from the same recruiting area as many other schools? Or are classes easier, or are AD-induced "grade-inflation" practices common?

Gee, bisonguy, how many NCC all-academic football players came from NDSU this year (or last)? It's nice to see you show up and start posting again at the first sign of trouble. Oh, I forgot, you're a NDSU fan first, and a fan of North Dakota sports second. Right....

This situation has nothing to do with grades. It just goes to show what happens when a program starts relying on JUCO players. The NDSU basketball program under the leadership of Tom Billeter perfected the practice in the mid 90s.

[bisonguy]

RD17,

Hey, I've been to 3 hockey games this year(St. Cloud X2, Mankato), so don't discount me, yet. Billeter did build a good program with juco's, but needed a lot of them to get a handfull of good players. I just found a little irony in the UND "scandals only happen in DI" talk.

[elmduf]

At least this issue should be resolved before the conference season starts. Maybe it will give them more incentive to win the NCC and go to the NCAA playoffs VIA a conference championship? Also, maybe we can weasel outta this one. Can any basketball team claiming Fargo as it's town REALLY be considered professional?

As far as UNC goes...yeah, it was a rogue football program. I won't waste any money watching a I-AA school in Greeley. I'd rather spend about the same coin going to CSU games in Ft. Collins.

[RD17]

Hey, I've been to 3 hockey games this year(St. Cloud X2, Mankato), so don't discount me, yet. Billeter did build a good program with juco's, but needed a lot of them to get a handfull of good players. I just found a little irony in the UND "scandals only happen in DI" talk.

bisonguy,

I'm glad to see you're picking up on the finer points of Canadian ice soccer (or whatever you NDSU guys want to call it ) You're wisely choosing to support what always will be the most successful Division I sport in the state.

It is rather ironic that this Myron Allen situation arises shortly after Kupchella's "scandals only happen in DI" statement. Maybe he'll just say "the heck with it, we're already immersed in scandal, we might as well go DI."

[farce poobah]

Well, at least the Moorhead State forfiet wont hurt your record, but if this pans out will the forfiets cost you the playoffs, assuming of course you would otherwise qualify?

I would think some of you are wishing you had shown a little more empathy to the UNC situation with Cutlip. It appears your willing to accept this as just a slip up. Some of you wished UNC good ridance from the NCC and goodby to a dirty program after the Cutlip thing came up.

I think the NCC postseason tournament winner gets an auto-qualifier. I think.

Good thing we didn't forfeit any NCC games. Yet.

Yeeesh.

[PCM]

Here's what Rich Glas said about the Myron Allen situation on the 11/18/2002 Sioux Coaches Show.

We

[bisonguy]

.... He got a free room and played 5 minutes in the exhibition game and got cut the next day. He never made the team and never got paid a cent. All we know it was an exhibition game. I would suspect that they charged for it and had officials. ..... He got cut. He didn

[choyt3]

If Allen is found in violation, I think the proper NCAA course of action is to revoke Allen's eligibility. If UND did not know about this, they shouldn't have to forfeit any games.

It sure sounds like UND didn't know about this. What I don't get about that is 'Why?'. If McFeely can find this stuff out, the UND should have been able to as well. It's not like it happened deep in the heart of Texas somewhere. It was 70 miles away in Fargo. I'm sure that they asked him if he had ever been to North Dakota. Just answering 'yes' to that question would have been a HUGE red flag. How many kids from Texas have 'just visited' North Dakota? Not alot. And especially if he had heard of Minot.

If the NCAA indeed revokes Allen's eligibility completely, UND will forfeit the games he has played in. It doesn't look like there is any way around that.

On a semi-related note, does anybody remember the contoversy a year or two ago about interstate all-star high school BB games? I remember something about parents not letting their kids participate because of possible NCAA ineligibility, or something like that.

Wasn't there a lawsuit brought to fight that by Tyler Koenig from Fargo North? I think it was him and another kid (from Montana, maybe?) I can't remember his name though.

Is that the thing you are talking about? That was more of a rule that stated kids couldn't play on AAU teams more than 'X' miles from their hometown.

[JBB]

Why doesn't Glas state the facts? Instead he tries to make it sound like Allen hung around for a day or two and got a "free" room (I guess that means the Beez, not Allen paid for it). Never mind that the team supported him for 10 days. Im not too encouraged that the institution is reporting accurately. That would mean listing the number of days Allen was on the roster, the support he received during that time including meals, rooms, travel and money.

They should also include the relationship with his "agent". If the "agent" ever appeared to be representing Allen's interests he could be construed as having a contract.

The fact that this information is so readily available may indicate that due diligence wasn't followed in checking Allen's background or the administration was fully aware but thought they could get away with it.