Less is Morris: UK catches a break
Gee, I wonder what I should write about today. Let's see, maybe Bobby Perry's moustache. No, Rekalin Sims' playing time. Brandon Stockton?
In what may be the most obvious news item of the season, Kentucky and head man under seige Tubby Smith finally caught a damn break Thursday when the NCAA did an about-face and declared prodigal son Randolph Morris eligible after a penalty of 50% (or 14 regular season games) of the year. This, two days after the University formally filed its appeal on his behalf. So let's recap quickly: three months to declare him officially ineligible, two days to cut it in half and force him to miss games, which every realistic fan expected. While UK has some role in that, it's still pretty ridiculous.
The news salved some wounds from the Indiana debacle and gave Big Blue Nation a lot more hope heading into this weekend's grudge match with Louisville. Despite the absence of Morris on the court, you'd have to expect the team to come out with a little extra hop in its step, and certainly the fans will be a little less gloomy than they might otherwise have been. Very little has been said or written about the possible effect on team morale of last Thursday's announcement of the full-year suspension on the eve of the Indiana game. But it had to play a part, and while it's still Carter, Alleyne and Orbzut manning the middle for the time being, the idea that help is on the way can't hurt enthusiasm.
One might be tempted to (a) expect too much from Morris and (b) feel bad for the three big men who are basically being told daily that they stink by media and fans -- if not to their faces, then through the papers and internet. However, even if he's rusty, Morris appears to be fired up and once he returns has a gym bag full of reasons to prove his critics wrong. To the second point, frankly, his replacements have been given a golden opportunity and squandered it thus far. It will be interesting to see how they respond to the news that their job audition has effectively ended. And if Morris is back for good, it seems unlikely that all three (Carter, Woo, Alleyne) will get much playing time. While Shag and Woo have more knowledge (in theory) of the intricacies of the offense and defense and more seniority, one wonders what is left to gain from giving them much more than cursory minutes, particularly Orbzut who tends to play much smaller than his 7'0".
That it ended up being the now much-discussed fax from Morris declaring his initial intentions to enter the draft phase that saved his eligibility hide is poetic. The object of so much criticism and debate, of scorn and rampant over-reaching fan imaginations turned out to be the one thing that proved Morris' intentions to the NCAA. The final two lines read:
Some -- like ESPN's Andy Katz -- are already finding fault with Tubby for not keeping better track of this invaluable piece of paper. But that's hogwash, and a low blow considering that what Tubby Smith was clearly most worried about was his team and the future, not the seemingly flippant declaration of a misguided kid and his family. Besides, he wouldn't understand. The only thing the NBA draft ever cost Katz was the ten bucks to get in.
Morris claims he is chiseled and focused, and he'd better be. He has much work to do in helping his teammates achieve something grander, something worthy of their classy coach. Last year, an envigorated Morris nearly helped bring Tubby his first Final Four since 1998, a feat none too significant given the white hot spotlight under which Smith constantly operates. Morris' 20-point game against Michigan State was a season high, and his double-double against the Cincinnati Bearcats in Round 2 was the first glimpse many UK followers had of what was supposed to be a potential All-American talent. Having burned up his draft card, the baby-faced center is now a free agent when he finishes his Kentucky career. For what it's worth right now, Morris says his intentions are clear.
“First and foremost, I want to graduate and get a degree from the University of Kentucky. I want to be able to help the team in any way that I can.”
It's an interesting twist indeed that in some ways, Morris could stand to make a great deal more in the long run as a free agent than as a student-athlete going through the draft process. While he'll miss out on the pomp of the Green Room and shaking hands with David Stern, if he has a standout career Morris would enter the free agent pool immediately, thus being able to (a) join any team, not just a struggling lottery team, and (b) negotiate a contract without the boundaries set in place by the rookie pay scale.
But first things first: it's time for Morris to live up to the hype of a McDonald's All-American center. It's time for him to prove that Tubby Smith's faith and good graces were worth it, that the UK fanbase's mostly forgiving sentiments are warranted. And also to destroy Florida's Joakim Noah every time they play.
"It wasn’t obvious to me as I was going through this process, but looking back, I now see how my actions were disrespectful to Coach Smith and the University of Kentucky, Morris' statement on Thursday read. "Playing basketball at the University of Kentucky is a privilege that few athletes get to enjoy. I intend to make the most of this opportunity to be a part of the greatest basketball program in America.”
Great words, now let's see if he knows what second chances are truly all about.
In what may be the most obvious news item of the season, Kentucky and head man under seige Tubby Smith finally caught a damn break Thursday when the NCAA did an about-face and declared prodigal son Randolph Morris eligible after a penalty of 50% (or 14 regular season games) of the year. This, two days after the University formally filed its appeal on his behalf. So let's recap quickly: three months to declare him officially ineligible, two days to cut it in half and force him to miss games, which every realistic fan expected. While UK has some role in that, it's still pretty ridiculous.
The news salved some wounds from the Indiana debacle and gave Big Blue Nation a lot more hope heading into this weekend's grudge match with Louisville. Despite the absence of Morris on the court, you'd have to expect the team to come out with a little extra hop in its step, and certainly the fans will be a little less gloomy than they might otherwise have been. Very little has been said or written about the possible effect on team morale of last Thursday's announcement of the full-year suspension on the eve of the Indiana game. But it had to play a part, and while it's still Carter, Alleyne and Orbzut manning the middle for the time being, the idea that help is on the way can't hurt enthusiasm.
One might be tempted to (a) expect too much from Morris and (b) feel bad for the three big men who are basically being told daily that they stink by media and fans -- if not to their faces, then through the papers and internet. However, even if he's rusty, Morris appears to be fired up and once he returns has a gym bag full of reasons to prove his critics wrong. To the second point, frankly, his replacements have been given a golden opportunity and squandered it thus far. It will be interesting to see how they respond to the news that their job audition has effectively ended. And if Morris is back for good, it seems unlikely that all three (Carter, Woo, Alleyne) will get much playing time. While Shag and Woo have more knowledge (in theory) of the intricacies of the offense and defense and more seniority, one wonders what is left to gain from giving them much more than cursory minutes, particularly Orbzut who tends to play much smaller than his 7'0".
That it ended up being the now much-discussed fax from Morris declaring his initial intentions to enter the draft phase that saved his eligibility hide is poetic. The object of so much criticism and debate, of scorn and rampant over-reaching fan imaginations turned out to be the one thing that proved Morris' intentions to the NCAA. The final two lines read:
"I would like to announce my intentions to 'test the waters' in the 2005 NBA draft. My intent is not to obtain an agent so as to maintain my collegiate eligibility.''
Some -- like ESPN's Andy Katz -- are already finding fault with Tubby for not keeping better track of this invaluable piece of paper. But that's hogwash, and a low blow considering that what Tubby Smith was clearly most worried about was his team and the future, not the seemingly flippant declaration of a misguided kid and his family. Besides, he wouldn't understand. The only thing the NBA draft ever cost Katz was the ten bucks to get in.
Morris claims he is chiseled and focused, and he'd better be. He has much work to do in helping his teammates achieve something grander, something worthy of their classy coach. Last year, an envigorated Morris nearly helped bring Tubby his first Final Four since 1998, a feat none too significant given the white hot spotlight under which Smith constantly operates. Morris' 20-point game against Michigan State was a season high, and his double-double against the Cincinnati Bearcats in Round 2 was the first glimpse many UK followers had of what was supposed to be a potential All-American talent. Having burned up his draft card, the baby-faced center is now a free agent when he finishes his Kentucky career. For what it's worth right now, Morris says his intentions are clear.
“First and foremost, I want to graduate and get a degree from the University of Kentucky. I want to be able to help the team in any way that I can.”
It's an interesting twist indeed that in some ways, Morris could stand to make a great deal more in the long run as a free agent than as a student-athlete going through the draft process. While he'll miss out on the pomp of the Green Room and shaking hands with David Stern, if he has a standout career Morris would enter the free agent pool immediately, thus being able to (a) join any team, not just a struggling lottery team, and (b) negotiate a contract without the boundaries set in place by the rookie pay scale.
But first things first: it's time for Morris to live up to the hype of a McDonald's All-American center. It's time for him to prove that Tubby Smith's faith and good graces were worth it, that the UK fanbase's mostly forgiving sentiments are warranted. And also to destroy Florida's Joakim Noah every time they play.
"It wasn’t obvious to me as I was going through this process, but looking back, I now see how my actions were disrespectful to Coach Smith and the University of Kentucky, Morris' statement on Thursday read. "Playing basketball at the University of Kentucky is a privilege that few athletes get to enjoy. I intend to make the most of this opportunity to be a part of the greatest basketball program in America.”
Great words, now let's see if he knows what second chances are truly all about.
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