Rick Barnes comments on scholarship situation

by bassale47 on Jun 15, 2009 7:08 PM CDT

Barnes was on Craig Way's radio show today to talk about Damion James returning, and Craig asked, in a roundabout way, what kind of position that would put the team in with regard to scholarships. Barnes replied that they had planned on Damion leaving, so they didn't expect to have a scholarship problem, but he said they do know what they're going to do and that it's something they've known could be a possibility for a while, so they weren't caught off guard by it. He did not offer any details, but he did say that "when it happens, everyone will be reporting it." Just speculation, but to me, sounds like a transfer. I don't think someone switching to walk-on status would really be big news. It should be noted that he never mentioned J'Covan Brown.

He also said Shawn Williams is already on campus working out and that he expects Avery Bradley and Jordan Hamilton to be here as soon as they get their final clearinghouse issues worked out. He also expects Lamarcus Aldridge to be joining Durant, Ford, Gibson, and Ivey on campus this summer.

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Who do we think?

Matt Hill? He’s the one that seems to be in the doghouse for whatever reason.

"Football's so important in Texas. On the West Coast, it's a social. On the East Coast, it's a culture. Here, it's a religion."
-- Major Applewhite

by Sunkist on Jun 15, 2009 7:47 PM CDT reply actions

Hill is disposable...

its rude to say but true none the less. I thought multiple scholarships had to be accounted for though, not just one…

by owenh on Jun 15, 2009 8:09 PM CDT reply actions

It would be 2 if J'Covan Brown makes it in

But Barnes never mentioned Brown in the discussion about scholarship problems, and when Craig Way asked about “newcomers” and when they would be on campus, Barnes again failed to mention Brown, talking only about Williams, Bradley, and Hamilton.

by bassale47 on Jun 15, 2009 8:13 PM CDT up reply actions

UT chron.com blogger says

Mike,

Due to scholarship limits, will some players be forced to transfer?

Joe — If J’Covan Brown gains his eligibility, the Longhorns will indeed have 15 players for 13 scholarships. One scholarship might be freed up if a player — say, a guy with a well-off father who played and coached in the NBA — offered to pay his own way for a year. Aside from that, some of the players who figure to have a hard time getting minutes — including Matt Hill, Harrison Smith and maybe even Dogus Balbay — might consider looking elsewhere. Rick Barnes has said repeatedly that this issue will sort itself out. We’ll know how eventually. — Mike

The “well-off father” here is obviously John Lucas. Not sure how this whole process works, but I guess he can offer to pay for Jai’s entire tuition/fees here, so it’s one less scholarship to worry about. And geez, I would NOT be happy if Balbay had to transfer. Smith and Hill have to be the top 2 on my list.

In somewhat unrelated news, Chinemelu Elonu of A&M will skip his senior season and stay in the NBA draft. Big loss for them. Good news for us. He could’ve been a monster this year maybe. It’s only going to make it tougher for them to stop Dexatrim next year.

by goingforthecorner on Jun 15, 2009 8:19 PM CDT reply actions

i think its chapman that leaves along with maybe matt hill

by MJY6087 on Jun 15, 2009 8:22 PM CDT reply actions

Pickup

How would you like to take on a pickup team of Lamarcus, Gibson, Ivey, Ford, and Durant? “Um, I’ll guard Gibson… I guess. Let’s play zone, guys.”

Do we want Damion having early morning workouts with Durant again (NTTAWWT)? Will he be more focused as to his role and skill development needs this year?

by Sleepy on Jun 15, 2009 8:58 PM CDT reply actions

geez ive never seen NTTAWWT before

had to “urbandictionary” it…Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That

by owenh on Jun 15, 2009 9:12 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks for the clarification, I thought I was out of the loop.

Oh and thanks for the website.

October 17th can't come fast enough!

by EYESOFTEJAS on Jun 16, 2009 12:55 PM CDT up reply actions

The chron.com blogger ......

….is correct. The potential for Jai Lucas needing to walk-on for his first season was discussed during his recruitment. John Lucas can obviously afford to pay for one singe season of college tuition.

--- All roads to the Big-XII Championship lead through OU/RRS. It's not just another game! We're all about championships here. ---

by HornChamps on Jun 16, 2009 2:23 AM CDT reply actions

Only partially on topic

how was it decided to allocate scholarships between sports in NCAA div 1?
Basketball has 13 so it covers 2 and 2/5 sides, football gets 85, so 3. 77sides and hockey gets 18, 3 full sides and baseball 11.5 so 1.27 sides. why did baseball get screwed?

who decided a sport like hockey that is played by a limited number of schools gets proportionally so many more than baseball which played by so many? You can figure that the popularity and money generating power of football is reason for just about everyone even fourth stringers gets a scholarship, why if baseball is so popular most second stringers can’t get a scholarship.

by Xerxes on Jun 16, 2009 8:42 AM CDT reply actions

It's all about parity

If you let schools have as many scholarships as they want, then the rich schools would rule every sport even more so than they already do. As for proportions, I don’t really know what their thought process is or if they even take that into consideration. I think it depends in large part on the popularity of the sport and how many schools are or could be competitive in the sport with strict scholarship limits.

I think what is happening to college baseball is an absolute travesty. The NCAA has allowed itself to be handcuffed by the northern schools who want to offer baseball but are sick of getting their heads bashed in by the southern schools. They’ve made many concessions for these schools, like limiting scholarships to an extreme amount and pushing the start date back. They’ve gotten even more big brother-ish about the scholarships with baseball by requiring that at least 27 players on the 30 to 35-man roster receive a minimum of a 33% scholarship. That takes up 9 of the 11.7 scholarships the teams are given. If you do the math, that means only 4 players could possibly be on full scholarship in any given year. That’s a lot of guys left holding the bill for most of their education. And they’re about to push back the season by 1 week, which will make it next to impossible for the elite players to participate in summer league ball.

The NCAA probably thinks it is strengthening the college game by trying to create parity, but all they’re doing is ensuring that more and more of the best high school players will say thanks but no thanks to college baseball..

by bassale47 on Jun 16, 2009 9:30 AM CDT up reply actions

I was thinking the same thing. The ridiculously low limit on baseball scholarships really kills the likelihood of kids staying in college long enough to get their degrees.

by burntorangehorn on Jun 17, 2009 7:30 PM CDT up reply actions

Injuries?

I would think injuries would be more prevalent in Hockey than Baseball. Thta is probabably a consideration. Obviously revenue generated is a consideration. Also College baseball until recently has been a southern sport, Hockey a northern sport, both are regional.

by billb on Jun 16, 2009 9:58 AM CDT up reply actions

injuries and energy exertion…. hockey teams are continuously subbing entire lines of players.. where as in baseball… 90% of the time you’re either standing in place, sitting on the bench, leaning on a fence.

by Displaced Longhorn on Jun 16, 2009 10:22 AM CDT up reply actions

It made me wonder

how the SEC does in hockey? 70% of the US populations now lives in the lower 1/2 of the country so it’s not the fans, it must be northern schools have more juice when it comes to controlling the NCAA.

or if your a northern school what sport can draw the biggest crowds? Football then hockey but baseball is tough like all early outdoor sports, Basket ball is a good indoor sport but soccer or golf are not big draws up north when the school sports year excludes the summer. maybe hockey is the bone for northern schools since cold winters reduce participation is many outdoor sports?

by Xerxes on Jun 16, 2009 11:14 AM CDT reply actions

What A Distressing Problem

We have so many incoming studs wanting to play Texas basketball that we don’t have enough scholarships for Matt Hill and Clint Chapman.

by realmccoy on Jun 16, 2009 11:42 AM CDT reply actions

good point

I would much rather have this problem than have not enough players wanting to come play for us.

by Frazier90 on Jun 16, 2009 11:45 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm not so sure both of those guys will go

Someone has to back up Dex at center, and those 2 are the only other players on the roster taller than 6’7. At least one of them will stay. My guess would be Chapman because he’s had a lot more PT due to the injury prone-ness of Matt Hill.

by bassale47 on Jun 18, 2009 7:57 AM CDT up reply actions

what about wingman?

by vy til i die on Jun 18, 2009 1:19 PM CDT up reply actions

wangmene?

Is that a nickname for wangmene i didnt know about?

by shaqui chan on Jun 18, 2009 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions

Is it not obvious?

"From the waist down, Earl Campbell has the biggest legs I have ever seen on a running back." -John Madden

by run Bevo run on Jun 18, 2009 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions

i mean i get it

Its just not very clever and he’s not a wingman he plays the post. Unless he went on a double date with you and took the fat chick, then i stand corrected.

by shaqui chan on Jun 18, 2009 2:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Before moving on

You know Sexy Dexy is Dexter and Damo is Damion, right?
I’ll give you a pass since you are new.

"From the waist down, Earl Campbell has the biggest legs I have ever seen on a running back." -John Madden

by run Bevo run on Jun 18, 2009 2:17 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah Yeah

I am pretty sure i know all of the nick names for people who were actually on the court this season. I still think we can come up with something better than wingman.

by shaqui chan on Jun 18, 2009 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions

Don’t you think you should be a member of BON for a season before you criticize the nicknames we have?
Downs, Iron Eagle II “Never criticize the chef, before you try the cuisine”

"From the waist down, Earl Campbell has the biggest legs I have ever seen on a running back." -John Madden

by run Bevo run on Jun 18, 2009 3:35 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

No

Just because i’ve just joined this blog doesn’t mean i haven’t been following the team as much as anyone else. Isn’t the point of this website to discuss differing opinions about all things Longhorn related? And you have to admit wingman isn’t very catchy, but Wangmene isn’t much to work with.

by shaqui chan on Jun 18, 2009 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Following team ~~equals~~ Following with this site.

"From the waist down, Earl Campbell has the biggest legs I have ever seen on a running back." -John Madden

by run Bevo run on Jun 18, 2009 5:17 PM CDT up reply actions

So you're saying

I should just be quiet and agree with all the ideas posted on this site before i joined and not offer any suggestions or opinions? Idk where you are going with this? Are you the mastermind that came up with “wingman” and i’ve offended you? If so, I am truly sorry.

by shaqui chan on Jun 18, 2009 5:31 PM CDT up reply actions