Blame the NCAA

The NCAA is investigating the University of Memphis men’s basketball program, and former coach John Calipari, who left for Kentucky not long after the season.

Allegedly, a former player – sources claim it was current Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose – had an unknown person take his SAT for him, with his knowledge, and used the test to gain admission into Memphis.

The university is denying any wrongdoing, and Calipari said he’s cooperating with the NCAA on the matter. While I do think Calipari, the school and Rose are guilty of said allegations, I don’t blame any of them.

I blame the NCAA.

Why? Because the NCAA instituted a stupid rule a few years back that all players had to play one season in college before making the leap to the NBA. Let’s face it, Derrick Rose had NBA talent when he was in high school, but he was forced to play a year in college.

And cheating is just par for the course in college basketball. Calipari’s name is synonymous with cheating since his days at UMass, and Rose simply wanted to play the game. The fact is, everyone is looking out for themselves. Calipari was glad to get a top-level recruit, no matter the means, while Rose, who could have played a junior college, wanted to raise his draft status by playing for a contender.

Yet it’s the NCAA who is the biggest culprit. They realized a long time ago that players who jumped right to the NBA left the college game missing big names, so they put this rule into effect. Bigger names playing under the NCAA banner, more fans through the turnstiles and more money in the long run.

This is a mess that, down the road, will hurt the credibility for all college basketball coaches, but the NCAA brought this on.

Minor Details: What's up with Westy?

Red Sox prospect Ryan Westmoreland is in the midst of his first spring as a professional baseball player after being drafted out of Portsmouth High School last June.

So, what's it like being a teenage minor leaguer in his first season? How is his surgically repaired shoulder healing? Where's he playing this summer? What's it like hitting against John Smoltz? 

Ryan has been kind enough to offer some periodic insight via The Daily News sports blog.

Here's the first installment:

RW: My first spring training was a blast, but it definitely could've been better, if I was playing. It’s been a long journey through rehab, but it’s finally coming to an end. I've been DH'ing in games the last couple weeks, and the shoulder feels great hitting, although I've been struggling a little bit getting my timing back at the plate. I won't be playing the outfield for a few more weeks because the throwing program is fairly strict and it’s normal that, after shoulder surgery, the throwing rehab is longer than the hitting. Overall the shoulder feels good, but it definitely has its good days and its bad days.

As far as where I'll be playing this summer, I can't tell you for sure. No one really has told me anything for sure, and even though I've heard things from people, nothing is definite. If I had to guess, I'd say I'll be in Lowell (Mass.) for this summer, which would be awesome, playing close to home in front of great fans every night.

There have been some great parts of spring training, and one of those highlights for me was working out with the big leaguers. I worked out with guys like Kevin Youkilis, Manny Delcarmen, and also had the honor to meet and take BP off of John Smoltz. All of these guys are class acts and it was cool to meet guys that I have been watching on TV for so long.

Another part of spring training that I enjoyed was meeting all of the guys, from low A all the way up the ladder. I met a lot of great guys who I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time with in the future.

Thats pretty much the wrapup on my first spring training with the Boston Red Sox and the update on the shoulder.

Mo guarantees, Mo problems

In this day and age, a professional sports figure making a guarantee simply isn’t worth it. Sure, if you guarantee a win and you’re right, you look great. But if you’re wrong, the scrutiny is immense.

Take Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams, for example. After a loss in Game 3, putting the Cavs down 2-1 in the series, Williams was certain Cleveland would not only come back in Game 4 to take back homecourt advantage, but win the series.

“Guarantee we’re going to win the series? Yeah, yeah,” he said. “We are down 2-1. But there is nobody on this team, and definitely not myself, that says we are not going to win this series.”

Whoops. The Magic won 116-114 in overtime, taking a 3-1 series lead and forcing the Cavs to win three straight.

Look, only Broadway Joe can make that kind of bold statement and get away with it. Sure, others have looked good by backing up their words, but the point is, let your play do the talking. Williams, who is shooting 32 percent (23-for-71) from the field in the series, clearly is not.