Mo'ne Davis

JH, 

I don't think she has to worry about what LL thinks after this weekend.

Personally, if there is money to be made from her fifteen minutes, I'd much rather see her get it than somebody else.

Today on Yahoo...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/...0-000-144431396.html

cabbagedad- That was one of the things I saw pertaining to this situation. The NCAA could make it…interesting. (Trying my best to not make this about them)

Need Rick or 3FG to chime in here.

Unfortunately, it is always about them and not about the athlete.  I wish her well.  She has made this LLWS interesting as I normally do not watch.   It would be nice if she had an army of lawyers to understand and represent her interests.

fenwaysouth- I wish all the kids participating the best of luck. I played with several kids on a HS travel team that were fortunate enough to play in the LLWS. The Taney team has inspired a few of them as well:

http://itsallrelativesports.wo...hey-made-me-go-back/

http://www.philly.com/philly/s...hand_can_relate.html

That $100,000 mentioned could go a long way to help fund her education, which ever of her 3 sports she should desire to play.  What if the "compensation" was paid directly to a 529 plan?  Or other college plan vehicle?  Just wondering....

The owner of Steiner Sports, one of the leading memorabilia companies, told USA Today that he would be willing to sign Davis to a deal that would be worth up to $100,000 for her to autograph items. However, Brandon Steiner also said he would not make the offer because he was concerned it would jeopardize her eligibility to play college sports in the future.

Unbelievable... Not sure the right words come to mind with these type reports, but I guess it was bound to happen. Some just looking to make a quick buck or two off of someone else.  In 3, 5, 10 years - will anyone remember or really care about something she would sign?  There will always be the "next" Mo'ne.

As a side note - I found it "interesting" that it's been noted repeatedly that she wants to play college basketball at UConn for Geno Auriemma... During a recent broadcast it was said Geno somehow contacted her wishing her luck.  The only question that came to my mind was could that be any sort of NCAA violation.  Strange to think that a coach "may" have to think that way and I wasn't even thinking "how nice", just ok who's going to complain and what kind of sanctions will be levied.

God bless her.   Hope she gets to live out her dreams and become a wealthy woman in the process NCAA or not.  

Ironically it appears someone in UConn's conference complained:

http://espn.go.com/womens-coll...recruiting-complaint

Unbelievable!

Wow. There's your new textbook example for the term "d!ck move".

http://espn.go.com/womens-coll...one-davis-broke-rule

Further update.....I can just imagine JH's thoughts!!!

A fine example of the NCAA lawyers doing their job.  They are true stooges.

From follow-up reports, it appears that it wasn't a school in the conference, but the complaint went to the conference.

Did Auriemma call any of the boys on the team having a good tournament run? I understand all the reasons why reporting and looking into this would be over the top. But I also understand why a small red flag would go up. On top of it Auriemma has a lot of enemies. It's not about his team winning so much. It's about his ability to be arrogant and rub people the wrong way. The guy has a god complex. Yet he turns down every college men's coaching opportunity that comes hs way. You would think he would take the challenge of the next level. 

You mean the WNBA ??? :-) ~/~  Some say coaching women by a man is harder in many aspects than coaching the men.

Considering "when" the LLWS takes place (before 9/1) - does this ruling mean every college *baseball* coach has to be that much more careful about talking to players on a team? E.G. wishing them well?   I did enjoy the comment something to the effect of the NCAA has bigger things to worry about than my contact when there are players riding around in cars more expensive than my house (not a direct quote, but close)...

Why would he leave now?  He makes as much money as a top 10 paid men's coach - Steve Alford at UCLA  How many college jobs are better than that?  He's about 60 years old and he has a total dynasty in place.  He probably has less than 10 years left and he can dominate until the end.

He has a great gig, his fan base will love him for all time, no real upside financially, almost no upside from a legacy perspective and he is much closer to the end than the beginning.  All adds up to staying put to me in a grass isn't greener deal.

Maybe he'll retire after Mo'ne's last season with the Huskies in what 2024?

Fun topic and all, but let's be real.  What are the chances that Mo'ne is even good enough to play at that level.  I'm sure every boy in the LL World Series wants to either be drafted by the Yankees, or play college ball at South Carolina or some other elite program.  Chances of that dream coming true is very small.  Same for her playing ball at UCONN.  It's nice for Mo'ne to have that dream, but chances of Geno recruiting her in a few years is slim, so this is a moot point.

Over the last several years he's been approached about coaching major conference men's teams. But let's not get away from my main point. I'll bet the complaint was filed because he's made a lot of enemies with his arrogance over the years.

I agree with you on this - had to just make a quick poke though - didn't mean anything negative which is why I used the smiley and the stir it up symbols...

He's certainly in a class of many of the better coaches and athletes with respect to others making complaints or looking for some way to "get back" or cause a distraction.  Strange how the accuser doesn't have to be identified. And stranger still that the NCAA didn't just dismiss the complaint - perhaps he's ruffled a few feathers in that office as well. Five years from now if Mo'ne is at UConn will we look back and say she was recruited from the LLWS? The whole thing points out to me the insanity that surrounds college recruiting rules.

I'm actually on the other side of popular opinion here on the NCAA investigation into Auriemma's call.  They are in charge of policing the recruiting policies.  While only 13, Mo'ne is just one year away from what is considered the recruiting window. She is reportedly better at basketball than she is in baseball, which is potentially pretty darn good.  She has expressed that her goal is to play basketball at UCONN.  Putting the pieces together, it isn't very difficult to come to the conclusion that a congratulatory call from the UCONN coach could be interpreted as a recruiting related act. If I were that player with that goal, that would certainly get me more excited about the idea of playing there.

I'm not faulting the coach.  He  apparently asked if it would be permissible.  But I do understand NCAA asking some questions.   

When Sportcenter anchor said "We will be hearing from her down the line." I thought the exact opposite. Projecting a 13 year old beyond 14 is unreliable, at best.

Girls growup and mature much much faster then boys do, while it certainly isn't 100% a 14yr girl is much closer to a 16 yr male in terms of the time line.

Having done the baseball recruiting thing, most boys verbal as sophomores or juniors in HS. Having done the softball recruiting thing, most girls verbal as 8th graders or freshman in HS.

I keep hearing that college QB's are being locked up as Jr high or early HS players, it isn't hard to think this young lady isn't being recruited right now, today to play basketball.

If NCAA rules are old or not applicable to what is happening real time today, it would not surprise me. They will form a study commitee with a goal of formulating a team to study the eventual reality of the situation with a recommendation coming in the form of a series of directives to be voted on by another committee to determine a course of direction to be taken in the future after evaluation by a lead team of schools, who may or may not ultimately benefit from the ultimate solution only after a lengthy study to be arranged in the future by a team of ...