'Cuse fans celebrate the return of Devo.
Finally, Syracuse fans have something to cheer about this week.
Sure, their football team beat Northeastern last Saturday for its first win of the season, but that's not why they're celebrating. (It's hard to get pumped for a win over Northeastern when you've already lost to Northwestern and Akron...)
No, 'Cuse fans are already looking ahead to the basketball season. They're giddy because guard Eric Devendorf has been granted a hardship waiver by the Big East Conference, essentially giving him an extra year of eligibility.
Last year, Devendorf was having a great season, averaging 17 points per game and 3.9 assists per game, when he blew out his knee against East Tennessee State. Without Devendorf, a Syracuse team heavy on skill but lacking in experience and leadership lost in the first round of the Big East Tournament and failed to make the NCAA Tournament.
With the hardship waiver, Devendorf has two more years of eligibility left at Syracuse, which should give him just enough time to develop a nice chemistry with point guard Jonny Flynn and get that hideous tattoo on his arm removed.
While this is great news for Syracuse, you have to wonder how Pittsburgh fans feel. One month ago, the Big East Conference rejected the final appeal of forward Mike Cook for a medical hardship waiver. In many ways, Cook and Devendorf's situations were very similar.
Devendorf tore the ACL in his left knee in the tenth game of the season. Cook tore the ACL in his left knee in the 11th game of the season. Both sat out for the rest of the year.
So how can the Big East give one player an extra year of eligibility and send the other packing?
Well, apparently that one game makes a large difference. Taking into account that the NCAA does not count NCAA tournament games and only counts one conference tournament game, Devendorf played in 10 of his team's 32 games, which is 31%. And Cook played in 11 of his team's 32 games, which is 34%. (If we counted all Big East Tournament games, NIT games and NCAA Tournament games, Devendorf would've played in 28% of 'Cuse's games and Cook would've played in 29.7% of Pitt's games.)
According to the NCAA, a player is only eligible for a medical redshirt if he plays in less than 30 percent of his team's games. That would mean that neither player was eligible for a hardship waiver, yet Devendorf was granted one while Cook was denied.
Favoritism? Probably not, considering that Cook had already graduated and would've had to enroll as a grad student if he'd been granted an extra year of eligibility, while Devendorf is still an undergrad. But it's still got to make Pitt fans wonder if Jimmy Boeheim's 32 years of coaching have influenced those in control of the Big East Conference.
How else can you justify this decision?
Comments
Great article. Have you looked into any other waivers and requests recently by the NCAA. I seem to recall a guy named Mauck or something like that being denied. It would be interesting to compare his case to Devendorf or Cook.
It is my understandin the major differenve between Devo and Mike Cook was that Mike already had a redshirt year. The board is not in favor of giving a second redshirt year or 6th year of eligibility.
If all things the same but one game difference, I think would have been granted also.
Yes, that is also the case with Mauk, he was a transfer student hoping for a 6th year of eligibility. It is rare to get the 6th year, but quite common to get the 5th year.
The reason you are having trouble making sense of this is because you are doing the math backwards. 30% of 32 games is 9.6 games. The NCAA does not recognize portions of games and therefore always rounds up the number of games a player could have participated in. So a player could play 10 games out of a 32 game schedule and still get a medical hardship waiver. Devendorf played 10 games, all good. Cook played 11, which is too many. No favoritism necessary, just math.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!