Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Is he worth it?
I believe Jimmy Boeheim saw this coming. But when is enough enough?SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- Syracuse point guard Billy Edelin has been declared ineligible for the first semester of the academic year because he does not meet NCAA academic eligibility requirements, school officials said Tuesday.
The NCAA requires a student-athlete to have earned at least half the credits needed to graduate to be eligible as a first-semester junior, and Edelin has not reached that total....Edelin originally enrolled at Syracuse in the fall of 2001, and that's when his eligibility clock began. The university suspended him that October after two female students accused him of sexual misconduct. No charges were ever brought against Edelin, and he was reinstated by the university the following June.
The NCAA also suspended Edelin for the first 12 games of the 2002-03 season for participating in a dozen recreational league games while serving his university-imposed suspension. Last season, Edelin started the first 16 games, averaging 13.8 points and a team-high 5.4 assists before suddenly leaving the team for what Boeheim termed "personal issues."
Is Edelin a skilled player? Sure. Could he make a significant contribution to the Orangemen's success? Yes. But is he worth keeping around amid the accusations of sexual harassment, academic ineptitude and personal problems? From a humanitarian perspective, certainly. But from a team chemistry perspective, no. The ‘Cuse need not be distracted as they begin a season that may well end in St. Louis.
