Kansas Jayhawks
Big 12/College News
Billy Gillispie's doctors have ordered he do something that may not be possible for an embattled college basketball coach whose erratic behavior and spiraling career has become national news.
They want him to live in a stress-free environment for 30 days to try to get his high blood pressure under control.
The Texas Tech coach confirmed that news via a text message to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on Sunday night. Gillispie received the directive from doctors after spending four days at a Mayo Clinic in Minnesota last week being treated for abnormal headaches and kidney problems.
What this latest news suggests is Texas Tech may have to wait another month before it can resolve Gillispie's job status
Yahoo
USA Today Lopresti: Bizarre is in style for college basketball (Should have been titled "What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here?")
Just look at this roster. It's the UConn junior varsity squad. Sure, there are a couple of guys from the current group that could have played on some of the loaded teams over the last couple decades: Shabazz Napier, Ryan Boatright and maybe even DeAndre Daniels (based solely on potential). But most of these guys could easily be found on bottom-tier Big East rosters, maybe even in mid-major programs. No disrespect to Tyler Olander, but this year's starting center would have been a walk-on on just about every other Calhoun-coached Huskies squad.
Ollie has a terrific pedigree and tremendous references. I remember Kevin Durant heaping praise on him a couple of years ago shortly after he was hired by Calhoun in 2010. Ollie absolutely crushed it Thursday afternoon when he stood behind the podium. When his name pops up in NBA circles or among those who know him in the college basketball ranks, one word ultimately comes up: Class.
"[He has] as high a character and moral fiber than anyone I know," Calhoun said.
But it's going to take far more than just a terrific reputation to dig UConn out of the mess that Calhoun has left behind. It may not quite be Kelvin Sampson or Lute Olson-bad, but the current group has virtually no quality depth -- and the incoming recruits certainly aren't up to UConn standards, either.
CBS
Tom Penders takes the time to bash other coaches
ESPN Tip-Off Marathon schedule
2012-13 Early Season Events List
Recruiting
Junior-college point guard Chris Jones said his weekend official visit to the University of Louisville was the best of the three he’s taken so far and that he’ll probably make a decision on which four-year college he’ll transfer to today.
Jones, the 5-foot-11 sophomore for Northwest Florida State College, returned from Louisville on Sunday afternoon — his third consecutive weekend trip, following visits to Oklahoma State and Baylor.
Asked in a Sunday phone interview where the U of L visit ranked, he said, “The best one so far. Everyone will see probably tomorrow.”
Asked then if he is considering committing to the Cardinals, Jones said, “I’m going to make my commitment (to someone) tomorrow most likely.”
…Jones is considering the three schools he’s visited and two others he’s scheduled to see, Florida State and Kansas. But he said Sunday that the grind of visits is “taking a toll” and that he might not take any more.
Louisville CJ
9:08 AM - 17 Sep 12
Chris Jones commits to Louisville. Pitino lands a PG.
https://twitter.com/howielindsey/status/247698657686728704
Brannen Greene, a 6-foot-7, 200-pound senior small forward from Tift County High in Tifton, Ga., who orally committed to KU last Dec. 20, plans to make his official recruiting visit to KU for the Oct. 12 Late Night in the Phog.
Greene’s dad, Jeff, told Rivals.com, however, there’s a chance the family could change the visit to Feb. 16, when the Jayhawks play host to Texas as part of ESPN GameDay.
LJW
Webb: Switching over to Michigan State, where are the Spartans in the race for the nation's No 1 player, Chicago Simeon small forward Jabari Parker?
Snow: "The thing with Michigan State is they have a lot of eggs in a small baskets, and Jabari is the biggest. Right now if you put a gun to my head and said, 'Where is Parker going to school?' I'm telling you Michigan State. Now I wouldn't guarantee that I would be living the next day (laughter), but that is certainly the bet right now. Tom Izzo has done a great job (recruiting Parker), they've got an in-home visit coming up, (Michigan State) is close to home, they produce pros — it's really everything the Parkers are looking for. I think right now they're the team to beat coming into a key stretch in the recruitment."
Detroit News
A native of Hampton, VA—where Allen Iverson made a name for himself, in more ways than one—Barber settled on the Wolfpack as his list of potential suitors began to dwindle.
Barber’s academic struggles and off-the-court troubles chased off droves of big-name schools, allowing NC State to jump into the fray fairly late in the recruitment. Only Alabama, Louisville, Kansas and Florida State had extended offers to Barber that remained on the table by the time Gottfried and his staff got involved. And of those four, only Alabama continued to pursue Barber with much vigor.
One source tells Busting Brackets that Louisville, once thought to be a frontrunner in this recruitment, backed off of Barber after his visit to the campus last weekend. Cardinals players, according to the source, suspected Barber of stealing some of their belongings during the trip. The players reported their suspicions to the coaching staff, which then summarily backed out of the recruitment. Louisville has since shifted its sights on Florida JuCo point guard Chris Jones, who is on the Louisville campus this weekend.
Kansas, another source notes, became leery of Louisville’s findings. The Jayhawks welcomed Barber on an official visit at the beginning of the month, but their interest waned upon learning of Barber’s off-the-court baggage. Barber called his visit to Kansas a “perfect ten,” praise that immediately bumped Jayhawks as the favorite to land the point guard prize. But Kansas, wary like Louisville, backed off and allowed Gottfried to scoop up the talent.
Busting Brackets
Now that he’s transferred to Brewster Academy, Chris McCullough figures to get even more scrutiny from college coaches than ever before.
Brewster coach Jason Smith told SNY.tv that Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon “was here to see him on Wednesday.”
Coaches from Kentucky, Syracuse and St. John’s are all expected in soon to see the 6-foot-10 2014 New York native.
Smith said coaches from Florida, Kansas and Rutgers have also been in touch about coming out to see him.
Zags
Sam Cassell Jr., lost his last-ditch appeal to play college basketball this season on Thursday -- and his dad is speaking out against the NCAA.
Cassell, who won three NBA titles and is now an assistant with the Washington Wizards, called the NCAA the "neighborhood bullies" and said it's not even worth pursuing the situation legally.
"They do whatever they want," Sam Cassell said. "It doesn't even do any good to fight it."
"The NCAA just wants kids to fail," he added. "It's not these kids' fault. The NCAA can't penalize Notre Dame Prep, so they are squashing the kids dreams."
We documented the situation earlier in the week in which both Myles Davis and Cassell were both denied by the NCAA due to several courses at Notre Dame Prep. Cassell said his son didn't have six courses validated from the Massachusetts prep school that were taken two years ago. These identical courses were also attended by eight other basketball players -- each of which were cleared to play Division 1 college basketball last season.
Cassell, who didn't qualify out of high school back in the late 1980s and went to junior college for two years, said his son is crushed that he can't attend Maryland. He was on campus for summer school, took two classes and earned a 2.5 GPA.
"He had his heart set on it," Cassell said. "He's really hurt."
Now Cassell will look into other options. There's a chance he could go to an SEC school and sit out this season -- or head to another school and sit out as a non-qualifier.
"I'm not sure what he's going to do yet," Cassell said. "He's going to make his own decision and I'm just here to support and guide him."
CBS
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