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NCAA falls back to ‘non response’ ruling on Sidney |
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Saturday, 07 November 2009 |
By AARON SEIDLITZ
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One day after Don Jackson said he was “optimistic” about the status of his client’s case with the NCAA, an email came across indicating that Renardo Sidney’s fate is still up in the air.
Jackson, the Montgomery, Ala.-based attorney for the Mississippi State freshman, watched on this week as the NCAA Eligibility Center parted ways with one of its directors – Bill Saum – and cleared Cincinnati freshman Lance Stephenson.
Before the Mississippi State regular season begins next Friday, Jackson expected word to come down on a decision by the NCAA on Sidney’s status an amateur.
An email on Friday from NCAA spokesman Bob Williams indicated otherwise, however.
Here is the brief email from Williams in total:
“Mr. Jackson and his client did not provide all of the information requested since April and his client’s status remains non-certified due to non-response. A memo was sent to Mr. Jackson which once again details the specific records needed to assist in making a determination regarding Mr. Sidney’s eligibility status.”
In a series of texts, Jackson responded on Friday, and identified the “specific records” the NCAA requested as further bank statements and cellular phone records since January 1, 2006.
“It is clear that the ultimate goal is to prolong the inquiry,” Jackson said. “Since they are unable to find anything damaging, they have opted to prolong the investigation indefinitely ... which I predicted at the outset and has been the organization’s practice for years.”
The disappointing news for Jackson and the Sidney camp comes before Mississippi State’s final exhibition game of the season – today at 2 p.m. at Humphrey Coliseum.
Sidney has suited up for practice this season, even though his long-term status was not known.
He also participated in the team’s lone open scrimmage this fall, and that moment provided the public a glimpse at the nimble, 6-foot-10 forward who seemed to have a nice touch on his shot as well as the ability to pass the ball.
Thus far, leading up to the 2009-10 season, MSU head coach Rick Stansbury hasn’t commented much about Sidney.
He has either declined comment about the player’s status, or remarked that Sidney has some work to do conditioning-wise.
For the time being, however, it’s not known whether the work the player has put in with his new team this fall will ever be showcased on the court during a regular season game.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 08 November 2009 )
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