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What an obnoxious writer. What in the world does Pete Thamel have against Eric Bledsoe? It all started with the NY Times article ([URL=”http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/29/sports/ncaabasketball/29recruit.html?_r=1&hp”]here[/URL]) making three accusations: 1) Bledsoe’s coach paid rent on Eric and his mother’s house for three months; 2) Bledsoe’s transcript showed improbable changes and 3) an unnamed college coach said that Bledsoe’s coach was requesting money for Bledsoe’s recruitment.
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Let’s take these one at a time.
First, the money for Bledsoe’s recruitment. There are several coaches who hate John Calipari and would say anything to bring him down. Just like in the Anthony Davis case where the Chicago Sun-Times had the audacity to print that UK paid $200,000 for Davis’ recruitment based on hearsay, it turned out to be completely without substance (and I believe the coach in question there was determined to be Illinois coach [URL=”http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/the_inside_scoop/2010/09/gregg-doyel-bruce-weber.html”]Bruce Weber[/URL]). We could theorize all day about which anonymous coach claimed payment requests from Bledsoe’s coach, but investigations turned up nothing. Did we see a retraction from the NY Times? Nope.
Second, the rent on Eric and his mother’s home. The Times was questioning a rent payment made for Bledsoe’s mother because she could not afford a few months’ rent (they said Bledsoe’s coach paid it). That’s right, they were questioning charity. Evidently poor kids being raised by single mothers don’t have a right to get some financial help to live according to the Times. As it turns out, a cousin of Bledsoe’s mother paid the rent, ([URL=”http://blog.al.com/solomon/2010/07/eric_bledsoe_relative_friend_s.html”]here[/URL]) but I don’t remember the Times issuing an apology or update to their accusatory article on that either.
Finally, the changes in Bledsoe’s grades. Nobody is questioning that the grades were changed. Let me say that again, NOBODY is questioning that Bledsoe’s Senior Year grades were changed from the original. Am I saying that Eric’s teacher did something illegal? No. What the teacher did was allow him to do some make-up work to get them where they needed to be so that he could get accepted into college. Yep, the only person who would know says Eric earned those grades. The independent report uses terms like ‘conspicuously changed’ to make it sound malicious ([URL=”http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5612393″]here[/URL]), but as I said, nobody is questioning that the grades were changed. Should the teacher have allowed make-up work? I don’t know, my teachers in high school allowed it so I don’t know why it would be a big deal for Bledsoe. Nevertheless, you will read in the papers that ‘the teacher’s excuse was not believable’ and ‘he couldn’t provide proof of make-up work.’ Last I knew you were innocent until proven guilty, unless of course you are a target of the NY Times.
Don’t worry Mr. Thamel, I’m not holding my breath on that follow-up article exonerating Eric Bledsoe, but don’t you have any news closer to home to report on? Like the UConn scandal where the NCAA actually found something ([URL=”http://www.opposingviews.com/i/another-ncaa-scandal-uconn-accused-of-8-violations”]here[/URL])? Or is that a little TOO close to home…
