Breaking news: NCAA rejects Mike Williams' reinstatement

[FADERPROOF]

NCAA denies stand-out WR request for reinstatement
Thursday, August 26, 2004


ESPN.com news services
USC wide receiver Mike Williams told ESPN The Magazine's Bruce Feldman Thursday that the NCAA has refused his request for reinstatement.




When asked about his initial reaction to the rejection, Williams first said he is thankful to have a resolution. He added he felt bad for all the people who went through the long and complicated reinstatement process and for the people who supported him, including USC coach Pete Carroll.


Williams, who said he will work out with USC strength coach Chris Carlisle while attending classes for the next four months, will be eligible for the 2005 draft. He will be them minimum three years removed from high school.


The USC team was en route Thursday to the East Coast for Saturday night's game against Virginia Tech.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Williams should sue the NFL now. He gave up his eligibility based on statements by the League that he, and anyone else who applied after the original Clarett ruling, would be allowed into the NFL.

Clarett's a POS, all Williams did was take advantage of something the NFL offered. It's horse**** what is happening to him.

[FADERPROOF]

I just want to speak for a minute about how much bull**** that is. A guy followed as path that was legal at the time, and got penalized for Maurice Clarett's mistake. The NCAA has always talked about how athlete friendly they are and now they've just shown how hypocritical of a statement that is.

NCAA, you've constantly ****ed up things in the past, and you had a shot to make this one right, and you dropped the ball on it. I'm pretty furious about this, and I don't like USC one bit, but the NCAA made the wrong decision here and now Williams has to suffer the consequences.

[Saulbadguy]

He got screwed.

[Darkhawk24]

Figured as much. A good call by the NCAA. I know that he just followed what that one judge deamed legal but he knew once that were was a chance this all could happen with the NFL fighting it.


USC should still be one of the best teams in the nation. We will see if a WR steps up and fills that big void.

[FADERPROOF]

Williams should sue the NFL now. He gave up his eligibility based on statements by the League that he, and anyone else who applied after the original Clarett ruling, would be allowed into the NFL.

Clarett's a POS, all Williams did was take advantage of something the NFL offered. It's horse**** what is happening to him.

exaclty man, the NCAA is just bull****/

[Darkhawk24]

Well looks like I am alone on my thoughts.. :)

Just one point the NFL said from the beginning they would be fighting that ruling so sueing the NFL is far from the answer.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Figured as much. A good call by the NCAA. I know that he just followed what that one judge deamed legal but he knew once that were was a chance this all could happen with the NFL fighting it.


No he did not apply for entry into the draft based off of the judge's ruling, he based his application on statement's made by the league that they would allow underclassmen into the draft.

[FADERPROOF]

Well looks like I am alone on my thoughts.. :)

Just one point the NFL said from the beginning they would be fighting that ruling so sueing the NFL is far from the answer.

I also think it was ****ty that the NFL had 2 months to fight the case, and then decides to 1 week before the draft. Clarett won his case in February, NFL decided to appeal in April, I think if the NFL decided to appeal right away then Williams would've never declared in the 1st place and wouldve waited to see what happened with the case.

[Darkhawk24]

Everyone knew they were going to appeal. They said it before the ruling even came out that they would. They did take their time in actually appealing it but it was no secret that they were.

Williams took a risk andite back fired. Now he has to wait a year to play football again. He was the only one who followed Clarett.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Everyone knew they were going to appeal. They said it before the ruling even came out that they would. They did take their time in actually appealing it but it was no secret that they were.

Williams took a risk andite back fired. Now he has to wait a year to play football again. He was the only one who followed Clarett.

But the NFL never represented their offer to underclassmen that way. They said that because of the Clarett ruling, you have X number of days to apply for early entry since the original date had passed. They did not say take a chance with your eligibility and if we win the appeal you're out.

Williams was the only other "player" that applied, a few JUCOs and even some high school seniors applied for early entry.

[FADERPROOF]

Everyone knew they were going to appeal. They said it before the ruling even came out that they would. They did take their time in actually appealing it but it was no secret that they were.

Williams took a risk andite back fired. Now he has to wait a year to play football again. He was the only one who followed Clarett.

Put yourself in Williams' shoes. You would be the 2nd WR taken in the NFL draft, it's legal for you to declare, and even though the NFL said that they would appeal, they haven't spoke about it for the past month.

You're telling me you wouldb't have declared based on the NFL "possibly" appealing?

[bronco militia]

First Jeremy Bloom, now Mike Williams...

and then the NCAA lets some kid go play for the Canes that's been arrested 11 times and violated his parole twice?...

All of you college atheletes out there should try to get to the pros as soon as possible.

[FADERPROOF]

First Jeremy Bloom, now Mike Williams...

and then the NCAA lets some kid go play for the Canes that's been arrested 11 times and violated his parole twice?...

All of you college atheletes out there should try to get to the pros as soon as possible.

and hell, Marcus Vick was arrested 3 time s in 10 months, and VT as a University was the org that suspended him for the year.

[Darkhawk24]

The rules have always been in the NCAA if you enter the draft there is no coming back.

I would have taken the risk if I was Williams too.

[Breck Bronc]

Good. If they're not going to allow people like Jeremy Bloom and Nate Webster play then at least the NCAA stuck to their guns and didn't let Mike Williams back.

[TheManeMan]

Just heard an interview here on LA sports radio, with Mike Williams on the Petros Papadenkas(sp?) show...anyway...Mike seriously is full of class...All I know is that he didnt bad mouth anything about the NCAA ruling nor the NFL draft exemption...The guy sounded like nothing even happened...He mentioned that everything that happens after Aug, 26 2004...is geared for his NFL career...He also said that he'll be on the sidelines when USC plays at home this year against teams like Colorado St and Notre Dame...I was really amped that Mike was going to get reinstated in the NCAA but, after hearing the way he hyped up Dwayne Jarrett a 6'5" freshman from NJ...I cant wait to see him play...he said he's basically the same mold as he was when he first got to USC...anyway, Mike willl be the #1 pick in the draft next year...San Diego Chargers are now on the clock...

[FADERPROOF]

Just heard an interview here on LA sports radio, with Mike Williams on the Petros Papadenkas(sp?) show...anyway...Mike seriously is full of class...All I know is that he didnt bad mouth anything about the NCAA ruling nor the NFL draft exemption...The guy sounded like nothing even happened...He mentioned that everything that happens after Aug, 26 2004...is geared for his NFL career...He also said that he'll be on the sidelines when USC plays at home this year against teams like Colorado St and Notre Dame...I was really amped that Mike was going to get reinstated in the NCAA but, after hearing the way he hyped up Dwayne Jarrett a 6'5" freshman from NJ...I cant wait to see him play...he said he's basically the same mold as he was when he first got to USC...anyway, Mike willl be the #1 pick in the draft next year...San Diego Chargers are now on the clock...

I was going to mention how much class he had by this news. He talked about just being relieved that they came to a decision, that's all he really said about the decision really.

I still think he got a raw deal and the NCAA screwed him, but he is accepting of it and looks optimistic about the future, good luck to him.

[FADERPROOF]

Just heard an interview here on LA sports radio, with Mike Williams on the Petros Papadenkas(sp?) show...anyway...Mike seriously is full of class...All I know is that he didnt bad mouth anything about the NCAA ruling nor the NFL draft exemption...The guy sounded like nothing even happened...He mentioned that everything that happens after Aug, 26 2004...is geared for his NFL career...He also said that he'll be on the sidelines when USC plays at home this year against teams like Colorado St and Notre Dame...I was really amped that Mike was going to get reinstated in the NCAA but, after hearing the way he hyped up Dwayne Jarrett a 6'5" freshman from NJ...I cant wait to see him play...he said he's basically the same mold as he was when he first got to USC...anyway, Mike willl be the #1 pick in the draft next year...San Diego Chargers are now on the clock...

speaking of USC WR's, I'm still upset about Fred Davis going to USC, you guys got a stud WR in there, along with Jerrett.

[TheManeMan]

speaking of USC WR's, I'm still upset about Fred Davis going to USC, you guys got a stud WR in there, along with Jerrett.


Yeah..I've heard alot about Davis...with him, Jarrett, and both Smith's(Wil and Steve)...Matt Leinart is going to have plenty of WR's to choose from...its just too bad that he wont be able to throw to #1...

[FADERPROOF]

Yeah..I've heard alot about Davis...with him, Jarrett, and both Smith's(Wil and Steve)...Matt Leinart is going to have plenty of WR's to choose from...its just too bad that he wont be able to throw to #1...

Fred Davis was the top WR in Ohio last year, lived in Toledo. Just pains me sometimes when stud high school players leave the state and don't go to OSU.

Worst thing about it is that I thought OSU had him locked up, it was between us and Miami and he was leaning towards the U, but cancelled a meeting at the last second with them, givingf Bucks fans the idea that he made up his mind and chose the scarlet and gray.

Then he pulls USC out of nowhere on us, Cane and Bucks fans had their jaws drop to the floor.

[WaffleBoy]

It only proves the NCAA is a joke.

The Boy Wonder ;)

[TheManeMan]

Fred Davis was the top WR in Ohio last year, lived in Toledo. Just pains me sometimes when stud high school players leave the state and don't go to OSU.

Worst thing about it is that I thought OSU had him locked up, it was between us and Miami and he was leaning towards the U, but cancelled a meeting at the last second with them, givingf Bucks fans the idea that he made up his mind and chose the scarlet and gray.

Then he pulls USC out of nowhere on us, Cane and Bucks fans had their jaws drop to the floor.



I mean, who doesnt want to be in Southern California? 8')

[SoCalBronco]

suing the league will get him nowhere. It would probably be on promissory estoppel grounds and he would fail on at least 2 elements of the 5 element test because it was public knowledge that the league would appeal the ruling from the District Court so he didnt rely justifiably on the league opening up the draft for him because he and the entire public knew the league was appealing with the intention of of having the district court's ruling reversed and remanded. This fact also likely extinguishes the first element that the league made a "promise". The only promise they made was to extend the draft submission deadline, they never said if we win on appeal you will get your eligibility back if things go sour.