ESPN Men's Basketball

I have written extensively in the past about how responsibility for the admission, education and graduation of an athlete does not stop with the head coach; the coach has significant responsibility, but the responsibility is shared and certainly does not end with the coach.

The alleged impropriety regarding the admission and eligibility of Eric Bledsoe is a perfect example. Bledsoe was highly recruited, but chose the Kentucky Wildcats after John Calipari took the job following the 2009 Final Four. According to Bledsoe's transcripts, he carried a 1.92 GPA in core courses after his junior year of high school. After a transfer, Bledsoe performed at a much higher level in his senior year, gaining his initial eligibility by earning A's in an online biology course, and night courses in Algebra 2 and Algebra 3.

Bledsoe's transcript was reviewed and passed upon by the Alabama High School Athletic Association; he was officially cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Perhaps most importantly, Bledsoe's transcript was reviewed by the admissions office at the University of Kentucky, and he was admitted into school and declared eligible to play. Presumably, the director of admissions at Kentucky knows how to properly review a transcript, is capable of determining the legitimacy of courses and course performance, and is equally capable of saying "no" to an unqualified candidate.

In order to see the rest of Bilas' assessment of the Bledsoe eligibility issue, why he firmly believes Tom Izzo can succeed in the NBA and a proposal for yet another super conference -- this time built from the ACC and SEC -- you must be an ESPN Insider.