Dear Jim Rome and to anyone else this may concern,
The NCAA has been recently adding new rules and regulations that, for some odd reason, punish players for doing the right thing for their academic, athletic, and personal careers. Some may be aware of this situation, but many probably are not. Lucca Staiger, an expected contributor to the Iowa State men's basketball team this season, has been punished for not being paid on a so-called "professional team" in Germany when they were deemed an amateur league in Germany. Yet, the NCAA felt compelled to revoke one year of eligibility to Lucca, and also from a player in Washington. Yet, these two players did everythine right to not risk their chance to play and get an education in the United States, the LAND OF THE FREE. Yet, the NCAA took away that freedom because of what a couple players received on the Germany team in which Lucca played. Lucca even played a year of high school ball in the United States, yet he is still being punished for having no control over what managers did in Germany. The NCAA is trying to uphold the "integrity" of United States basketball, but I feel they just contradicted themselves. This issue needs to be open to a wide national perspective and make things right for Lucca and any other players hurt by this "new rule."
The NCAA has been recently adding new rules and regulations that, for some odd reason, punish players for doing the right thing for their academic, athletic, and personal careers. Some may be aware of this situation, but many probably are not. Lucca Staiger, an expected contributor to the Iowa State men's basketball team this season, has been punished for not being paid on a so-called "professional team" in Germany when they were deemed an amateur league in Germany. Yet, the NCAA felt compelled to revoke one year of eligibility to Lucca, and also from a player in Washington. Yet, these two players did everythine right to not risk their chance to play and get an education in the United States, the LAND OF THE FREE. Yet, the NCAA took away that freedom because of what a couple players received on the Germany team in which Lucca played. Lucca even played a year of high school ball in the United States, yet he is still being punished for having no control over what managers did in Germany. The NCAA is trying to uphold the "integrity" of United States basketball, but I feel they just contradicted themselves. This issue needs to be open to a wide national perspective and make things right for Lucca and any other players hurt by this "new rule."
