I would like to know how the player named Sparks who left WKU for UK has benefitted. Does he play pro ball anywhere? Maybe the Wildcat faithful have taken care of him in some way. I realize sometimes circumstances may justify making such a move but, to turn your back on a school who gave you a chance for a perceived bigger stage seems to me might be a character issue. I personally hope Coach Brady does not grant a release for the player who has left ASU.

LOL.

Funny you should mention that, we were having this very conversation over dinner on Sunday.

Just as an aside, I remember the day after Sparks announced his transfer I bumped into him at a movie theater here in town. I was wearing my WKU hat and I looked right at him and he wouldn't look at me.

Now Patrick Sparks is from a small town about an hour northwest of here called Central City (this is the town my parents are from as it happens, I've been there many times).

Central City (IMHO) is a hole in the earth (thier main claim to fame is that the Everly Brothers are from there). The main economic activity there was strip mining and most of that has left. There is really no reason that I can see why anyone would want to live there.

The reason I give you this background is that for all his backstabbing (from a certain perspective) Patrick Sparks was rewarded with a UK degree and then returned back to Central City where I am told he sells cars. I guess he is big man around town regaling his customers with stories of playing in Rupp Arena.

So no. I don't think he really gained anything by transferring... unless you want to count shooting those three free throws to defeat Louisville with no time on the clock in the big rivarly game a few years ago. Personally, I think sitting out the year after his transfer REALLY hurt his game. He certainly gained a lot of weight.

(06-08-2010 08:16 AM)DollarBill Wrote:  I would like to know how the player named Sparks who left WKU for UK has benefitted. Does he play pro ball anywhere? Maybe the Wildcat faithful have taken care of him in some way. I realize sometimes circumstances may justify making such a move but, to turn your back on a school who gave you a chance for a perceived bigger stage seems to me might be a character issue. I personally hope Coach Brady does not grant a release for the player who has left ASU.

I believe it's pretty standard for a school to give a player his release. I know it looks pretty bad what the kid did, but in the great scheme of things, it's not the worst thing in the world. I was originally in favor of not granting a release, but after thinking about it, it would look bad for the school to not give him the release. He'll have to sit out a year anyway. I would make sure he isn't immediately eligible before granting the release.

A guy has a chance to play at one of the premier programs in the country - and it looks bad? Sure. Whatever.

(06-08-2010 04:56 PM)Scotto Wrote:  A guy has a chance to play at one of the premier programs in the country - and it looks bad? Sure. Whatever.

A premier program that said Sparks wasn't good enough until he helped WKU beat UK in Rupp in 2002.

Why is it okay for a coach to change schools, but not okay for players to do the same? If a guy's stock goes up he should be able to cash in.

(06-08-2010 05:08 PM)Scotto Wrote:  Why is it okay for a coach to change schools, but not okay for players to do the same? If a guy's stock goes up he should be able to cash in.

And the coach doesn't have to sit out a year, either.

(06-08-2010 05:08 PM)Scotto Wrote:  Why is it okay for a coach to change schools, but not okay for players to do the same? If a guy's stock goes up he should be able to cash in.

Its perfectly okay. You'd think he'd have some self respect though. And I am not a fan of his anymore (in case you can't tell).

And coaches... are up front. They are hired guns doing a job for money. Players are students. Students are supposed to have school pride. I can tell you that Courtney Lee felt school pride at WKU. If Patrick didn't feel that in Bowling Green then maybe it was better that he moved on.

What about the guys that are let go. Should their school pride have them quit playing because they were cut? Some simply choose to play elsewhere, or at least that's what we're told. I guess it's okay to move down the ladder but not up the ladder.

(06-08-2010 06:13 PM)Scotto Wrote:  What about the guys that are let go. Should their school pride have them quit playing because they were cut? Some simply choose to play elsewhere, or at least that's what we're told. I guess it's okay to move down the ladder but not up the ladder.

Obviously it is okay for them to play where ever they want. But surely you don't suggest that it is okay for the ACC / SEC teams to "use" Sunbelt teams as thier farm system do you (not saying that is exactly what happened here, but in general)?

I fell in love with WKU during my time there. I guess I just would have liked it if Patrick Sparks did too. For all I know he didn't click with Horn. Most of what I have heard is that his daddy had a lot to do with his decision (how many times has that story played out?).

At any rate, I don't see how he was any better off other than just playing for the mighty UK. If that is what he wanted, more power to him.

Coaches can increase their income. Players in theory shouldn't be increasing their income by transferring and the numbers indicate transferring does not improve their chances at a professional career unless they are transferring to increase minutes.

College is up to five years for a student then they have to have a means of support entering the real world.
Coaching is the source of income for a coach and their means of support for the remainder of their working career unless they can no longer find someone willing to hire them.

A typical coaching contract compensates the employer when the coach leaves. Arkansas had to travel to USA and South Carolina had to travel to WKU to compensate for hiring away the coach. Notre Dame and Michigan had to make payments to gain the release of coaches they hired.

When a player transfers the school they leave has no compensation and they face possible APR and graduation rate issues for the transfer and if they are not given adequate advance notice they are not able to go into the high schools and jucos to effectively recruit a replacement player until after most talent that would consider the school has signed elsewhere.

Losing a coach may be bad, but there are remedies, there is no relief only damage to a school left by a transferring player.