Sam Maniscalco

[lake Camelot]

Out of all the kids who have taken advantage of this rule, just as many have "transferred down" as have "transferred up" to a higher ranked school. Many more such transfers occur in football than basketball, and most of them (football or basketball) have played a very small part on their new team. Some have barely seen the floor, and became little more than practice players. Sam's case is actually a rarity in that he actually contributed a little to his new team, though he was not a star. He played in 28 games (out of 32), averaged 24 minutes per game, and averaged 6.1 ppg.

The rule has allowed just as many kids who made a mistake by going "too high" and never getting much of a chance to play, to transfer down and actually get some meaningful playing time.

I don't believe the NCAA instituted this rule to benefit the BCS boys. I do think the initial intent was to give the student-athletes a chance to spend their final year of eligibility pursuing post-graduate courses that benefit them.

I agree with what you say about more transferring down. It is pretty much what I said. I guess I am just tainted by my feelings toward the NCAA. Because I completely feel they do it to help the BCS schools. Just like everything else they do.

[TPS1]

Maybe Sam's disastrous year at ILL will make others think twice about taking advantage of this loophole...

[Chico]

Maybe Sam's disastrous year at ILL will make others think twice about taking advantage of this loophole...

Been 5 days since you cut up Sam. You're slipping.

[BU Bill]

Maybe Sam's disastrous year at ILL will make others think twice about taking advantage of this loophole...

If Sam didn't take advantage of the rule (and it is not a loophole, it does exactly what it was intended to do), he would have stayed and been part of the new team that set numerous all time records for being bad. I suspect he is happy he got out when he did. From what I hear, there are others who wish they had too.

[tornado]

Maybe Sam's disastrous year at ILL will make others think twice about taking advantage of this loophole...

Hmm... must not have been too bad of a disaster......
I don't know but I'd think the head coach at Illinois who knows the situation with Sam a lot better than most - immediately went after another grad student transfer from a mid-major..

http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-sports-guru/2012/05/illinois-beefs-up-front-court-with-sam-mclaurin-transfer-addition/

[ghunt]

A unrealted question, other than it is a simple and quick one about Sam (hence I post here while I am thinking about it rather than start a thread on just one little question). Was Sam in a fraternity at Bradley? If so, which one? I heard he was, and I was back in the day, so just chalk it up to idle curiosity regarding BU, athletes, and fraternity alumns. Thanks.

[Da Coach]

I had never heard that he was in a fraternity.

[RedSeaElite1]

as a current fraternity member at BU i can agree that Sam was not in a fraternity.

[SFP]

On SM I was disappointed that he left but I understand completely, why he did. We all know it had nothing to do with grad school but because of his academic excellence he gave himself the flexibility to make the decision he did. Kudos to him and may other students learn that valuable lesson that hard work can pay off.

[Mikovio]

KUDOS to him? You're kidding right? He abandoned his school and teammates who desperately needed a point guard and shooter last year. Not that they would have been world beaters anyway, but still. He received 4 years worth of scholarships and played 3. I don't think he should be hated but Bradley fans shouldn't be giving him kudos any more than they should Granger.

[SFP]

KUDOS to him? You're kidding right? He abandoned his school and teammates who desperately needed a point guard and shooter last year. Not that they would have been world beaters anyway, but still. He received 4 years worth of scholarships and played 3. I don't think he should be hated but Bradley fans shouldn't be giving him kudos any more than they should Granger.

Do you know why he left? Do you know the full story? I bet you do not, otherwise you would not have such a knee jerk reaction! There were other variables around JL's firing that made SM's departure a sure thing. As I have stated, I did not like it that he left, but I do completely 100% understand.

In fact the guy worked hard in the classroom to be able to give himself the ability to make the choice he did. That in itself is why I gave him kudos.

[tornado]

Mik - Here's one thing I find odd..
That even tho the events happened eight years apart -- many of the very same people who supported Danny Granger's leaving Bradley and fiercely sided with Granger in attacking JL...
even tho there was clear proof of tampering and other violations back then -
are the exact same people arguing strongly that Sam is a villain and a traitor...(when everything Sam did it fully allowed and even encouraged by the rules)...
I just don't see how JL can be the villain both ways...
The real story has not been fully told - but will some day....note how all the people leaving now (unlike Granger did) have the class to remain silent and NOT air dirty laundry...but the truth will come out some day as the truth is known to some within the "inner circle".

[Chico]

KUDOS to him? You're kidding right? He abandoned his school and teammates who desperately needed a point guard and shooter last year. Not that they would have been world beaters anyway, but still. He received 4 years worth of scholarships and played 3. I don't think he should be hated but Bradley fans shouldn't be giving him kudos any more than they should Granger.

Sam didn't quit on his team or the great BU fans in the middle of the season the way dg did.

[lefty]

Mik - Here's one thing I find odd..
That even tho the events happened eight years apart -- many of the very same people who supported Danny Granger's leaving Bradley and fiercely sided with Granger in attacking JL...
even tho there was clear proof of tampering and other violations back then -
are the exact same people arguing strongly that Sam is a villain and a traitor...(when everything Sam did it fully allowed and even encouraged by the rules)...
I just don't see how JL can be the villain both ways...
The real story has not been fully told - but will some day....note how all the people leaving now (unlike Granger did) have the class to remain silent and NOT air dirty laundry...but the truth will come out some day as the truth is known to some within the "inner circle".

I don't remember anyone calling JL a villain when Sam left.....I don't know, neither situation was good IMO but both Granger and Sam decided to move on. DG felt he was being mistreated and left...I wish Sam would have at least talked to Geno but he didn't...I also wondered if JL had to do over again if he would have done some things differently the first year

I can see why people would be upset with both of them

[AZ BU Fan]

At the end of the day, BU got more regional/national tv exposure during televised ILL games where SM played, than they would have gotten if SM finished with BU and led them to a 0.500 record and another early exit in the MVC Tourney.

Every ILL Broadcast of SM games I was able to watch, mentioned BU and Peoria ILL several times during the game, all positively.