Sharife Cooper Eligibility Concerns?

[Mikey 16,601]

2 minutes ago, boomstick said:

 I'd be hard pressed to deal with the NCAA without legal representation when it came to these matters.

Look at the Justin Fields situation. He leaves UGA, goes to Ohio State and wants immediate eligibility. NCAA says NO, you have to sit out your transfer year. Fields gets a lawyer. All of a sudden, the NCAA says he can play this season. That's just one glaring example of the many out there.

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

23 hours ago, keesler said:

 On 11/20/2020 at 3:08 PM, ellitor said:

NCAA is investigating his dad because in their eyes he went from a small time coach to becoming an agent & having an agency in no time & also had 5 players who was on the AAU team he was associated with end up going to AU. They're looking to see if there is anything fishy about it. Also JGT & an insider on the Bunker say they don't expect Cooper to play next week.

 

Now why in the world would something as trivial as this draw the attention of the NCAA? 

Expand  

I know he's doing his job, but JGT has turned into the new Marcello for me in that he seems to only bring bad news. 

[ellitor 33,093]

1 hour ago, tigerbrotha12 said:

I know he's doing his job, but JGT has turned into the new Marcello for me in that he seems to only bring bad news. 

Nowhere near similar. JGT just brings what he is gettin without the condascending, take unnecessary shots at AU the way Marcello did.

[aubiefifty 16,791]

al.com

 

Review of Sharife Cooper's eligibility 'ongoing'

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

3-4 minutes

---

Auburn freshman Sharife Cooper during the first day of practice this preseason. (Shanna Lockwood/Auburn Athletics)

Auburn may start the season without its five-star freshman point guard this week.

Sharife Cooper’s status remains up in the air ahead of Auburn’s season-opener on Thursday against Saint Joe’s, coach Bruce Pearl said Monday during an appearance on “Tiger Talk.” According to Pearl, Cooper has not yet been declared eligible by the NCAA.

“Sharife’s a great kid,” Pearl said. “His initial eligibility review is ongoing, and we’re hopeful of a resolution as soon as possible.”

Pearl said he could not comment further on Cooper’s situation, though his remarks come a day after the program announced a self-imposed one-year postseason ban stemming from the fallout of the Chuck Person situation that arose in 2017. The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder signed with the Tigers as part of their 2020 class, which was the highest-ranked class in program history, checking in at No. 9 in the 247Sports Composite team rankings.

Cooper was the crown jewel of that class as the nation’s No. 24 player and the fifth-best point guard in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. The McEachern High (Powder Spring, Ga.) product averaged 30.6 points, 7.8 assists and 3.6 steals per game as a senior and was named a McDonald’s All-American. He joined Auburn as the highest-rated player in program history, but there is now uncertainty over whether he will ever get to suit up for the Tigers.

ESPN reported Monday that Cooper, who reportedly has not practiced with the team in recent weeks, is weighing the possibility of playing overseas in Europe or Australia this season if he is not ruled eligible by the NCAA -- though his preference, according to the report, is to remain at Auburn.

Auburn opens the season Thursday in Fort Myers, Fla., against Saint Joe’s at 3:30 p.m. CT. The Tigers will then play top-ranked Gonzaga on Friday at 10 a.m.

“One of the challenges is going to be, if we don’t play with Sharife Cooper, what is that going to look like?” Pearl said. “Different guys are going to have to move over and play different positions to compensate for not having him, but again, let’s say we’re a man down, then you got to be able to go next-man-up. Again, these are things that are all important teaching (moments) for a really young team that’s got a really, really good foundation.”

Freshman guard Justin Powell, a natural two-guard, has been spending time at point guard this preseason and could be an option to fill that void, along with Tyrell Jones, if Cooper is not ruled eligible before the season-opener.

“I‘m trying to give two or three or even four guys an opportunity to see what that point guard position is going to look like,” Pearl said at the start of preseason practices. “So (Powell)’s got more ball-handling, decision-making, playmaking, reads out of ball screen ability that I thought he did. He’s obviously a terrific shooter. He’s got a really high basketball IQ. He’s been well-coached. He’s got good defensive fundamentals. He’s earned the respect of his teammates and our coaches.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[Rednilla 5,391]

This just really, really blows. Coop should be eligible already. But, I guess the NCAA must assert what little authority it has left while in its death throes.

[Zeek 16,650]

46 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

This just really, really blows. Coop should be eligible already. But, I guess the NCAA must assert what little authority it has left while in its death throes.

Ridiculous it would have been great to see him tomorrow. Some though competition even with him.

[Rednilla 5,391]

48 minutes ago, Zeek said:

Ridiculous it would have been great to see him tomorrow. Some though competition even with him.

Don't believe we would have seen him tomorrow. Thursday and Friday were up for grabs (and I guess maybe they still are, because the NCAA could shock the world and declare him eligible), but we don't have a game scheduled for tomorrow.

[tigeraddikt 1,610]

16 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

Don't believe we would have seen him tomorrow. Thursday and Friday were up for grabs (and I guess maybe they still are, because the NCAA could shock the world and declare him eligible), but we don't have a game scheduled for tomorrow.

I think he meant that it would have been great to see him out at the Wal Mart, getting a last minute bird and some celery.

[Rednilla 5,391]

47 minutes ago, tigeraddikt said:

I think he meant that it would have been great to see him out at the Wal Mart, getting a last minute bird and some celery.

I don't know that that is completely impossible if Coop stayed behind rather than making the trip to Florida...

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,670]

The worst part is just the NCAA not acknowledging it hurts itself with these silly rules. Lost out on the obvious views/ratings of having two Ball brothers follow up on Lonzo's UCLA...a good UCLA obviously is good for the game. Penny and Memphis, one of the more transient programs in CBB, Wiseman would've brought a ton of ratings. Cade Cunningham, a projected 1st overall talent as good as about any in the recent years...not even with a chance to make the postseason. 

The inconsistency and strictness of the NCAA is DEFINITELY a factor now and going forward when guys are considering the GLeague and overseas options. hope they wither away honestly 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,670]

Bruce is whatever he is with the rules, but you have a guy who produced one of the more lasting NCAA tourney runs this millennium (that's not an opinion exclusively held by Auburn fans, btw!), and he's starting to combine that memorability with all world talents. 

How do you, as a business entity, not see the appeal of that? 

[slyinsocal 831]

A premiere playmaker like Coop could blow by any defender, penetrate, push the ball up the floor, and pressure the D in open floor situations. Without him, it becomes more of a half court game. An older team could adjust more quickly. A young team? Well.....

[ellitor 33,093]

20 minutes ago, slyinsocal said:

A premiere playmaker like Coop could blow by any defender, penetrate, push the ball up the floor, and pressure the D in open floor situations. Without him, it becomes more of a half court game. An older team could adjust more quickly. A young team? Well.....

Turbo and Powell Running the point, Which it looks like right now, scares me.

[boomstick 1,315]

9 hours ago, ellitor said:

Turbo and Powell Running the point, Which it looks like right now, scares me.

Hopefully they grow up fast. This is a big audition for both of them while Sharife is out. If Sharife isn't ever reinstated, we'll have to go get a PG for next year unless one or both of them proves they're capable.

[aubearcat 2,137]

9 minutes ago, boomstick said:

Hopefully they grow up fast. This is a big audition for both of them while Sharife is out. If Sharife isn't ever reinstated, we'll have to go get a PG for next year unless one or both of them proves they're capable.

Should the worst case scenario happen and AUburn never gets Sharife and the other 2 don’t play/develop as needed, do you think Bruce goes after a GTA and a freshman or simply one or the other?

[Mikey 16,601]

15 minutes ago, aubearcat said:

Should the worst case scenario happen and AUburn never gets Sharife and the other 2 don’t play/develop as needed, do you think Bruce goes after a GTA and a freshman or simply one or the other?

He'll take best available. One each, if he can land the quality.

[Mikey 16,601]

Yet, there is normally significant roster turnover.  I do suppose the question was asked with regard to next year's class, not filling vacancies this week.

"There won't be room" somehow always works itself out if a great prospect suddenly becomes available. This applies to football as well.

[AuburnNTexas 7,148]

Unlike other schools involved we already had 1 Player Wiley sit out a year which is the equivalent of losing one scholarship and another Purifoy for over a year which is equivalent of losing another scholarship/ Plus we basically shut down recruiting for a year. Now we are self imposing a one year ban from after season play. It seems we have already done more self penalizing then NCAA does for schools that did nothing to self police. So why do you think NCAA may still take away a scholarship or two. 

It seems like by trying to be good citizens we will be punished worse then those who did nothing. If that is the case then we must go to court and fight any new penalties.

With the ban we just added we have already matched what was doled out to Okie state. Okie State is appealing that ruling and I expect that they will see a reduction in penalties. Especially sinced shools like LSU have steered players to LSU and received no penalties to date which is much more egregious.

[boomstick 1,315]

2 hours ago, aubearcat said:

Should the worst case scenario happen and AUburn never gets Sharife and the other 2 don’t play/develop as needed, do you think Bruce goes after a GTA and a freshman or simply one or the other?

Yeah, I would think we'd hit all avenues pretty hard. Given the potential of the roster next year, my guess is we'd look for a GT first to have experience. If Sharife isn't eligible, his scholarship is vacated, and that would put us at 13 next year. If our schollies are reduced, we're probably looking at two guys leaving after the season to make things works. So, I think we'd only take one PG and then try to take a HS PG in the next class. 

[ellitor 33,093]

2 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

we already had 1 Player Wiley sit out a year which is the equivalent of losing one scholarship and another Purifoy for over a year which is equivalent of losing another scholarship/

@AuburnNTexasDoubt the NCAA sees it that way since them or their families were involved in the violations.

2 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

Plus we basically shut down recruiting for a year

6 months & we didn't shut it down. Just didn't have face to face interaction in that time.

3 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

t seems we have already done more self penalizing then NCAA does for schools that did nothing to self police. So why do you think NCAA may still take away a scholarship or two. 

Because as I said above the NCAA is unlikely to see the supposed guilty parties sitting as taking away 1 or 2 schollies. Plus all people connected to the program, including Pearl as @Maverick.AUposted in the postseason ban thread, expect more penalties.

3 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

With the ban we just added we have already matched what was doled out to Okie state.

Unlikely in the NCAA's eyes.

3 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

Especially sinced shools like LSU have steered players to LSU and received no penalties to date which is much more egregious.

Pretty sure LSU's case hasn't ended yet.

[AURandy1345162767 14]

My fear is that this process is going to take so long, that Cooper will end up going to Europe and sign with one of the European pro teams and after he does that, the NCAA will rule that no rules were violated and he could have played at Auburn, but has now signed with a pro team for money. 

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,297]

2 hours ago, AURandy1345162767 said:

My fear is that this process is going to take so long, that Cooper will end up going to Europe and sign with one of the European pro teams and after he does that, the NCAA will rule that no rules were violated and he could have played at Auburn, but has now signed with a pro team for money. 

My understanding is that he doesn't need the money, so I'm hoping he waits it out. Even if it's January that's better than nothing

[tigermac 11]

FWIW, this video was just dropped by SLAM an hour ago and it features Sharife working out in the Arena. A lot of the songs playing in the background were just released in the last five days, so he’s still here and he’s still working!

 

https://youtu.be/qxSvJxvCmII

[Rednilla 5,391]

12 hours ago, tigermac said:

FWIW, this video was just dropped by SLAM an hour ago and it features Sharife working out in the Arena. A lot of the songs playing in the background were just released in the last five days, so he’s still here and he’s still working!

 

https://youtu.be/qxSvJxvCmII

Dang, I got excited for a second thinking this was a report of him being with the team for the game today...

[Swamp Eagle 5,140]

On 11/22/2020 at 8:15 AM, ellitor said:

Agreed. I was waiting til there was an actual report but this thread was created & out long enough for many people to see it before I saw it so there was no point trying to put the cat back in the bag by deleting the thread. Thank you, @tigerbrotha12, & others I know who have seen this info for nearly 2 weeks & sat on it by not posting it over here.

Just curious...why would you want to censor the information in this forum, especially if it’s been known by posters here for a couple of weeks? I’m just asking, not criticizing...