LEXINGTON — The biggest news in college sports on Wednesday was the bombshell news that former Alabama basketball center Charles Bediako is now current Alabama basketball center Charles Bediako.
Bediaco is now eligible to play against the Crimson Tide this season after being granted a temporary restraining order on Wednesday, despite the NCAA denying his request.
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So after Kentucky basketball’s 85-80 victory over Texas on Wednesday, head coach Mark Pope spoke out against the ruling at the end of his press conference.
Here are the pope’s full thoughts on the matter.
“To give you an idea of where we are right now with eligibility in the NCAA, we’re all shaking our heads and saying, ‘This is so creative.'” I’ll give you my two cents so you can. At some point – I don’t have any hard feelings about any decision that anybody makes because every college program and college coaches are some of the most competitive in the world. They will try to find any possible way to gain an advantage. That’s what we’re paid to do. This is what we do.
“One of the stopgaps that’s spreading right now – as a last resort – is that the NCAA does get to decide who gets to play in the NCAA tournament. Like, they get to decide that. They have that power. So, at some point, when they’re very, very clear about the rules that they’re going to try to enforce, they might lose in court, but they still get to decide which games count toward the NCAA tournament.
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“I’m not saying this to punish any team. I’m just saying it because at some point, we have to take a stand and regain a little sanity. Unless someone tells me otherwise, I still believe the NCAA has complete authority to decide who plays in the NCAA Tournament and which games count for the NCAA Tournament bid. At the end of the day, that’s what drives us all.
“So, hopefully we can step up and clear this up for everyone – for Everyone. Because right now, everyone is chasing their own tail, and I think this is where you take a stand. I hope we will. This game is so important. The NCAA Tournament is an unusual deal. These high school players and young players and all these players are so important. College basketball is so important. Now is the time to take a stand, bring a little sanity to this deal, say it publicly, and let’s move on. “
Contact Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on the X @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared in the Louisville Courier-Journal: Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope criticizes Charles Bediaco’s ruling
