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Olympic Fan
12-04-2015, 06:32 PM
Davidson has resisted pressure to retire Steph Curry's jersey -- insisting that their rules require that a player graduate before his jersey is retired:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14284259/stephen-curry-jersey-retired-davidson-college-graduates

I thought that was interesting because Duke seems to have the same rule -- although Duke has never articulated specific rules for jersey retirement.

The most plausible argument could be made for Elton Brand, the consensus national player of the year in 1999, But he left after his sophomore year and isn't likely to ever return and get his degree. Duke is also hosting a growing number of one-and-done stars -- including three that led the Devils to the 2015 national title -- but none of their jerseyss will end up in the rafters either.

In this new era, is that policy right? Is Davidson right to deny Curry, who did play three years for the Wildcats?

YmoBeThere
12-04-2015, 06:49 PM
Personally, I'm in favor of not retiring numbers of those who have not received a degree. But then I'm a strict constructionist...

brevity
12-04-2015, 06:51 PM
I saw this article, and noticed the story as reported has a total lack of conflict. Steph Curry doesn't seem to have a problem with this. And while formal recognition is nice, it's not like people don't know where he went to school.

Is there a clash within Davidson to maybe allow Curry to obtain credits outside the standard school year? Are his parents or coaches complaining? The article doesn't say.

Assuming the reader will supply the conflict does not make this journalism.

OldPhiKap
12-04-2015, 06:52 PM
I'm okay with a university conditioning a student's accolades on earning a diploma.

Edouble
12-04-2015, 07:24 PM
I saw this article, and noticed the story as reported has a total lack of conflict. Steph Curry doesn't seem to have a problem with this. And while formal recognition is nice, it's not like people don't know where he went to school.

Is there a clash within Davidson to maybe allow Curry to obtain credits outside the standard school year? Are his parents or coaches complaining? The article doesn't say.

Assuming the reader will supply the conflict does not make this journalism.

Thank you. Why was this article even written? Who, besides ESPN, is asking for Curry's jersey to be retired?

allenmurray
12-04-2015, 07:39 PM
A university with a basketball team, instead of a basketball team attached to a university - refreshing

Devil in the Blue Dress
12-04-2015, 07:55 PM
When I read the article, I interpreted its meaning to be that Davidson has some standards which aren't waived, even for celebrities. The article reports that Stephen is working toward graduating, but his job responsibilities overlap with an academic calendar which doesn't extend classes into the summers.

I don't take it to be an attempt to report a controversy, but rather highlights high academic standards. In this day of one and done relationships between players and universities, it's refreshing to have this sort of thing reported. It would be a shame for young people to grow into adults who haven't heard about a committing to a complete a task then actually doing it!;)

OZZIE4DUKE
12-04-2015, 08:10 PM
Davidson has resisted pressure to retire Steph Curry's jersey -- insisting that their rules require that a player graduate before his jersey is retired:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14284259/stephen-curry-jersey-retired-davidson-college-graduates

I thought that was interesting because Duke seems to have the same rule -- although Duke has never articulated specific rules for jersey retirement.

The most plausible argument could be made for Elton Brand, the consensus national player of the year in 1999, But he left after his sophomore year?

Duke has two rules:
1) The player must graduate.
2) K wants the jersey retired.

msdukie
12-04-2015, 10:30 PM
Duke has clearly articulated over the years the that graduation is an official requirement of jersey and number retirement. The only other "requirement" is that the player receive an honor of national significance - which has been debated at length on these boards. While it is a university decision and not K's decision, if K wants the number retired, it is getting retired.
Eddie Cameron, Douglas Knight et. al. did not accord Vic Bubas with this power.

camion
12-04-2015, 10:43 PM
As a graduate of both Davidson and Duke I give it two thumbs up. I believe that Curry is okay with it and it's just a matter of time until he gets his degree.

I look forward to a day when his and my jerseys are hanging in the Davidson hall of fame. I just have have to attend to the little detail of rewriting history to show that I was actually good at my sport back in the day.

Jim3k
12-05-2015, 01:18 AM
Steph has his home along the I-680 corridor in Contra Costa County, east of Oakland. He is married and has three small children. At this stage of his life it is unlikely that he would return to the Charlotte area to finish his degree. Life is simply leading him in another direction. Maybe he would seek some transfer credits at UC Berkeley or Saint Mary's, but if he hasn't tried before, he probably never will.

Wander
12-05-2015, 01:55 AM
I saw this article, and noticed the story as reported has a total lack of conflict. Steph Curry doesn't seem to have a problem with this. And while formal recognition is nice, it's not like people don't know where he went to school.

Is there a clash within Davidson to maybe allow Curry to obtain credits outside the standard school year? Are his parents or coaches complaining? The article doesn't say.

Assuming the reader will supply the conflict does not make this journalism.

Why does an article need to have conflict? I thought it was interesting.

cspan37421
12-05-2015, 02:12 AM
But isn't it ironic that Davidson probably gives out honorary degrees at graduation to successful people who spent no time there at all? Duke certainly does. Of course, I guess we all know what honorary degrees are worth. Maybe less than a jersey in the rafters?

So I bet they honor people who did far less at/for Davidson than Steph Curry.

Perhaps it's apples and oranges. Their call, that's fine. But I sense a little inconsistency in the broader sense of honoring people. Of course my solution would be not to retire his jersey but to get rid of the honorary diplomas! I don't understand why anyone values them.

BigWayne
12-05-2015, 03:09 AM
Steph has his home along the I-680 corridor in Contra Costa County, east of Oakland. He is married and has three small children. At this stage of his life it is unlikely that he would return to the Charlotte area to finish his degree. Life is simply leading him in another direction. Maybe he would seek some transfer credits at UC Berkeley or Saint Mary's, but if he hasn't tried before, he probably never will.
The way I read it, I expect he will go back and take classes after he retires from the NBA. He strikes me as a man that is fully committed to his task and would not want to do a part time effort at his current job or finishing his degree.

fuse
12-05-2015, 10:31 AM
Lots of what appears to be (mock?) outrage in the twitterverse among sports writers, chiefly among them the Sporting News Mike DeCourcy.

I'm fine with Davidson and Duke having standards. Let the sports writers invent a (non) issue.

davidson
12-05-2015, 11:35 AM
Lots of what appears to be (mock?) outrage in the twitterverse among sports writers, chiefly among them the Sporting News Mike DeCourcy.

I'm fine with Davidson and Duke having standards. Let the sports writers invent a (non) issue.

Amen.

Given the intense interest in all things Steph, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to see this article. It really is a non story, however.

Steph is very close to completing his requirements for graduation. He knocked out the last requirements that required him to be resident on campus back during the last NBA lockout. When he was on campus for a visit in September, he said that there is a plan in place to take care of the remainder of the few credits he still needs.

I have heard Steph, Sonya and Bob all talk about his promise to graduate from Davidson. McKillop always jokes with Steph about being a blemish on his otherwise perfect graduation rate, and Sonya makes it very clear that she will make sure he gets his diploma.

As a Davidson grad, current parent, long time season ticket holder, and resident, I have never sensed any pressure to bend the rules for Steph, nor do I think for one second that he or his family would want special treatment. He is committed to getting his diploma, but simply has extraordinary demands on his time at this point in both his career and his family life. Based on first hand knowledge, i am certain that there simply is no pressure, no issue and no controversy - just an attempt to find a new angle to talk about Steph. Steph's jersey will be retired when he graduates (which will happen sooner rather than later), and until then no other player will wear number 30 while we wait.

The graduation requirement has, however, been a long-standing issue with respect to another Davidson great - Mike Maloy. I am among many who considered Mike the best in Davidson basketball history - at least until Steph came along. Mike never graduated - leaving school after the devastating loss in the Elite Eight to UNC. He died a few years ago after a long career as a musician and teacher in Europe. Given everything about his Davidson life - the pressure of being the first African-American at Davidson, and one of the first integrating basketball in NC (sidenote - it irritates me how Dean is practically granted sainthood for recruiting Charlie Scott, but Lefty gets virtually no credit for Mike and for initially getting a commitment from Scott) I have always thought the graduation requirement should be waived for Mike and number 15 should be in the rafters. He was an extraordinary player and person who paved the path for many others.

Go Cats! Beat the Cheaters tomorrow night!

Olympic Fan
12-05-2015, 12:07 PM
The graduation requirement has, however, been a long-standing issue with respect to another Davidson great - Mike Maloy. I am among many who considered Mike the best in Davidson basketball history - at least until Steph came along. Mike never graduated - leaving school after the devastating loss in the Elite Eight to UNC. He died a few years ago after a long career as a musician and teacher in Europe. Given everything about his Davidson life - the pressure of being the first African-American at Davidson, and one of the first integrating basketball in NC (sidenote - it irritates me how Dean is practically granted sainthood for recruiting Charlie Scott, but Lefty gets virtually no credit for Mike and for initially getting a commitment from Scott) I have always thought the graduation requirement should be waived for Mike and number 15 should be in the rafters. He was an extraordinary player and person who paved the path for many others.

Thanks for the Davidson perspective on this story ...

As for Mike Maloy, allow me to second the view that he was a great, great player -- a powerful 6-8 forward, very much in the mold of James Worthy a decade later. As a junior in 1969, he averaged 24.6 points and 14.3 rebounds. He joined Charlie Scott as a consensus second-team All-American. He played three years in the ABA ...

But I do have to correct one thing. He did not drop out of school after the devastating loss to UNC in the East Regional finals. He returned for his senior year in 1970 to play a season for Terry Holland. His production did drop a bit (17.5 points, 12.7 rebounds). Don't know if he was hurt or Holland stifled him or if playing with soph Brian Adrian (one of the biggest ball-hogs I ever saw) messed up his senior year. They did win a third straight Southern Conference title, but lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to St. Bonaventure.

I also agree that the deification of Smith for signing Scott is ridiculous -- EVERYBODY wanted Scott. It took no courage to sign him when Smith did. Lefty actually landed a commitment from Scott before Dean ever heard of him (and he visited Duke on a recruiting visit the week before he visited Chapel Hill). Scott and Maloy were supposed to be roommates at Davidson. A racist restaurant owner in Davidson and the behind-the-scenes manipulation of Scott's head coach at Laurinburg Institute convinced Scott to reneg on his commitment.

If Dean deserves credit for signing Scott, then Lefty deserves equal credit for signing Maloy -- just as great a player and in the same recruiting class. (Of course, Duke's Vic Bubas landed CB Claiborne a year before Scott and Maloy).

davidson
12-05-2015, 01:32 PM
Thanks for the Davidson perspective on this story ...

But I do have to correct one thing. He did not drop out of school after the devastating loss to UNC in the East Regional finals. He returned for his senior year in 1970 to play a season for Terry Holland. His production did drop a bit (17.5 points, 12.7 rebounds). Don't know if he was hurt or Holland stifled him or if playing with soph Brian Adrian (one of the biggest ball-hogs I ever saw) messed up his senior year. They did win a third straight Southern Conference title, but lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to St. Bonaventure.

Olympic Fan - thanks for the correction. I knew that, but my natural reflex is to tie Carolina to any and every bad thing that has ever happened - a failing that I hope can be forgiven here. That loss to the great Bob Lanier and St Bonnie was the type of opening round match-up that wouldn't happen today - they were ranked number 4 (today a one seed) and we were ranked number 10. That's the way it worked then, however, and they deserved the win - unfortunately losing Lanier to injury before having a chance to win it all.

Probably not of interest to many (if any) here, but i did want to address your comments about the 1970 Davidson team.

I think you are pretty close with two of your possibilities.

First, coaching may have been an issue. It was Terry's first season as head coach. After Lefty departed for Maryland, the coaching search took a while. Bob Knight was the early front runner, before withdrawing his name. Larry Brown was hired as coach, but quit before coaching his first game (we are unique as a college which Larry did not get sanctioned, perhaps because he didn't have enough time). Terry was the ultimate choice, and any rookie coach faces a learning curve. However, we started the season ranked number 5, and ended ranked number 10. Hard to believe that it was considered at the time an underachieving season.

Bryan Adrian was a great scorer on a team that already had three great scorers. Blending that much offensive talent is a challenge for any team, especially with three great seniors and a rookie coach - only one ball to go around. Although he had one or two 30+ point games, his best game was a 26 point effort in a win in Columbia against the 2nd ranked Gamecocks. We were down by 6 or so, when Lefty put Bryan on defense against Bobby Cremins, with freedom to help against Roche. Bryan stole the ball at least three times from Roche by laying off of Bobby and doubling Roche. I once heard a fellow Davidson fan say that Bryan Adrian had the same middle name to Gamecock fans as Bucky F@@ Dent had to Sox fans.

Bryan died a few years ago. He blew out his knee and only played six more games after his sophomore year. Just because of fond memories of watching him play, and the fact that he only really played one year makes me disagree with your ball hog label. He could have been NBA caliber if he stayed healthy.

Anyway, fun trip down memory lane - even if your correction shows that my memory can be a bit off if I can blame Carolina for something.

weezie
12-05-2015, 10:33 PM
...my natural reflex is to tie Carolina to any and every bad thing that has ever happened...

You had me at this...whether you wanted me or not...Shhh, say no more....