I think this is total BS. It would be one thing if these kids broke team rules, got in trouble or were not doing what was being asked of them. But to pull their scholarships because you want to try to find someone better is crap. If LSU hires a bad coach, and that coach can't evaluate talent, then that's their bad. Oh and, "this kind of thing happens all the time at other schools" is the worst argument in the defense of this you could make. Who cares what other schools do? Other schools recruit criminals. Should we do that too?

How many guys on the team have partial scholarships? If it's more than 27 9there are 37 on the roster), he HAS to cut some players scholarships. The new rule says that the 11.7 can be split amongst NO MORE than 27 players.

I think it sucks and a coach shouldn't do except when they absolutely have to. But, we are getting near that point.

I think Wise's comments in the BR fishwrap today were a little overboard or childish. He made a lot of negative comments that could hurt him going somewhere else. He has to remember that coaches talk to each other and he doens't need a bad rap to follow him around. He should be quiet now and accept what was done.

On a side note, softball is under the same scholarship restrictions as baseball, but the effect isn't as pronounced because most teams just carry 15-18 players unlike baseball's 25-35+ players. So I can see how difficult it can be to slice up 11.7 scholarships. The NCAA should be ashamed of itself.

ben did have a full ride. byrd might have. he was the only one living in the dorm off those teams anyway. that was around the time when the players started getting deals on apartments.

skip was always looking for kids that could get academic scholarships. i went to talk to smoke about playing, and the second question he asked was "act over 25, cause we can get you something?"

You beat me to the punch. Ben Mc did have a full ride. He may have been the last one. I don't think Byrd did. Full ride used to be one of the few selling points to having a MLB caoiber pitcher stay in college. Now with just about every average student able to get some TOPS money, it has softened the blow to baseball a bit. Also, the football/baseball schollys come from football.

Rumor (at the time) was that Joey had a full ride but I don't know it that was true, same for TWalker. The 11.7 makes players like Clay Parker, or lately, Chris Jackson very valuable to a baseball team.

Sure wish they'd raise the limit to 18.

Roster limits may hurt schools in states that share programs like TOPPS or HOPE, but if that check wasn't in place it would be like 60's/70's football. Home state kids get the state money, and one can offer a bigger chunk of cash to outside kids. Baseball power would move to the home state of relatively few schools, unless the school is ut austin, where the baseball scholarship dollar just seems to spend a little better than average.