Kanter Fatigue

I wish that Enes Kanter had been declared eligible by the NC2A months ago. How cool would that have been? He could have played with the UK team in Canada and totally terrorized our neighbors to the north. All the Midnight Madness/Undertaker hoopla wouldn't have left a funny taste in everyone's mouth. Perhaps even the Cats would have beaten UConn and thus won the Maui Tournament again. We'll never know.

Because Enes hasn't been declared eligible. And maybe he never will be.

But what I do know is that this particular eligibility saga has me completely and entirely worn out. It's been going on now for what, four score and seven years? I think there are kids in this nation that were born, potty-trained, sent off to school, and are now eligible to vote since the first time I heard about Lexington's favorite Turkish import, and his possible eligibility baggage.

I honestly appreciate Dick Vitale stating the other night to an ESPN audience that he personally found it ridiculous that Kanter might not be able to ever play in a college game while Auburn's Cam Newton prepares for an SEC Championship and possible BCS title on the gridiron. Note to the NCAA: Hypocrisy ain't just a river in Egypt.

The Kanter kid was literally a kid, a mere 16 years old, when affiliated with a Turkish pro team, and his family did what they thought would best prepare him to eventually attend college and play ball in the US....and as such they are all victims of a very funky European basketball system that has its own interests to protect.

And I can also see where a reasonable person could look at the facts at hand and determine: you know what, the "kid" played (and was paid) as a pro....salary, benefits, compensation, expenses, whatever you want to call it....money changed hands, and nobody denies it, and that's that. No Division I eligibility for you. Sorry.

But really, what's got me completely exhausted is the ongoing saga-ness of it all. The near daily rumors. The reports of "legal strategies" and appeal processes and compliance issues. The t-shirt and sign-based FREE ENES movement (kinda funny, but still.) It's become a total drag to me. It really has.

I just want a Decision. With a capital D. (Insert your own "taking my talents to South Beach" joke here.) Seriously....ANY decision, with some finality and some closure and preferably some fairness. This hot mess has got to come to an end.

Yes, I'd love to have Kanter on UK's roster against North Carolina and every remaining game this season. That would be great. He sounds like a nice guy, a talented baller, and a young man who's truly interested in contributing to the UK program and giving his absolute best for Coach Cal and his teammates.

But honestly, I've just got to have a conclusion, melodramatic or not, to the Enes Kanter soap opera. Soon. Or I may lose what remains of my fan sanity.