The Controversy Surrounding Marve's Transfer

Pull up a chair and read this if you're thinking of sending your son to Miami to play football. You might want to consider your options.

Earlier this week, quarterback Robert Marve announced his intention to transfer from Miami. Hurricane coach Randy Shannon granted the request, but with restrictions. According to Eugene Marve — the player's father — his son would not be allowed to transfer to another team in Florida or teams from the Southeastern or Atlantic Coast conferences. That's 27 teams.

Eugene wants his son to stay near the family's home in Tampa because he has prostate cancer.

Shannon has since softened the restrictions and will allow Marve to transfer to any SEC team other than Florida, Louisiana State and Tennessee. Miami alleges those teams were tampering with the quarterback, an allegation that Eugene says is not true. The in-state and ACC ban remains.

Shannon's stance is not only vindictive, but hypocritical. As John Romano of the St. Petersburg Times points out, a year ago an offensive lineman at Florida International decided to transfer to Miami. Because he had redshirted one season and was a three-year starter, he had only one season of eligibility remaining. That meant he had to receive a special waiver from the NCAA to be able to play for the Hurricanes 2008. The player got the waiver and finished his college career as Miami's starting center.

That player was Xavier Shannon. His father is Randy Shannon.

Imagine if a coach like Shannon was offered another job and accepted. Would he have to sit out a year? Granted, there are buyout clauses in most contracts, but the team hiring the coach generally pays the buyout bill.

Then we have the practice of over-recruiting at North Carolina. It's another way coaches trample on players' rights.

Athletics continue to be punished unfairly and at times illegally. It's no wonder that the NCAA agreed to a $10 million settlement in an antitrust lawsuit last January. The suit argued that restricting a scholarship to the cost of tuition, books, housing and meals was an unlawful restraint of trade because of the billions of dollars the NCAA earned through broadcast and licensing deals.

Comments

[confused]

how is that hypocritical by shannon. he allowed his son to transfer to his school and his setting restrictions on where marve can go. how is that hypocritical.

I had a feeling you would inevitably try to spin this into a 'don't send your kid to play for Miami' article.

[jd]

how does shannon have any say in marves transfer, once he leaves school?

[Jay Christensen]

Under NCAA transfer rules, Shannon can put restrictions on any I-A team Marve would like to attend directly out of Miami. Marve could attend a junior college for one year and once again become a recruitable player -- free of Shannon's restrictions.

[Engus]

You forgot to mention that Xavier Shannon Graduated in 3 years while at FIU. Under NCAA rules he is allowed to transfer if he has graduated and has eligibility left.

Also missing from this article are the off the field problems Marve has had. He was involved in an accident before his freshmen year which caused him to miss the entire year (he wouls have played if healthy). Marve also had problems showing up for class on time, which caused a suspension.

If Marve plays his freshmen year and doesn't get suspended, my guess his he is not looking for a new school.

So, there is plenty of blame to go around, and Marve can look in the mirror for the person most responsible for this.