04/23/24
January 28, 2011
Thomas Robinson's Tragic Month: In the last month, KU freshman basketball player Thomas Robinson has lost his grandfather, grandmother and now his 37-year-old mother, leaving him and his 9-year-old sister Jayla alone.
"Thomas is all she knows," said Kansas coach Bill Self -- and Robinson is currently enrolled in school 1,150 miles away.
posted by TheQatarian to basketball at 09:20 AM - 14 comments
Doubt it, they've said no plenty of times in the past. Obviously it would interfere with the purity of amateur athletics to show any humanity.
posted by yerfatma at 09:45 AM on January 28, 2011
This story, and another in the Washington Post, suggest adoption or guardianship for Jayla but never mention the possibility that Robinson could become her legal guardian.
He's an adult. The NCAA would have nothing to say about him taking care of her, and presumably there's no rule against him getting help with sitters.
posted by rcade at 11:21 AM on January 28, 2011
The issue isn't whether or not he can be her guardian, he can. The issue is how is he to support her without violating NCAA rules. He can't work during basketball season, or most of the year for that matter; and there are the issues of: food, shelter, clothing, medical care just for starters.
Hopefully the NCAA will look at the situation rather than the letter of the law and do what's best for Thomas and Jayla. Forcing her into adoption, or him into withdrawing from Kansas is not what's best for either of them.
posted by Tinman at 11:56 AM on January 28, 2011
The issue is how is he to support her without violating NCAA rules.
The same way other student-athletes with a kid take care of the child. It's not easy because of the demands of his sport and the limits placed on his ability to earn money, but I don't think it is impossible.
A student-athlete on full scholarship has their meals, rent and school expenses paid for. If Robinson was moved to off-campus housing covered by his scholarship, he could live with his sister there.
posted by rcade at 12:24 PM on January 28, 2011
Sorry, but I can't fathom any comparison of a student-athlete-with-child to this situation. Forget about the conscious decisions, typical support systems, etc of the semi-normal scenario ... the sheer emotional strain on a 19-year-old and a 9-yeay-old of a lifetime's worth of tragedy consolidated into 1 month has to make this an incomparable situation. How does Robinson's full-ride do anything other than take steps to help him take care of himself and possibly live in the same building as his sister? His full-ride can't pay for her food and other needs, right? Maybe I'm just too saddened by the situation to recognize the alternatives, so I honestly ask this non-snarkily, but what are some solutions that make you believe "I don't think it is impossible"?
And, putting compassion aside (which I'm not), even if you're only concerned about the having productive members of society walking around, there has got to be some out-of-the-box assistance allowed here.
I'm not an overly religious chap, but my prayers go out to Robinson and Jayla, as well as the NCAA for the strength to do the right thing.
posted by littleLebowski at 12:44 PM on January 28, 2011
... what are some solutions that make you believe "I don't think it is impossible"?
For one thing, the two years I went to college and lived on a couple thousand bucks a year, thanks to student loans and Pell grants and a part-time on-campus job. You can live on extremely low income while going to school.
And, putting compassion aside (which I'm not), even if you're only concerned about the having productive members of society walking around, there has got to be some out-of-the-box assistance allowed here.
I wish players could be paid for more living expenses (or allowed to earn more than $2,000 a year) so he'd have more ability to take care of his sister. I am as tired of anyone as the athletes being starved while sports earn millions.
I just don't buy the premise that he needs the university community to adopt his sister as her only means of getting care.
posted by rcade at 12:56 PM on January 28, 2011
The story suggests that there are plenty of people within the KU community (coaches, boosters, etc.) who would be willing to take on legal guardianship of Jayla, which would mean she'd be taken care of and be closer to the only family she has left. That would normally be against NCAA rules for obvious reasons, but a waiver in this situation would certainly seem appropriate.
Sometimes the primary question has to be, "Is this the right thing to do?" In this case, I would say yes.
posted by TheQatarian at 12:57 PM on January 28, 2011
Probably a lot easier for Robinson to just transfer to Kentucky. Pursuing an above board exception ruling from the NCAA is the hard road.
Whatever happens, no rule should prevent the Robinsons from being together.
posted by cixelsyd at 03:02 PM on January 28, 2011
From this article.
"We all want what's best for Thomas and obviously for his little sister," Self said. "But she has a father and some family back home. Thomas obviously, as the big brother, would love to have her here. But that's a family decision. And they're going to have to decide what's best for Jayla."
posted by tselson at 03:11 PM on January 28, 2011
For one thing, the two years I went to college and lived on a couple thousand bucks a year, thanks to student loans and Pell grants and a part-time on-campus job. You can live on extremely low income while going to school.
Me too, but I still had more money than the scholarship athletes on campus. They aren't even allowed to have a job during the school year because athletics demands so much of their time. There is no way I could have supported anyone else. It is even worse to contemplate for a basketball player because they spend a good portion of the academic year traveling for games. Presumably, he would have to pay for care for her during that time. No one could donate that because that would be impermissible under NCAA rules.
posted by bperk at 05:48 PM on January 28, 2011
Me too, but I still had more money than the scholarship athletes on campus.
You must not have worked in student journalism.
posted by rcade at 07:09 PM on January 28, 2011
Yeah, at an elite program like KU, UCLA, etc BB is an 8 hour gig after 3+ hours of class 3-5 days a week, NOT counting studying/paper writing/etc. Unless he literally doesn't sleep, there aren't enough hours in the day. I hate it, but being a student-athlete is more than a full-time job. Add actually doing school to that, & an exception has to be made somewhere in the equation (only attends a couple practices a week, takes only 1 class a semester, etc).
Or he could transfer to a different school, like a DII or DIII in Kentucky where the program isn't as demanding on one's time. As a KU fan I would hate to see him leave (he is the most physical and one the most vocal & fiery players on a finesse KU team) , but obviously in this situation he has to do what is best for his family.
posted by brainofdtrain at 09:43 PM on January 28, 2011
T-Rob's line tonight: 17 points, 9 boards, & one stretch where he scored 6 straight.
Keep chopping wood Rob.
posted by brainofdtrain at 09:47 PM on January 29, 2011
One would hope that the NCAA won't get in the way of letting someone in the Kansas basketball community take care of Thomas's sister. The rules as they are make complete sense, but this would seem to be a prime example of where a waiver is totally warranted. Thomas and Jayla need to be together. You'd have to be pretty heartless to say otherwise, IMO.
For Thomas and Jayla's sakes, I hope this gets resolved quickly and without objection.