KENTUCKY University to appeal one-year suspension

The NCAA said Randolph Morris would have to sit out the season.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The University of Kentucky sought a suspension of less than 10 games for Randolph Morris based on its contention that the wayward big man never intended to be a client of a sports agency and always kept alive the option to return to school.
Kentucky released documents on Friday detailing its unsuccessful argument on behalf of Morris to the NCAA's Student-Athlete Reinstatement staff, which announced Thursday that the basketball player would have to sit out the entire 2005-06 season.
The school is expected to make a similar argument in its upcoming appeal of the one-season suspension, which was punishment for Morris' association with the sports agency SFX and acceptance of NBA expense money while attempting to turn pro last spring. UK has appealed the one-season punishment. The school expects to file its appeal next week and get an answer before Christmas.
In its argument for a lighter punishment, Kentucky quoted an official of the sports agency, SFX, as saying Morris did not receive the customary benefits given to clients. Those benefits included sessions with a nutritionist, a personal trainer, workout clothes, a car deal, yoga classes, interview training and deals involving trading cards, shoes and a cell phone.
The SFX official, Greg Lawrence, also noted that Morris needed "a lot of work" to become attractive to the NBA, yet the agency did not use every means to enhance his value, the UK argument read.
The UK document release included a letter Morris wrote to members of the Reinstatement Committee. In the letter dated Dec. 4, Morris wrote that he was "committed to remain at the University of Kentucky for the remainder of my eligibility."
The NCAA ruled that after sitting out this season, Morris can play two more seasons.
NCAA rules
NCAA rules prohibit an athlete from entering a written or oral agreement with an agent. SFX arranged workouts, put out a press release and was listed by the NBA as the contact for Morris.
A week ago, the NCAA Division I Legislative Review and Interpretations Committee ruled that the Morris-SFX dealings constituted a player-agent relationship.
UK acknowledged the relationship but argued that neither Morris nor his family was aware that these actions could be construed as violations of NCAA rules on amateurism.
In her letter to the NCAA, which was part of Friday's document release, UK compliance officer Sandy Bell noted that Morris did not tell the coaches of his intention to enter the draft until he left campus after the spring semester.