August 10th, 2010 at 6:25 PM ^
I certainly hope they were at least wearing pants!
August 10th, 2010 at 7:16 PM ^
According to ESPN, that would be a violation.
"WVU athletics spokesman Michael Fragale said Tuesday the school is aware some players wore vests during the first two days of practice, when NCAA rules stipulate only helmets are allowed."
Seriously though, is the vest similar to wearing a garbage bag to lose weight? I'm not familiar.
August 10th, 2010 at 7:01 PM ^
I thought it was No Shirt, No Shoes, No Practice.
August 10th, 2010 at 6:28 PM ^
...but these violations seem namby pamby.
August 10th, 2010 at 6:31 PM ^
August 10th, 2010 at 6:55 PM ^
They should expand the ban, past the first five acclimation days, to the whole season. Expand it to the entire 21st century, and make it retroactive:
August 10th, 2010 at 6:33 PM ^
EDIT: This was supposed to be a reply to Arlee Ermy.
August 10th, 2010 at 6:42 PM ^
I had to look up the rule -
17.9.2.3 Five-Day Acclimatization Period. [FBS/FCS] In football, preseason practice shall begin with a five-day acclimatization period for both first-time participants (e.g., freshman and transfers) and continuing student-athletes. All student-athletes, including walk-ons who arrive to preseason practice after the first day of practice, are required to undergo a five-day acclimatization period. The five-day acclimatization period shall be conducted as follows: (Adopted: 4/24/03 effective 5/1/03, Revised: 12/15/06)
(a) In bowl subdivision football, institutions may not conduct administrative activities (e.g., team pictures, etc.) other than those permitted prior to or on the academic orientation day (e.g., compliance-related activities, medical examinations, individual photographs) prior to the first permissible date of practice. In championship subdivision football, institutions may not conduct administrative activities (e.g., team pictures, individual photographs) other than compliance-related activities and medical examinations prior 264 to the first permissible date of practice. Conditioning, speed, strength or agility tests may not occur on any day prior to the start of the five-day acclimatization period. In championship subdivision football,
during the five-day acclimatization period, the institution must establish an academic orientation period for those student-athletes who are beginning their initial season of eligibility for football practice at the institution. The orientation activities may be conducted on more than one day during the five-day period, but must be conducted for the equivalent of one day (no less than six hours). (Revised: 12/13/05, 4/27/06, 12/15/06, 1/14/08)
(b) During the five-day period, participants shall not engage in more than one on-field practice per day, not to exceed three hours in length.
(1) Exception—During the five-day acclimatization period, an institution has the option of conducting one on-field practice per day, not to exceed three hours in length, or one on-field testing session (speed, conditioning or agility tests) per day, not exceed one hour in length and one on-field practice, not to exceed two hours in length. In addition, an institution may conduct one one-hour walk-through session per day of the acclimatization period, provided protective equipment (e.g., helmets, shoulder pads) is not worn, equipment related to football (e.g., footballs, blocking sleds) is not used and conditioning activities do not occur. Student-athletes must be provided with at least three continuous hours of recovery time between any sessions (testing, practice or walk-through) occurring
that day. During this time, student-athletes may not attend any meetings or engage in other
athletically related activities (e.g., weight lifting); however, time spent receiving medical treatment and eating meals may be included as part of the recovery time. If an institution conducts only a walkthrough on a particular day during the acclimatization period, that day does not count toward the required five days of acclimatization, but the walk-through counts toward the limit of 29 on-field practices for the preseason practice period. (Revised: 4/28/05 effective 8/1/05, 7/18/05, 12/13/05)
(c) First-time participants and continuing students shall not be required to practice separately.
(d) During the first two days of the acclimatization period, helmets shall be the only piece of protective equipment student-athletes may wear. During the third and fourth days of the acclimatization period, helmets and shoulder pads shall be the only pieces of protective equipment student-athletes may wear. During the final day of the five-day period and on any days thereafter, student-athletes may practice in full pads.
August 10th, 2010 at 8:14 PM ^
Christ, they're really pushing that "student-athlete" thing, aren't they?
August 10th, 2010 at 11:16 PM ^
the six-paragraph Rule 17.7.3.4(a)(1)(B)(ii), which governs the length of lunch breaks on alternate Tuesdays during fall practice and mandates that the crusts shall be removed from all PBJs.
Thank God we can count on the NCAA to curtail such abuses.
August 10th, 2010 at 7:00 PM ^
August 10th, 2010 at 7:42 PM ^
This doesn't look good and I am not happy about it.
helmets shall be the only piece of protective equipment student-athletes may wear
Why were some players wearing vests? Did they already have the pre-practice condition of bruised ribs? If so, how would that be any different than taping an ankle? If you read the NCAA rules strictly, wouldn't that also be illegal to tape up an ankle?
August 10th, 2010 at 8:13 PM ^
Tell me they can where a cup to protect their "boys".
August 10th, 2010 at 7:53 PM ^
I'm sure the next report will be someone from the Freep doing an investigative piece on how someone wore a cup to practice the last three years and violated NCAA rules.
August 10th, 2010 at 8:12 PM ^
Either that, or they'll declare that RichRod established a culture of lawlessness at WVU that persists "to this day."
August 10th, 2010 at 8:13 PM ^
My guess would be that the writer meant to say "weight vests," which would make a bit more sense. Maybe?
August 10th, 2010 at 8:35 PM ^
I further presume that the vests were being worn by guys that have been doing their own, voluntary, two-a-days for the past three months. And the idea of finally being able to get on the field, in helmets, but no other gear, prabably sounded a little too tame for them. And they wanted to go. Like a high schooler wearing leg weights while doing the standard team workout, when he can hardly contain his enthusiasm for the upcoming season.
Since somebody mentioned the Free Press, let's remember the drippy sanctimony that they poured all over the August 30, 2009 story -- that these rules are for the protection of student athletes in a hyper-competitive environment where sometimes the NCAA's rules are the only protections that the young men have....
Right.
Like having to do a 15-minute "punishment" workout for skipping class. Or the definition of stretching. Or having graduate assistants with one job classification watch a 7-on-7 game, when it needed to be graduate assistants with a different job classification.
Whatever. Thanks, Free Press; we'll never forget ya.
August 10th, 2010 at 9:56 PM ^
They very well could also be weight vests for guys who didn't come in at the weight they were supposed to/aren't in proper condition. As punishment, and also to kickstart them getting in shape. This was actually my first thought when I read it.
August 10th, 2010 at 10:22 PM ^
This simply can't be happening at WVU! Everyone knows that Bill Stewart is just as pure as the driven snow.