Baylor Running Back Ruled Ineligible For Accepting An Apartment From a Family Friend When He Was Homeless

SI.com- "In 2014, I was just a kid who couched surfed and took classes online at a community college, but I had a dream to play college football," Nacita wrote. "Throughout that year, I was able to earn enough academic scholarships to pursue that dream, but it was only enough to pay for school without a place to stay or any other living expenses. Still, I was satisfied with that because I knew the sacrifice I was making in order to pursue that dream. However, a few months before enrolling, a close family friend approached me and said they didn't want me sleeping on floors and wondering how I was going to eat the next meal, so they insisted on putting me in an apartment and helping out with those living expenses. Because I accepted that offer instead of choosing to be homeless, I am no longer eligible to play football and pursue my dream. I had no idea I was breaking any rules, but I respect the decision of the NCAA." -Silas Nacita

You know what they say, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Never really understood that saying, but I am pretty sure it still applies here. We all have to make sacrifices Silas. For instance, today I sacrificed extra meat on my sub in order to not feel like a fat ass.  See, life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. You want to live your dream and get a free education, you'll have to do so at the expense of having a pillow to rest your head upon. Makes perfect sense to me. If you are given everything, how are you supposed to learn that life is a son of a bitch? Plus, if there is one time in life where it is acceptable and feasible to survive sleeping on a different couch every night and living out of a garbage bag, it's your college years.

In all seriousness, this story is about as surprising as finding out Dez Bryant has a highly incriminating video in his past. The NCAA prides itself on being the worst run organization in sports. At least that's what it seems like. I find it hard to believe that actual rational human beings with a pulse make decisions for the NCAA. Think about how much backlash they had to receive for them to finally switch from the ridiculous computerized BCS to an actual panel of human beings and a playoff system. This ruling on a homeless college kid is the exact reason why Will Smith was so skeptical during 'iRobot'. You can't expect the soulless, emotionless machines at the NCAA to use logical reasoning in regards to breaking their rules. 

Look who we are talking about here. We're not talking about a kid who is a surefire NFL draft pick. He had 200 yards and 3 touchdowns last year. We're not talking about someone who is exploiting their popularity for financial gain. We are talking about a kid that wants a place to call home. It's not like some booster paid for it. Forget the fact that he is a student athlete. Since when can't a kid exhaust all legal options in regards to his living situation and putting food on his plate. I'm sure he wasn't living in some beautiful loft in Waco, Texas. This ruling is basically the NCAA saying that playing football and subsequently earning them money is more important than the well being of a student. Christ, even the NFL and NHL, two organizations notorious for their bad decisions, realize that sometimes there are extenuating circumstances. What does the NCAA stand to gain from this? There is no winner here, just one loser and his shattered dreams of playing college ball. Just another one of the countless cases of the NCAA flexing their muscles for no reason.

Call me naive, but shouldn't a scholarship, whether it be scholastic or athletic, cover room and board? What's the point of paying for someone's schooling if you can't afford to put a roof over their head? This kid should be commended for trying to make his situation work before someone with a heart stepped in and insisted on helping him out. It's almost impressive how immune the NCAA is to criticism. I almost, ALMOST admire it. Some kid is about to lose everything based on a stupid rule that doesn't even feel like it's being enforced right, and they aren't even giving it a second thought. The NCAA, the only business where you can work your ass off for someone and they can fire you for not being able to support yourself.