A couple answers regarding John Wilkins

I am not sure why we haven't read some of these facts anywhere in the press, but after a little digging, there are some things that stand out that help to understand what's really going on with John Wilkins.
If you're interested, just read on and click the links...then you can believe what you want...connect the dots.
There's even a bit more that I am unable to say publicly, but will discuss privately about certain personal connections.

** So why is John Wilkins' case not yet ruled on? Well, contrary to outsiders' opinions the delay for Wilkins to get his case heard is the fault of the Iowa court system and the irresponsiblbe governmental spending in the present economy.

In an unprecedented act, the State of Iowa has found a rather unique way of saving money and trying to balance their budget. They have decided to simply close their court system on certain various dates and give everyone a non-paid day off thus tons of money saved. They have also trimmed budgets and laid people off at all levels of the court system.
However, it creates, as expected, an ever worsening backlog of cases, especially in certain areas of the courts deemed lower on the totem pole.

As far back as a year ago, the proposal to close the courts down was suggested...
http://www.kwwl.com/Global/story.asp?S=9679484


Some significant delays in the hearing of court cases were expected, but now it's far worse than initially predicted. On top of that, in further cost saving measures, many localities have laid off other key personnel and thus the court cases are even being processed slower with further delays.

http://www.qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/article_c16904c4-e028-11de-9d50-001cc4c002e0.html

http://www.kcci.com/news/21573388/detail.html

So any unwarranted criticisms such as some of the ignorant ones I have seen, are truly unfair. The Wilkins law team is working as hard as they can facing these setbacks and want to get the case heard as quickly as possible, yet at every turn, they are thwarted with delays due to the failure of the Iowa court system and the failure of the Iowa Lawmakers to have properly managed their budget.


Then one has to wonder why was John Wilkins hit with a penalty that has never been seen before at any level or in any sport in the NJCAA. Never in all the history of junior colleges has someone been penalized for alleged professionalism with a total ban from junior college athletics. Remember - John Wilkins never actually fit the NJCAA's own definition of being a professional player. He never received remuneration for his play and he never was under contract to any professional organization or team. Thus by their own definition, Wilkins was NOT a professional. Many, many similar athletes who have played on club teams in Europe with other pros in basketball, soccer, volleyball, and even track & cross country have been ruled to still be amateurs and allowed to play. Truly this ruling against John Wilkins is so unprecedented and bizarre.
Even when some with direct pro backgrounds are penalized, they have gotten penalties such as a certain number of games, etc...but never, ever a complete ban...NEVER anything close!!!
.........so what's up?? This stands out as so bizarre and outside the mainstream of all previous NJCAA rulings, that one has to wonder what's the reason...the agenda behind this??
This penalty levied by NJCAA is so far beyond any penalty ever issued, that it doesn't take a genius to suspect something funny might be going on.

Well...decide for yourself...
The head of NJCAA, the Executive Director of NJCAA, is Mary Ellen Leicht.
She assumed the top position on July 10, 2009, and this ruling was one of the first in her tenure. Just maybe this ruling was one way for her to pay back certain others for their support and "friendship".
http://njcaa.org/todaysNJCAA.cfm?category=About§ion=National%20Office&articleid=7251
http://www.hutchnews.com/Sports/challenge2009-03-19T23-33-19
http://www.nacda.com/sports/natycaa/mtt/leicht_maryellen00.html

Leicht is a midwestern native and has a few connections to Iowa and has friends at a couple of other Iowa junior colleges.
One of her friends is in the Regional Director of NJCAA Region 11. And I have heard rumors that some of the other junior colleges in the region where Southeastern Iowa CC plays would favor seeing Wilkins banned as it would make Southeastern pretty powerful in men's basketball. Let's face it...there's a certain competetiveness and dog-eat-dog nature to sports at this and many levels.
Thus, by a mere stroke of the pen, Mary Ellen Leicht has indeed made a ruling that does greatly benefit the other junior colleges in this Iowa Region.

Here's a pic of Leicht posing with her friend Brenda Hampton who is in the Athletic Department at Iowa Central CC and also serves as Regional Director in the Iowa Region.
http://external.ak.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php?d=83c4750b7d4291e8fac28d4ccf9ee18d&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.njcaa.org%2Fimages%2FAwards%2FNATYCAA_CUP%2F2008-2009%2F1st_place_Iowa_Central_web.jpg

Here they are again, pictured together back in 2006...
http://www.iwcc.edu/attachments/Image/hampton.jpg

A search will also show other links connecting the two women...
and this page from NJCAA shows the junior colleges that are in Region 11 and are direct competitors throughout their history and within the same regional.
http://njcaa.org/colleges.cfm?regionId=11&sportslid=0&stname=

Here is her page as the chief at Iowa Western CC -
http://athletics.iwcc.edu/staff.asp

Lastly, unlike NCAA, NJCAA really has limited financial resources. They don't make the kind of $$ from events and television that NCAA makes, and thus they, by comparison, are on a figurative shoestring budget by comparison to NCAA.
It has been speculated that they might be less than willing to fight a legal battle due to the costs involved, and thus we might just hear of this case being settled shortly if all parties want BOTH expediency and fairness.
John Wilkins has already missed 11 games which would amount to (already) the most severe penalty that any incoming student athlete has ever served for this situation.
Why not just "commute" the penalty to time served? That would be the best scenario for all involved and Wilkins has already been penalized far more than necessary.
If NJCAA does stick to it's "guns" and fights this, then Wilkins might still succeed in at least getting an injuction to allow him to play in the meantime. If that happens, then the whole ploy by NJCAA is blown, and with Wilkins playing anyway, then why would Leight continue to pursue the case legally, as one scenario was that she was only trying to help out (her friends and...) the other Iowa junior colleges by keeping Southeastern from having the talent to run away with the Regional.
If the penalty prohibiting Wilkins from playing is no longer in effect, then NJCAA and Leicht would clearly have nothing further to gain by battling the suit, and would only lose money - something they surely don't want to do.
So time will tell. Case will be heard soon, but because of the current case backlog, the date was uncertain, but hopefully by now it has been set and will occur within the next few days.

More on the Wilkins case-http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13815