The Interesting Case Of Brandon Miller Not Being Named A Wooden Award Finalist

Look I get everyone is mad at Brandon Miller, Alabama, Coach Oats, and the entire athletic department. If you are saying that athletes may be getting preferential treatment , I hear you. If you are mad that he didn't sit any games, I hear you. Everyone can be mad at the situation not playing out how you wanted it to. That's your right. What can also be said whether you agree with it or not, is that the state of Alabama has zero charges on Miller, and the athletic department is allowing him to play as a result of that. As Jay Bilas said a week ago. 

That result may suck to a lot of people. A lot of people are angry. It makes sense. The loss of Jamea Harris' life is horrible. What Darius Miles is being accused of is horrible. It's all a horrible situation. 

And Brandon Miller didn't help his case by doing the dumbest pregame intro in the history of basketball last week. 

Then today the Wooden Finalists were announced, and Brandon Miller's name was not on the list. Now, I totally understand he hasn't helped his case winning over the hearts of voters, but the award is for the best basketball players in the country and it's a simple fact he is one of those players. Voters are allowed to deem his involvement in off the court matters as a reason to not reward his play on the court, but if this wasn't going on how many voters would leave him off the Top 15? I'd say zero. Just watch him play, look at his stats and it is very evident he's one of the top 15 players in the nation. If you don't want him to win it, and don't vote for him to win it, that's one thing, but you cannot leave him off the list completely…that's an insult to the award. (Editor's note: The editors of Barstool Sports do not care about the feelings of an inanimate award.)

It's like when Tony Manero knows the dance contest was rigged in his favor and gives back the trophy. The Wooden Award this year probably wouldn't have gone to Miller, but the voters are already showing it will at least have some footnotes when we look back on it in history.