STARKVILLE — Getting Renardo Sidney on the basketball court at Mississippi State might be more difficult than the Bulldogs anticipated.
MSU will use sports attorney Mike Glazier to evaluate Sidney”s amateur status.
The school will conduct the investigation after questions arose about the role Sidney”s father played as a $20,000-a-year consultant for Reebok, the shoe company that bankrolled his son”s summer teams.
The Bulldogs don”t believe Sidney”s father”s role with Reebok will affect his son”s ability to play basketball for them, but they have turned to Glazier to find more information.
Glazier assisted MSU with its most recent football probation case.
“We”ve continued to rely on Mike”s expertise in any matters that come up where we feel like we need his assistance,” MSU Associate Athletic Director of Compliance Bracky Brett said.
Wall Street Journal”s Law Blog calls Glazier “NCAA Defender to the Stars.” He is the founder of Bond, Schoeneck and King, LLP”s Collegiate Sports Practice Group in Overland Park, Kansas.
As lead attorney for that group, Glazier concentrates his practice on the representation of colleges, universities, athletic conferences associates, and individuals in NCAA infractions, eligibility, and compliance-related matters.
Glazier said in a story by ESPN.com writer Dana O”Neil that his job is to find out the truth and to solve problems.
“Sometimes we can learn allegations aren”t founded, but often times they are,” Glazier said. “When they are, we say that. We don”t hide anything.”
n MSU get commitment from another big man: John Riek, a native of Sudan who last trained at IMG Basketball Academy in Florida, has committed to playing for the Bulldogs.
Riek, a 7-foot-2, 250-pounder, also considered Cincinnati and Providence.
His choice comes on the heels of a decision by Renardo Sidney, a 6-10, 260-pounder, who signed Thursday with the Bulldogs.
Sidney, a native of the Jackson area, played his final two seasons for Fairfax High School in Los Angeles.
