It's thankfully not WAC-related...

Can anyone recall a time when two of the most talented (incredible potential) seniors in high school basketball are being figuratively treated like lepers of yore?

We're talking about Renardo Sidney and Lance Stephenson. Sidney is the big out of southern California (his adopted home) who is now headed to Mississippi State (he formerly lived there). Stephenson is a premier backcourter out of New York City.

These youngsters have a similar common denominator: a father who seemingly has 'maximized' his son's or stepson's 'earnings' to the point that the traditional high majors are scurrying away, leaving programs that are smelling of flop sweat rushing in to take a major chance.

A prime example: why did Mississippi feel the need to hire extra legal assistance after signing Sidney? Let's just say that such a move is not a traditional practice.

For a concise summary on Sidney, go to Pat Forde's article here.

For the same on Stephenson, go to Gary Parrish's feature here.

Let's hope through all this garbage that Sidney and Stephenson eventually achieve their hopes and dreams. But our money wouldn't flow in that direction if we were bettors.