FreeLucca.com

Somewhere amidst the intracacies of the NCAA rules committee by-laws and its dogmatic sub-categories of technicalities, there is a brand spanking new rule that has figured out a way to penalize players who have done nothing wrong and everything correct. To top it off, the NCAA waited until after both players were enrolled in school and practicing with their teammates to hand down this decision.

Now that's the NCAA we've all grown to love and know so well. And their timing is impeccable as always.

Staiger and Boeke both played for a Ehingen club team in Germany that was made up of mostly high schoolers, with the exception of two paid players, who were on hand to make the team more competitive against older, more experienced squads. The NCAA deemed those two players were compensated more than the minimum allowed, thus making the entire team professional. Huh? What kind of rule determines everyone to be a pro when only two were paid?

Oddly enough, one big reason the two played for the Ehingen team was to retain their eligibility and have the option of coming to play college basketball in America. Ironic.

Like many first-year NCAA rules, this one falling under the Amateurism Certification program, it appears some stuffy suits got together and figured out a way to frustrate the lives of the undeserving and justify their paychecks.

Lucca Staiger and Fabian Boeke did exactly what they were told.

Staiger spurned an offer when he was younger to play pro ball back home in Germany for about $4,000 a month. Boeke also had opportunities, but both players opted to play at Urspring Basketball Academy in Germany to preserve their eligibility and an opportunity to play college basketball in America.

However, now Staiger and Boeke sit and wait. Staiger has a chance to be an impact player as a freshman at Iowa State, while Boeke is in his first year at Washington State.

Neither has been cleared by the NCAA.

Neither received any money to play basketball.

This is the first year that the NCAA has controlled the process of certifying international players. For now, the NCAA has deemed both Germans ineligible after ruling Urspring a professional team. Both have appealed and a final ruling could come later this week.

"Obviously, we don't think he should be penalized," Iowa State coach Greg McDermott said. "The program over there is comparable to a prep school here. There are kids eligible and playing on teams in the U.S. who played with guys making a half a million dollars."

Staiger and Boeke played in a non-profit program that is allowed to pay two Americans. It's in Germany's third division and one of its players this season is Josh Washington, who averaged 12.8 points a year ago at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

"It's not fair to those kids," Washington said. "These kids have to play in a program like Urspring to get better — and not to let them play college basketball is a wrongdoing."

"For me, this is like being in college — only my scholarship check is a little bigger," he added. "I make $1,100 per month for eight months."

McDonald's workers make more money than Washington.

"It's the lowest level of pro ball that there is," Washington State coach Tony Bennett said. "The Americans barely make their expenses."

It's not as if Bennett needs Boeke, either. The Cougars are a top-10 team and there's little chance Boeke would make the rotation even if he was cleared.

"It's frustrating because these kids went there with the understanding that this would allow them to play here and also get an education," Bennett said.

UCLA's Nikola Dragovic received a 10-game suspension a year ago for playing in Serbia. Georgetown's Nikita Mescheriakov received a 10-game suspension weeks ago after playing for a pro team in Belarus.

Staiger and Boeke should get the same penalty.

"It's really frustrating," Staiger told FOXSports.com. "But there's nothing I can do about it. I didn't do anything wrong."

The NCAA may change its mind. Or not.

"We are working collaboratively with both institutions, but no eligibility determination or decision has been reached for either student-athlete," NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson wrote in an e-mail to FOXSports.com.

"As you know, we consider each student-athlete's situation individually and carefully review the facts and circumstances in each case. Our goal is to reach decisions as quickly as possible but also as thoroughly as possible."

Urspring has sent six players to colleges in the United States, beginning with Hendrik Feist back in 2002. Two more have already committed to play for colleges.

"We've talked to the NCAA through the years and they told us as long as our kids don't sign a contract and don't receive money, they are fine," Urspring coach Ralph Junge said. "I guess that's not the case any more."

Junge said he doesn't understand why other college players who played in much higher leagues in Europe — and even guys who played in the same league at Urspring — have been cleared to play.

"They are eligible and our kids aren't. This is insane," Junge added. "We're a non-profit certified by the German government. We take care of the kids and stay within the rules."

That doesn't matter. At least not to the NCAA.

possibly the next wunderkind outta germany, lucca staiger - freshman at iowa state university, recently received a maximum penalty of one year eligibility loss by the ncaa. why? because he was good enough to play on a 2nd league squad, steeples ehingen. the team is well respected for constantly producing big time talent, which means integrating high schoolers in men's play, a common practice in european basketball. ehingen always boasts the youngest player average in the league, and makes major contributions in regards to schooling young players. steeples ehingen is closely linked to the basketball academy urspring, which has dominated almost every category of under-18 competition over the last several years.

lucca and other high schoolers that have gone (and are still going) through the ehingen/urspring programm never received improper compensation, a fact which the ncaa has clearly acknowledged. the problem seems to be that the ncaa has concluded steeples ehingen to be a "professional" team, because two players (vets) received benefits in excess of ncaa limits. but does that make lucca a professional? we think not. he never got paid! all he got was a beautiful j, uncanny court vision and a knack for the unexpected assist. let the boy play!

Alex (Chicago): Doug, have you heard about the situation that is facing Lucca Staiger of Iowa State? He got suspended for the entire year because he played 3 years on a German team that was deemed professional. Only 3 players got payed on it and Lucca wasn't one of them. Don't you think it is unfair that he got suspended since he didn't do anything wrong?

Doug Gottlieb: (4:34 PM ET ) Yes. It is total Bull. The NCAA should do more to encourage kids to come over, learn the culture, play college ball and then go make the cash, instead they punish kids who do things the right way. It stinks.

Ryan H. (Saint Paul, MN): Jay, Have you heard of the situation where the NCAA has suspended two players, Lucca Staiger of Iowa State, and Fabian Boeke from Wash. St.? These guys were playing on a German team that paid two other guys on the team, unbeknownst to the now suspended college athletes. Neither Staiger or Boeke received any money, yet they are slapped with a ONE YEAR suspension...what gives??? FreeLucca.com

Jay Bilas: (3:59 PM ET ) Yes. Apparently pros have some sort of professional disease that players can catch if they simply play on the same team. I have never liked this rule, and never will. The Euros have a different system than we do, and it is silly to expect other countries to act in a manner that we feel is appropriate. Plus, how can these kids be tainted when a kid can play major league baseball and make millions and still be eligible to play as an amateur in college. Ridiculous. Also, Free Jeremy Bloom! Even though he is in the NFL!!

Here's hoping the NCAA shows some common sense and allows Staiger, Boeke and others in their situation to get on the court this season.

We here at the Monday Awards Committee hate it when rules get in the way of better judgment. For that reason, we're giving the You Got Hosed Award to ex-Washington State basketball player Rabian [sic] Boeke, who has been banned from playing this season by the NCAA. Apparently, players on Boeke's high school team in Germany, but not Boeke, received stipends that the NCAA believes were beyond necessary expenses. They have therefore ruled that the team was a professional organization and have made Boeke ineligible to play for the Cougars this season. Here's a kid who played on the basketball team associated with his high school, who received no money, who did nothing wrong, but who will be punished nonetheless by an organization that seems to regard rules more than common sense.

Meanwhile, Staiger, apparently an unknowing and unwilling accomplice to a crime he had no intention of committing, remains in limbo. When it comes to college sports, hypocrisy is a four-letter word. One that starts with the letter "N."

"The thing we're disappointed in is here's a kid who did everything right," McDermott said.

"His dream was to come to the U.S. He had 30 clubs to choose from where he could have played. And he chose this one because he wouldn't jeopardize his eligibility to play in the U.S."

Getting as much attention as anyone in Hilton Coliseum Thursday night was freshman guard Lucca Staiger. He didn't dress after the NCAA ruled him ineligible for the season last week.

Iowa State will file an appeal on Staiger's behalf, likely next week. The student section chanted "Free Lucca" during the game. Staiger sat, redfaced, and smiled.

"It's very tough," Staiger said of not playing.

The NCAA ruling that takes away a year of eligibility from Lucca Staiger is stupid, unfair, and hypocritical. Punish Staiger because others did something wrong? Idiotic.

I am aware of Lucca's situation. Nebraska may be involved with a player from that club team, too. I will monitor this closely.