The Memphis City Council has adopted a resolution encouraging Memphians to aid the mother of a University of Memphis student-athlete facing eviction from her home.
Lisa Means, who hasn't paid rent on her Frayser home since October, is the mother of U of M football player Albert Means, whose football skills were allegedly sold by his former coach to the University of Alabama for $200,000.
However, Albert's status as a student athlete could prevent his mother from accepting these donations. According to NCAA rules, accepting the donations could lead to Albert's forfeiture of his amateur status.
The resolution, approved 12-0 by the council, encourages citizens to "help the Means family on the grounds of charity, compassion and civic spirit."
The council resolution was passed to persuade the NCAA to loosen its restrictions in certain cases on donations, monetary and otherwise, to student athletes and their families.
The council stated, "we respect the intent of the NCAA standard that prohibits donations and in-kind contributions to its players' families in order to protect the integrity of collegiate sports, but disagree with the limits that it places on a community to reach out and support its citizens during a time of crisis."
According to NCAA rules, "an individual loses his or her amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the individual uses his or her athletic skill (directly or indirectly) for pay in any form in that sport."
Claiborne Ferguson, the attorney representing Means, said he has talked directly to the NCAA.
"The NCAA told me Albert can play college football or Ms. Means can take the money,'" Ferguson said. "The NCAA is arguing that there is a nexus between the money raised and his status as a football player. The NCAA wants to maintain a bright line of demarcation between amateur and pro sports."
Citizens of Memphis began making donations to Means by way of charities, including one set up by radio station WDIA and the Lisa Means Recovery Fund, begun by Arthur Kahn of Arthur's Wine and Liquor. Kahn is a former federal prosecutor who has raised approximately $3,000 for Means.
"At the broader level, I endorse their (NCAA's) amateur laws," Kahn said. "They have a very difficult enforcement job and I don't want to make their enforcement job more difficult, but this is a unique situation. It is my job to show them (NCAA) that this is a unique situation. The NCAA is creating a second class of American citizens, namely those relatives of student-athletes."
The council resolution attempts to fix the problem by requiring donors to the Lisa Means Recovery Fund to sign an affidavit verifying they "are not affiliated with The U of M or its athletic program."
Ferguson said he may consider suing the NCAA if Means is not allowed to accept the money.
"The NCAA didn't back down," Ferguson said. "They said they were going to litigate it."
