Disabato: Koziol ruling sends wrong message

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Providence's Ryan Koziol (seated), flanked by his parents, Ed and Sue, signed a National Letter of Intent with Arizona in November. | Brett Roseman~Sun-Times Media

Updated: February 21, 2012 8:40AM

I would give Ed Koziol more credit and, ultimately, more respect if he would have revealed the truth surrounding his son Ryan’s transfer from Brother Rice to Providence.

You know, instead of feeding us a baloney sandwich loaded with horseradish. I don’t like baloney.

Apparently, the IHSA does, and Thursday granted Ryan his eligibility at Providence for his senior baseball season.

Initially, Ed Koziol cited Brother Rice having “by far, the worst facilities in the Catholic League” and “we don’t like the baseball facilities at Brother Rice” for Ryan’s exit. Ed Koziol said so in these very pages.

Then, after the IHSA ruled Ryan ineligible in August, Ed put on his political hat and flip-flopped during the appeal process, citing social issues for Ryan’s stunning departure. Because, as you and I know, the stud athlete in school always is the target of taunts and harassment by students.

Wink, wink.

Of course, the best option for Ed Koziol would have been to say nothing; just remove Ryan from Rice and enroll him at the school he so desires.

It’s a path chosen by 99.9 percent of parents of student-athletes who transfer. They don’t let it be known their kid is transferring because of a lack of playing time, a desire for more exposure or to play for a more successful program.

Ed Koziol, though, couldn’t help himself. Not only was he going to pull Ryan, who has signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of Arizona, out of Brother Rice just days after the program had suffered through one of its worst seasons in decades at 14-15, he was going to insult the school’s baseball facilities as a parting shot.

It’s a school, remember, that his two sons, Kevin and Ryan, attended, tuition-free.

I think that’s referred to as kicking someone when they’re down. Or simply being a jerk.

“You could make the case that this was an athletically motivated transfer,” IHSA executive director Marty Hickman said Thursday. “But there’s nothing in our bylaws that specifically says you can’t transfer for athletic reasons. I know people are getting fed up with kids transferring. I’m sure there are going to be a few folks who don’t like this ruling, and I wouldn’t blame them. There may be a need to add a sentence to our bylaws stating athletics cannot be a motivating factor for transferring.”

Or the wrong message will continue to be sent of allowing kids to flee for greener pastures.

It’s a terrible message, one Burt Odelson, chairman of the Brother Rice Board of Directors, wants changed.

“I’m very happy for Ryan, but very unhappy with the precedent that’s been set for improper school shifting and recruiting for sports purposes,” Odelson said. “I’m very disappointed with the IHSA’s ruling.”

In a perfect world, Providence would have refused the Koziols’ overtures. In fact, the entire Catholic League family should have united and said, “Thanks, but no thanks” to the Koziols — not as a punishment to Ryan who, I again will say is a nice kid, an honor student and an excellent baseball player. He didn’t do anything wrong and deserves to play his senior season.

No, a denial, either by the IHSA or private schools, would have sent a message to Ed Koziol and any other parent looking to follow a similar path filled with arrogance and selfishness.

I wish I could tell you for absolute certainty the reason Ryan transferred.

I’ve left messages for Ed Koziol at his workplace — that is, when his voice mail is accepting messages, which it wasn’t Thursday. He hasn’t returned any.

I do have a pretty good idea why he removed Ryan, who was on the verge of topping the Brother Rice baseball record list in several categories: The Crusaders weren’t very good last year and the prospects for this season, even if Ryan had stayed, weren’t particularly promising for a state championship-caliber run.

Providence, on the other hand, even without the addition of Ryan, will rank among the top teams in the state.

It’s about winning in the standings.

And losing in the game of life.