Judge Who Ruled Alabama Player Bediako Eligible Is Reportedly A Crimson Tide Alum

Earlier this week it was reported that a Tuscaloosa County judge ruled in favor of former Alabama Crimson Tide and current G-League center, Charles Bediako, returning to the ranks of college basketball.

Many, including national championship winning head coach Todd Golden, voiced their displeasure with the ruling, but it turns out there's more to this story than meets the eye.

Golden mentioned on his weekly radio show, Gator Talk, that the judge was potentially an Alabama alumnus, but many waved that off as conjecture or potentially sour grapes regarding an opposing team on his schedule adding a 7-foot professional basketball player to its roster.

As it just so happens, Golden may have been on to something.

Just when you thought this story was done, it just keeps getting better.

While the judge hasn't made any public announcement regarding his ties to the University of Alabama, there is a very good chance he will recuse himself before another hearing on the matter this coming Tuesday.

You think maybe a guy who has reportedly contributed up to a quarter of a million dollars to a university he apparently graduated from might have a conflict of interest on his hands when ruling in favor of said university?

I don't know, just a hunch.

The comments under the X post blowing the lid on this judge were as ruthless as you could imagine, and few could blame these fans for getting a little vitriolic with their voices.

That last commenter has a point. If anyone needed help figuring out where the line is when it comes to taking a stand against corruption in college sports, maybe it's with a case like this.

Regardless of what comes of the judge or this case in general, it's safe to say this is just another example of the veneer of "amateurism" being blown to smithereens with regard to college athletics.

The genie is fully out of the bottle, and there is a good chance this gets worse before it gets better.