In the end, John Naparlo decided that he had too much going for him to slow
it all down.
The James Madison senior reserve guard said Tuesday that he will not return
to the basketball team this season, choosing instead to continue pursuing his
country music career.
In September, the NCAA gave Naparlo a choice: sing or play. It said Naparlo
was violating NCAA rules by using his likeness to promote his album, "Cowboy
Up and Party Down," and by displaying his picture on promotional material.
Naparlo, whose stage name is Johnny Napp, had not been allowed to practice with
the Dukes this season pending his decision. After talking to his promoter, Pam
Lewis, Naparlo said he decided to give up basketball rather than remove his
picture from the album, his Web site and other material.
"It's not going to work out," Naparlo said Tuesday. "There were
too many compliance issues. When I met with Pam Lewis [Monday] in Nashville,
we laid out on the table everything that would have to come down, between the
album and the Web site, and some of the things we have going internationally,
we decided it was too much. We had too many good things going to stop now."
Though Naparlo agreed with JMU compliance director Kurt Johnson, who said that
the situation with the NCAA had been amicable, he was clearly frustrated with
not being able to go forward with his music career and continue playing basketball
at the same time.
"It's just irritating that the NCAA won't allow me to do both," he
said. "This is something I definitely want to pursue as a job. I already
pretty much know I'm not going to be pursuing basketball as a job. … I
just don't understand."
JMU coach Dean Keener was also disappointed, but said he was not upset with
Naparlo for his decision.
"It's bittersweet," Keener said. "I feel bad for him that he
won't be able to play his last year, but yet I'm happy for him because he's
got the potential to do something special with his music career. I'm just sad
for him that he won't be able to get the best of both worlds."
Keener said that though Naparlo will not be able to play, he will remain a part
of the team. He said that Naparlo's space in the locker room will be saved,
and that he will try to make sure Naparlo is recognized on JMU's senior day.
"In no way is he out of the JMU family," Keener said. "I told
him we'd like to recognize him on senior day. I'll have to look into some compliance
issues, but I don't see any reason why we wouldn't be able to do that."
In a basketball sense, the 6-foot-3, 180 pound Naparlo probably will not be
missed. The Dukes have an abundance of guards this season and the Williamsburg
native would have had to fight for playing time.