This Cat deserves a second life.(COLLEGE BASKETBALL)

The one thing I worried about while pondering this column topic was the possibility Kentucky center Randolph Morris' playing status might be resolved sometime between the moment my fingers finished typing and when this magazine arrived in your mailbox.

Silly me. The U.S. mail moves much faster than an eligibility case.

So it's safe to declare the NCAA should permit Morris to compete this season, albeit with a nice slap across the wrist.

Morris' future as a college basketball player has been in jeopardy since he took part in a workout for NBA teams in June. The SFX agency arranged for the gym time, and a few of its clients also participated in the drills. SFX later sent teams a fax suggesting it could arrange workouts for those interested in Morris.

None of this led to Morris being drafted. Which meant he had the chance to return to Kentucky, though he had apparently done little to protect his eligibility.

Yeah, well, so what?

If Morris pays back whatever he might owe NBA teams for workout expenses, if he serves a suspension approximating what former Connecticut player Charlie Villanueva received in a similar case two years ago, Morris should be cleared to play.