Dawood Khan's Blog

Posts Tagged ‘ncaa’

Cheating Kansas ~ Recorded for Posterity

In Sports, thinking out loud on February 16, 2010 at 11:49 am
http://www.collegeinsider.com/indy06/images/bill_self1.JPG

WHAT? Me Cheat? No way? Darrel Arthur changed those transcripts. I knew nothing about it. Who's Derrick Rose? Memphis what? Huh? What? What?

http://josephmathieu.blogspot.com/20…l-history.html

Brandon Rush commits to Kansas basketball program. Rush narrowed his college choices to Illinois and Oklahoma. Rumors are that he couldn’t qualify at Illinois or Oklahoma. He decided he would have to enter the draft straight from high school as he couldn’t qualify at a D1 university, except it looked as though he wouldn’t be a first round selection, something his brother already had happen to him. His brothers talked him out of it. Two weeks after school started he got into KU and even though he at times carried a 0.0 GPA in high school managed to get a 3.6 at KU while missing the first two weeks of classes. This strangely coincided with the same time frame which their compliance department was noted to be severely understaffed and inadequate by the NCAA and academic fraud was occurring.

Sherron Collins commits to Kansas amidst various media reports that he was steered by his coach Anthony Longstreet, (More on Longstreet in a future post), considered by Chicago Public League coaches as the new Landon “Sonny” Cox for his ability to recruit players to Crane. Scheduled visits promised to various other schools are abruptly canceled. Afterward, Longstreet, without being prompted or even accused of taking money, bizarrely challenged local sportswriters to “get the proof, produce the canceled check.” Thereafter, Longstreet refused to ever speak again on the subject. He explained, “Right now, I’ve been told to be quiet because
this stuff is getting too ugly.”

Darnell Jackson is ruled ineligible by NCAA Eligibility Committee for nine games for receipt of $5,000 in benefits from a Kansas booster over a three year period while being recruited by Kansas.

A cbssportsline.com article suggests that J.R. Giddens is also ultimately wrapped up in the Darnell Jackson scandal, questioning: “Did Don Davis also have a “relationship” with Jackson’s best friend and former AAU teammate, J.R. Giddens, the McDonald’s All-American who signed with Kansas in 2003? Because if the answer is yes, Kansas has a big, big, big problem.”

2005-2006 Season
Kansas loses to Nevada at home, 72-70, falling to a record of 2-3 for the first time in over 30 years. After the game, ESPN TV cameras captured an exchange between Kansas University assistant coach Joe Dooley and 19 year old Nevada player Nick Fazekas. When Fazekas
held out his hand to shake Dooley’s in an apparent show of sportsmanship, Dooley instead screamed “F*** YOU!!!!” directly at Fazekas. Afterward, Coach Bill Self reprimanded Dooley stating: “Obviously, in a hotly contested game like this one, emotions were high after the game. Coach Joe Dooley responded in an inappropriate manner to an exchange with a Nevada player.” Coach Dooley added: “I have great respect for the Nevada team. They played well tonight. I
responded in a negative manner to something that was said to me following the game. I certainly apologize to the Nevada program and this is not the manner in which Kansas basketball should be represented.”

Reports surface regarding an NCAA investigation into potential violations involving Kansas freshman Brandon Rush. The potential violations centered around Rush’s involvement with an agent and possible payment of travel expenses by NBA teams the previous summer during Rush’s workouts with the teams.

The NCAA suspends Brandon Rush after the NCAA determined that he had improperly received benefits from an agent after applying for the 2005 NBA draft. An appeal by Kansas is granted within one day and Rush is re-instated without missing any games.

Kansas loses to in-state rival Kansas State at home, 59-55.

Micah Downs announces he is transferring from the Kansas basketball program.

Following up the once in the last 20 year accomplishment of losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Self manages to again accomplish this feat by losing to Bradley, 77-73. Considerable pressure mounts as “win at all costs” goes into full effect when the fan base begins to call for his firing.

2006 Off-season
Christian Moody becomes the first Jayhawk player since the 1980s to not be eligible for his graduation checks from alumni, as the pending investigation causes KU to cease such open forms of paying their players. Later, his agent writes a note requesting video of him missing free throws to lose a game to Missouri be taken down from youtube.com as he feels it is hindering his client from finding gainful employment.

The NCAA responds that KU failed to demonstrate Institutional control and that the minor violations self reported in basketball in KU’s report do not seem to be all-inclusive.

KU is placed on probation for major violations across multiple sports and for Lack of Institutional Control. The committee seems impressed with KU’sKU didn’t detect or report
violations in a timely manner, which resulted in them being able to claim a statue of limitations on many violations and go unpunished), however they are still charged with:
•Illegal payments given to potential recruits
•Illegal payments given to current players with the approval of coaching staff
•Illegal payments given to players after eligibility is exhausted
•Providing illegal transportation to recruits Providing illegal clothing and other benefits to recruits
•Providing illegal transportation to family members of recruits
•Making special arrangements to facilitate a vehicle for family members of recruits.
•Academic Fraud
•Failure to report violations
•Failure to employ a compliance auditor
•Negligence to provide adequate oversight
•Lack of Institutional Control

KU is placed on three years probation including reduction in the total of grants-in-aid award in the men’s basketball program to no more than 12 during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. Also reduced the total of official paid visits by a total of eight from the maximum number allowed during the 2006-07 and 2007-8 academic years, dissociation of a representative of the university’s athletics interest for a period of four years, and annual compliance reporting required. innovative strategy of eliminating the middleman (by electing to not maintain a compliance department, Summation: probation and a reduction in 2 scholarships to be taken in the years KU chooses for the above violations.

CJ Giles is suspended indefinitely.

Giles re-instated to team, then 5 days later kicked off team for misdemeanor battery to his girlfriend.

2006-2007 Season
Despite what most consider Self’s best coaching job to date, he is under enormous pressure as the NCAA tournament get underway as most feel a repeat of the last two years will cost him his job. Self’s Jayhawks do advance before being knocked out by UCLA, 68-55.

2007-2008 Season
Brandon Rush arrested for failing to appear in court. The hearing is ultimately delayed until after the basketball season.

Self begins to be courted by Oklahoma State to take over their head coaching vacancy. KU beings to make a strong push to retain Self despite the distraction it is causing.

The beneficiaries of a historic collapse by Memphis, who led by nine points with two minutes to play and could have done about five different things to ensure KU had no chance of getting back in the game, KU wins its second national title of the modern era. They are the first team ever to win a championship while on probation for cheating, and every player on KU’s roster who played more than 21 minutes in the championship game had a shady story surrounding them.
2008 offseason
Self claims he wants to stay at Kansas, but won’t rule out talking to OSU. He elects to stay at KU.
Reports surface that Darell Arthur, KU’s leading scorer in the championship game, did not actually pass high school and passed through the NCAA clearinghouse by submitting fraudulent transcripts. If ruled ineligible, per NCAA rules KU would be required to forfeit all games in which Arthur was a participant, which would result in KU being the first ever 40 loss team in a single season, the worst season in the history of the NCAA.

Listing of NCAA rules he was in clear violation of:

10.1 UNETHICAL CONDUCT
Unethical conduct by a prospective or enrolled student-athlete or a current or former institutional staff member (e.g., coach, professor, tutor, teaching assistant, student manager, student trainer) may include, but is not limited to, the following:
(d) Knowingly furnishing the NCAA or the individual’s institution false or misleading information concerning the individual’s involvement in or knowledge of matters relevant to a possible
violation of an NCAA regulation;

(g) Failure to provide complete and accurate information to the NCAA or institution’s admissions office regarding an individual’s academic record (e.g., schools attended, completion of coursework, grades and test scores)

10.4 DISCIPLINARY ACTION
Prospective or enrolled student-athletes found in violation of the provisions of this regulation shall be ineligible for further intercollegiate competition, subject to appeal to the Committee on
Student-Athlete Reinstatement for restoration of eligibility. (See Bylaw 10.3.2 for sanctions of student-athletes involved in violations of 10.3.) Institutional staff members found in violation of the provisions of this regulation shall be subject to disciplinary or corrective action as set forth in Bylaw 19.5.2.2 of the NCAA enforcement procedures, whether such violations occurred at the
certifying institution or during the individual’s previous employment at another member institution.

14.01.3.3 Unethical Conduct.
A prospective or enrolled student-athlete who is found to have engaged in unethical conduct (see Bylaw 10.1) shall be ineligible for intercollegiate competition in all sports.

14.11.1 Obligation of Member Institution to Withhold Student-Athlete from Competition.
If a student-athlete is ineligible under the provisions of the constitution, bylaws or other regulations of the Association, the institution shall be obligated to apply immediately
the applicable rule and to withhold the student-athlete from all intercollegiate competition. The institution may appeal to the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement for restoration of the student-athlete’s eligibility as provided in Bylaw 14.12 if it concludes that the circumstances warrant restoration.

June, 2008. A judge rules in favor of the woman Sherron Collins sexually assaulted in an elevator in May of 2007, granting damages in excess of $75,000. She accused him of exposing himself and rubbing against her on May 18, 2007, in an elevator at a University of Kansas apartment complex. Collins does not show up to court.

Ronnie Chalmers, no longer the son of a KU player after Mario declares early for the NBA draft, vacates the Director of Basketball Operations position.

While living in university paid for housing prior to being eligible for scholarship benefits, 18 year old Markieff Morris drunkenly shoots a lady with a BB gun from his dorm room window. No action is taken.

Two weeks after school starts (shades of Brandon Rush before them), the Morris twins are cleared to play basketball for KU. “While it may have taken a bit longer than we had hoped, the important thing is that the process worked,” Self said regarding having them take classes in
Lawrence.

Dallas School District re-opens case regarding Arthur not really being a college eligible player. Ashmore, Arthur’s Math teacher said when Arthur was failing Algebra I as a freshman in the fall of 2002, his coach asked for leniency. Ashmore said when he refused, Arthur was
abruptly moved to another class. A closer examination of Arthur’s grades reveal that his English III grades of 75, 60, 70 and 65 don’t actually add up to a 70 as is reflected on his transcript. In fact, the average should be 67.5, meaning he should have failed the course that is needed to graduate. “Like I said, he [Arthur] just kind of checked out that third six weeks,” Yourse, his English teacher said. Melanie Kidd was Arthur’s theater arts teacher in the fall of 2004.
She said she remembers Arthur failed the course during the final six weeks. Arthur made a grade of 50, she said. According to his transcripts, Arthur’s grades for the last six weeks of theater arts are also missing. A block of grades from Arthur’s Algebra II were also
missing on the transcript from the fall semester of 2005. All that is present is a final grade, which was changed from “failing” to a passing grade of 70 nine months later in September the following year. NCAA officials have confirmed that if Arthur never officially graduated, his eligibility at Kansas is something that may have to be investigated. My question is: are they investigating it?

2008-09 Season
During a ‘no contact period’ as defined by NCAA rules, Self pays a visit to John Wall, the #1 unsigned recruit in the nation. To demonstrate his respect for NCAA rules states in front of a witnesses:
Self: “I’m not supposed to be talking to you, and you know that, but I just wanted to tell you that was a great win.”

Confirmation comes in the Darell Arthur case that his grades were artificially changed and that his ‘graduation’ from high school wasn’t legit.

This is all on record.  Yet, KU is still a National Champion for one of these years.

And Memphis has had their wins vacated.

The NCAA up to their usual shenanigans.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/2420710481_3a2a846f4c_o.jpg


http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/02/sports/ncaa-acts-against-kansas.html?pagewanted=1

Coach Choke Hold Speaks

In Sports, UK Basketball on December 18, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Knight: college hoops lacks integrity

(AP) – 4 hours ago

INDIANAPOLIS — Bob Knight said integrity is lacking in college basketball and cited Kentucky coach John Calipari as an example.

During a fundraiser for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, Knight said he doesn’t understand why Calipari is still coaching.

“We’ve gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that’s why I’m glad I’m not coaching,” he said. “You see we’ve got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he’s still coaching. I really don’t understand that.”

Massachusetts and Memphis were both sanctioned by the NCAA for violations committed during Calipari’s tenure.

Knight, who won a record 902 games as coach of Army, Indiana and Texas Tech, did not elaborate or take questions from reporters.

This from the guy who made a career out of throwing temper tantrums on the court and choking students among other forms of abuse involving him and students and student Athletes.

HEY COACH!  Choked anybody lately?

RMK is off the reservation again.  Maybe he needs his meds.

John Wall ruled Eligible for NCAA Amateur Status

In Politics, Sports, UK Basketball, thinking out loud on October 31, 2009 at 4:56 pm

http://www.radteksports.com/radteksports/image.axd?picture=2009%2F5%2Fwall.jpg

From the UKAA website:

Oct. 30, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky men’s basketball student-athlete John Wall has been certified with conditions by the NCAA. The conditions are repayment of expenses and a two-game withholding, including the first exhibition game versus Campbellsville (Nov. 2) and the first regular-season game against Morehead State (Nov. 13).

Wall, a 6-4 freshman point guard from Raleigh, N.C., was one of five freshmen on the Naismith Preseason watch list. A pre-season All-American according to several national publications, Wall was the top recruit in the country last season according to Rivals.com.

“I’m grateful to have this decision behind me. All I ever wanted was to go to school and play ball with my team,” said UK freshman John Wall. “This has been really hard for my mom and I want to thank her for her support during this process.”

The repayment of expenses includes a total of $787.58, consisting predominantly of travel expenses incurred during Wall’s unofficial visits to various institutions during his junior year at Word of God Christian Academy.

“We’re appreciative of the process and the NCAA’s willingness to listen,” said UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart. “The NCAA staff worked to keep the welfare of the student-athlete in mind throughout this process. I’m happy for Coach Calipari and John Wall that he will get a chance to represent the Wildcats this season. He’s a great young man and deserves to be able to concentrate fully on his academics and basketball.”

John Wall is a great kid who always tries to do the right thing and his mother is a great lady,” said UK head coach John Calipari. “I’m just happy this is behind us.”

John Wall must repay 757.58 USD to his former AAU Coach.  His AAU Coach was a registered, though, inactive agent.  It’s a bunch of hogwash.  The archaic NCAA rule book, though, is full of idiotic rules.

A Duke player can be paid.  A USC player can be paid.  ZERO repercussions to the program.  Those two incidents were proven and the parties involved even publically admitted to the facts and allegations.  A player is alleged to have cheated on an SAT.  No proof mind you.  The NCAA lays down sanctions.

What is the difference between what occurred at Duke and that which occurred at UMASS.

One thing:  Coach K!

That is the only difference.  Had it been any other coach or any other program and that Final Four banner would be gone from the official records.  Oh yeah, and most of the press would be writing articles about it and how it’s the end of the world for Amateurism.  Coach K could personally pay players.  Get caught red handed.  On video.  Deny it.  The NCAA would claim that it had no proof against him.

This time next year, I’m sure that the NCAA will re-open the investigation on John Wall.  I’m sure that they’ll find something that they missed.  I’m sure taht John Wall will be ruled retro-actively ineligible.

BUT!  Only if  UK and Coach Cal make it to the Final Four and Championship game.  If UK bails out of the tournament in the Sweet 16 or below.  No one will say a thing.

John Wooden and the Best…that money can buy.

In Sports on January 25, 2009 at 7:51 pm

http://www.woodencourse.com/images/wooden_trophies.jpg

John Wooden has never acknowledged that he had the best players that money could buy during his 15 year run.  Sure he was a fine coach.  But without the backroom deals and money exchanges, those future NBA ballers would have been showcasing their talent elsewhere.

Wooden was a case of right time, right place and a damn fine Booster program that paid his players under the table.  From Kareem to Walton, they all were well cared for by the Contruction Magnate who was the true father of the UCLA legacy.

…and the NCAA never did a thing about it.  Except ignore it.

All Eyes on Billy Gillispie.

In UK Basketball on October 14, 2008 at 11:24 am

It should come as no surprise.  Random school does it.  Anything.  It doesn’t matter.  From recruiting 8th graders to UCLA paying players to stay at UCLA.  Whatever it might be.  Any school does it.  No headlines.  No outrage.  No real objections.

UK does it.  Suddenly it’s a problem.  Billy Gillispie inks an 8th Grader.  Dick Vitale screams that it’s a sign of the Apocalypse.  Billy Donovan inks an 8th Grader and it’s a sign of his genius.  Billy Gillispie holds midnight madness a week early.  Headline news.  Four other schools did the same thing this year.  Can you name them?  A UCLA Booster paid it’s players thousands, tens of thousands over a ten year period.  Openly.  It was an open secret.  Absolutely not a peep from the NCAA.   Duke Boosters hire parents of players into positions for which they are unqualified and help them obtain loans for housing for which they are woefully financially unprepared.  Not a sound.  Not a whimper.  An Emery Envelope falls open in the hands of a UCLA fan containing $1,000.00.  Supposedly this envelope originated with a UK booster.  UK is put on two years probation.  Almost given the death sentence.  Emery was sued over this and settled out of court.

Now that UK has a Coach that will play the recruiting game within the rules.  He does things that journalists have always found “questionable” but rarely made much noise.  That is the old days.  A Kentucky Coach doing it is news.  Now they will make noise about it.

Jeff Goodman.  He admits that everyone is doing it.  But now that UK is doing it, he’s got himself a story.  That Baylor was doing it or Kansas or Oklahoma State were doing it.  Not big enough.  UK.  That’s a different story,  And one that must be written.

It’s a lack of journalistic integrity. It’s a lack of integrity within the NCAA Rules and Infractions Committee. It’s been there since the beginning.

KENTUCKY COMMIT NO SURPRISE
Oct 13, 2008 | 7:54AM

I have to admit I wasn’t surprised that Daniel Orton, one of the top big men in the country, committed to Kentucky over the weekend while in town for an early Midnight Madness.

Not because Kansas took itself out of the equation when the Jayhawks took a pledge from forward Thomas Robinson.

But because it certainly didn’t hurt that Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie paid Orton’s father, Larry, to speak at camps in Lexington on three separate occasions this past summer.

Let’s be clear. This isn’t against the rules.

It’s just Gillispie being Gillispie.

Remember, he was basically the guy that came under fire for being one of four coaches to hold Midnight Madness a week before the “official” start of practice.

Creative? Absolutely.

On the verge of being unethical?  It depends who you ask.

Larry Orton admitted he was also paid to speak at Kansas and Oklahoma State, but he only picked up one paycheck from each of those schools.

C’mon. He may be articulate, knowledgeable and could even rival Bill Clinton in terms of his ability to captivate a crowd, but that’s not why he was there.

He was there because he is Daniel Orton’s father.

AAU coaches, high school coaches and many others affiliated with top recruits have collected a paycheck for getting up in front of young kids at these summer camps.

Texas Blue Chips director Mitch Malone spoke a couple times at Baylor this past summer. He was involved in Ekpe Udoh’s transfer from Michigan to Baylor and also coaches Quincy Acy – who committed to the Bears and is one of the top players in Texas. There are plenty of others who take advantage.

It’s getting out of hand and isn’t illegal. Not yet.

It’s triggered an NCAA proposal (13.12.2.2.2) in which a school is not able to employ a speaker in its men’s basketball camp or clinic who is involved in coaching prospective student-athletes or is associated with a prospective student-athlete as a result of the prospective student-athlete’s participation in basketball.

I don’t mean to go after Orton here, but this guy isn’t exactly on par with, say, legendary high school coach Bob Hurley.

His background: a couple years of junior college ball, a cup of coffee at Old Dominion capped off at Cameron University in Oklahoma. He’s also an assistant AAU coach on his son’s team.

However, Orton’s resume doesn’t matter. He says he speaks about the recruiting process and “what’s going to happen once the kids get to school” and “to get kids to understand it’s hard work.”

“I’m not trying to get any special privileges or anything like that,” Orton said. “I just think I’ve got something to say. I think I’m a pretty good speaker.”

That’s not why Billy Gillispie has brought him to Lexington on three separate occasions – two with his son.

Orton wouldn’t divulge how much he was paid per appearance, but it’s likely somewhere in the neighborhood of $500-$1,000 a pop plus travel. That’s how much two other high school coaches were compensated to speak at one of the UK camps.

Orton’s other son, Terrence Crawford, who played for current Kentucky assistant Glynn Cyprien at Oklahoma State, also made numerous appearances at the Kentucky camps.

Larry Orton was recently unable to confirm whether schools had offered Crawford a position on their staff.

“I heard Kentucky and Oklahoma State both offered him a job,” Orton said. “I don’t know. Nothing’s done until it’s done. If he gets a job, it’s going to come out, anyway.”

As we know, that isn’t illegal either.

NEW RECRUIT: Hunter McClintock

In UK Basketball on May 22, 2008 at 1:57 pm

Is this kid really as good as this video makes him seem or is it just good editing?

I don’t know.

If he is that good and Billy G can get him on campus, the UK PG worries are at an end.

The Cats take on Marquette today

In UK Basketball on March 20, 2008 at 6:59 am

The Cats make the tournament in 2008 as an 11 seed in the West Region. A 12-4 run in the SEC regular season makes it possible.

First opponent: Marquette. 2:30 EDT in Anahem, California
UK has met Marquette in the NCAAs 9 times. This will be the 10th. Marquette has won the last two meetings with UK in the tournament. The last being the year that Dwayne Wade showcased his NBA Superstar potential and Bogans broke his ankle in the Wisconsin game. I haven’t seen any Marquette games this year. But from all I’ve read, UK is a slight favorite for an upset bid in round 1. If UK loses this game, it will be the first 1st round loss in over 15 years.

From the UK presser today, an interesting tidbit. Perry Stevenson was asked about UK fan expectations. Here’s the quote:

Or as Kentucky forward Perry Stevenson remarked when asked what Wildcats fans expect from their beloved basketball team: “Seven championships in six years.”

Hilarious and a nugget of truth as well.

mbb_110206_stevenson1.jpg

“We became a blue-collar team,” Stevenson said. “We come out and scrap and fight.”

stevenson250.jpgn176700711_30068044_280.jpg

As you can see, Perry Stevenson is UK’s shot blocking phenom. Here’s to him swatting a dozen or so Marquette shots today. His emergence along with Jasper and Ramon Harris are the reasons that UK can still win minus Patrick Patterson. Perry really picked up his play though. A fairly amazing transformation from his Frosh campaign.

Perry has benefited from the loss of Patrick Patterson somewhat. Pat being out has given Perry room to grow and experience this year. I don’t think he would have been forced to grow as much if Pat was still in the game. Next year should see those two wreaking havoc down low and inside/out on teams. With the additions coming in, I think UK will be in fine shape for 2009.

But first this season must be played out:

GO CATS!!! BEAT MARQUETTE!!!

For all of you doubters, I’ll leave you with this:

“He just had so much belief in us,” Bradley said. “It was hard to doubt ourselves.”

Ramel Bradley on Coach Gillispie

I say the Cats advance in a bruiser.  Final Score:  Cats – 56  Golden Eagles – 50