Kentucky Basketball: Romancing the Stone Thursday
by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 9:12 AM EDT
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95 comments
When I got up this morning and read the news, I could only think of Michael Douglas, who played the part of Jack Colton in the 1980's romantic adventure Romancing the Stone when he exclaims after a wild ride down a mudslide, "This has turned out to be one hell of a morning!" The morning is still young, but it already meets the Colton definition.
The biggest news of the morning are the allegations by the NCAA of violations at Memphis in the 2007-2008 basketball season. After the initial shock and awe of finding that many of Calipari's naysayers appeared to have been right all along, we find out that Mitch Barnhart and the Athletics Administration, and presumably Dr. Lee Todd, knew about this allegation when Coach Calipari was being interviewed. Not only that, it seems that Calipari received an all clear from the NCAA as well in this incident. So now that we have at least a few relevant facts (pretty darn few, but a few), what are we to make of all this?
Well, if the allegations turn out to be true, it will be the second time that Calipari has coached at a school that had major NCAA issues, but none of the mud stuck to him. Some, even the thoughtful ones, are going to assure us that is a huge problem, and maybe it is in a strictly public relations sense. People, particularly in America, love to play the, "guilt by association," game -- any "bad thing" taints all those associated with it in a position of responsibility, whether or not they had any actual involvement with said "bad thing." That's a favorite pastime here in the U.S., particularly in sports and politics. That means, Dear Reader, that you as a Kentucky fan are now tainted by your association with John Calipari, who is tainted by the Memphis allegations and the UMass scandal. That's how it goes, so if you are looking for the NCAA's letter clearing Coach Cal to provide absolution from your friendly rivals here in the River City and elsewhere, may I suggest you find yourself a home somewhere in the dimension we like to call, "reality."
Make no mistake, the Memphis problems are a bad thing for Coach Cal and for the sport, if proven true. Academic cheating is a serious offense, and were Memphis forced to surrender its 2007-08 season as punishment, it would hurt the legacy of Calipari in a very direct way. Regardless of Calipari's lack of culpability, having his school or player implicated in cheating is very unfortunate for him and the school. Memphians would blame Calipari regardless of his involvement, just because of the sheer convenience and his proximity to it. Wishy-washy 'Cat fans will join them.
So what to do? Should we wring our hands and bemoan the tragic loss of all the good feelings the mainstream sports media were heaping on UK over the last two months? Should we jump on the anti-Calipari bandwagon that is beginning to ride around the blogosphere and other fan sites?
First off, I think we should wait and see how this plays out. I am confident that UK knew what it was doing in this situation, and that the vetting process will be fully vindicated. I am also quite sure that the NCAA asked UK not to make public this coming inquiry into the situation that happened at Memphis, or we would most certainly have heard this by now.
But assuming that no surprises crawl out of the woodwork implicating Coach Cal, I think we should all reread this sage advice and once again, embrace the hate. "Why," you ask? Because if you are honest with yourself, you know as well as I do that if St. Peter himself came down from Heaven and testified in open court that John Calipari was as blameless as a newborn babe in any and all these allegations, it would not matter one iota to this program's detractors, nor to many who find Calipari's occasional close proximity to NCAA violations troubling. That's the way the game is played, and the only antidote is skin as thick as an M1A1 Abrams' armor. Many of us were glad to have Coach Cal, and we got him, warts, baggage and all.
So embrace that hate, Big Blue Nation, and take pleasure in the loathing. I know I will. It is fun urinating on the schadenfreude of others, and watching them contort themselves into a tizzy to create self-deluded hopes of NCAA sanctions to come. It makes me laugh out loud to see logic tortured to the point of screaming agony. Parsing Coach Cal's occasional cryptic tweets just adds to the aura of suspicion. Have fun with it.
As for the tut-tutting of the mainstream sports media, what the heck is new about that? We had to listen to it during Gillispie's tenure, and we'll have to hear about it during Calipari's. Lighten up and appreciate the irony. My guess is, you'll have plenty of opportunities to gloat in the faces of both rivals and media elites over the next few years, and headlines about UK reaching new heights will no doubt take the sting out of all the hand-wringing and grim pontificating you'll have to put up with over the next few weeks.
Some of you may ask how I can write such a glib piece in the face of such serious allegations, and I will answer that it is easy when you have these things going for you -- First, we are assured by UK Athletics that Calipari is in the clear. That means a lot to me. Second, we have so few facts right now about what the allegations actually are that to reach conclusions about the culpability of the coach, even if we assume that UK Athletics is wrong, is simply absurd on its face. At this moment, there are a lot more questions than answers. I assure you, my tone and content will change dramatically if Coach Calipari is actually implicated in any part of this scandal, but for now, I am taking the position that there is no "there" there when it comes to Calipari's involvement. If that turns out to be wrong, we'll deal with it accordingly. And finally, I refuse to provide fodder for this program's detractors that, at this point, is incredibly premature and likely unnecessary.
When the time comes to take Calipari to task for something, you can bet that we will here at A Sea of Blue -- I think my record on that is pretty clear. Until then, I will laugh at all the uproar. Life's too short to live in a state of fear and paranoia.
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I can see the twitter widget from here......so....
One hell of a morning …… I agree with your twitter, Tru…… :-)
I will have to say your first paragraph almost made me afraid to read on, a bit.. I thought, okay, Jack Cotton probably said that best. I can deal with that. Then you reminded me the morning was still young. Yesterday.. was not exactly a picnic for this KY fan, either….. LOL….
I finished reading this and what do I see? Another post. About another coach. Oh NO…….!!
I knew about all of this last night. Hoping it was some bad dream, and it all was going to be okay in the morning. Just knowing it had to be okay. In my dreams, HA. But I am a Wildcat fan and I will leave all this to those who know what they are talking about, for now. Which thankfully, are few. I am not going to start pushing snowballs over a hill.
No, I refuse. GO KY WILDCATS !! :-)
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 28, 2009 11:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Calipari
I like Cal, I really do, but I have always thought Cal enjoyed living in the “gray” areas of life. This being the second school to be investigated following Cal’s departure is somewhat of an indication of that to me. I dont really see Cal as an intentional rule breaker but more as a “I dont want to know about it” type of guy. A friend of mine actually referred to Cal as “the Tony Soprano” of college basketball – doesnt get his hands dirty. lol. I like it.
It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
by kentuckygirl0724 on May 28, 2009 11:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
In Calipari's defense ...
… it is clear that “gray areas” had nothing at all to do with this, if the NCAA’s clearing of him from this scandal are to be taken at face value.
What we have here is a judgment based on proximity to a problem, also known as, “Where there’s smoke, there must be fire.” Sometimes, there is just smoke.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What about TWO "smokes"?
It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
by kentuckygirl0724 on May 28, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Two smokes is fine, so long as they're filtered. ;)
We're all just a banana peel away from eternity.
ICQ: 591535544
Yahoo IM: jacksbrain
by SD_UK_FAN on May 29, 2009 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOL!
Good one! :)
It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
by kentuckygirl0724 on May 29, 2009 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know man
Seems like a guy who says he wants the best for his players doesn’t really know what his players are doing. Not to mention coach had to know about Rose’s brother being on the plane. This is related to the issue I brought up when we were recruiting Wall despite his arrest. You start bringing in players of this nature and you’re only asking for problems.
I think Barnhardt has once again dropped the ball. If he really did know about this investigation before the hire, then what the heck was he thinking in hiring him? The risk to me is not worth the reward.If it can be proved he knew anything about the SAT part, he should be fired immediately.
by daniel81 on May 29, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
please...
smoke no fire, and if there is something out there to be concerned about we’ll deal with it then!!!
KYCatwoman
by KYCatwoman on May 29, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well if you feel something getting hot
It definitely ain’t Ramon Harris from the three-point line. And by the way, we’re not going to be dealing with anything. But if we did, we should be dealing with an apparent complete lack of brains from our AD.
by daniel81 on May 29, 2009 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Are you ever happy?
I don’t recall seeing you post for the last four weeks as everything has been going swimmingly, and now you come out of the woodwork at the first minor sign of trouble that doesn’t even concern us.
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
by chirop1 on May 30, 2009 9:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Harris
4th leading scorer on 2009 UK team.
Scored more than Darius Miller despite getting less PT than Miller.
Hmm.
by FortyYearCatFan on May 30, 2009 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He does live in the gray area...
and i really have no problem with that as long as he does not cross the line.
also, i agree with Tru, etal that we need to wait till the facts come out.
HOWEVER, i also know that the fan base at memphis and Umass pale in comparison to UK’s fan base so that the room for that gray area, walking the line philosophy to slip to the dark side is and will be ever present – it is a volitale mix.
it is up to responsible journalist (and, yes i know that might be an oxymoron – present company excepted) to make sure that the boundary is not crossed.
to outsiders, we need to embrace the hate and support our team – but behind closed doors, we have to ask the hard questions and make sure that sandy bell etal are on top of the situation……
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on May 28, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agree
I, too, have no issue with “gray” so long (as you said) he knows where the line is and does not cross it and get our program into trouble.
It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
by kentuckygirl0724 on May 28, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Explain how he lives in the gray area.
I just don’t see it. This Memphis thing, as far as we know, has nothing at all to do with any gray area.
I am not necessarily defending Calipari on the way he does business, I’m just trying to get clarification here. The Camby situation had nothing to do with a gray area. As far as I can tell, neither does the Memphis thing. It is black and white that taking money from street agents or cheating on an SAT are NCAA violations, neither of which involved Calipari in the least. So where is this gray? And if he is working in the gray area, he is doing it so well that all the charged are black and white?
I’m sorry, I need some help with the semantics here.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
gray area --
maybe the better way to say it is he goes right up to the line without crossing it. the point is that doing so leaves you no margin for error – and with our enthusiastic fan base, that is living dangerously
take the family member/associate/ whatever flying on the plane – it is not wrong, but you had better make sure that ALL expensese for EVERY trip are reimbursed. the ncaa is looking for any excuse – does it mean you ban all associates from the plane? not necessarily but doing so might make compliance easier
dealing with world wide wes/aau coaches/etal – again, nothing wrong but if someone sees his meal ticket in danger of not getting into school, who knows, they might “help” them with the SAT – do you stop recruiting such kids? NO – but you better have both eyes wide open and you might pass from time to time on a kid or you might make absolutely sure that grades are all in place properly
all i am saying is that if you give me a set of rules, i will follow them and use them to my advantage to win – just like Cal does. however, when you follow them to the letter and leave yourself no room for error, you may have to pay the price. to me, its easier to give yourself some wiggle room -
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on May 29, 2009 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
All this stuff ...
… is clearly “white,” not gray. What you are essentially saying is that all these things are fine if you strictly follow the procedures, but that is absolutely true of everything, including when you contact recruits, how many hours you can practice, blah, blah, blah. Those may seem mundane when compared to making sure WWW is not promising money to players in some kind of quid quo pro, but all are equally legal, or illegal if you don’t follow proper procedure.
What I would consider a “gray area” is something like some of the things Gillispie pulled – something strictly in compliance with the rules, but otherwise of questionable ethics. Calipari didn’t move Midnight Madness to use it as a recruiting tool – that’s what I would call a “gray area.”
So I ask once again – what gray area is Calipari playing in?
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Seriously???
you are saying moving midnight madness is worse than dealing with WWW?? moving midnight madness was within the rules, a one time thing and no one on the fringes of the program had any opportunity to step over the line – you CANNOT say that about dealing with WWW.
I will concede that i believe Cal is in the white area – my point is that he is right up against the line and the boosters are right there with him. There is no room for error….
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on May 31, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Duke, UNC, Kansas, UCLA, UConn All Stand Right NEXT To The Line
The very best programs push it right to the limits.
by FortyYearCatFan on May 31, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
actually, Uconn goes over the line
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
by vinceuk1 on May 31, 2009 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
fair enough
and we are clearly there now. in fact, that is what it will take to put us at the top.
just saying that our boosters are more “zealous” than those of the programs you list (in my opinion) and we need to be on top of it.
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on May 31, 2009 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This too shall pass.....
and John Wall gets community service and his record expunged….if anyone didnt get that in the midst of all of this nonsense….lol
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on May 28, 2009 11:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Nonsense is right.....
The NCAA loves to punish institutions of higher learning every chance they have. They also are not shy using the “Nuclear Option” (remember SMU football?)….
If Coach is dirty, was dirty, continues to be dirty, they would/will hang him from the highest NCAA tree. If there is anything to this…..they would have told UK waaaaaay before the hiring of the greatest coach of all time!
Yes….I’m a homer but also a realist.
by Jay Shidler on May 28, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Loyal Big Blue Brother's and Sister's
I have been on this earth over 70 years. In that time I have seen or heard it all! We will hear things that are not true! We will hear others that we we wish were not true. The big business of sport will always have people who think they can do it better than the rules provide. IMO we are clear and we only have the “pundits” thoughts to put aside as they appear. It will take some of the luster off our newfound happiness. We will survive
because “We are the Big Blue Nation”
Happy Days are here again The sky is all ways BLUE again Happy days are here again !
by oldcat70 on May 28, 2009 11:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree oldcat70 and
if all would only listen to our “wiser” folk, we would undoubtedly learn a thing or two, at least. We are the BBN and no one can ever take that from us. We survive, without a doubt.
:-)
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 28, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I forgot to mention
Good article Tru. You seem to find just the right words for any occasion. I bet you could preach a good funeral!
Happy Days are here again The sky is all ways BLUE again Happy days are here again !
by oldcat70 on May 28, 2009 11:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Heh.
God willing, I will never ever have to farewell the dead. That’s a job for wiser and more pious men and women than me. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 7:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Blaming the Blameless
I am certain that Calipari and Kentucky will be blamed for any NCAA violations that occurred at Memphis, especially if Calipari were not involved and most especially if the University of Kentucky had no relationship to Calipari at the time of any violations. But blog assertions savaging an opponent contrary to fact are the very lifeblood of message boards.
I’ll give you a specific example from my school, UNC.
While he was at Kansas, some fans of the basketball team asked Roy Williams if small gifts of insignificant monetary value could be given to players post graduation as a token of appreciation. Williams requested that the Kansas NCAA compliance office either bless or forbid the gifts. The compliance office said the plan was OK, the gifts were given, but then found to be a minor violation of NCAA rules. Now Williams is identified from time to time both as a cheater and as a hypocrite by misguided fans of various lesser (that is, all other) schools.
Sorry Kentucky, you are in the soup with this one. And Calipari will need that thick skin he is said to posses.
by Ford Prefect on May 28, 2009 12:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Heh.
We are used to being in the soup. And we can handle it.
Bring. It. On. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
In hiring
Cal, we no longer can look at the gray areas as long as they don’t get us in trouble(meaning him cheating). We sold our souls to the devil in hiring him. This is what concerned me before he was even hired. But I jumped on the bandwagon too and ready to ride it till it bucks. I am just saying the time for Kentucky to call itself better then the rest ethics wise is gone. Long gone. It started with firing BG,, then pulling schollys and now this. We will get what we want in wins but we lost our souls in the process
Kentucky bretheren united once again! Thanks Cal!
by tenken on May 28, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
tenken
I lived through the point shaving,the letter with cash popping open! This is NOTHING! Chin up. It will all blow over. This story has the shelf life of 3-4 weeks tops.
Happy Days are here again The sky is all ways BLUE again Happy days are here again !
by oldcat70 on May 28, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ahhhhh yes......the cash.
We did survive Sutton and it was much worse than this. Think back…..pretty ugly back then! We have the Coach we need. There is nothing is Cal’s past/present/future that in any way says he will condone wrong doing. Gray smay…. this is b.s.
by Jay Shidler on May 28, 2009 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tarnished
the only bad thing is whenever he does something good there will always be the question of if it was clean or not, kinda like a baseball player who has been proven of using steroids, you never overcome it.
by PS3theFuture on May 28, 2009 12:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Heh.
Embrace the hate.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Todd says he knew, was sure he was clean
http://www.kentucky.com/881/story/810910.html
FWIW
If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
by btcoop71 on May 28, 2009 1:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Kentucky's new motto and cheer?
Should we all start a new “BLUE! GRAY!” cheer this season?
I appreciate the article, Tru. But, putting all of this aside, I think this boils down to the fundamentals of what it takes to win on a high level. What does it ultimately cost for a banner to be hung? I have always considered myself a level-headed Wildcat fan and I understand that nothing has been brought forward from our coach, but how can anyone be so naive to think that Cal had no idea his STAR player had committed these allegations?
Again, I am not going to go too far, because the other side of the story has not been brought to light, but it is fishy, nonetheless. Shame on Memphis for doing this, but shame on Cal for not knowing about this in the first place. I love the tweets, the t-shirts, the talk, the praise, the star recruits, the pre-season rankings, the title runs, but Coach Cal should understand that it is his job above all else to KNOW what is going on with his team. If, in the end, it comes down to UK getting stripped of NCAA banners then what does all of the other stuff matter?
I will support the Coach, but Sandy Bell just got a whole lot more important in Lexington.
“Embrace the hate…Fear the future?”
by kyeric on May 28, 2009 1:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
relax kyeric
if there is one thinig I feel good about it is Sandy Bell…..and there is NO WAY that UK hires this guy without checking out what the NCAA was going to do…..if they thought there would be anything to it, they would have never made this guy the highest paid coach in the land….they could not afford to look like idiots twice
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on May 28, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sour Grapes
http://new.kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=20505
If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
by btcoop71 on May 28, 2009 1:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Now that part REALLY made me think
Why would Saul start something that he will be villified over in his career? It almost smacked of resentment over something he was not willing to talk about. Businessmen??…why not just say what you mean Saul?….he meant the boosters….and he was not in any way the least bit understanding in the way he said it. He is entitled to his opinion, but I think he shot himself in the foot if he ever hopes to coach big-time college basketball.
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on May 28, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
and I really like the Bacardi rum logo in the background of the picture used by KSR
by hoboat33 on May 28, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
it says Saul has deleted it
from his facebook now. Surprise…..Once on there, always on there in the technological world we are living in, Saul. Oh my, that was not smart. IMO :-)
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 28, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOL!! LOL!!
Saul Smith. LOL!
It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
by kentuckygirl0724 on May 28, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dear Saul ...
… grow up.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The SAT thing is B-A-D
Lets not put on our rose colored glasses and lose all objectivity. Anyone recall Eric Manuel????
The free plane rides is a bit more stupid in nature and easier to clean up.
Most shocking however is ALL the charges against the girl’s golf team.
People REALLY need to read the NCAA’s letter for themselves.
by Dini-D-Alum on May 28, 2009 1:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The SAT thing ...
… is bad for sure. Just not sure why we should care.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Eric Manual...for one.
Mr. Manuel, who sat out last season because of questions about his eligibility, ‘’committed academic fraud by cheating’’ on a college-entrance exam, the N.C.A.A. said. It added that Kentucky should have known he was ineligible for the 1987-88 season.
I take it that included Sutton.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 28, 2009 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Any Relation To Eric Manuel?
Manuel was UK player back in late 1980’s.
by FortyYearCatFan on May 28, 2009 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dude
If you are wishing to criticize a poster for spelling, use complete sentences.
Also, the original post to which the other was replying spelled Eric’s name correctly.
by Dini-D-Alum on May 29, 2009 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There is much more to the Manuel story ...
… than the NY Times article provides. The NCAA behaved very unethically in Manuel’s case, and decided, essentially, to take it out on Kentucky. Since UK was going down for clear violations in the case of Chris Mills, it was almost irrelevant, and there is sufficient circumstantial evidence to believe that Maunuel did indeed cheat, although the evidence was far from the “reasonable doubt” standard.
The big problem with the Manuel case was the proximity of UK to the violations. Manuel took the test in question in Lexington very close to UK, and that proximity was a problem for the NCAA, and I can see why. Should UK have known? Maybe, and I think that the proximity problem made that far more likely. The NCAA was also frustrated that they could never prove Manuel was guilty, so they chucked the works at him and at UK in an apparent act of retribution that has not been repeated since.
But the facts of the two cases are significantly different. If the player in question is in fact Derrick Rose, he took his test in Chicago, far from Memphis, and the allegation is that another player took the test for whoever the player accused of cheating is, and my supposition is that nobody either directly or indirectly representing Memphis’ interest was anywhere near that test. The rest, I suppose, we’ll have to learn later, but note that the NCAA has not charged Memphis (yet) with a failure to monitor in that instance, which is what the “should have known” claim means (at minimum). The more serious “lack of institutional control” has also not been alleged, at least yet. Based on what I know now, they are not likely to be charged.
Should either of these two claims emerge in the case of the alleged academic fraud, Calipari may be in trouble, if not at Memphis then certainly at UK. We’ll have to see about that, but for now, it doesn’t look like either one is likely. If Memphis followed its compliance program and can document that, they will likely be able to avoid sanctions. The NCAA may force them to vacate their wins, which sucks for them and Calipari, but that has become the trend whenever an ineligible player manages to find a way to participate, especially when academic fraud is the cause of the ineligibility, and rightly so.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 7:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yea, I think we agree.
First, I ain’t no lawyer (and I find myself writing that with a sense of pride & relief)…
But why would the NCAA bring up the issue regarding the SAT score if it didn’t have concern with ‘institutional control and/or knowledge’? Geographical distance is barely significant, by the way. It’s not like they don’t know they can keep it at the student-athlete level and take away Rose’s scholarship. Given that I think the likely outcome will be (if he did cheat) that Memphis will be held accountable to some degree. To me the question will be whether or not Calipari was involved.
Just as interesting to me is what seems to be contrary reports on who had access to the charter plane. I find this incredible, but maybe it is more common than I suspect. Giving access to alums, hanger ons, family, etc is a recipe for problems. To me, you can’t allow this type of access period. I wonder if this will continue at UK? I hope to heck this isn’t a practice at my alma mater.
Finally, circling back to this Derrick Rose issue. I can’t recall how committed he was to Memphis at the time he possibly cheated on his test. If he had committed to Memphis before qualifying…that would be concerning.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 29, 2009 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
When he committed is not concerning in the least.
Before any player can suit up for a university, the NCAA has to clear them to play. The NCAA clearinghouse cleared Rose to play and Memphis is allowed to depend upon that statement of “all clear” by the NCAA. There is nothing, and the NCAA has not made an accusation saying there is, that indicates the university had anything to do with or even knew of the “possible” cheating. Memphis will not get hurt by that.
The true NCAA allegations that are supposed to be serious for the university involve women’s golf. Unless he is more talented than I had been led to believe, Calipari did not coach that sport.
by wklawdog on May 29, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm getting the impression that this whole thing was blown out of proportion
Like you said, the NCAA cleared him to play. How is that Cal’s or Memphis’ fault?
If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
by btcoop71 on May 29, 2009 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
good question, coop..
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 29, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You missed my point. Let me try again.
Let’s say he was being recruited by 3-4 schools and hadn’t yet qualified. He then accepts an offer from Memphis and viola!…he takes the test and passes. To me that would at least raise a higher concern that Memphis could have been involved. It doesn’t automatically make Memphis guilty, but if I were an investigator, it would give me a reason to look a little deeper and harder.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 29, 2009 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They would be concerned ...
… about Memphis’ monitoring of the situation, which is the reason for the inquiry. They are asking Memphis to show that a) their compliance procedures are effective, and b) that they followed them for this so-far unnamed player, and c) that the University is completely supportive of the compliance efforts and that no potential warning signs were ignored.
Quite frankly, I expect Memphis to be able to defend all the above. The fact that the NCAA has not implicated Calipari indicates that they have no evidence that he either knew of or reasonably should have known about he violation, otherwise he would be on the hook as well.
As far as the airplane access problem goes, Memphis will most likely be able to prove this was an oversight, and issue corrective actions on how that is administered.
It appears that Rose took the SAT a couple of times, and qualified with about a 700. I’m not sure whether his qualfiying score occurred before or after he committed to Memphis in November of 2006.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And none of this changes my support for John or my alma mater. Never has, never will.
by Dini-D-Alum on May 28, 2009 1:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Pat Forde thinks we have tinted glasses
We are accused of being KY fans….Imagine that.
Not an extreme put down as of now..
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 28, 2009 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
S I. com
thinks that Coach Cal will feel the most fallout over this even though he is not named in any wrongdoings.
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 28, 2009 3:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I really ...
… don’t blame anyone for concluding that Calipari could not have been ignorant of both situations. That doesn’t make it so, but healthy skepticism is certainly not a bad thing. But if Calipari did know and did nothing, that should be an NCAA violation — he has a duty to report such behavior, and deliberately ignoring it or hiding it is clearly against the rules. The NCAA has apparently concluded, in both cases, that Calipari was unaware. I would ask Winn, what are the odds of that, with the NCAA being inherently suspicious of coaches in such situations?
So Luke Winn, despite the reasonableness of his suspicion, is either a) factually wrong or b) right, and Calipari is too clever to be implicated. Calipari is smart, but I don’t think he is that smart. Occam’s Razor suggests that when competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, the simplest one is correct. The simplest one is that Calipari did not know in either case, as implausible as that may seem to Winn. We know that keeping secrets is not something that human beings do well.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
mitch fumbles (again)
The press releases and statements from UK all point to the potentates being fully aware of this investigation prior to Cal being hired. The silence on their part prior to the news leak can only be attributed to one of three possibilities. First a possible request from (or favor to) MSU’s to not go public, a request by the NCAA not to go public or an independent decision not to go public.
If the first possibility is the reason then it was a pitiful decision. Those in charge have an obligation to conduct themselves and make decisions to keep UK in the best light possible. There is no reason to sacrifice our name to the benefit of another institution. Despite the facts, It should be obvious to a 10 year old that this story would ultimately effect Coach Cal’s reputation and, by association, ours.
If an NCAA request is the reason nothing was mentioned by UK prior to the news, so be it. In this case the fault lies with the weak press releases and comments. mitch and company knew this would eventually get out, they should have been much better prepared (polished releases, statements at a press conference, copies of NCAA documents, etc.). He was obviously never a Boy Scout. When the NCAA makes a request to withhold news, shouldn’t we be able to get them to furnish a more comprehensive absolution of Coach Cal and, by extention, UK.
If there was no restriction on letting the information out then head(s) should roll. Everyone knows you take a proactive approach in these situations. Not doing so represents gross negligence. I’ll leave it at that before my head explodes.
by hoboat33 on May 28, 2009 5:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
My suspicion ...
… is that the NCAA, Memphis, or both requested that UK not reveal the information. I could be wrong, of course, but I am quite certain in my own mind that UK would not have made this decision if they had it to make.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tru...I think that is a reach.
I can’t imagine that the NCAA could or would dictate a code of silence. How can you keep this information from recruits? Wall signs totally ignorant of the situation and then ~10 days later it comes out in the press??? That just doesn’t pass the smell test. If Todd was informed of the situation in order to be fully apprised before an offer was made, why wasn’t this same fairness applied to 18 yr old kids? I don’t get it.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 28, 2009 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well ...
… whether it is a reach or not, that is essentially what Dr. Todd alluded to in recent remarks.
The NCAA would always prefer that investigations not be revealed until they are ready to do so. That is the nature of all investigations. You should surely know that. In fact, it is likely that the NCAA would not have acknowledged the existence of the investigation even if UK had revealed it. That’s not a code of silence, it is typical of enforcement agencies conducting ongoing investigations.
As far as what Wall or the other recruits were told, all I can ask is this question: If the coach has been cleared of wrongdoing, how exactly is this relevant to them? It can only be prejudicial to Calipari, and if he has no culpability, that isn’t fair to him. By the way, any of these recruits, citing this as cause, could obtain immediate release from UK and matriculate elsewhere. And to be sure, we do not know for a fact that they were not told — not that I think they should have been.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 8:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well...
I don’t think anyone has been ‘cleared’ at this point of the investigation. There are allegations and it is possible that more issues may be uncovered. Right? I mean the entire issue has not been resolved and therefore, nobody has been cleared…completely.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 29, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well ...
… The NCAA has reportedly said that Calipari is off the hook. If you don’t think that means he is cleared, I guess that’s up to you.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So I guess your saying that during the upcoming inquirey that if they do uncover something on Calipari, he's off the hook regardless?!?
Don’t think so.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 29, 2009 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No ...
… not at all.
The investigation has been completed by the NCAA. Memphis has to make its report about the alleged violations, but since they will be responding to an inquiry that didn’t include Coach Calipari, it stands to reason that nothing is likely to pop up.
The NCAA has done its investigation. Memphis must now respond, which the will do in about a week. But if something were to somehow come up incriminating Calipari, I expect that would be a turn for the worse for him, and us.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 8:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep.
Just to clarify my point, I agree that the possiblity of Calipari being ‘pulled back in’ is less than him remaining ‘clean’ through this process…for sure. But it’s not a guarantee.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 29, 2009 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good interview with Jeff Caulkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal on the whole situation:
Here’s a link to an interview Dan Patrick did with Jeff Caulkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. It covers everything well, and Jeff does a great job explaining all aspects of the story and making sure that Patrick understood that Calipari wasn’t being accused of anything.
It’s a really fair interview covering the response in Memphis and Kentucky, and at the end Caulkins basically says, “Oh, well there’s not really much of a story here” and Patrick is just like, “Oh, okay”, haha.
It starts at the 25 minute mark, roughly in the middle of the segment. Here’s the link
by BBallSophist on May 28, 2009 7:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Espn newswire has this statement from the NCAA
An NCAA spokesman released a statement Thursday disputing Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart’s assertion that the school had “checked records and facts” concerning Calipari before he was hired.
“Contrary to what may be portrayed in statements in the media from others, NCAA vice president of enforcement David Price followed standard procedures when Kentucky officials requested information regarding any potential violations regarding John Calipari,” the statement said. “Price did not discuss any investigations, but instead urged the university to follow up with Coach Calipari directly.”
This could be a standard no comment letter with names filled in? The whole article is Here.
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 28, 2009 7:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Coach Cal
I would think once a coach was around a problem,like JC at UMass,even though it was found he had nothing to do with it,the NCAA would watch very closely at his actions. And I would think they would look even more closely if that coach is recruiting one great class after another,like JC has done. And I would imagine any coach at UK,given UK’s history of violations,probation’s and scandals over the years,would get even more scrutiny. Yeah I was kind of leery of JC in the beginning but if the NCAA has said there is no wrong doing,then that is good enough to me. But,I do remember saying after JC was hired that UK would either win a national title or be on probation in 2 or 3 years. Of course I said that with tongue firmly in cheek.
by maysvilleblue on May 28, 2009 8:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Heh.
Well, you never know about these things. UK should closely monitor NCAA compliance no matter who the coach is. It should exhaust all efforts, with the cooperation of the coach, to ensure that everything UK does is above board.
At this point, it looks to me that is exactly what is going on. UK was comfortable enough with the situation to hire him. We’ll have to wait and see if that decision was justified, but so far, nothing that has surfaced yet in the Memphis affair gives me great concern, although I would definitely prefer that it hadn’t happened.
And I would point out, as others have, that despite his troubles at UK, Eddie Sutton went on to become a great coach, which tells you more about his character, in the end, than was ever revealed in 1988.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 8:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
AP reports: Saul Smith is a Douchebag
Saul Smith
University of Kentucky Alumni and former basketball player
Played from 1997 through 2001 completing a lackluster career as a student athlete. His playing for the much heralded Wildcats, as widely accepted around the state of Kentucky, is due to nepotism and pity from his father, then University of Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith. Other than continued nepotism that has landed him an assistant coaching job for the University of Minnesota Badgers along with his brief stint as University of Kentucky Men’s basketball special assistant under Tubby, Saul has little, if any claims to fame. One would wonder then if this is, in part, the impetus for running his pie-hole about then Memphis coach, current UK coach John Calipari indirectly associated with NCAA Rules Violations at the University of Memphis. For his efforts, Saul has been awarded the NCAA ‘Douchebag of the Year’ award for incredible crimes of douchebaggery and total lack of class.
Saul’s comments on the investigation:
“Bad bad day for my alma mater," Smith wrote on Thursday. "The UK athletic program will never regain its true champion nature with Businessmen running it. Never, no matter how many so called blue chip players you bring in. You can’t sacrifice your integrity for success. You just can’t do it. I’m an alum and I deserve a clean-ran program, plain and simple. Period, and if anyone disagrees, you, my friend, shouldn’t support the program I played 4."
When contacted for a followup to his initial thoughts, no official statement was released. However,it is rumored by a source within the Smith camp that Saul was overheard asking “I fail at life … don’t I daddy?” The source went on to suggest that his most recent lapse in judgement is due, perhaps in large part, to a need for a crash helmet from age four on.
When contacted about Saul having either a putty-like skull or potential brain injuries sustained in his youth, again, no official statement was released. It was suggested however, by childhood friend Roscoe Jenkins that Saul’s current haircut of a receding mock-fro, is rather a high tech, interwoven fiber optic mesh, crash helmet created by NASA. Nasa could not be reached for confirmation by time of this report’s publication.
Former recipiants of the "Douchebag of the Year’ award include:
Former UK Basketball Coach Billie Gilespie
Former NBA Great Charles Barkley
Former NFL Legend Joe Namath
Political Pundit Bill O’Riley
Former Vice President and Dictator in Training Dick Cheney
The ‘Douchebag of the Year’ award was a preliminary award given to recipients that qualified for the greater, more coveted ‘I Universally Fail at Life’ trophy till 2004. The award has since been retired however as the last winners, Timkins “Lucky” Jackson of Topaloo (Two-pa-low), Mississippi – alligator wrestler and stump tossing champion, and former President of the United States George Walker Bush, could not agree on who failed worse. The panel of seventeen judges giving the award agreed that both finalists failed at life pretty damn hard. Thus the award was retired.
Timkins “Lucky” Jackson stated about his path to infamy while preparing for the Stump Tossing record “Well sir, I lost both arms, legs, and half my lower tract to them damn swamp dwellers but its like this. If’n I wasn’t rasslin them gators, or going for this whole stump tossing competition, I wouldn’t have a reason to get out of bed in the morning no how!”
Former President of the United States, George Walker Bush, could not be reached for comment nor could Saul Smith in making a challenge for this title if and when it is brought out of moth balls leaving one to speculate that it would be a fierce competition indeed.
by Kentucky Fried Comedy on May 29, 2009 6:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Please avoid political commentary of any sort on this blog.
Read our community guidelines for details.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 8:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
My bad.
message heard.
Nipple fluffing is not just a job, its an adventure!
by Kentucky Fried Comedian on May 29, 2009 8:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
No problem.
Thanks for understanding.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 8:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So how do you cheat on an SAT anyways?!!?
I took the ACT longer ago than I care to admit, but even then we had to have photo ID and another form of ID for the proctor to check.
I guess I just don’t see how you can get away with the old “switcheroo” on a test like that outside of gross incompetence by the hired proctoring staff.
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
by chirop1 on May 29, 2009 10:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It started to look suspicious to the NCAA
When Derrick Rose showed up to take the SAT as a 5’-4" Asian wearing an oversized t-shirt that read
“Hell yes, I am Derrick Rose.”
by kyeric on May 29, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Athletes get to cheat
on anything. I think the day has arrived when it’s time to separate college sports in the big conferences from the actual colleges. Just start paying them and make it semi-pro or something, basically is already.
by daniel81 on May 29, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The allegation is ...
… that somebody who was not the player in question (Rose?) took the SAT for him, and fraudulently misrepresented himself as the player in question with the knowledge and approval of the player in question.
Clear as mud? :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I understand the allegation
I just don’t know how it happens.
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
by chirop1 on May 29, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Although...
Plenty of kids use fake ID’s to buy booze…
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
by chirop1 on May 29, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Alcohol
Buying booze from a convenient store clerk isnt quite the same as faking your identity to the proctor of the SAT.
DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!
by davw83 on May 29, 2009 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've got a good fake ID story
Wehn I was a UK, this guy tried to give me an ID that he found for me to use as a fake. Guy on the ID looked nothing like me and was in his 40s. So the same guy who tried to give it to me ended up getting pulled over one night. His friends rat him out that he used a fake to buy them all beer. Cop tells him “Just give me the fake, and I”ll let you go" since he wasn’t driving. So he gives the cop the ID he was going to give to me.
Best part: The guy is 6’9" and the guy on the ID was 5’8", cop said ok and let him go.
If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
by btcoop71 on May 29, 2009 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah.
It does seem hard.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 29, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Logistics
When you start to think about the logistics to how Rose and Company got to pull this off, it is pretty amazing.
I think many of us had to take standardized tests, and some still do (I am sitting for my Architecture Registration and they require picture IDs, take a new pic of you while you check in and video record you taking the test..), it just baffles me to think that someone as young as Rose could plan and almost pull off a cheat as good as this.
He had to get someone to not only resemble him in height, but possibly a fake ID with a new photo and then have that guy not score TOO highly as to raise suspicion. Unbelievable!
I enjoy a good conspiracy theory and really would love to know the truth to all of these matters to actually know all parties involved. I know that will never come out…but, I also know it just wasn’t Derrick Rose and his buddy.
by kyeric on May 29, 2009 12:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Funny...
Is that clipped from the movie somehow? Because I just noticed that the signature says “McLoving.” ROFL
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
by chirop1 on May 29, 2009 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
good eye there, chirop
I have studied it closely and didn’t spot it. I knew there had to be something there. I guess it was so clear, as they say, If it were a snake, it would have bitten me.. lol…Thanks for the help..
:-)
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 29, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is crude photoshopping
But, thanks. A designer has to have fun during the day somehow.
by kyeric on May 29, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I HATE PAT FORDE
yes ive been in espn’s mbb section and notice a colum called see no evil hear no evil and to make a long story short its pat forde bashing the uk fan base(again) i really wish espn would get someone else beside a bias, wife cheating,up rick pitino’s butt,no talent loser who has nothing better to do then bash uk any time he gets the chance,,, i love how he makes pitino out to be so great, even after this latest pitino shrade but things that have nothing to do with calipari’s coaching abilites or character he is on it like white on rice…..PAT FORDE PLEASE GET A CLUE, we all knew he was anti-uk but i always suspected espn to be, i guess now its confirmed
by Coach cal on May 30, 2009 5:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Heh.
Do what I do. Embrace the hate. ;-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 30, 2009 8:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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