NCAA Rules: Media Trashes Rulebook To Rush To Defense Of Krzyzewski

It could happen, but I have a feeling Coach K is going to be treated fairly by the COI. The media, well, that’s another story.

@DanWolken had a good point when he said that’s how the whole thing started – media members tripping all over each other to defend Krzyzewski on Twitter. That’s where I saw John Infante tweet out the COI interpretation sent to Morehead on the 22nd of April. :-)

… We’ll see. I have a feeling the NCAA will be fair about this. The media won’t, but then again, what’s new about that?

I hope you are enjoying your summer as well.

… The NCAA had a plausible “out” on the Maggette affair, as I have discussed. No matter what we may think, the NCAA had discretion in that matter.

In the instant case, it theoretically has no discretion. This is a “strict liability” offense, so if it happened, they must punish him according to the 4-1 formula. There is virtually no doubt it was a rules violation by their own very recent interpretation of that selfsame rule.

That means that about the only thing they can do other than to punish Krzyzewski is for the COI to repudiate their own April 22nd interpretation of the rule. That’s the only “out” they have, and I expect they will decline to take it, since finding Coach K guilty is really not going to hurt him or Duke much at all. Wounded pride, really.

I actually do not believe Krzyzewski intended to break the rule, or was trying to get an unfair advantage. But intent is explicitly irrelevant in prohibited contacts cases in July. Like Kentucky, and North Carolina, Duke does not need an advantage, so it’s impossible to see the logic in Krzyzewski deliberately breaking the rule.

If this were Calipari, I’d be all for finding him guilty and docking him some contacts. But I wouldn’t be particularly concerned, just a little annoyed at the outpouring of “very troublings” from the media that would no doubt follow.

Will he get gigged with a major violation or suspended? I don’t think so, and I hope not. The penalty for these types of contract infractions is generally loss of a permissible recruiting contact or two. In July, the penalties are enhanced 4 for 1.

The ideal outcome is he should be charged with two impermissible contact infractions, and lose eight recruiting contacts for next year. I could live with four, because my interpretation of two contacts is subject to debate, although I’m sure I’m right about that.

… I’m sure you’re right about the sportswriters coming down on Coach K’s side, and honestly, I can live with that. But that doesn’t mean I have to shut up about it. :-)

… just put up a fan post, or read one of the multiple items below.

this is not just about Duke. It is about the NCAA and their inconsistent handling of enforcement of their own rules. They have stated that no case sets precedent because each is considered on its own merit and circumstances. Talk about leaving the door open for favoritism and behind the scenes wheeling and dealing. This becomes a bigger story because Duke is the sacred cow. We are interested because we feel that the NCAA is lying in ambush, just waiting to pounce on UK and Coach Cal. So, this is really quite an interesting situation and it will be very interesting to see how it turns out.