College Hoops Thread '09-'10

[The Poet]

We shift, quite drastically, our attention now to Storrs, where is appears as though the $#!+ has hit the fan . . . and some would say, about damn time:

The University of Connecticut has received notice from the NCAA which alleges 8 major violations, going well beyond the previously known one of numerous illegal calls and messages during the recruitment of former player Nate Miles (who was expelled from UConn before he played a single game). These other charges include improper benefits given to recruits, improper distribution of tickets to high-school coaches, and "a failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance" on the part of Jim Calhoun. Another serious allegation is that assistants Beau Archibald and Patrick Sellers "provided false and misleading information to NCAA investigators". Both men have resigned within the last week . . . one step ahead of the sheriff, so it appears. :r

A hearing, at which the University can defend itself, is scheduled for October 15th. If found guilty of these charges, they could face loss of scholarships and restrictions on recruiting, but punishment may not extend to a ban from postseason play nor the forfeiture of games, as no competitive advantage seems to have been gained . . . at least for THESE charges lodged to date.

The school just recently signed a 5-year extension to Calhoun's contract, yet Connecticut may be forced to Cut-Its-Connection to the man who took the program from obscurity to national prominence . . . and perhaps we know how now. There are definitely some blue Huskies in Storrs today. Well, you know what they say - U can Conn some of the people for a time, but it always bites you in the end. :D

[The Poet]

Well, I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.

A "shocker" in the New York Time last night, stating that the NCAA is investigating former Kentucky guard Eric Bledsoe for serious violations regarding both his academic history and recruitment. This includes his improbably drastic improvement as a student after his transfer to A.H. Parker High School for his senior season, a jump which enabled him to meet the minimum standards for receiving a scholarship to Kentucky. Further, it is alleged that his high school coach, Maurice Ford, paid "at least" three months rent on his mother's house during that time, and an anonymous college coach reported that Ford asked him for money to recruit Bledsoe. All three of these charges are extremely serious, and if they are proven will result in much more dire consequences for Kentucky than would those pending against UConn, and are much more embarassing for the university than is the ticket scandal at Kansas . . . or at least it WOULD be embarrassing, were it not for the fact that Wildcats don't seem to give a damn how they win, as long as they do so. :r

The NCAA does not comment on ongoing investigations, and neither Bledsoe nor Calipari were "available to comment" . . . maybe because their lawyers have taken a long weekend. :D

Back when Calipari first took the job at Lexington, I took flak from some because I predicted it would be a toss-up what he did first . . . win Kentucky another national championship or land the school back on probation. I think the odds have shifted now. ;)

[The Poet]

Bump, because I'm a "hater". :r

[jcruse64]

Bump, because I'm a "hater". :r

Hater ;)

There had also been a rumor going round since mid season that Wall and Cousins were both "given" some land when they came to UK. Don't know what this would entail, and the rumor never surfaced nationally...yet.

[The Poet]

Hater ;)

There had also been a rumor going round since mid season that Wall and Cousins were both "given" some land when they came to UK. Don't know what this would entail, and the rumor never surfaced nationally...yet.

Hmmmmmmmm. Velly interesting. Curious if there's any truth to it.


Of course, the NCAA may decide that land in Kentucky ain't worth that much anyway, so what's the harm? :r

[The Poet]

UK spokesman DeWayne Peevy (yeah, of course he'd be named something like that, Joe Bob Jr.) has e-mailed a statement to the effect that Eric Bledsoe was cleared academically by the NCAA to be eligible for a scholarship at Kentucky - which is true. The NCAA did review his transcripts, and their clearinghouse did rubber-stamp them.

The statement does not address the issue of whether or not those transcripts were valid, but merely is an attempt by Kentucky to say that the NCAA is culpable, not them. I cannot say their point is totally bogus. I CAN say that it is an excuse, not a reason, and one that will be ineffective if the NCAA's investigation yields rotten fruit. Hey, right or wrong, the Committee is not about to sanction themselves - just like Kentucky is not about to stand up and say they made a mistake.

As for the charges regarding the payment of money to Bledsoe's mother or his high-school coach, there is no report of any refutement out of Lexington.

[The Poet]

This just in, from Chapel Hill:

High school junior forward James McAdoo (man, that last name sounds familiar) is considering attending summer sessions over the next few months in an attempt to graduate early and begin his career at Carolina a year early. The early entrance of a recruit is not unknown (Duke had one last year, for instance) but this would be the first for UNC . . . much like Bob McAdoo was the first JUCO transfer for Dean Smith 'way back when I was a student myself. And speaking of transfers, college junior forward Justin Knox is transferring from Alabama to Chapel Hill for his senior season.

Bottom line, for those of you who were earlier despairing - or rejoicing - at Carolina's lack of depth down low for the 2010-11 campaign when the Wear twins decided to move back home to California . . . well, perhaps you were a tad premature. ;)

[The Poet]

Two reports from the Pac-10 and Big Ten, regarding the potential destruction of the Big 12, which are somewhat conflicting:

The Pac-10 meets this weekend in San Francisco, and will reportedly discuss inviting 6 of the Big 12 teams to join them in a huge expansion of their league. The teams are allegedly Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Colorado . . . none of which will ever be "Pacific Coast" schools, even after The Big One eventually strikes.

Ohio State president Gordon Gee has advised Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany by e-mail that he has spoken with University of Texas president Bill Powers about leaving the Big 12 to enter the Big Ten conference.

So, the Big 12 may be gutted by the Pac-10, the Big East by the Big Ten, and Texas may be in two . . . or would that be three? . . . different conferencs next season. Well, we've always heard they do things big in Texas. :r

[The Poet]

There is only one story that bears reporting today, as any other would be a mundane and irrelevant - and irreverent - distraction.

John Wooden, the legendary coach of UCLA who won 10 national championships, including 7 in succession, and led his team to an 88-game winning streak (not to mention his leadership of them off the court) died last evening at the age of 99 from natural causes. Rest in peace.

[The Poet]

The NCAA is sanctioning 137 schools due to a low Academic Progress Rate, but only 7 of these schools are in BCS conferences. Furthermore, in regards to the 3 highest-profile sports - football and men's and women's basketball - only 2 schools stand to get penalized. Colorado will lose one scholarship in men's basketball (as if that matters, since the Buffaloes are not much of a factor there) and four in football (a somewhat different matter, as they do "compete" on the gridiron - on occasion). But the BIG one may be Syracuse. The Orange may lose up to two scholarships, if academically ineligible players leave the school before next season.

"The APR measures the classroom performance of every Division 1 team and is based on data collected from 2005-06 through 2008-09." So, if you are wondering why whatever school you love to hate is NOT on this elect list . . . just wait. :D

[The Poet]

OK, I guess I could post that Colorado has become the first of perhaps many Big 12 schools to bolt that dying conference, and that the Buffaloes will join the Pac-10. Or I could report that the Hartford Courant yesterday reported details of an internal memo from 1999 which warned the UConn basketball staff to avoid contact with former team manager Josh Nochimson because the NCAA considered him to be an agent - which sort of blows a hole in Calhoun's assertions that the 8 violations presently being investigated were entirely unintended and accidental. But the REAL story follows:

The NCAA has ruled that the athletic department at Southern Cal "exhibited a lack of institutional control from 2005 through 2009 for a wide array of rules violations committed in its football, men's basketball and women's tennis programs." Their multiple penalties include:

A postseason ban for football in 2010 and 2011.

A loss of 30 total football scholarships over the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons.

A vacation of all football victories from Dec. 2004 through the 2005 season, which includes their national championship win over Oklahoma.

Acceptance of USC's self-imposed penalties on its basketball program, including forteiture of all wins in 2007-08, and a one-year ban.

All stats vacated for Reggie Bush, O.J. Mayo, and an unnamed women's tennis athlete.

All titles won during ineligible games must be vacated, and trophies and banners must be removed.

Forfeiture of wins in the women's tennis program from May 2006 - May 2009.

Reduction of recruiting days for the men's basketball program in 2010-11.

Four years of probation.


Bottom line? When it comes to collegs sports anyway, Vince Lombardi was wrong . . . winning is NOT the only thing. :=:

[The Poet]

Nebraska has become the next member of the Big 12 conference to flee, and will join the Big Ten as of July 2011. This will increase the number of schools in the Big Ten to an even dozen, so now THEY are the Big Twelve, and the OLD Big 12 is, for the moment, the Small 10 . . . and getting smaller. Aside from Colorado's flight to the Pac-11, rumors persist that Texas and Texas A&M are also "gone", as soon as the details are finalized.

[jcruse64]

Well, at least this is not exactly "under-the-table" shady, but it is kind of "in-your-face";

FedEx CEO is offering $10mil/year to any BCS conference that will invite Memphis to join. His son, a QB, transferred from Miami, and daddy apparently wants sonny to QB a BCS contender. The $$ will be for each year of any contract the conference and Memphis come up with, to spend as they please.

Wow! FedEx lays off about 1000 workers because of tough times, but since pulling their Orange Bowl sponsorship, can afford to get one person a shot at playing for a BCS school. If I were a shareholder or a layed off employee, I'd be smoldering right now. If this were still a private company, it would be one thing, but there are also shareholders to consider.

Can't say he's taking the usual underhanded approach, for sure.


$$$$$$

[The Poet]

Thanks for this info, Joe . . . I hadn't heard this story. My take? First, if the money is coming out of this CEO's own pocket, there are certain "moral" issues regarding the possibility that this may be seen as bribary, but it really is not much difference than any other major endowment a benefactor might give a particular university. If it is company funds, and does not include any "naming rights" stipulations (thus making it a legitimate business write-off, and thereby affecting the bottom line), your point about the lay-offs and stockholders being cheesed is certainly valid. And as for the amount itself . . . well, $10 million is big bucks to you and me, but split it between all the members of a BCS conference and it ain't such a big deal. But if this man's point is to allow his son to compete in the BCS, there's no guarantee that Memphis can do so even if they are a member. Shoot, when's the last time a Duke or Kentucky has competed in football?

I could see the Big 12 offering Memphis an invite in an attempt to save itself, or I could see the Big East and ACC making a nibble, but at this point I think the Big Ten, SEC, and Pac-10 are busy looking for bigger fish to fry at the moment . . . like Texas or Oklahoma.

[The Poet]

After a two-week courtship by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tom Izzo has decided to stay with Michigan State. He could have doubled his salary, and perhaps been a factor in helping the Cavs keep LeBron James on their roster, but he did not wish to abandon his players and program, and stated that he wanted to be "a lifer" with the Spartans.

Good for him. Now it is time for Cleveland to go to Plan B, as in Byron Scott. Failing that, they may move on to Plan C, and offer Calipari a chance to escape a step ahead of the NCAA Infractions Committee . . . again. :D

[The Poet]

This just in:

Former Seton Hall basketball coach Bobby Gonzalez, fired from that position after losing in the first round of this year's NIT for both his own conduct on and off the court, as well as the conduct of some of his players, has been arrested for suspicion of shoplifting a $1400 men's satchel from the Polo Ralph Lauren shop of the Short Hills (NJ) Mall. Gonzo has already filed a suit against SHU for breach of contract, so maybe he felt that, as long as he was already in a Newark courtroom he might as well have something else to do to pass the time. :r

[The Poet]

More bad news for Kentucky fans: The coroner in Lexington has reported that former star player Melvin Turpin died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Turpin played for the Wildcats 1980-84 teams . . . which, as you old-timers may recall, might have been the very best period of college basketball ever. (Yeah, I could back that wild assertion up, if needed.)

Condolences to his family and friends, and to the UK community.

[The Poet]

And even MORE bad news for Wildcat fans . . . albeit Arizona Wildcats this time. The NCAA has placed UA's men's basketball program on probation for two years, has vacated 19 wins from the 2007-08 season, taken away an additional scholarship from the school (above those already removed by Arizona's self-imposed sanctions), and has reduced more recruiting visits over the next two years than the school itself had proposed. This all stems from former coach Lute Olson's involvement with a booster club and an AAU tournament. Olson himself was not reprimanded by the NCAA because he retired in 2008, and has suffered a stroke.

[OLS]

I'd like to bring the local, non 60 second newscast slant into the Memphis/Fred Smith story.
First of all, it should be noted and stated up front that Fred Smith was born in Mississippi
and educated in Memphis. He basically built the FedEx forum, one of the nicest BBall arenas
in the country, for the Memphis Tigers and Memphis Grizzlies to play in. He gives millions of
dollars to the UM every year. His son transferred to the University of Memphis to play ball
and is not good enough to start, not good enough to play 2nd string and my never take the field.
The UM has got it's hand out 24/7 to this man and basically looks at him with puppy dog eyes
everytime they need big money, like say when Cal fags out and walks to Kentucky. He put up
a ton of money to try to keep Cal from GOING to UK, but John was running away from his second
final 4-vacating scandal and PLAYED UM and FS like a fiddle, knowing he was not going to stay.

To say that he is buying his son's way into whatever these fly by night media dick$ have concocted
is a fundamental misunderstanding of the entire situation. Not capping on anyone here that
heard something and figured it was a funny thing to say, I am capping on the sports media that
fed it to you. If people get laid off at Fed Ex it is because package volume was down in a recession.
What a man decides to do with his millions of personal wealth is his own business. One has nothing
to do with the other.

[The Poet]

I'd like to bring the local, non 60 second newscast slant into the Memphis/Fred Smith story.
First of all, it should be noted and stated up front that Fred Smith was born in Mississippi
and educated in Memphis. He basically built the FedEx forum, one of the nicest BBall arenas
in the country, for the Memphis Tigers and Memphis Grizzlies to play in. He gives millions of
dollars to the UM every year. His son transferred to the University of Memphis to play ball
and is not good enough to start, not good enough to play 2nd string and my never take the field.
The UM has got it's hand out 24/7 to this man and basically looks at him with puppy dog eyes
everytime they need big money, like say when Cal fags out and walks to Kentucky. He put up
a ton of money to try to keep Cal from GOING to UK, but John was running away from his second
final 4-vacating scandal and PLAYED UM and FS like a fiddle, knowing he was not going to stay.

To say that he is buying his son's way into whatever these fly by night media dick$ have concocted
is a fundamental misunderstanding of the entire situation. Not capping on anyone here that
heard something and figured it was a funny thing to say, I am capping on the sports media that
fed it to you. If people get laid off at Fed Ex it is because package volume was down in a recession.
What a man decides to do with his millions of personal wealth is his own business. One has nothing
to do with the other.

Thanks for the local color, Brad. And as for the "local color" I added at the end of your post, that's pretty much how I feel too, and said above.

[The Poet]

I suppose I could have posted a few other stories, such as Rick Pitino's extortion trial, or U-Miami hoops being investigated by the NCAA for violations, or even Kansas changing its fight song due to the flight from the Big 12 of some of their traditional rivals. But this is the story that struck me as potentially the biggest - and NOT because I'm such a "hater".

Chicago Sun-Times reporter Michael O'Brien has had lawyers from Kentucky sicced upon him due to his report that highly-touted high-school power forward Anthony Davis accepted $200,000 from UK to play for them beginning with the 2011-12 season. According to this story, he asked several other schools for 6-figure amounts for his committment to their programs. Those schools may - or may not have - included Syracuse, Ohio State, and DePaul.

It is important to note that Davis has yet to declare for Kentucky, or any other school, and there is no "smoking gun" here. And UK has, of course, vehemently denied the allegation. But it is also interesting to note that, when asked about the report, the young man's father replied by saying "Thanks for ruining my son. Thank you very much.", and declined to respond further.

Make what you will of this. Me, I'll wait until the $#!+ hits the Wildcat fans before I comment otherwise.

[The Poet]

Quick update: Anthony Davis has committed to Kentucky for 2011. Let's hope they get their money's worth. :D

[Clampdown]

Quick update: Anthony Davis has committed to Kentucky for 2011. Let's hope they get their money's worth. :D

Sad people actually believe this BS.

[Clampdown]

I suppose I could have posted a few other stories, such as Rick Pitino's extortion trial, or U-Miami hoops being investigated by the NCAA for violations, or even Kansas changing its fight song due to the flight from the Big 12 of some of their traditional rivals. But this is the story that struck me as potentially the biggest - and NOT because I'm such a "hater".

Chicago Sun-Times reporter Michael O'Brien has had lawyers from Kentucky sicced upon him due to his report that highly-touted high-school power forward Anthony Davis accepted $200,000 from UK to play for them beginning with the 2011-12 season. According to this story, he asked several other schools for 6-figure amounts for his committment to their programs. Those schools may - or may not have - included Syracuse, Ohio State, and DePaul.

It is important to note that Davis has yet to declare for Kentucky, or any other school, and there is no "smoking gun" here. And UK has, of course, vehemently denied the allegation. But it is also interesting to note that, when asked about the report, the young man's father replied by saying "Thanks for ruining my son. Thank you very much.", and declined to respond further.

Make what you will of this. Me, I'll wait until the $#!+ hits the Wildcat fans before I comment otherwise.

The internet has given a ton of guys big balls and insight when they had none to begin with. I haven't been here in a while, but it's good to see you haven't changed. :rolleyes:

[The Poet]

The internet has given a ton of guys big balls and insight when they had none to begin with. I haven't been here in a while, but it's good to see you haven't changed. :rolleyes:

Excuse me? I merely reported what the Chicago Sun-Times published.




Oh, I get it now . . . you were talking about yourself.

[The Poet]

The NCAA has slapped Morehead State with two years probation due to some very underreported contact between boosters and players . . . meaning I don't know exactly what happened, nor when.


Yeah, I know . . . "who cares?" Well, the thing that struck me was that the school avoided more serious penalties and punishment because they turned themselves in and reported the violations to the NCAA on their own. Thanks to their honesty, they will lose only one scholarship and will still be eligible for postseason play.

Here is a lesson others could take to heart. However, some won't.

[The Poet]

Sad people actually believe this BS.

So, here's the latest BS for you sad people to believe, actually or not:

Kentucky recruit Enes Kanter, a 6"11" power forward slated to be a part of the upcoming Wildcat team, reportedly received more than $100,000 in cash and benefits while he was playing for a professional team in Turkey over the last 3 years. Nedim Karakas, the GM for Fenerbahce Ulker, has told the New York Times that he has handed over banking and housing records to the NCAA, which is reviewing Kanter's amateur status. A spokeman and advisor to Kanter, Max Ergul, has not denied the accusation, but rather has equated it to being similar to a player who attended a prep school in the U.S., and received a scholarship and expenses.

Kanter's expenses seems to have included a $6,500/month salary during the previous year. :D


Of course, we can take this with a grain of salt. Not only is nothing proven yet, but as we all know, neither Kentucky nor John Calipari would ever, ever cheat. No, not ever ever.

[The Poet]

At long last, after a 15-month investigation and several extensions on their imposed deadline, U Conn has finally filed its reply to the NCAA regarding allegations of violations in recruiting, as well as their "failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance" with the investigators. And their reply? Well, I don't know. The university has released no details, with the excuse that the document is extensive and needs to be redacted before they issue any public response. The Associated Press has filed a Freedom of Information request seeking the summary pages of the report, and according to state law U Conn has ten days before they are required to comply.

So it will soon come down to this . . . U can Conn some of the people, but not forever. :r

[The Poet]

And the hits just keep on coming:

Tennessee head basketball coach Bruce Pearl has admitted he provided "incorrect and misleading information" to NCAA investigators looking into question about Vol staffers making excessive recruiting calls. The university is docking his pay $1.5 million over the next five years, and UT has ceded most of its ability to recruit off-campus for a year . . . all in the hope that these self-imposed sanctions will allay harsher penalties from the NCAA itself.

In his press conference, Pearl said "I've made some serious mistakes, and for that I'm truly sorry. I let my players down . . . I will not let you down like this again." He further stated that he had "no tolerable answer" for why he did not tell the truth to NCAA investigators during the course of the 17 months they have been looking into the program.

Hey, could YOU keep a lie straight for that long? Besides, it might just be a case of Bruce trying to keep up with the John'es. ;)

[jcruse64]

Bad thing is, didn't he turn someone else in from another school on violations, before he came to UT?

[The Poet]

Bad thing is, didn't he turn someone else in from another school on violations, before he came to UT?

I really don't know, but I'd be interested to find out. If so, then he's doubly scummed in my book, and deserves whatever hit he gets.

And that's despite the fact that I held Pearl in some respect before this.

[The Poet]

Joe, I checked Wikipedia, and you are absolutely right. During the 1988-89 season, while an assistant at Iowa, Pearl was recruiting a player named Deon Thomas, who was also in Illinois's sights. When Thomas picked the Illini over Iowa, Pearl called him up and recorded his phone conversation, during which he asked Thomas if he'd been offered an SUV and cash by Illinois assistant Jimmy Collins. Thomas supposedly indicated that he had. Pearl turned the tape over to the NCAA, but during the investigation Thomas denied the allegations. A subsequent lie detector test supported this denial, and the NCAA did not find Illinois guilty of any wrongdoing, and went so far as to state that the proof provided by Pearl was not "credible, persuasive and of a kind on which reasonably prudent persons rely in the conduct of serious affairs". The NCAA did uncover other violations, however, and cited Illinois with a "lack of institutional control" charge, and implemented several recruiting restrictions, plus a one-year post-season ban on the school.

According to the Wiki article, this incident led to a blackballing of Pearl by many D-1 coaches, and Dick Vitale referred to his actions as "career suicide" during a telecast.

Well, Dickie V was wrong, but it seems that once again Bruce Pearl has shown himself to NOT be a "reasonably prudent" person.

Good call, Joe, and thanks for the heads-up. :tu

[jcruse64]

I read in a comment on one of the stories about the UT incident, and then remembered a good story on it during this year's tourney.

I like Bruce's enthusiasm for the game, and we all make mistakes, but you gotta watch out when you throw stones...

[The Poet]

The Birmingham News has reported a story very similar to the earlier one in the NY Times about indiscrepancies in the high-school transcripts of former UK guard Eric Bledsoe. However, as this information is not particularly new, and it preceeds the release of an "official" investigation by an independent law firm into the matter (due within a few days), I will withhold further comment until said report is made public.

Suffice it to say that the preliminary information does not bode well for Wildcat fans.

[The Poet]

More and more damning information about Bruce Pearl and the Tennessee Vols is coming to light, including not only excessive calls to recruits (as in the case of U Conn's troubles) but overly-extended lengths of visits to recruits and their families beyond the 48 hours allowed by the NCAA rules.


Hey, I've been to Knoxville. No offense intended, but 2 days is long enough. :D

[The Poet]

OK, here's the latest on the whole Eric Bledsoe high-school algebra grade. The Birmingham school board has decided to allow Bledsoe to keep his grade, due to the testimony of his teacher, who stated that Eric completed makeup work to justify changing his final grade from a "C" to an "A". Superintendent Craig Witherspoon said an investigation "found no documentation to justify the improvement. But, he says, an investigation didn't prove that it was improper, either."

Hmmmmmmmmmm. Well, innocent until proven guilty, one can only presume. And it is not fair to argue against that either. Furthermore, it IS algebra we're talking about here, so as we all know it can be problematic solving for the unknown. ;)

UK officials have said that the university was not under investigation by the NCAA at any point, and now consider the matter closed. NCAA spokeman Chuck Wynne told the Lexington Herald-Leader that the NCAA plans to review the report and work with Kentucky to determine if there is any impact on Bledsoe' academic standing. So, although this statement does NOT indicate that UK is under an official investigation into this matter, it also hints that the matter is decidedly NOT YET closed, whatever UK spokesman DeWayne Peevy thinks.

If you are a college hoops fan, stay tuned. If you are a Wildcat fan, tune out. :D

[The Poet]

The NCAA has announced that it plans no further action regarding the academic eligibility of Erid Bledsoe. Good for the Kentucky faithful, and good for Calipari. They have dodged this one potentially mortal bullet.

As for the earlier reports regarding the attempted bribary solicitation by Bledsoe's high-school coach, there is no news, one way or the other.

[The Poet]

I am not going to get into the whole sordid story of that Baylor player being "Dunn" for assaulting his girlfriend, nor the return of Sean Sutton to the game after his guilty plea this summer of illegally obtaining prescription drugs . . . though I do think it appropriate that a man addicted to popping pills shows up at Oral Roberts. :D But there are two other stories of note I shall report:

The Univ. of Connecticut has admitted its men's basketball program committed major NCAA recruiting violations, and has imposed on itself sanctions which include two year's probation and a loss of one scholarship for the next two seasons. Yet they deny the evidence that coach Jim Calhoun "failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance". This assertion comes after an investigation which began 'way back in March of 2009, with this being the first official response by the school. The 700-page response, much of which was "redacted" in this public release, was delayed numerous time at the request of the university. As for Calhoun's personal response, if you do not count his throwing of assistant Beau Archibald and director of basketball operations Patrick Sellers under the bus months ago, he defended himself (and his new contract) by questioning why he was singled out by investigators when neither athletic director Jeff Hathaway nor the UConn compliance staff was either referenced or charged by the NCAA, while he was. Seems to me he's looking for another passing bus, my friends. As for the NCAA, they will hold a hearing next week to decide if they will accept UConn's sanctions or impose others of their own.

And for those of you who think I am a helpless "homer", I report that the University of North Carolina has dismissed fifth-year senion Will Graves from the basketball team. Roy Williams said Graves did not comply with team rules, but further stated that the dismissal had nothing to do with "any NCAA matters on campus", which of course refers to investigations currently in progress regarding questions about some members of the football program there. Although no details were released, it may be important to note that Graves was also suspended from the team 2 seasons ago for not complying with team standards (Personal conduct? Academics? He and Roy know, but I don't.), and was sidelined during their 2009 national championship run.