Post by Pirate Joe on Apr 1, 2009 18:18:27 GMT -5
NCAA Investigating “Major” Violations at Alabama
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Associated Press
TUSCALOOSA - After months of rumors, the University of Alabama received official notice Wednesday that the NCAA is conducting a broad investigation into the Crimson Tide football program.
The NCAA cited possible violations that may have occurred from 2005 until 2009, the years spanning the tenure of former head football coach Mike Shula and current coach Nick Saban.
The probe could reveal evidence of major violations, ranging from academic impropriety to illegal benefits for both active players and recruits.
If such evidence is found, the program could be subject to serious penalties, including scholarship cuts, recruiting restrictions, loss of postseason or television eligibility and other penalties, such as suspension.
The program received notice of the investigation in a preliminary letter of inquiry from NCAA vice president for enforcement services David Price to UA president Robert Witt.
In the letter, Price says that possible violations include "offers and inducements" to prospects by "representatives of the university's athletic interests" - that is, boosters. It also notes that boosters may have provided benefits to "enrolled student-athletes."
If any current members of the team are found to have accepted benefits, their eligibility could be jeopardized under NCAA bylaws.
The letter said that the NCAA is reviewing "potential academic impropriety with student-athletes prior to their enrollment" and possible "unethical conduct" by coaches who either knew of or participated in rules violations.
There are no specific allegations cited in the letter, nor is any individual named in the potential violations. However, the fairly broad NCAA bylaws cited by Price could be applied to many areas that have been probed by the NCAA and publicized in recent weeks, particularly in the wake of on-campus interviews conducted by the NCAA Enforcement Staff in the last week of February, 2009.
The investigation will probably center on Alabama's recruitment of signee Dre Kirkpatrick and other prospects from the Gadsden area. A former assistant coach at Gadsden City High School, Frank Johnson, said in a recent phone interview that Kirkpatrick was steered to Alabama because of improper benefits to his family and has further alleged that the deal was "brokered" by former Alabama assistant coach Lance Thompson and Gadsden businessman Tim Williams. Neither Thompson nor Williams have been available for comment.
Further, reports of potential standardized test-score and grade irregularities involving 2007 recruits Kerry Murphy and Josh Chapman are also expected to be part of the investigation.
Murphy reportedly received help, arranged by UA, in passing a standardized test, and may also have received transportation and lodging from a UA coach while awaiting admission. Murphy was initially refused by UA's admissions office in 2007. However, after attending Hargrave Military Academy in 2008, Murphy was accepted into the University in January of 2009 where he is currently still enrolled.
No booster or staff member has made any public admission of rules violations. Several, including Saban and former recruiting coordinator Lance Thompson, have thus far declined to comment, citing concerns with the ongoing NCAA investigation.
The NCAA letter notes that "new information is often developed during an investigation."
The charge of "lack of institutional control" was not specifically mentioned in the letter, although it could still be a factor in the Tide case.
"Unethical conduct" by a coach can lead to a charge of lack of institutional control, although it does not necessarily do so. For instance, in Alabama's 1999 appearance before the NCAA Committee on Infractions, assistant basketball coach Tyrone Beaman was cited for "unethical conduct" for attempting to set up a "slush fund" for recruits, but Alabama was found to have exercised institutional control in its reporting and response to the case.
Although the NCAA could wait as long as six months before following up on the letter, Price indicated that the Enforcement Staff hoped to have its investigation completed by June. Price also noted that a formal meeting between UA officials and enforcement staff representatives would not be warranted "due to the familiarity with the issues" by members of UA's compliance staff, which has worked closely with the NCAA in developing much of the information.
NCAA bylaws require that all UA officials involved in the investigation refrain from discussion or comment that might impede the continuing investigation.
NCAA procedures provide for a continued investigation to determine whether there is sufficient cause to issue an "Official Inquiry" letter, or insufficient cause to continue the investigation. If such a letter is issued, an official inquiry carries a specific statement of possible rules infractions.
This is the fifth NCAA inquiry into UA athletics since 1993. The first centered primarily on issues stemming from agent involvement by former UA defensive back Antonio Langham and UA's response to that involvement, although there was also a charge that former UA player Gene Jelks had received an impermissible loan to pay for insurance. The second, in 1999, centered on recruiting improprieties by Beaman. UA received stiff penalties, later reduced on appeal, in the first case; in the second, UA received no sanctions and was commended by the NCAA for its proactive response. The third inquiry, in 2001, for ominously similar violations as the current allegations, ordered the football program to cut 21 football scholarships over a three year span and slapped the school with a two-year ban on postseason play. The forth inquiry, only a month old, requested representatives from the University met with the NCAA Committee on Infractions to answer a notice of allegations regarding potential “major” violations regarding questionable textbook charges in excess of $1,600 for scholarship student-athletes. The NCAA has yet to rule on the textbook violations.
Dr. Robert Witt, UA's president, said that the college "fully intends to continue its aggressive investigation of any issues involving rules compliance working closely with NCAA officials. Our goal is to get to the bottom of these matters as quickly as possible. The challenge at hand is to investigate thoroughly, distinguish fact from fiction, and take appropriate corrective action if required.”
"While we cannot discuss specifics of the investigation, I would make two points in the spirit of fairness," Witt added. "First, we have new leadership throughout our football program and not one of our current coaches is involved in the matters under review. I am also confident that our faculty athletics representative and our compliance staff have been especially diligent in reporting and investigating any possible rules violations and they have had my full support in doing so."
Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide's head coach, has not been available for comment.
Comment Email Print Share
Associated Press
TUSCALOOSA - After months of rumors, the University of Alabama received official notice Wednesday that the NCAA is conducting a broad investigation into the Crimson Tide football program.
The NCAA cited possible violations that may have occurred from 2005 until 2009, the years spanning the tenure of former head football coach Mike Shula and current coach Nick Saban.
The probe could reveal evidence of major violations, ranging from academic impropriety to illegal benefits for both active players and recruits.
If such evidence is found, the program could be subject to serious penalties, including scholarship cuts, recruiting restrictions, loss of postseason or television eligibility and other penalties, such as suspension.
The program received notice of the investigation in a preliminary letter of inquiry from NCAA vice president for enforcement services David Price to UA president Robert Witt.
In the letter, Price says that possible violations include "offers and inducements" to prospects by "representatives of the university's athletic interests" - that is, boosters. It also notes that boosters may have provided benefits to "enrolled student-athletes."
If any current members of the team are found to have accepted benefits, their eligibility could be jeopardized under NCAA bylaws.
The letter said that the NCAA is reviewing "potential academic impropriety with student-athletes prior to their enrollment" and possible "unethical conduct" by coaches who either knew of or participated in rules violations.
There are no specific allegations cited in the letter, nor is any individual named in the potential violations. However, the fairly broad NCAA bylaws cited by Price could be applied to many areas that have been probed by the NCAA and publicized in recent weeks, particularly in the wake of on-campus interviews conducted by the NCAA Enforcement Staff in the last week of February, 2009.
The investigation will probably center on Alabama's recruitment of signee Dre Kirkpatrick and other prospects from the Gadsden area. A former assistant coach at Gadsden City High School, Frank Johnson, said in a recent phone interview that Kirkpatrick was steered to Alabama because of improper benefits to his family and has further alleged that the deal was "brokered" by former Alabama assistant coach Lance Thompson and Gadsden businessman Tim Williams. Neither Thompson nor Williams have been available for comment.
Further, reports of potential standardized test-score and grade irregularities involving 2007 recruits Kerry Murphy and Josh Chapman are also expected to be part of the investigation.
Murphy reportedly received help, arranged by UA, in passing a standardized test, and may also have received transportation and lodging from a UA coach while awaiting admission. Murphy was initially refused by UA's admissions office in 2007. However, after attending Hargrave Military Academy in 2008, Murphy was accepted into the University in January of 2009 where he is currently still enrolled.
No booster or staff member has made any public admission of rules violations. Several, including Saban and former recruiting coordinator Lance Thompson, have thus far declined to comment, citing concerns with the ongoing NCAA investigation.
The NCAA letter notes that "new information is often developed during an investigation."
The charge of "lack of institutional control" was not specifically mentioned in the letter, although it could still be a factor in the Tide case.
"Unethical conduct" by a coach can lead to a charge of lack of institutional control, although it does not necessarily do so. For instance, in Alabama's 1999 appearance before the NCAA Committee on Infractions, assistant basketball coach Tyrone Beaman was cited for "unethical conduct" for attempting to set up a "slush fund" for recruits, but Alabama was found to have exercised institutional control in its reporting and response to the case.
Although the NCAA could wait as long as six months before following up on the letter, Price indicated that the Enforcement Staff hoped to have its investigation completed by June. Price also noted that a formal meeting between UA officials and enforcement staff representatives would not be warranted "due to the familiarity with the issues" by members of UA's compliance staff, which has worked closely with the NCAA in developing much of the information.
NCAA bylaws require that all UA officials involved in the investigation refrain from discussion or comment that might impede the continuing investigation.
NCAA procedures provide for a continued investigation to determine whether there is sufficient cause to issue an "Official Inquiry" letter, or insufficient cause to continue the investigation. If such a letter is issued, an official inquiry carries a specific statement of possible rules infractions.
This is the fifth NCAA inquiry into UA athletics since 1993. The first centered primarily on issues stemming from agent involvement by former UA defensive back Antonio Langham and UA's response to that involvement, although there was also a charge that former UA player Gene Jelks had received an impermissible loan to pay for insurance. The second, in 1999, centered on recruiting improprieties by Beaman. UA received stiff penalties, later reduced on appeal, in the first case; in the second, UA received no sanctions and was commended by the NCAA for its proactive response. The third inquiry, in 2001, for ominously similar violations as the current allegations, ordered the football program to cut 21 football scholarships over a three year span and slapped the school with a two-year ban on postseason play. The forth inquiry, only a month old, requested representatives from the University met with the NCAA Committee on Infractions to answer a notice of allegations regarding potential “major” violations regarding questionable textbook charges in excess of $1,600 for scholarship student-athletes. The NCAA has yet to rule on the textbook violations.
Dr. Robert Witt, UA's president, said that the college "fully intends to continue its aggressive investigation of any issues involving rules compliance working closely with NCAA officials. Our goal is to get to the bottom of these matters as quickly as possible. The challenge at hand is to investigate thoroughly, distinguish fact from fiction, and take appropriate corrective action if required.”
"While we cannot discuss specifics of the investigation, I would make two points in the spirit of fairness," Witt added. "First, we have new leadership throughout our football program and not one of our current coaches is involved in the matters under review. I am also confident that our faculty athletics representative and our compliance staff have been especially diligent in reporting and investigating any possible rules violations and they have had my full support in doing so."
Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide's head coach, has not been available for comment.