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Show rrrfT ifnyT 6D The Salt Lake Tribune, rV r ,yIT,yM""r frrrtM Deci mber 24, 1985 Tuesday, 1985 Has Been Year to Forget for NCAA Scandal Has Rocked College Sports and Uncovered Weaknesses in Governing Body The whistle was LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) blown on college sports in 1985 as each month brought hints of new scandals. Taken together, it was evidence for many that the NCAA had lost control. The Lexington Herald-Leade- r has compiled a chronology of the major problems in college sports in 1985 and what key coaches and educators had to say about them. JANUARY The University of Georgia said Jan. 3 that its football program had been placed on NCAA probation for one year because of recruiting violations by Georgia boosters. The National Collegiate Athletic Association reduced the number of football scholarships Georgia could offer in 1985 and 1986 (from the normal 30 to 23) and ordered Georgia to ban three boosters from further recruiting. The penalty did not affect television or bowl appearances. The NCAA Council on Jan. 13 upheld the stiff penalties handed the Florida football program a month earlier. The council rejected Florida's appeal and put the Gators on probation for three years for 59 NCAA rules violations. Urging high school basketball stars not to "sell their souls, Indiana basketball Coach Bobby Knight blasted colleges that offer improper financial packages to players and threatened to name offending schools to NCAA officials. "To me, these $50,000 to $100,000 financial packages are nauseating, Knight told the Chicago Tribune. FEBRUARY penalties. I would find no personal difficulty or institutional difficulty in firing Bobby Knight if he violated the rules. I would disenough. him as quickly as I would dismiss the miss We have "I dont believe its a harsh action. librarian." that our primary values are acato Memphis State basketball Coach Dana demics and that academic integrity is vital to defended the schools athletic program Kirk life. university "Our raison detre is teaching; its learning; June 14, and said recent investigative articles untrue. its research. Its time for university presi- about the program were a for over 2 Vi been "Weve dents across the country to gain control of months, sitting here being stuck, Kirk said, their institutions. referring to stories published in The ComMaryland basketball Coach Lefty Drie-semercial Appeal. "Thats not what Im looking supported Kellys decision and suggested or put up with. That was false reportithat coaches be granted academic tenure to read I dont care how you slam it. and ng, win would ease the to pressure This, he said, The Memphis newspaper said that Memor be fired that leads to some recruiting vioState provided cash and special priviphis lations to basketball players and that Kirk leges to been 16 tenure for "Ive get years trying Keith Lee $10,000 to sign to take the pressure off me, and they wont promised star player with the Tigers. Naon Driesell said to it the "Face me," give University President Thomas Carpenter tion. said an internal investigation found no later Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie, that Lee was offered the money. The evidence now with the New Jersey Generals of the NCAA was conducting its own investigation, United States Football League, said the glam18. or of college athletics, combined with the Carpenter said July has masterminded crime Organized of irresistible money, created players lack g many college basketball temptations for some athletes. who testified to witnesses schemes, according "Youre scrounging week to week, said contract with the Gen- June 24 before the Presidents Commission on Flutie, whose in New York City. erals is worth an estimated $8.3 million. Organized Crime NCAA President John R. Davis called for a When I went to college, my girlfriend supon college and ported me. You dont have the opportunity to federal law banning wagering and other amateur sports. illegal gam"Legal out and and make see when big go you money, dollars flash in front of you, theres the temp- bling and the illegal distribution of drugs, both separately and combined, threaten to detation to say Yeah, Ill go ahead and take it. stroy the integrity of major college sports Vanderbilt strength coach E.J. Doc g of the programs and threaten the WilM. Nashville Kreis, Woody pharmacist who are involved in women and men young son and former pharmacist employee Thomas Patterson were indicted April 19 on these programs, Davis testified. Charley Pell, whose recruiting helped charges of illegally distributing 97,000 doses of muscle-buildinsteroids and other pre- Florida win its first SEC title and earned the three-yea- r NCAA probation, rescription drugs to athletes at three universi- school a Vanderbilt football players ceived a $24,000 car from several Gator ties. Thirty-fou- r boosters, the Orlando Sentinel reported June were named as unindicted Kreis was sentenced Nov. 27 to 11 months and 20. Pells wife, Ward, confirmed that boosters 29 days of unsupervised probation after he gave the former Florida coach a Lincoln pleaded guilty to mailing illegally obtained Town Car at a surprise dinner party in steroids to Clemson strength coach Sam Col- Gainesville. Orlando businessmen Duke Crittenden said that he was one of several boostson. who helped pay for the car. I know its ers Stafford Stephenson, an assistant coach at Southern Illinois, resigned April 4 after ad- hard to justify andI rectify and all that, Crittenden said, but think it was the least we mitting he knew about money paid to one of his players, school officials said. Stephenson could do for Charley. quit after the university was notified of the JULY center Ken Perry. Chiropayments to The Missouri Valley Conference anpractor Roy S. White told a university official nounced July 2 that it had placed Creightons he had given money to Perry, who transr basketball program on a probation ferred from the University of Evansville. athletics, Kelly said "Thats when I thought it was time to say No more, weve had ll point-shavin- six-ye- well-bein- NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers said Feb. 26 that the association might have to cancel all or part of a teams season to penalize schools that consistently break NCAA rules. Byers, speaking at the NCAA's annual College Football Preview in Kansas City, Mo., said that if the tyranny of the lowest common denominator of ethical conduct cant be controlled, it must be denied. Southern Mississippis football program was given a one-yeprobation for recruiting violations, the NCAA said Feb. 8. The Pacific 10 Conference began probing allegations that a former Arizona State basketball player was improperly provided transportation to and from his job. The probe was later expanded to include charges that a player was provided the use of a student managers car during the summer of 1983 and that another player received excess money from a summer job in 1983 and g 1 one-yea- 1984. MAY Baylor basketball Coach Jim Haller rein Dallas signed Feb." 22, after WFAA-Tbroadcast a secretly taped conversation in which Haller allegedly gave a player $172 for car payments and discussed the use of anabolic steroids. Sports Illustrated reported that NCAA investigators apparently were looking into possible recruiting violations involving Georgia freshman basketball player Cedric Henderson. The magazine said in its Feb. 25 issue that, according to an unnamed source, Henderson accused Georgia of giving him money and of making more than 20 visits to his home. NCAA regulations allow six visits. The source said Henderson told the NCAA that a Georgia coach repeatedly left envelopes containing money for him at Atlanta-are- a hotels. MARCH Clemson President Bill Atchley resigned March 1 after trustees refused to allow him to restructure the athletic department and remove Athletic Director Bill McLellan. The resignation ended a battle between Atchley and McLellan that began in 1982 when Clcmsons football team was given two years probation for recruiting violations. Three former Clemson coaches were indicted March 3 on charges of illegally possessing anabolic steroids and other drugs and distributing them to university athletes. The indictments followed an investigation that began when an autopsy found traces of the drug phenylbutazone in the body of Clemson track star Augustinius Jaspers. Jaspers died of a congenital heart ailment in October 1984. The University of Nevada-La- s Vegas football team was cited for ineligible players and was stripped of the 18 victories it registered in the last two years and its 1984 Pacific Coast Athletic Association championship. APRIL Eight people including three Tulane basketball players were indicted April 4 in New Orleans on sports bribery and conspiracy charges in an alleged scheme. The indicted players were John "Hot Rod" ConferWilliams, 23, a ence center and leading pro prospect, Bobby senior guard, and DaThompson, 21, a vid Dominique, 19, a sophomore swing-maTwo other players testified under immunity. A second indictment charged a Tulane student with nine counts of selling cocaine to players Tulane President Eamon Kelly announced April 4 that he was abolishing the mens basketball prouniversity's scandal gram because of the and improper cash payments to players. Kellys decision was affirmed April 18 by the schools governing board despite protests from Green Wave fans Basketball Coach Ned Fowler and assistant coaches Mike Richardson and Max Pfeifer resigned April 4 after Fowler admitted he had paid several players The men were not implicated in tl.e alleged States-IteThe quoted sources as saying that Williams told prosecutors he received $100 a week from Fowler during the season. Williams also said he was paid $10,000 in a shoe box when he was being recruited by Tulane as a high school senior, the sources said. s "Face the Nation" on Kelly, on April 7, defended his decision to end Tulane men's basketball. "The focus of big money, the media pressure, drugs, gambling and betting are all part now of our national culture of intercollegiate point-shavin- 7 point-shavin- g point-shavin- Times-Picayun- e CBS-TV'- g g The NCAA banned recruiting by Georgia basketball coaches for one year and revoked the eligibility of star forward-center Cedric Henderson. The penalties were part of a one-yeprobation imposed May 22 by the NCAA, which found nine re- cruiting violations. Georgia also was told to return 90 percent of its profits from the Bulldogs participation in the NCAA tournament that ended the 1984-8- 5 season. Athletic Director Vince Dooley urged his coaches to do a better job in the future in preventing recruiting violations and said the basketball program would be monitored closely to ensure compliance with NCAA rules. The NCAA restored Hendersons eligibility Aug. 6. The presidents of universities in the Southeastern Conference voted May 30 to strip Florida of its 1984 SEC football title. The action overturned an April 3 executive committee ruling that Florida had been punished enough for recruiting vif lations and should be allowed to keep the championship. Florida President Marshall Criser later vowed to pursue every legal option open to us to ensure that Florida retained the SEC title. Floridas athletic director, Bill Carr, said he had written to 15 boosters warning them to stay away from Florida athletes. The boosters were linked to football recruiting violations by the NCAA. A federal grand jury in Memphis, Tenn., was investigating possible ties between gambling at an exclusive country club and the Memphis State basketball program, and was n reportedly looking into a Tiger loss to Detroit and the loss to Villanova in the Final Four in Lexington. A Tennessee audit report May 6 said that Memphis State awarded student-athlete- s $58,940 more than they were entitled to between 1980 and 1984 School officials said they were attempting to recover the overpayments, which were said to be a violation o NCAA rules. Tennessee State was placed on probation for one year for violation of eligibility rules, primarily involving its football program, the NCAA announced May 14. late-seaso- Improper recruiting practices and the education of student-athlete- s are among the most pressing issues in college sports today, according to an informal survey of 25 football coaches and athletic directors by the Orlando (Fla ) Sentinel. Willis Reed resigned as basketball coach at Creighton, claiming todays college coaches couldn't be successful without cheating to some extent. Twenty-sevepercent of Division I and college basketball coaches responding to a Miami Herald survey in June agreed with Reed. One coach, Paul Hansen of Oklahoma State, said, "Drastic steps are needed, but won't be enforced. College athletics now be' long to the country club set Unfortunately, cheating in athletics and war between nations will always be with us." n JUNK Tough measures to fight recruiting and academic scandals in college athletics were given near unanimous approval June 21 by delegates to the NCAA's special "integrity convention" in New Orleans Among the measures enacted was Amendment 3, which includes a "death penalty" for repeat offenders. Any intercollegiate sports program that violates major NCAA rules twice in five years r ban on outside compewill receive a tition, scholarships and recruiting Indiana President John Ryan, head of a NCAA presidents commission seeking to reform college sports, said of the new two-yea- without sanctions for violations of NCAA rules. Arizona State announced July 9 the dismissal of basketball Coach Bob Weinhauer, whose program was being investigated by the Pacific 10 Conference for alleged NCAA violations. Weinhauer later became coach of the Detroit Spirits of the Continental Basketball Association. The Boston Globe reported that the NCAA was trying to determine how many athletic directors and coaches had received free automobiles from dealers and, more importantly, who used them. NCAA officials suspected that some of the vehicles were being driven by college athletes. AUGUST The NCAA slapped Southern Methodist Universitys football program with a three-yea- r probation Aug. 16 because of recruiting violations involving boosters cash payments to players. The NCAA sanctions included a record reduction of 45 scholarships, a ban on television and bowl appearances, and no booster activity for three years. The Southwest Conference team was forbidden to grant scholarships next year and was allowed only 15 the following season The infractions listed by the NCAA included a boosters offer of $5,000 to a player during recruiting, extra benefits to student athletes, breach of tryout rules and improper expenses-paitrips. The 36 violations cited occurred during the coaching tenures of Bobby Collins and his predecessor, Ron Meyer, the NCAA said. The Dallas Times Herald reported that player Sean Stoppench was at the center of the NCAA's SMU probe. Stopperich, who later transferred to Temple, was paid $11,020 by boosters in 1984 to attend SMU, the newspaper said. SMU President L. Donald Shields said he informed nine boosters of penalties ranging from prohibitions against their recruiting for SMU for three years to permanent banishment from SMU athletics. "Frankly, Im not sure a lecture by me on ethics and morality would have a great impact on a few of these individuals," Shields said. The NCAA ruled Aug. 12 that Alfredo "Tito" Horford, who signed a letter of intent with Houston in 1984, could not compete for the Cougars because assistant coach Donnie Schverak broke a rule forbidding meetings with prospects between July 1 and cenAug. 1. Horford, a highly recruited ter from the Dominican Republic, was rumored ready to sign with Kentucky but instead went to Louisiana State. d face-to-fac- e SEPTEMBER Another major scandal rocked the Southwest Conference, this time at Texas Christian. Soon after TCU football Coach Jim Wacker praised his team Sept. 19 for being able to win without cheating, he learned that some of his top players had taken cash from boosters Wacker suspended seven players, including star running back and Heisman Trophy contender Kenneth Davis, and said he had learned that as many as 29 current and former players had received payments. Fort Worth oilman Richard Lowe said he and other TCU alumni paid players over a five-yea- r period. Another TCU booster, Morris "Snake Bailey, accused F.A. Dry, the former Horned Frogs football coach, of asking him to set up a slush fund" for his players, The Fort Worth reported. Dry denied the allegation. The Internal Revenue Service said it wanted the NCAAs help in determining whether TCU boosters claimed illegal tax deductions for money given to football players. Texas A&M officials were trying to determine whether Dallas businessman Rod Dockery gave Aggies quarterback Kevin Murray several improper $300 payments and the use of a car. "I havent done anything wrong, Dockery told The Dallas Morning News. He acknowledged that he gave Murray $4,150 in 1983 and 1984, but said Murray earned the money by cleaning printing equipment. Jarri Hopkins, a former bookkeeper for Dockery, said she saw several $300 checks made out to Murray but never saw any records to verify his employment. was recruited illegally. "I was offered things like cars, trips for my mother to the school that I was going to be attending, urs for her, girls, money," Fryar said. Former pro basketball star Wilt Chamberlain said that he, too, was paid to play basketball while at the University of Kansas in the 1950s. But he said the amount "would make it look like I was not worth very much to compared with the alleged illicit payments allegations athletes. Noting college todays that running back Kenneth Davis was paid $38,000 to play football for Texas Christian, of that h Chamberlain said he got at Kansas. Davis, meanwhile, filed a $13 million lawsuit Oct. 15 to force the National Football in League to allow him to play professionally 1985. His suit labeled as "arbitrary and capricious the NFLs Red Grange rule" banning service on a college and pro team in the same year. one-tent- NOVEMBER Dave Batton, a former Notre Dame basketball player, told Sports Illustrated that Claiborne Farm owner Seth Hancock offered him $20,000 to attend Kentucky. Batton said he was offered the money in October 1973 in return for four summers work on the horse farm. Kentucky was illegal from Day One, Batton was quoted as saying in Sports Illustrat-ed- s Nov. 11 issue. OCTOBER Hancock denied the allegations. The Lexington Herald-Leade- r reported one of 12 UK boosters barred Hancock was 27 Oct. that 26 former University of Kentucky Wildcat basketball players said they received from the schools athletic program in 1976 gifts of cash, inflated speaking fees, clothing when the Wildcat football and basketball and meals from boosters while playing at UK. teams were put on probation for recruiting The articles prompted hundreds of angry violations, the magazine said. Sports Illustrated, also in its Nov. 11 iscalls to the newspaper, a bomb threat and 385 said it was told by two law enforcement sue, subscription cancellations. Some said that they were misquoted or that their sources that the Internal Revenue Service comments were taken out of context. The was monitoring the situation concerning the allotment of tickets to UK games. newspaper said tape recordings of interviews Joe B. Hall, who resigned as UK basketball showed the players were quoted accurately. in March, received a personal allotcoach The NCAA said it would investigate the rement of 323 tickets, which had a face value of ports of payments. found no $24,000. A Boy, I want to vomit when I read that evidence university investigation were sold for tickets that Halls basstuff, said Ray Meyer, former DePaul more than face value. Halls successor, Eddie ketball coach. Twenty-si- x players, and' Sutton, was reduced to 64 tickets. like went that theyre admitting that things Hall said Nov. 5 that he tried to prevent on. Then all those wins at Kentucky dont violations in the UK program and knew of mean a damn thing. UKs new basketball coach, Eddie Sut- none, but said "players are responsible that no one else. the rules are adhered to ton, said Oct. 28 that current Wildcats signed I havent known of any NCAA violations in affidavits saying they hadnt violated NCAA rules and hoped to concentrate on preparing our program, Hall said in comments at Dana for the season. These guys have told me they College. "In all cases, our players were inhavent done anything wrong, and I believe formed of NCAA rules in writing and vocally. them, Sutton said. UK basketball Coach Eddie Sutton said Indiana Coach Bobby Knight said his school was not susceptible to a scandal like Nov. 15 that he thought the NCAA would imthe one at UK because our alumni are scared pose only a small penalty, or none at all, after to death of me. Knight, speaking in Vin- it investigated reports that former Wildcats cennes, Ind., on Oct. 30, said, "Ive got them in took cash and gifts from boosters. "I have to believe the NCAA wont do a position where I dont utilize them. I dont expect them to contribute to basketball. We much," Sutton said. "One thing that will help is that the NCAA has no axes to grind against pay our own way. Some of the nations top high school and Eddie Sutton. LSU basketball Coach Dale Brown disjunior college basketball recruits of the last two years including Walter Berry of St. missed Tito Horford from the team Nov. 2 Johns and Kenny Payne of Louisville said after Horford missed a practice and a scrimthey received improper offers of cash or auto- mage. mobiles during recruiting, the Herald-Leade- r Brown charged that there had been tam. unauthorized contact by another reported Oct. 28. pering with Horford, who signed John Thompson, coach of the Georgetown schools coach Hoyas, said he, too, was offered money by with LSU after he was ruled ineligible at college recruiters when he was in high school Houston. The Washington Post later reported that in 1959. Horford left LSU because he talked with an Director Edward Athletic Pittsburgh NCAA investigator about his recruitment and Bozik said Oct. 29 that he did not plan to infeared what Brown would do when he found claims that basketball two players vestigate out. they were offered money to attend Pitt, but Brown said Nov. 6 that he might quit coachsaid he would report their comments to the ing out of frustration over the Horford situaNCAA. tion and some silly NCAA rules. Doug West, now a Villanova freshman, told As a federal grand jury investigated rethat Dr. Joseph Haller, the Herald-Leade- r that LSU Athletic Director Bob Brod-hea- d ports later a Pitt trustee, offered him $10,000. Steve his own office to tape NCAA inbugged Miller, now at Western Kentucky, told the LSU Chancellor James Wharton vestigators, newspaper that Pitt assistant coach Reggie vowed to cooperate with an NCAA probe of Warford offered him money. Haller and War-for- d the schools athletic recruiting. issued denials, and Haller asked the In view of recent developments, the uniNCAA to investigate Wests accusation. must its position so said Dec. 18 versity The Pittsburgh there can be no misunderstanding concerning that West had been interviewed by the NCAA. its intention to cooperate willfully with the Chicagos Ben Wilson, the nations top NCAA, Wharton said. high school basketball prospect at the time he Despite the risk of losing their eligibility, was shot to death in November 1984, received well more than half of the nations top colleseveral improper recruiting offers, his moth- giate athletes are being taken care of by er and friends told the Herald-LeadeKenny agents, a 1984 Texas defensive lineman told The Dallas Morning News. McReynolds, who recruited Wilson for said that Wilson told him of several imThats why you see so many seniors smilproper offers from other schools. The biggest ing, said Tony Degrate, winner of the Lomoffer exceeded $100,000, McReynolds said. bardi Award. A lot of kids are less fortunate, Three Philadelphia 76ers so when theyre offered all this illegal stuff, Terry told its their golden opportunity. Of course, Charles Barkley and Leon Wood the Philadelphia Daily News they were of- they're going to jump on it. fered money, bogus jobs and cars while in Degrate added, Id say right now from 70 college. to 80 percent of the players are being taken "I knew it was wrong, said Catlcdge, a care of. former South Alabama player, of a summer Three Tulane students were sentenced job that he said paid him up to $300 for doing Nov. 26 to community service for their roles scandal that led Tulane essentially nothing. "But I felt they had it and in the they wanted me to be happy. And I wanted to to drop basketball. All had pleaded guilty to be happy." conspiracy. Former Green Wave point guard Bobby Barkley, a former Auburn forward, said he received large offers of cash "$20,000 and Thompson, 21, of New Orleans was given a r from boosters who wanted him to atup" suspended jail term, five years protend their school. bation and a $2,000 fine with the special condition that he serve three months of "I didnt see anything wrong with it," Barkcommunity ley said. Youre providing a service. A lot of service and pay back $4,000. Mark Olensky, 21, of Fair Lawn, N.J., got schools do it. I thought everybody got paid in the same sentence but was ordered to college." pay Wood said he wasnt flat-ooffered back $5,600. David Rothenberg, 22, of Wilton, was given a $2,500 fine, two years sus$10,000 to play, or anything like that, but if Conn., pended jail term, five years probation, and look can as at cars offers and you including told to pay back $5,200 for conspiracy. money from boosters, then, yes, I was made The case of former Tulane offers. I was told things like, Youll be taken player John care of. To me, thats the same thing as being "Hot Rod" Williams was still in court as prosecutors sought another chance to paid. try him on sports bribery charges. Williams first trial FullerWood, a former California State ton player, would not say which schools made resulted in a mistrial. Point guard David Dominique still faced improper offers. South Alabama and Auburn officials said charges, but no trial date was set John Toner, chairman of a special NCAA the offers to Catledge and Barkley were news to them. committee on drug policy, saui Nov. 7 that he But Jack Manton, an Atlanta attorney and anticipated a majority of athletes would faagent, said Barkley seldom lacked money vor a testing program that the NCAA is exwhile in college. "Of all the guys I represent pected to approve in January. Information or ever tried to represent, Charles is the only gathered by Toners committee Indicated guy I ever took to dinner who every time many athletes use drugs only to achieve pariwould say, Let me buy, and he always had ty with competitors who they think are using drugs to heighten their ability, Toner said. the money," Manton said. Several schools, including New England Patriots wide receiver Ire Temple and ving Fryar, a standout at Nebraska said he I)-Column Post-Gazet- te r. De-Pau- l, Cat-ledg- point-shavin- g two-yea- Ari-Se- 1 i |
