Baylor basketball on probation until 2010 - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Chicago JK · 06-23-2005, 04:34 PM

I wonder if this will effect coach drew. I thought he was a very solid hire, but I wonder if he sticks around? Not sure what a shortened season means?
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Baylor will have to play a shortened men's basketball season in 2005-06 and will remain on probation through 2010, the NCAA announced Thursday in releasing the findings of its investigation into former coach Dave Bliss' scandal-plagued program.

The NCAA allowed Baylor to decide whether it would not include non-conference games, as many as 15 per season if a team plays in an exempted tournament, this year or next. The Bears will be allowed to play the Big 12 Conference regular season and will be eligible for postseason competition.

The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions found intentional violations by coaches and attempts to cover up those violations. That led to a finding of unethical conduct against Bliss and three former assistants.

"The coaches' disregard for NCAA rules has tarnished them, the university and intercollegiate athletics as a whole," said Gene Marsh, the committee chair and a professor of law at the University of Alabama.

The committee slapped Bliss with a show cause procedure for a 10-year period; as a result, any NCAA member institution that intends to hire him must appear before the committee to determine whether it must impose limitations upon Bliss' activities. In addition, one former assistant coach will be subject to a seven-year show cause order and two other former assistants each received five-year show cause orders.

Earlier this month, Carlton Dotson, 23, was sentenced to 35 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in the death of Patrick Dennehy, a killing that led to revelations of wrongdoing in Baylor's program. Dennehy was missing for six weeks before his body was found in July 2003 in a field where the best friends had gone to shoot guns at targets.

By August, Bliss and athletic director Tom Stanton had resigned in the wake of numerous allegations of NCAA violations.

School investigators later discovered that Bliss paid up to $40,000 in tuition for two players and improperly solicited $87,000 from Baylor boosters. The probe also revealed that staff members did not properly report some players' failed drug tests.

The infractions led to self-imposed sanctions, including a three-year probation, reduced scholarships and reduced contact between coaches and recruits. The school also banned itself from postseason play in the 2003-2004 season, and all players were offered a release from their scholarships.

The scandal is the second to rock the program in the last decade.

In 1994, Baylor reduced scholarships, banned itself from postseason play and television appearances and placed itself under a two-year probation after a recruiting and academic fraud scandal under former coach Darrel Johnson.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Chicago JK · 06-23-2005, 04:45 PM

NCAA slams Baylor with more penalties

04:27 PM CDT on Thursday, June 23, 2005

From Staff Reports

Baylor University will spend five years on probation and the men’s basketball team will be barred from non-conference competition for one year following widespread rules violations, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions announced Thursday.

Baylor began self-imposing penalties against its men's basketball program in August 2003 as part of the episode that included the death of one player, a murder charge against another and the related resignation of coach Dave Bliss.

A university committee confirmed violations that included Bliss making tuition payments for two players. Baylor president Robert B. Sloan Jr. levied penalties against the program that included exclusion from 2004 post-season play and limits on scholarships and recruiting opportunities.

Also online
Tell us: Thoughts on the penalties?

Baylor scandal: DMN archive

More Baylor news

NCAA's official report (from ncaa.org) (.pdf)

Official news release (from ncaa.org)

Baylor University Web site
The committee's findings include violations committed by the basketball coaching staff and attempts to cover up the infractions.

"The coaches' disregard for NCAA rules has tarnished them, the university and intercollegiate athletics as a whole," said Gene Marsh, chairman of the infractions committee and a professor of law at the University of Alabama.

"Baylor supports the committee's conclusion that additional sanctions are an appropriate message that this kind of behavior cannot and will not be tolerated," said Baylor interim president William D. Underwood. "We appreciate the Committee's recognition that Baylor University acted in good faith, has exhibited genuine remorse and has responded to the violations in a decisive and meaningful fashion."

Scott Drew, who replaced Bliss as head coach, has coached the Bears to 11th and 12th-places finishes in his two seasons.

"Right now my heart goes out to our players, who are obviously very disappointed," Drew said in a statement. "In the Good Book it says 'He will bring it to pass.' Our program continues to focus on the future, and we know that it is bright."

The full list of penalties against the institution:

•The institution will be publicly reprimanded and censured.

•The university will remain on probation from June 23, 2005, through June 22, 2010. Baylor had self-imposed a three-year probation.

•During either the 2005-06 or 2006-07 academic years, Baylor must limit its basketball schedule to regular season Big XII games and the Big XII tournament. The institution was given flexibility on the timing of this penalty so that it could comply with existing contractual obligations.

•The committee adopted Baylor's self-imposed penalty of a ban on 2003-04 postseason basketball. It lost $212,500 in revenues by not participating in the Big XII tournament.

•The committee adopted Baylor's self-imposed financial aid reductions of four men's basketball scholarships in 2004-05 and one in 2005-06.

•The committee reduced the number of paid recruiting visits allowed from 12 to nine for the 2006-07 academic year. That is in addition to Baylor's self-imposed limits of eight in 2004-05 and nine in 2005-06.

•The number of contact days shall be reduced by five beginning in September 2004 through April 2007, which is one year more than what Baylor had self-imposed. Baylor also had 10 fewer evaluation days during the winter evaluation in 2004 and will have the same in 2005 and 2006.

•The number of coaches permitted to recruit off-campus was reduced from three to two during the 2004-05 academic year. The same limits will remain in 2005-06 and 2006-07, one year more than what Baylor self-imposed.

•Baylor self-imposed a one-game reduction in the number of permissible exhibition games during the 2004-05 season.

•The committee also noted as a self-imposed penalty Baylor's successful petition of the Big XII Conference and the NCAA to waive transfer rules for current basketball student-athletes. Three highly regarded student-athletes transferred from the institution and one prospect who had signed a National Letter of Intent decided not to enroll.

•The committee also noted that the former head coach resigned and his coaching staff was replaced.

Drbio · 06-23-2005, 10:49 PM

The only real additional slap is the nonconference schedule loss this season. I can assure you 100% that Coach Drew is here for the long haul. Early indications are that all of his recruits are committed to coming. This should not affect his recruiting classes. Honestly, I think we are all glad this is now over. I think the NCAA was fair and recognized how hard we tried to deal with this internally. The NCAA released a statement praising Baylor for their cooperation, response, and transparency. I am proud of how this university handled this awful situation.

ocelot_ark · 06-24-2005, 12:18 AM

Doc, i hate to say it...but you're delusional if you think this won't hurt recruiting at some point.

dirno2000 · 06-24-2005, 12:29 AM

I feel bad for the kids. It's a shame that they have to pay for coach Bliss's sliminess. If coach Drew is able to keep all of his commits then he's a magician.

Drbio · 06-24-2005, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: ocelot_ark
Doc, i hate to say it...but you're delusional if you think this won't hurt recruiting at some point.

According to Coach Drew, contact has been made with his current class of recruits (ranked in the top 10 by Rivals). All of them have indicated that they will honor their commitments. I'd say it doesn't appear to hurt at all. The bad apples are all rotten and gone. Drew's reputation and the fact that he has twice been named recruiter of the year has me feeling pretty comfortable with his word on the matter.

Again, the ONLY additional penalty of note is the loss of the upcoming seasons preconference schedule. The Bears weren't likely going to be talented enough this year to make the NCAA tournament, so I don't see this as a huge loss of games. There is a strong fiscal impact, but we've prepared for that already. The probation extension shouldn't be a problem since Drew is running an open and tight ship. Drew is the real deal. The long term problem is going to be our ability to keep him.

Drbio · 06-24-2005, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: dirno2000
I feel bad for the kids. It's a shame that they have to pay for coach Bliss's sliminess. If coach Drew is able to keep all of his commits then he's a magician.

Yep. The guy I feel sorry for is Aaron Bruce, NCAA freshman of the year and frosh scoring leader (as well as being up at the conference top). The other guys too of course, but Bruce will play in the NBA or in an international league. He's that talented. I hope he fairs well through this.

By all accounts though, the recruits have all reconfirmed their desire to play for Coach Drew.

dirno2000 · 06-24-2005, 02:04 AM

I didn't watch Baylor this year so I haven't seen Bruce, but Kevin Rogers is the real deal...he's going to be a hell of a player with some good coaching.