Oregon FB Agrees On Violations... Mostly...

((HT: KVAL-TV))

Now that Chip Kelly has left the University of Oregon for the Philadelphia Eagles, it's time for the NCAA to get all the violations underway... most of the violations the school and the governing body agree on...

Some they don't... at least in the severity of them...

The Oregonian and KATU-TV in Portland filed an open records request and the paperwork focuses mainly on the Willie Lyles/Lache Seastrunk episode involving the written/not-written encouragement of having Seastrunk attend Oregon and Lyles reimbursement for the direction

The violations are considered "major" and involve the idea of "failure to monitor" by Chip Kelly. But, somewhat in conflict, there are no findings of a lack of institutional control or unethical conduct.

Oregon decided to give an incredibly generic statement on the release of the documents:

"The review is ongoing until the NCAA Committee on Infractions issues its final report. The integrity of the process and our continued full cooperation with the NCAA prohibits us from publicly discussing the specifics of this matter."

Here's the report from out west...


Expect Oregon to appeal the findings to the Committee on Infractions in the spring and the school has already performed two self-punishments: a scholarship reduction for each of the next three years and a two-year probation.

Miami On Notice With NCAA

((HT: WSVN-TV))

Miami's athletics program is now on the clock with the NCAA and they now have 90 days to respond to the letter of allegation set forth by the NCAA in their investigation in and around Nevin Shapiro...

Those words "lack of institutional control" are being bandied about...

And President Donna Shalala thinks the school has been punished enough and punished itself enough...

Thanks for that thought, Madame President...

You can't punish yourself... unless you really wanted your football team to go to the Belk Bowl...

In addition to the alleged 72 athletes Shapiro claims benefited in the football program, former head men's basketball coach Frank Haith has been named as part of the deal. He did address the letter after his win over Virginia:

"There was no unethical conduct in my notice of allegation," Haith said. "And it is just an allegation, so we get a chance to defend ourselves."

Haith is alleged of failing "to promote an atmosphere for compliance," a charge specific to how he handled things when Shapiro allegedly wanted money in exchange for not going public with accusations that he paid to help the Hurricanes recruit a player.

So, there's that...

Here's Steve Shapiro...with that and highlights...
WSVN-TV -

President Shalala wrote a rather lengthy rebuttal to the NCAA's allegations, saying in part:

"Despite their efforts over two and a half years, the NCAA enforcement staff could not find evidence of prostitution, expensive cars for players, expensive dinners paid for by boosters, player bounty payments, rampant alcohol and drug use, or the alleged hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts given to student-athletes, as reported in the media. The fabricated story played well -- the facts did not."

The whole response can be found hyah, thanks again to WSVN...

Haith May Face NCAA Ethics Charge

((HT: KSHB-TV))

It looks like Uncle Nevin is coming back to bite people from behind bars, and one of them may be current Missouri head hoops coach Frank Haith.

According to a story on CBSSports.com, the NCAA may hit Haith with unethical conduct and failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance- two very serious charges that won't be taken lightly.

Nevin Shapiro had accused Haith of acknowledging a $10,000 payoff to land a commitment from DeQuan Jones while he was the Hurricanes head coach back in 2007.
The NCAA can't currently link the 10-grand to Jones and Haith, but they didn't believe his story on his assistants taking the money to repay Shapiro.

There will be a test later on...

Here's the early thoughts from Kansas City...

Butch Davis Understands...He Really Does...

((HT: WRALSportsfan.com))

So, we now know what Butch Davis is up to...

He is keeping up his end of the bargain with the University of North Carolina as a "consultant" with the Tamps Bay Bucs and their new head coach Greg Schiano...

That way, he keeps up with his buy-out clause and everything is cool...

He understands why the university made him the fall guy (his words) in the situation that had academic fraud and coaching improprieties that led to Davis being fired a week before the football season started in 2011.

The larger question was: "How could you NOT know what's going on, dude...?"

His answer from the interview:

“It's a question that I've asked and thought about a lot over the last several months. What I would tell you is I think that we knew, we worked extraordinarily hard to know a lot of things,” Davis said. “There were things that would happen with athletes that we would find out immediately. (And) yes, take care of it.”

Up until the firing, NC AD Dick Baddour was supportive of Davis, publicly, and Davis admits that problems even preceded him by two years that he felt compelled to take care of... by his numbers, Davis dismissed 18 players in his early days.

Davis also discusses the Jennifer Wiley situation and the impermissable benefits that were apparently given by her during the time she was a tutor- a situation created, according to Davis, by the school in a letter his wife received.

Here is the Jeff Gravely interview in its entirety...

It's good stuff and we commend Gravely for his get...

Using Photo Editing Software is an NCAA Violation

((ht: diehardsport.com))

Seriously?

Not even Instagram from an I-Phone?

Well, it's a good thing that all NCAA schools adhere to the "No Cheating" rules and don't use altered photos.

Gosh, don't you feel safer now?

The blog DieHardSport.com had a post on Wednesday that mentions the NCAA, because they don't have a lengthy enough rule book, added more.

They've posted a page full of rules about sending photos to recruits.

You can read it RIGHT HERE

Now. On the good side, this page of the rule book isn't confusing at all.

Coaches apparently can NOT send a photo via text message or in an e-mail without it being considered an attachment. But...a staff member can send photo's of team practice as an attachment to a text message as long is it wasn't altered or staged for recruiting purposes.

Huh?

Oh, the can send a photo as an attachment to a Twitter message too. As long as it wasn't altered or staged.

Okay....

Question: Do not rule #2 and #3 completely contradict rule #1?

If you aren't already confused, read further....

So. The NCAA has some issues with clarity. And apparently doesn't like edited photos. Hmmmm....good to know.

Somehow, we expect this page of the rules would be vigorously enforced and a violation would bring sanctions within a week. BUT. Those school who commit actual recruiting violations, still won't find out for years what kind of trouble they are in.

Just sayin'....

UCF Gets Post-Season Bans In Two Sports For A Year

((HT: WESH-TV))

The NCAA piled on to Central Florida's self-imposed penalties after major recruiting violations were discovered in both their basketball and football programs.

The NCAA added one-year postseason bans for both men's basketball and football in addition to the $50,000 fine, adding two more years to UCF's proposed three years' probation, reduction of basketball scholarships, vacating three years worth of basketball victories and less days allowed for football recruiting.

UCF conducted its own investigation into the allegations of former AD Keith Tribble, former assistant football coach David Kelly, and head men's basketball coach Donnie Jones. Tribble and Kelly were cited for unethical conduct by the NCAA and eventually resigned. Jones served a three-game suspension during the season and was given a "failure to monitor compliance" charge by the NCAA. Tribble was also given a three year show cause penalty as well.

Here's an interview Tribble did for UCFTV a few years back describing his excitement for leading the program...


The punishments come from an investigation that found the programs were involved with runners for sports agents and made cash payments to recruits. As an example, Recruiter Kim Cadwell was also accused of making deposits into students bank accounts, paying tuition and providing laptops to athletes.

Head football coach George O'Leary received no punishments...

The HQ rubs its collective chin over that one... but isn't fully surprised at the insular behavior exhibited...

"My same message to the coaches and the players is that you know we do things by the rule book. Recruiting is a business but there is a correct way to do something," said football coach George O'Leary.

Conference USA has also told UCF that they cannot participate in the post-season tournament for basketball and the championship game in football. Since they're moving to the Big East Conference for the 2013-2014 season, this is the last activity the school is involved in in Conference USA...

More when we know more...

Tar Heels Get Spanked By NCAA

North Carolina fans, you saw this coming. You knew in the back of your mind the NCAA would hammer the Tar Heel football program and that they did.

The NCAA Committee of Infractions released their punishment on North Carolina. Here's the rundown from the NCAA report:

1. Public reprimand and censure.
2. Three years of probation from March 12, 2012, through March 11, 2015.
3. Three year showcause penalty for the former assistant football coach prohibiting any recruiting activity. The public report contains further details.
4. Postseason ban for the 2012 football season.
5. Reduction of football scholarships by a total of 15 during three academic years.
6. Vacation of wins during the 2008 and 2009 seasons (self-imposed
by the university).
7. $50,000 fine (self-imposed
by the university).
8. Disassociation of both the former tutor and former student athlete who served as an agent runner (self-imposed by the university).

In other words no bowl game, reduction of scholarships, John Blake won't be able to get a college job in a while and the 2008 and 2009 seasons never happened.

Here’s the full NCAA report on North Carolina.

And here's campus and fan reaction...
Thanks to our friends at WRAL-TV and WRALSportsfan.com

Richt Paid Folks From His Own Pocket... VIOLATION!!!

Which would, normally, just add to the University of Georgia head coach being a stand-up guy...

BUT...

That's really a secondary violation in the eyes of the NCAA...
Which is pretty douchey...

The AJC, as part of an open records request, unearthed the emptying of Richt's wallet that went a little something like this:

Charlie Cantor got $10,842 over an 11-month period through March.

John Jancek got $10,000 in 2009 after the previous university administration declined to give Jancek a raise when he turned down a coaching job at another school.

John Eason got $6,150 in 2010 when his new position called for a salary reduction when he moved from an assistant coach job.

Richt paid a total of $15,227 when the school refused bowl bonuses to 10 non-coach staff members.

He paid a five-year longevity bonus of $15,337.50 to tight ends coach Dave Johnson when he took a job at West Virginia three years ago when Johnson was just short of the five-year period, and another $6,000 to fired coach Jon Fabris when Fabris couldn't find a job after his severance package ran out.

"The report stands on its own," athletic director Greg McGarity told the AJC. "There's nothing to add. We're moving forward."

It's the beginning of the report that Chip Towers wrote about today, but there were other violations that included the participation of alums during Signing Day, the whole pomp-and-circumstance the school used to recruit current enigma Isaiah Crowell, and other minor stuff...

But it is a BUNCH of minor stuff...

More when we know more...

DEVELOPING: Ohio State Learning It's Fate, Smith Still Employed

According to the Columbus (OH) Dispatch's blogsite Buckeye Extra the NCAA is going to slap a one year bowl ban on Ohio State. This would be for the 2012 season, Urban Meyer's first with the Buckeyes.

http://www.buckeyextra.com/content/stories/2011/12/20/ncaa-report.html

More when we know it.

1400 UPDATE: According to ESPN's Joe Schad, in addition to the bowl ban there is a scholarship hit, an increased probationary period, and a show-cause penalty for Jim Tressel.

The news release from the school is hyah...

Here's an interview with Still-Surprisingly-Employed AD Gene Smith
((HT: NBC4i.com))

tOSU Says Their Peace In Indy, Forfeits Their Piece From New Orleans

((HT: WBNS-TV Columbus))

Ohio State University officials and former coach Jim Tressel appeared before an NCAA infractions committee for about four hours in Indianapolis, getting the third degree from the Committee on Infractions and defending their life in and around the Tattoo Six...

It'll take about another 8 to 12 weeks for any word to trickle out one way or the other on any kind of punishment. If more charges come to the surface, another meeting could be called by the CoI, but for every subsequent meeting it'll take another 8 to 12 weeks for another judgment to come down from the mountain...

Oh, and Terrelle Pryor testifying...???
tOSU doesn't want that...

Here's AD Gene Smith talking about the day and giving up the one piece of news on the day- the fact that the Buckeyes gave up their Sugar Bowl share...


Why he and Gordon Gee are still employed are anyone's guess...

Chizik Clarifies, World Continues On Normal Rotation...

((HT: ESPN/SEC))

In direct opposition to Danny Sheridan's nebulous rant and riff on the PFRN yesterday about bag men and the such, Auburn head coach Gene Chizik went on the four-letter and discussed the SanDestin incident with the NCAA and what he can't control...

Anish Shroff asks questions...

LSU Has Sanctions With Self-Imposed Penalties, NCAA Takes No More Flesh... For Now......

((HT: WAFB-TV Baton Rouge))

The penalties, some of which were self-imposed by the university and adopted by the committee, include:

Public reprimand and censure.

One year of probation from July 19, 2011, through July 18, 2012.

One-year show-cause order for the former assistant coach from July 19, 2011, through July 18, 2012. The public report further details these conditions.

A 10 percent reduction in official visits for football during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years (2010-11 self-imposed by university; 2011-12 imposed by NCAA)

A reduction of two initial scholarships (for a total of 23) for the 2011-12 class (self-imposed by the university).

A reduction of two overall scholarships (for a total of 83) during the 2010-11 academic year (self-imposed by the university).

Recruiting telephone call restrictions as detailed in the public report (self-imposed by the university).

The NCAA Committee on Infractions accepted LSU's self-imposed sanctions levied by LSU in a case that centered on the actions of ex-assistant coach D.J. McCarthy when he "improperly arranged for transportation and housing for former defensive lineman Akiem Hicks," then later tried to cover up what he did.

"A situation that could have been much worse was made better by the dedicated work of the LSU athletics compliance staff and I am pleased that the NCAA recognized LSU's effort to cooperate and be proactive," said LSU Chancellor Mike Martin. "With the support of Joe Alleva, the compliance staff led by Bo Bahnsen and Miriam Segar made an exemplary showing of how a university should react when mistakes are made. And I thank the NCAA Committee on Infractions for its work in hearing our case."

Here was the preview before the announcement, thanks to our friends at WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge...


Now, all the HQ is waiting on is the investigation of Will Lyles to see what other hammer will fall in Death Valley...