NCAA Could Finally Have Some Credibility-Part 1
By Justin Donofrio
Over 2 months ago the NCAA came down with their first punishment from the FBI investigation over paying players, the first perpetrator was Oklahoma State. The NCAA came down hard on the Cowboys for only having one level 1 NCAA violation. Oklahoma State’s sanctions are 3 years of probation, a postseason ban for the 2020–21 season, a $10,00 fine plus 1% of the basketball program budget which was self-imposed by the university, a reduction of 3 scholarships per year until 2023 and a couple of recruiting restrictions. The odd thing about this former assistant coach Lamont Evans was found to take $22,000 in bribes from 2 financial advisors he ended up getting a 10 year show clause which is a ban from the sport and served 3 months in prison. On the same day that the FBI and NCAA announced all of the names that were involved the university wasted no time in firing Evans hours after his name came up. During the investigation Oklahoma St cooperated with the investigation and did all the right things and they still got hit harder than they should have. The head coach in that season was Brad Underwood who ended after the season taking off to coach Illinois was aware of what Evans was doing. The head coach now at Oklahoma St is Mike Boynton who is the only one that was on that staff but was never charged or attached to the case. It is unfair that the coaches and players have to take the blunt of this punishment. Especially next year with the number one recruit from the class of 2020 coming to Stillwater and he won’t get to play in the NCAA Tournament. Now if Oklahoma St. got this big of punishment for only one level 1 violation what should happen to Kansas who received five level 1 allegations.
We have seen over the years that at times the NCAA has shied away from punishing the blue blood programs. So far the biggest allegations received has been Kansas and as we know Kansas is one of the biggest brands in college basketball. The Jayhawks have been linked to giving benefits to 3 players in the recruiting class of 2016 top player in that class and former top 5 pick Josh Jackson’s mother Apples Jones received $2,700 from an agency ASM the second player is from the 2017 class Billy Preston’s mother got approximately $90,000 from Jim Gatto an executive at Adidas and a coach of an Adidas- sponsored AAU team and the final player also in the 2017 class is Silvo De Sousa stepfather got $20,000 from Gatto after coach Bill Self and his assistant Kurtis Townsend requested the payment. With the five level 1 violations the NCAA bylaw 11.1.1.1 states that a, “head coach is presumed to be responsible for the actions of all staff members who report, directly or indirectly, to the head coach. The head coach will be held accountable for violations in the program unless he or she can rebut the presumption of responsibility.” Bill Self should not have has job whenever the Jayhawks and Self get their penalties he should get fired and show clause penalty like Evans, another reason why he should be fired is he has not been cooperated with the investigation which clearly does not help his case. The NCAA better not let Kansas get away with just a slap to the wrist there should be major consequences for this program.
Stay tuned for part 2 in a few days discussing a few coaches who have been caught red handed and potentially problems for another blue blood.
Medcalf, Myron, and Paula Lavigne. “Kansas Coach Bill Self Defiant in Wake of NCAA Investigation.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 23 Oct. 2019, www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/27911408/kansas-coach-bill-self-defiant-wake-ncaa-investigation.
Justin co-hosts a podcast called Sports Talk with R & J which is released Wednesday’s at 2pm. You can learn more about his podcast here:
CMG Link: https://www.clovercrestmedia.com/sports-talk-with-r-j
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