The Memphis Tigers' very bad offseason just got spectacularly worse.

[rams80]

NCAA accuses Memphis of major violations.

The misdeeds of mention occurred during the 07-08 season, with a player who only competed during that season, and therefore will remain nameless and redacted.

Hey...didn't Derrick Rose only play one year for Memphis?

[TFoA]

All signs point to

Rose

. But yeah, I guess it's a good thing that Memphis didn't win the 'ship that year. We might've had one of those years where there's a __________ where there's supposed to be a Nat'l Champion.

[MDC]

As long as this supposed person remains on his professional team.....I'm okay.

But that is still really shocking

[NJTank]

Wow Kentucky is getting more egg on his face.

[Jigga]

[Denny Green]Calipari is who we thinkhe is![/Denny Green]

What does Kentucky care? Calipari isn't named, nothing (usually) happens to these coaches, and it's certainly not going to result in sanctions for the Wildcats. Besides, it's not like we didn't know Coach Cal has a bit of a history with this kind of stuff. His Final Four appearance at UMass was vacated when Marcus Camby got some cake.

[John in KY]

[Denny Green]Calipari is who we thinkhe is![/Denny Green]

What does Kentucky care? Calipari isn't named, nothing (usually) happens to these coaches, and it's certainly not going to result in sanctions for the Wildcats. Besides, it's not like we didn't know Coach Cal has a bit of a history with this kind of stuff. His Final Four appearance at UMass was vacated when Marcus Camby got some cake.

Wrong - Kentucky cares. Do you know just how close Kentucky came to the death penalty for basketball in 1989? Only a clean sweep (getting rid of the AD and the entire men's basketball staff) kept the program from getting shut down again. The NCAA light shines pretty brightly on them; the last thing the school wants is a coach that will become a lightning rod for investigations. Calipari can only deflect this as "I was there but not involved; it was just a player" so many times before it comes down on him as the person in charge at the time. Remember, he skipped out to the NBA's New Jersey Nets right before the Camby mess came to a head at UMass; now it comes out that the NCAA started their inquiry in January and he skips out to Kentucky in April.

Futher, I wouldn't have wanted to be Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart yesterday - here was what filled his inbox:

1. Prized recruit John Wall took a probation/community service plea on a B&E charge.

2. Former coach Billy Gillespie sued the school for his full $6 million severance (plus "emotional damage") in a Dallas court, claiming Texas jursidiction since he was still at Texas A&M during the contract negotiations.

3. The NCAA investigation into Memphis hits the fan - another ineligible player helping Calipari get to the National Runner-Up spot.

[infrared41]

A John Calipari team gets busted for cheating. And in another shocking development the Earth is round.

[Sport]

I worked a sign company that shared an office with a guy who was a college basketball recruiting expert. Coaches paid his website an inordinate amount of money for information on high school players. Some of the things he told me about what goes on in college basketball recruiting has ruined college basketball for me. 90% of the big name coaches do it. An example he told was that Tracy McGrady was originally supposed to be delivered some cash to attend a school, and my guy was hired to deliver the money. When he refused, the deal fell apart and McGrady declared for the NBA. I don't believe everything this guy says but he seems to be respected in basketball circles and now recruiting scandals don't shock me like they once did.

[infrared41]

I worked a sign company that shared an office with a guy who was a college basketball recruiting expert. Coaches paid his website an inordinate amount of money for information on high school players. Some of the things he told me about what goes on in college basketball recruiting has ruined college basketball for me. 90% of the big name coaches do it. An example he told was that Tracy McGrady was originally supposed to be delivered some cash to attend a school, and my guy was hired to deliver the money. When he refused, the deal fell apart and McGrady declared for the NBA. I don't believe everything this guy says but he seems to be respected in basketball circles and now recruiting scandals don't shock me like they once did.

You think it's bad at the college level? You should see what goes on at the high school level.

[Jigga]

[Denny Green]Calipari is who we thinkhe is![/Denny Green]

What does Kentucky care? Calipari isn't named, nothing (usually) happens to these coaches, and it's certainly not going to result in sanctions for the Wildcats. Besides, it's not like we didn't know Coach Cal has a bit of a history with this kind of stuff. His Final Four appearance at UMass was vacated when Marcus Camby got some cake.

Wrong - Kentucky cares. Do you know just how close Kentucky came to the death penalty for basketball in 1989? Only a clean sweep (getting rid of the AD and the entire men's basketball staff) kept the program from getting shut down again. The NCAA light shines pretty brightly on them; the last thing the school wants is a coach that will become a lightning rod for investigations. Calipari can only deflect this as "I was there but not involved; it was just a player" so many times before it comes down on him as the person in charge at the time. Remember, he skipped out to the NBA's New Jersey Nets right before the Camby mess came to a head at UMass; now it comes out that the NCAA started their inquiry in January and he skips out to Kentucky in April.

Futher, I wouldn't have wanted to be Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart yesterday - here was what filled his inbox:

1. Prized recruit John Wall took a probation/community service plea on a B&E charge.

2. Former coach Billy Gillespie sued the school for his full $6 million severance (plus "emotional damage") in a Dallas court, claiming Texas jursidiction since he was still at Texas A&M during the contract negotiations.

3. The NCAA investigation into Memphis hits the fan - another ineligible player helping Calipari get to the National Runner-Up spot.

Bad choice of word on my part. Sure, Kentucky cares, but this really isn't their problem. So they definitely don't have egg on their face RE: Cal. The Wall and Gillespie situations, yes...maybe a little yolk is rolling down their cheek.

[NJTank]

[Denny Green]Calipari is who we thinkhe is![/Denny Green]

What does Kentucky care? Calipari isn't named, nothing (usually) happens to these coaches, and it's certainly not going to result in sanctions for the Wildcats. Besides, it's not like we didn't know Coach Cal has a bit of a history with this kind of stuff. His Final Four appearance at UMass was vacated when Marcus Camby got some cake.

Well the NCAA could find Calipari involved and put sanctions on Kentucky too, I think they have done that recently when a coach changes schools.

[LC]

I'm sure Bruce Pearl is rotfl right now.

[rams80]

I'm sure Bruce Pearl is rotfl right now.

Or plotting how to possibly frame Calipari with the NCAA.

[Jigga]

[Denny Green]Calipari is who we thinkhe is![/Denny Green]

What does Kentucky care? Calipari isn't named, nothing (usually) happens to these coaches, and it's certainly not going to result in sanctions for the Wildcats. Besides, it's not like we didn't know Coach Cal has a bit of a history with this kind of stuff. His Final Four appearance at UMass was vacated when Marcus Camby got some cake.

Well the NCAA could find Calipari involved and put sanctions on Kentucky too, I think they have done that recently when a coach changes schools.

Really? What punishment could the NCAA place on Kentucky for this mess?

[WJMorris3]

[Denny Green]Calipari is who we thinkhe is![/Denny Green]

What does Kentucky care? Calipari isn't named, nothing (usually) happens to these coaches, and it's certainly not going to result in sanctions for the Wildcats. Besides, it's not like we didn't know Coach Cal has a bit of a history with this kind of stuff. His Final Four appearance at UMass was vacated when Marcus Camby got some cake.

Well the NCAA could find Calipari involved and put sanctions on Kentucky too, I think they have done that recently when a coach changes schools.

Really? What punishment could the NCAA place on Kentucky for this mess?

Don't put it past the NCAA - hell, if I remember correctly, they nailed Indiana for things Sampson did at Oklahoma, and I think Neuheisel got caught in one of those too.

[Jigga]

I need more than just conjecture and supposition. Y'all gotta give some concrete examples, because I just can't believe that for a second. How could one school be sanctioned when the scandal didn't even involve them?

[Sodboy13]

Indiana got nailed because Sampson was doing the same things at Indiana he was doing at Oklahoma.

[rams80]

Indiana got nailed because Sampson was doing the same things at Indiana he was doing at Oklahoma.

Bingo. Although I believe the punishment was probably slightly increased because Indiana really should have kept a closer eye on him. Sampson did have some personal sanctions on him following the Oklahoma bust, but nothing was dumped on the Hoosiers at first.

However, it was not sanctioned because of what he did at Oklahoma, it was because "You should have known this would happen, he has history, BAKA."

/Have I mentioned how happy I am to be at a Major Conference school that had utterly horrible teams in BOTH money sports?

[STL FANATIC]

Indiana got nailed?

You guys must mean that light tap on the wrist they got, right?

And that's the reason Kentucky really doesn't need to worry one bit. 1989 was a long time ago. I'm not suggesting College Sports were totally pure then or that they're beyond enjoyment now (far from it), but the NCAA is far more business than the hearty organization it set out to be.

Kentucky and Indiana, amongst others, are their revenue making babies. Examples are made of the nobodies. Occasionally the somebodies. Never the babies anymore.

If they were, Indiana would not be prepped to be a contender again in 2 years.

[HedleyLamarr]

I need more than just conjecture and supposition. Y'all gotta give some concrete examples, because I just can't believe that for a second. How could one school be sanctioned when the scandal didn't even involve them?

The school won't get sanctioned, but if some sanctions are placed on Calipari (such as the number of recruiting trips he can personally make or limiting his contacts with recruits), Kentucky could be indirectly penalized.