Major violations? John Calipari? Cue the shocked face

by Mike Rutherford on May 27, 2009 9:15 PM EDT in Basketball Comment 33 comments

Wha wha what??

Indiana fans convinced themselves Sampson was clean for a solid two months. Something tells me it'll take a bit longer for reality to reach Big Blue Nation.

The University of Memphis is in the process of responding to an NCAA notice of allegations charging the men’s basketball program with major violations during the 2007-08 season under John Calipari.

The allegations include "knowing fraudulence or misconduct" on an SAT exam by a player on the 2007-08 team.

The wording of the report seems to indicate the player in question only competed during the 2007-08 season and specifically the 2008 NCAA tournament. The player’s name was redacted in the report, obtained by The Commercial Appeal through the Freedom of Information Act, due to privacy laws.

The player has subsequently denied the charge, according to university personnel.

The only player on the roster who competed only during that season was Derrick Rose, who subsequently was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft last June.

If proven to be true, the Tigers could be forced to forfeit their NCAA-record 38 victories and Final Four appearance.

A copy of the letter from the NCAA can be viewed right here.

Pig-pen thinks the man could use a shower.

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And so it begins

Well that was quicker than I thought. I like how this came out right after Calipari left. I blame Billy Gillespie and/or Tubby Smith.

DocCardsFan
The 'Ville, KY

by DocCardsFan on May 27, 2009 9:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Just read about this elsewhere

and yes, cue the shocked face

by sam34gtr on May 27, 2009 9:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure....

…that just like at UMass, this all happened without Calipari having any idea what was going on.

Also, I love how Sandy Bell is involved. Wonder if any exculpatory faxes will turn up from Derrick Rose saying he took the SAT wearing a disguise?

by CardsFan922 on May 27, 2009 9:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

btw

Rose?

by sam34gtr on May 27, 2009 9:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, who else could it be?

One season, first season, played in the tournament. Sounds like Rose to me.

by bartenpa on May 27, 2009 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So, what's does this all mean?

Does “potential major violations” basically just mean that Calipari/Mem is guilty and they need time to develop the case? Or is there a chance this could all go away? How often do these things end up going nowhere? My inclination is to believe the first hypothesis I suggested, and that usually if these things find the light of day there’s usually some substance and truth to them.

Thoughts? Anyone know how this game is played?

by bartenpa on May 27, 2009 10:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

this is beyond funny...in one day...sued by former coach...new coach in scandal

all in a day’s work for Mitch and Blue

by frankpos on May 27, 2009 10:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Three headlines...

….on ESPN.com right now:

Report: NCAA accuses Memphis of violations
Ex-UK coach Gillispie suing school, seeking $6M
UK recruit Wall pleads guilty to misdemeanor

Officially the weirdest off-season in college basketball history?

by CardsFan922 on May 27, 2009 11:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry ...

… to have to urinate all in your schadenfreude.

One word: Teflon. Have fun with it. :-)

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 12:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, Eddie Sutton was not sanctioned either . . . .

Shades of Eric Manuel? I just want a quote from CM Newton on this!

The only thing crazier would have been if Tim Floyd had not turned Arizona down.

by 520Card on May 28, 2009 2:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or Hal Mumme

Or Calipari the first time when his FF at UMass was vacated. Man, he’s one unlucky dog. He’s the control freak coach that always seems to miss the key details about his star players’ eligibility. Poor guy.

by 83fan on May 28, 2009 5:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

UK is on a collision course with the NCAA (again)

The only variable is time.

Seriously Glenn, are you really surprised with these headlines?

by BR7 on May 28, 2009 6:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely surprised.

And at the moment, not the least bit concerned. :-)

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on May 28, 2009 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would say it was the meat in the crap sandwich that was yesterday

If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.

by btcoop71 on May 28, 2009 8:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"At the moment"

is the key phrase there Blue Boy

by frankpos on May 28, 2009 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bland statements

Those statements from both yUK and Calipari are bit too bland to claim one is urinating on much of anything.

Grog

"There is no OFF position to the genius switch" - D. Letterman

by GrogInOhio on May 28, 2009 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You guys are Loving this arn't you?

I would just like to say, " Those of you, who’s head coaches are without scandal, let them cast the first stone!"

The Suns shining again on my "Old Kentucky Home"

by Smilidon on May 28, 2009 8:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

scandals...what does that have to do with basketball?

Can I cast a stone as fan of a coach without a major NCAA infraction on his resume and without a retracted Final Four appearance?

by UL is my hot hot sex on May 28, 2009 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yUK.....

What ever happened to the mantra…." I dont care whats going on over there"….they just want what we got?….ahh i see…..when its #1 recruiting classes and pre-season top 5, Cards dont care, BUT when a news flash about the current coach’s former school hits…ohh yeah, we REALLY do care whats happening over there. Both schools suck. Get over yourselves.

by ihateukul on May 28, 2009 9:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

whoever is ranking them in the pre-season top 5 obviously doesn’t know their ass from a hole in the ground. Never in my life have I seen or heard so much shit about a bunch of unproven freshmen. Just because Indiana has no pulse don’t get mad.

by ville 606 on May 28, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

Fab 5?

UL Football Fan/UK Basketball Fan ~ Shreveport Louisiana

by The White Mandingo on May 28, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

Fab 5?

UL Football Fan/UK Basketball Fan ~ Shreveport Louisiana

by The White Mandingo on May 28, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

bad refernece to make

when allegations involvign the former program of your current coach come out. the fab 5 wasn’t exactly and amatuer college team.

by Ben Go CARDS on May 28, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My reference

was to his comment about unproven freshmen not the Cal situation

UL Football Fan/UK Basketball Fan ~ Shreveport Louisiana

by The White Mandingo on May 28, 2009 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Doesn't matter if the coach is sanctioned

As long as his teams have to vacate Final Fours. That’s far more important to me than whether or not the coach takes the rap. I would think that would be more important to UK fans too. I wouldn’t be so quick to defend a guy who destroys programs in his wake.

by Hari Seldon on May 28, 2009 9:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

that honeymoon ended pretty quickly

by davidson07 on May 28, 2009 10:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hell yes, as soon as he was hired I wondered what the over/under would be before he got caught cheating, I didn’t expect it to be this soon! Serves ‘em right, all these ignortant UK fans around here, I ain’t ever heard so much SHIT. Move over NBA here comes UK, thats the way the dumb bastards think! To here them talk you would think they got LeBron, Shaq, and Kobe in this recruiting class.

by ville 606 on May 28, 2009 10:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

LOL nice post, i think…

UL Football Fan/UK Basketball Fan ~ Shreveport Louisiana

by The White Mandingo on May 28, 2009 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shocker

who didn’t no this was coming, if he gets through it or not, the question will always be there when he has success, I can already see our louisville fans dressing up like SAT tests at the next cards-Yuk game, hilarious, way to do your homework barnfart.

by PS3theFuture on May 28, 2009 11:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He won't get caught

How long has Pete Carrol been under investigation for recruiting scandals, paying players etc.? Unless he gets caught red handed (Tim Floyd/Sampson) it is hard to pin him down. He can play the Marcus Camby card of I had no idea all he wants.

Even if he is guilty and gets caught, how long do you think the investigation will last. The NCAA moves slower than congress on these investigations. I put an over/under of 1 yr. It will certainly not affect this recruiting class or season.

Here is the kicker: If one of his asstant coaches that he brought to UK gets caught. What if one of those coaches recruited UK players. Then you begin to have issues.

I wonder what Worldwide Wes has to do with this?

by Pitino's Pal on May 28, 2009 11:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, it's about time!

What took them so long? Heck, Cal’s been in Lexington more than a couple of weeks so my shock is that they’re not already examining his dealings there.

Seriously, who wasn’t expecting this. And yes, it doesn’t matter one whit to Big Blew nation as long as they win they’ll look the other way. They always have.

theoldman

by theoldman on May 28, 2009 11:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Never learn?

One would think that with yUK’s checkered past, they’d avoid any hint of scandal. And hiring Calipari most certainly brought some risks. But I guess if you want to win badly enough to send money by Emery Freight, nothing is below you.

Grog

"There is no OFF position to the genius switch" - D. Letterman

by GrogInOhio on May 28, 2009 12:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs