Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Surprise -- Coach Cal and Memphis in Trouble


Is anyone surprised that Coach Cal runs out of town and an investigation is started into recruiting violations at Memphis. Remember, Coach Cal left UMass under an air of suspicion, he ends up at Memphis, a program with a proud basketball tradition but down and out at the time he joined. Bang -- Memphis has a few of their best recruiting classes in decades and they end up in the Final Four twice and the NC game. The brother, Reggie, of one of those top recruits, 1-and-done Derrick Rose, ends up on the University of Memphis' payroll for a year. Hmmm, I am sure that is all above board though.

Now slippery Calipari ends up at Kentucky -- and pow they have their best recruiting class in a decade, a #1 ranked class that includes top recruit and 1-and-done John Wall. Coincidence -- I think not.

The real crime in all of this is that the severe penalties don't follow the true criminals, the cheating coaches. Instead the schools and future players get penalized, while the coach scoots off to another program and makes millions.

Kelvin Sampson is a great example of that. Talk about a dirtbag. This guy cheats and leaves Oklahoma in shambles, scampers off to Indiana, cheats and leaves the Hoosier program in flames, then takes a sizable buyout to go away. Now he is coaching again in the NBA. Why would somebody hire this guy -- does anyone have any moral fortitude anymore? Shame on you Milwaukee Bucks!

I would like to see true reform. Make the severe penalty follow the coach. Ban them from coaching in the NCAA or NBA for 3-5 years. And repeat offenders should be banned for life. That would put a stop to these shenanigans. The NBA helped contribute to this 1-and-done recruiting goofiness, it would only be fitting that they become part of the solution and join in banning cheating coaches from their league.

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