Calhoun and UConn: Failing to Promote an Atmosphere of Compliance

The University of Connecticut announced that it had received notice from the N.C.A.A. that its men’s basketball program committed eight major rules violations.

Most of the charges involved Nate Miles in 2006, a recruit who never played for the Huskies.  The charges identified former student manager Josh Nochimson as an agent of the university which was first reported by Yahoo Sports last year. The impending charges led to the resignations of two UConn assistants in the week leading up to Friday's news conference.

Calhoun specifically was cited for “failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance.” This charge is just one step removed from the dreaded (and death-penalty eligible) charge of "lack of institutional control."

The money quote from Jim Calhoun,

“I’m going to be educated by certain matters if indeed we did make mistakes, and we’ll finalize that over the next 90 days and we’ll move forward. No one wants this to happen. Did I see it happening? No. But we’re going to handle it like we always handle things, up front, transparently, and do it the best way we can.” 

As evidenced by his quote, Calhoun is still testing the waters to see if denial will work. It's too late for that. Something did happen. Rules violations occurred. It amounts to cheating. Moreover, I think there may be additional relevant data points, places where the story could take unexpected turns:

• The sudden resignation of the University President who is now President of the University of Illinois (itself a paragon of college sports' virtue).
• The ticket scalping scheme at Kansas, whose AD - Lew Perkins - originally hired Calhoun and the current AD Jeff Hathaway. It's possible that the 'atmosphere' of selective compliance was baked into the organization.
• The cars-for-tickets scheme run by Hathaway a few years ago at UConn.
• Lack of audits for the tickets Calhoun controls and the basketball camp he runs.
• The new contract Calhoun signed just prior to the NCAA charges being made public, a contract that could never have been signed after the charges were revealed.
• The looming shake up in conference affiliations.

There is no doubt that men's basketball encourages cutting corners. Its genesis at UConn is unclear. But it extends far beyond the scope of the NCAA's charges and possibly far beyond current - and recently current - employees. The demands of big-time athletics force many people to make highly nuanced ethical decisions. It's unlikely, though, that anyone at UCONN or at the NCAA cares enough or has the willingness to connect all the dots.

UMass Boston: Throw Backs

UMass Boston is a commuter school sitting right on Dorchester Bay. It shares a small peninsula with the Kennedy Library and the perimeter of its campus is part of the bikeway south of the city.

Many of its students are older and are looking for a second start in life. Which is why this story in the Boston Globe of their baseball team's journey to the NCAA DIII tournament is so compelling. The Beacons have won eight straight post-season games and are now off to Wisconsin for the national finals. I love the part where they have to cut through a row of bushes to practice at BC High next door.

Makes you feel good just reading about them.

We're Number 10706!!!!

Bracket analysis: I did well in the west and not horribly in the midwest. I got killed in the south. Only the Dukies got through. (click on the bracket for a larger image).

The Gaels Go Marching In

St Mary's over Villanova is just another upset in a great tournament. If Northern Iowa can hold on against Kansas, this will be one of the least watched Sweet 16s of all time.  Except it will also be one of the best.

We're still on track for a Xavier v St Mary's final. Jesuits v LaSallians.  Bring it on.

Brackets - Day 2

It looks as if Cornell will defeat hammer Temple. West Virginia rolls after a really slow start. Xavier might hang on. Whew. Who else is playing? Lucky I don't bet.

Cornell can shoot. Their big guy is much better than you'd expect from the IVY league. And Whitman is an amazing shooter. Makes you wonder if Harvard should have been invited. Certainly the tournament could have justified another IVY instead of the 2/3 of dozen they invited for a one-and-done visit from the Big East.

Brackets - Day 1

Notre Dame busted the bracket early. First game of the first round. Unfortunately, it seems that the longer players stay at ND, the worse they get. I applaud their graduation rate, but some of the guys they've had recently have gone sideways or even regressed. If they're really pro prospects, they should consider leaving early. Oh well, I digress ...

Let's see if BYU and 'Nova can hang on.

What's in YOUR Bracket

Every year I get a bunch of calls - mostly from family members - who ask me to help them with their brackets. They know I love college basketball and will be glad to share my picks.

Of course my picks usually begin and end with "pick the UConn women". Choosing on the men's side is much harder. Or even impossible. But I try.

CYO Final Four

How's this for a  Final Four?

Three from the Big East. And a mid-major! Looks like a CYO pickup game.  

Click on the brackets to see a larger image.

Graduation Rates Are Awesome

Derrick Z. Jackson of the Boston Globe is not happy about the graduation rates of some of the universities in the NCAA tournament.

The NCAA publishes an annual list of graduation rates and it provides serious tsk-tsk material for sports writers who otherwise act as homers for their local college basketball favorites. The list comes out in November, but it's scrutinized at the time of national collegiate championships, particularly football and basketball.