Good column from Yahoo Sports Dan Wetzel on the John Calipari/Memphis situation and its affect on Kentucky.
An excerpt:
Now Kentucky has its dream coach and its worst nightmare all at the same time. They can wash away their frustrations of defending what did or didn’t happen back in Memphis with visions of clipped nets in the springs to come. That’s what the Memphis fans used to do too.
Calipari’s defense centers on the fact his name isn’t in the NCAA letter. Kentucky even says there’s a letter from the NCAA assuring him he’s not at risk of being charged with any violations.
It’s bolstered by the fact Kentucky knew about these allegations and, according to athletic director Mitch Barnhart, the school discussed everything about Calipari with David Price, the NCAA’s director of enforcement and the man who sent Memphis the allegation letter.
. . . This is all nice and true but it’s also completely in line with the long history of NCAA infraction cases where the head coach never knows what’s going on. The blame almost always falls on one of three people 1.) a greedy player, 2.) a rogue booster or 3.) a bumbling assistant.
The head coach is always innocent.
Former IU coach Sampson might disagree with the sentiment of this article.
Here’s the smoking gun John –
I hope the NCAA doesn’t crawl up this a– anytime soon or there could be serious trouble.
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Luther Topps, who coached Rose’s club basketball team with Derrick’s brother Reggie, has been aware of the NCAA investigation for three weeks. According to Topps, the NCAA threatened to revoke former Simeon player Tim Flowers college eligibility if Flowers didn’t agree to an interview.
‘‘Tim told me the NCAA kept bothering him,’’ Topps said. ‘‘That if he didn’t talk they were going to take away his eligibility. [The NCAA] thinks that [former Simeon player Kevin Johnson] took [the SAT test] for him.’’
Simeon coach Robert Smith declined to comment on the situation.
‘‘[Smith and I] didn’t know anything about his test,’’ Topps said. ‘‘Reggie moved me and him out of the way long before that, as soon as the money got involved.’’
Neither Reggie nor Derrick Rose responded to calls from the Sun-Times.
———–
So was Rose paid by someone ?!?
http://yourseason.suntimes.com/1595888,052709-derrick-rose-ncaa-investigation.article
Here’s the smoking gun John -
Notice the money comment at the end !
http://yourseason.suntimes.com/1595888,052709-derrick-rose-ncaa-investigation.article
Luther Topps, who coached Rose’s club basketball team with Derrick’s brother Reggie, has been aware of the NCAA investigation for three weeks. According to Topps, the NCAA threatened to revoke former Simeon player Tim Flowers college eligibility if Flowers didn’t agree to an interview.
‘‘Tim told me the NCAA kept bothering him,’’ Topps said. ‘‘That if he didn’t talk they were going to take away his eligibility. [The NCAA] thinks that [former Simeon player Kevin Johnson] took [the SAT test] for him.’’
Simeon coach Robert Smith declined to comment on the situation.
‘‘[Smith and I] didn’t know anything about his test,’’ Topps said. ‘‘Reggie moved me and him out of the way long before that, as soon as the money got involved.’’
Neither Reggie nor Derrick Rose responded to calls from the Sun-Times.