Baylor Recruiting Violations

[UConnCat]

ESPN reporting on NCAA/Baylor report on results of investigation of Baylor's men's and women's programs. Apparently Baylor had already imposed self-penalties, including prohibiting Mulkey from recruiting off-campus during July 2012 and the loss of 2 scholarships. Additional sanctions by the NCAA remain a possibility.

Here's are some quotes from the ESPN article (http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...or-bears-teams-facing-possible-ncaa-sanctions

Baylor has already self-imposed a number of penalties as a result of the NCAA enforcement staff's probe, which began in 2008, ironically with the recruiting of women's basketball star Brittney Griner. The NCAA enforcement committee sent a summary of its findings to Baylor in October and the committee on infractions could announce as early as this week whether additional penalties will be levied.

Combined, the men's and women's basketball programs sent 738 impermissible text messages and made 528 impermissible calls over a span of nearly two-and-a-half years.

According to the report, all of the coaches -- including Drew and Mulkey -- have acknowledged their involvement in the respective findings and are at risk for a show-cause penalty, which means any penalties will remain with them regardless of where they coach. Schools wishing to hire them would have "show cause" on why they shouldn't inherit the penalties. However, considering that most of the impermissible calls were made by their assistants, it appears unlikely that Drew or Mulkey would be slapped with a show-cause penalty.

Griner and her father provided the information during an interview with the NCAA enforcement staff in conjunction with the NCAA Top Prospect Program. The now-defunct program required staff members to interview top high school girls' and boys' basketball and football players in the nation.

Impermissible contact between Mulkey and Griner is among the secondary violations detailed in the report. During Baylor's 2007 women's basketball elite camp, members of the coaching staff spoke with the Griners about the basketball program, academic requirements and the school in general both before and after the camp -- a violation of NCAA rules.

Also, during the spring and summer of 2008, Mulkey had impermissible contact with Griner's father when the coach and parent sat by one another at various AAU games and discussed what Brittney's experience would be like at Baylor. Brittney Griner played on the same AAU squad as Mulkey's daughter, Makenzie Robertson. Brittney Griner and Robertson are currently teammates at Baylor.

 

[speedoo]

Seems to me the self imposed penalties are inadequate.

 

[Vowelguy]

Also, during the spring and summer of 2008, Mulkey had impermissible contact with Griner's father when the coach and parent sat by one another at various AAU games and discussed what Brittney's experience would be like at Baylor.

This struck me as the most troublesome.

 

[ucdt3]

This is so typical of ESPN to report this just before/after the NCAA Tournament that surrounds the biggest team for the season. This is about as exciting as UConn's supposed violations recruiting Maya.

Give me a break! Everyone knows Mackenzie and Brittney were AAU teammates and that Griner barely looked at any other school besides Baylor. I believe she even committed sometime before or during the beginning of her JR year in HS which means her mind was made up on Baylor very early in her recruitment process. What's done is done! Unless she was promised 1,000's of dollars to go to Baylor then I don't give a . This whole "no talking" during this period and that period is BS. If a player or their parent feels like talking they should be able to no matter when, where, how, or about what; it should just be that coaches can't be down a player's throat 24/7.

 

[Icebear]

This is the kind of thing that gives Bears bad names.

 

[Wbbfan1]

The loss of two scholarships in not a hardship on any woman's program. Now if they had to go below 13 scholarship players for a number of years, then it might have an impact. I suspect that most of the elite programs rarely go above 13 players on scholarship and if they do those players rarely get playing time.

Since Griner is involved with the violations, how about Griner can't play her senior year for Baylor. Now that would be a hardship for Baylor.

I have been expecting to see reported violations on Baylor as all of the Athletic Programs have shown remarkable improvements and significant upgrade in the quality of athletes that choose Baylor. Lets face facts, Waco and for that matter Baylor is not the most desirable location for an athlete to choose. There has to be reasons, and it usually involves money or under the table benefits provided to athletes.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

This is so typical of ESPN to report this **** just before/after the NCAA Tournament that surrounds the biggest team for the season. This is about as exciting as UConn's supposed violations recruiting Maya.

Give me a break! Everyone knows Mackenzie and Brittney were AAU teammates and that Griner barely looked at any other school besides Baylor. I believe she even committed sometime before or during the beginning of her JR year in HS which means her mind was made up on Baylor very early in her recruitment process. What's done is done! Unless she was promised 1,000's of dollars to go to Baylor then I don't give a ****. This whole "no talking" during this period and that period is BS. If a player or their parent feels like talking they should be able to no matter when, where, how, or about what; it should just be that coaches can't be down a player's throat 24/7.

The only exceptions to NCAA picky oversight are coaches themselves and The NCAA Organization itself...students and Universities are fair game for even the most innocuous of activities.

 

[Icebear]

The loss of two scholarships in not a hardship on any woman's program. Now if they had to go below 13 scholarship players for a number of years, then it might have an impact. I suspect that most of the elite programs rarely go above 13 players on scholarship and if they do those players rarely get playing time.

Since Griner is involved with the violations, how about Griner can't play her senior year for Baylor. Now that would be a hardship for Baylor.

Spot on, Wbb, booting two scholarships is a non starter in women's college basketball. Make it easy forfeit any conference or national championship won with the recruits involved and cut scholarships to 11. If you want activities to stop the penalties must be strong.

 

[stamfordhusky]

How about a one-year tournament ban? The number of impermissible phone calls and texts - and the long time period when they were cheating - would warrant a harsh penalty.

 

[alexrgct]

Surprised about Mulkey. It's well-known that Scott Drew is a number of things I won't post here but you can fill in your own unflattering epithets.

Agree that losing two scholarships in WBB is nothing, especially when a player like Griner was involved. I'd gladly lose two benchwarmers (if I even routinely go to 15) in exchange for anything that could lead to the successful recruitment of a player like that.

Anyway, we'll let the process play out. This is a much bigger deal than a tour of ESPN, however. And on the men's side, probably just the tip of the iceberg. I want to believe Mulkey is generally on the up and up.

 

[pinotbear]

On first impression, I wasn't too "wound up" about this, but, after reading the article, it is a bit more serious than just a few casual conversations "outside the bounds". There's clearly a pattern of bending & breaking the rules, and it covers nearly 2&1/2 years, and many sports. (I got a..ahem, "kick" out of the fact that one of the guilty programs was the equestrian team: Mr. Ed plays for Baylor, of course, of course).

It's not just Mr. Griner and KM making casual conversation while watching their kids play, and it's not inadvertent.

 

[HGN]

Why are they (ESPN ; media) leaking this info now........After the National Championships. They let Baylor men and women play long into the Tournament and promoted both teams. Now they say both teams knmowingly violated NCAA rules. Seems like the NCAA and ESPN both saw profit$$ in keeping Baylor women playing in the tournament......Exposing the men's team would have been paramount to exposing the women as well. And they didn't want to do that. Too costly in viewers. ESPN wanted to capitalize on viewers watching Griner in the FF.

Now that the NC is over and done, now they report on the violations.

 

[John Glass]

typical NCAA nonsense, meanwhile "student/athletes" are getting $100 an hour jobs, and several thousand dollars to sign with some schools

 

[UConnCat]

The only troubling part of this to me is that I'm reminded once again that there are NCAA rules that require compliance officers/employees to count the number of phone calls and text message made by coaches. The NCAA really needs to start over with its rules and focus on what's important in governing intercollegiate athletics and what isn't.

 

[Icebear]

A think a one year tournament ban is too often not helpful because it punishes players who were not involved in any way with the period of violations or even the violation itself. When possible the penalties must be applied as directly against those involved. Forfeiting championships is one means of doing that. Punishment going forward of limiting scholarships penalizes the school for not controlling the situation without putting the onus on any incoming students, as well.

 

[Kait14]

This is so typical of ESPN to report this **** just before/after the NCAA Tournament that surrounds the biggest team for the season. This is about as exciting as UConn's supposed violations recruiting Maya.

Give me a break! Everyone knows Mackenzie and Brittney were AAU teammates and that Griner barely looked at any other school besides Baylor. I believe she even committed sometime before or during the beginning of her JR year in HS which means her mind was made up on Baylor very early in her recruitment process. What's done is done! Unless she was promised 1,000's of dollars to go to Baylor then I don't give a ****. This whole "no talking" during this period and that period is BS. If a player or their parent feels like talking they should be able to no matter when, where, how, or about what; it should just be that coaches can't be down a player's throat 24/7.

Until their name is signed on the LOI, their mind's aren't made up.. Kids commit, decommit, recommit all the time.. Just because they commit early doesn't mean their mind is made up.. Rules are rules are rules

 

[Kait14]

typical NCAA nonsense, meanwhile "student/athletes" are getting $100 an hour jobs, and several thousand dollars to sign with some schools

I hope this is sarcasm....... besides a select few student-athletes, most struggle to afford food

 

[John Glass]

I hope this is sarcasm....... besides a select few student-athletes, most struggle to afford food

not sarcasm, this is typical of the NCAA, these are minor violations. Meanwhile there are MBB, and football players getting serious amounts of money, and the NCAA does almost nothing. Then they make a big deal over phone calls, and text messages.

 

[JByron21]

not sarcasm, this is typical of the NCAA, these are minor violations. Meanwhile there are MBB, and football players getting serious amounts of money, and the NCAA does almost nothing. Then they make a big deal over phone calls, and text messages.

You're on a Uconn athletics board stating that MBB teams never have consequences?!? Seriously?

Like it or not, schools that strictly abide by the rules are at a disadvantage when other schools decide to go beyond these rules. Does this mean Baylor is the only program in violation of the current rules? Of course not! But there needs to be some sort of recruiting limitations, or else it would become the definition of "the rich get richer."

 

[alexrgct]

Limiting contact with a recruit is desirable for a number of reasons. And if some programs do not abide by those limitations, they can give the impression of being "more interested" in a recruit than those programs who do. It is a serious offense if validated, and it's submarined more than one coach's career. Just ask Kelvin Sampson.

 

[JByron21]

Not to change topics, but could this potentially be a reason why the final member of the Olympic squad has yet to be announced? It seems unfair, but might this situation have some impact on the decision to add Griner to the squad?

 

[doggydaddy]

This is so typical of ESPN to report this **** just before/after the NCAA Tournament that surrounds the biggest team for the season. This is about as exciting as UConn's supposed violations recruiting Maya.

Give me a break! Everyone knows Mackenzie and Brittney were AAU teammates and that Griner barely looked at any other school besides Baylor. I believe she even committed sometime before or during the beginning of her JR year in HS which means her mind was made up on Baylor very early in her recruitment process. What's done is done! Unless she was promised 1,000's of dollars to go to Baylor then I don't give a ****. This whole "no talking" during this period and that period is BS. If a player or their parent feels like talking they should be able to no matter when, where, how, or about what; it should just be that coaches can't be down a player's throat 24/7.

Wow...talk about head in the sand. Rules are rules. Ask the UConn men's program who had similar violations.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Big Deal, Kim can't go out recruiting for July. The assistant coaches can go out and recruit, and Kim will contact the recruits in August or whenever the time period for coaches to contact recruits is allowed. Baylor knows which 2013 recruits they are going after and have already been in contact with them.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Why are they (ESPN ; media) leaking this info now........After the National Championships. They let Baylor men and women play long into the Tournament and promoted both teams. Now they say both teams knmowingly violated NCAA rules. Seems like the NCAA and ESPN both saw profit$$ in keeping Baylor women playing in the tournament......Exposing the men's team would have been paramount to exposing the women as well. And they didn't want to do that. Too costly in viewers. ESPN wanted to capitalize on viewers watching Griner in the FF.

Now that the NC is over and done, now they report on the violations.

If the report was not released by the NCAA or if information about the report was not leaked, how was ESPN supposed to report on it?

The NCAA enforcement committee sent a summary of its findings to Baylor in October. Baylor is not a public institution that has to release all/most of its records or respond to public records requests.

As for "profit" in keeping Baylor in the tournament, women's basketball is not a big money-maker (if at all for ESPN). It is a minute part of ESPN's revenue. Let's put it this way...had Baylor been sanctioned somehow (assuming that the violations were so severe to warrant the loss of postseason play, which they are not), who would have been the biggest beneficiary? Tennessee. You don't think ESPN could have played up Pat Summitt and the Lady Vols for ratings?

 

[UConnCat]

Limiting contact with a recruit is desirable for a number of reasons. And if some programs do not abide by those limitations, they can give the impression of being "more interested" in a recruit than those programs who do. It is a serious offense if validated, and it's submarined more than one coach's career. Just ask Kelvin Sampson.

I think NCAA rules that regulate/limit coaches' contact with recruits are dumb. First, it requires that too much money, time and energy is spent on compliance employees whose job it is to count and monitor phone calls and text messages. Such a waste. Second, although this is a bigger issue in the men's game than the women's, if coaches are prohibited from contacting recruits during certain months, that vacuum will be filled by others whose influence may be far worse. The job of regulating the amount of contact between coaches and recruits belongs with the recruits and their parents/guardians, not the NCAA.