I am shocked, absolutely shocked, that Kansas sauce it to suspend Bill self for four meaningless games at the start of the season. I mean, Bill self is a paragon of virtue. Perhaps the most honest coach ever. I mean, if you exclude this most recent tiny tiny misstep, Selfs résumé is flawless:
2003
Darnell Jackson becomes Self’s first commit to Kansas as after receiving over $5,000 in improper benefits during his recruitment. Kurtis Townsend hired as assistant basketball coach. Townsend’s experience includes being a member of the staff at California (1993-1997) during one of the largest NCAA recruiting violation investigations in history which landed the school on 3 years probation.
2004
Departing players receive customary graduation checks from appreciative boosters. Team sets off on illegally organized barnstorming tour where they receive the gate money to supplement their income. Kurtis Townsend hired as assistant basketball coach. Townsend’s experience includes being a member of the staff at California (1993-1997) during one of the largest NCAA recruiting violation investigations in history which landed the school on 3 years probation.
2005
In June, Kansas athletic department receives anonymous tip regarding improprieties centering around J.R. Giddens and NCAA recruiting violations.
Kansas announces that it also discovered that its basketball staff had traditionally engaged in a practice of allowing monetary payments to graduating players and other Jayhawk players who had exhausted their eligibility by boosters in violation of NCAA rules. A self-imposed two year probation is levied against their athletic department. Other sanctions are levied against women’s basketball and men’s football. Curiously, men’s basketball escapes all (self-imposed) punishment.
Darnell Jackson ruled ineligible by NCAA Eligibility Committee for 9 games for receipt of $5,000 in benefits from a Kansas booster over a three year period while being recruited by Kansas.
2006
Reports surface regarding NCAA investigation into potential violations involving Kansas freshman Brandon Rush. The potential violations centered around Rush’s involvement with an agent and possible payment of travel expenses by NBA teams the previous summer during Rush’s workouts with the teams.
The NCAA suspends Brandon Rush after the NCAA determined that he had improperly received benefits from an agent after applying for the 2005 NBA draft.
Kansas placed on probation for major violations across multiple sports and for Lack of Institutional Control. The selection is the 5th for the KU’s men’s team, no other men’s basketball team in history has more NCAA probations. Kansas is charged with:
- Illegal payments given to potential recruit in excess of $5,000
- Tickets illegally given to recruits to sit behind the bench at NCAA tournament games
- Money funneled to current student athletes through illegal barnstorming gate money
- Illegal payments given to players after eligibility is exhausted with approval of the coaching staff through a network of alumni
- Providing illegal transportation to recruits
- Providing illegal clothing and other benefits to recruits
- Providing illegal transportation to family members of recruits
- Making special arrangements to facilitate a vehicle for family members of recruits
- Failure to report violations
- Failure to employ a compliance auditor
- Negligence to provide adequate oversight
- Violation of probationary period and deemed a Repeat Offender Lack of Institutional Control. NCAA hands out punishment of three years probation.
2008
Brandon Rush arrested for failing to appear in court. The hearing is ultimately delayed until after the basketball season so that his on court production is unaffected.
Sherron Collins is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in an elevator. The authorities and coaching staff are made aware of the incident. A judge rules in favor of the women Sherron Collins sexually assaulted in an elevator in May of 2007, granting damagers in excess of $75,000. Despite the incident occurring roughly a year earlier, it is the first time the case is made public, allowing Collins to participate in the entire 2007-08 season without missing any playing time.
Reports surface that Darell Arthur, KU’s leading scorer in the championship game, did not legitimately graduate from high school and passed through the NCAA clearinghouse by submitting fraudulent transcripts. The school district that provided fraudulent transcripts for Darell Arthur for passing grades in classes not attended and work not done conducts and internal investigation on itself. Surprisingly, they find themselves not guilty.
It becomes apparent that key recruits the Morris twins are not going to qualify academically. Faced with the proposition of having only 1 player on the roster over 6’7, Self arranges for the Morris twins to finish up their high school classes in Lawrence.
2009
During a ‘no contact period’ as defined by NCAA rules, Self pays a visit to the #1 unsigned recruit in the nation John Wall, and states in front of witnesses:
Self: "I'm not supposed to be talking to you, and you know that, but I just wanted to tell you that was a great win." Demonstrating quite the bravado and respect for NCAA regulations for someone piloting a program on serious probation.
Confirmation comes in the Darell Arthur case, that his grades were artificially changed and that his ‘graduation’ from high school wasn’t legit. His high school vacates their state championship for using ineligible players. KU never sanctioned.
Markieff Morris is the driver in a two car accident. Neither himself nor the 16 year old female he is transporting are injured, but the car is registered to former NBA and ku player Scott Pollard. With only 4 days remaining on their probationary period, another potential violation is uncovered if a booster is providing improper transportation benefits to a student athlete. As the incident is being reported, Pollard himself calls up in an attempt to intimidate the host into an apology and instead engages the host in a shouting match and is informed he “is a badass.” Pollard explains he ‘sold’ the car to Morris’s teammate Tyshawn Taylor and was unaware of the accident even though he is still listed as the vehicle’s owner and claims he took the car’s license plates off at the date of the sale.
2010-11
IRS and Federal Investigators are looking into illegal practices within the KU ticket office, involving Lew Perkins. KU issues its own self report on the ticket scandal. For a period of at least 8 years approximately 4,000 to 6,000 basketball tickets per year were being improperly distributed, which equates to as many as 300 tickets per game. The KC Star exposes that in addition to his other examples of gross negligence and abuses of power Lew Perkins has been billing obscene amounts of travel expenses back to ku alumni and taxpayers due to his personal view of self importance. He charged the athletic department more than $150,000 from July 2008 to May 2010 for 22 flights on university-owned and leased planes, at times for such vital trips as visiting relatives or picking up his dog.
Reporter notes that Josh Selby drives a light blue Mercedes Benz eventually discovered to belong to Adidas representative Scottie Bowen. NCAA determines that he received $4,607.58 in improper benefits which include clothes, transportation, meals and lodging for Selby and his family. The NCAA suspends him for 9 regular season games of his freshman year, citing a rule that impermissible benefits in excess of $1,000 equates to a 30% of games suspension. The impermissible benefits total nearly $1,000 less in value than what was uncovered in Darnell Jackson’s ultimate 9 game suspension, and only about $4,200 more than what was uncovered in 2004 investigation that led to 3 years of probation and an off campus recruiting ban. Despite being cleared academically on Sept 7th, Selby elects to not attend classes until October 27th. Despite missing basically half of the first semester, he obtains a 3.0 GPA.
Sophomore point guard Elijah Johnson is arrested for neglecting to pay parking tickets. The incident stemmed from several months prior, and Johnson was falsely under the belief that societal norms did not apply to him while he still retained eligibility. He played in KU’s game the next day and will not face team discipline. "He hasn't done anything wrong," Self said of his arrested player.
Less than one month after his arrest for battery and criminal trespassing and damage, Mario Little is re-instated to the basketball team.
Hard to believe anyone can find fault in this man.
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