Alabama Basketball: Tide B-Ball fans should be happy about one thing

College basketball is under duress from a widening FBI investigation. As a result, the NCAA is forced to act. Alabama basketball coach, Avery Johnson has kept the Tide clean.

Probably not many Alabama basketball fans are closely following the FBI investigation into college basketball. The Crimson Tide program has not been implicated in any wrongdoing. Former player, Collin Sexton and former Associate Athletic Director for basketball administration, Kobie Baker were implicated in FBI findings. In both cases, the Alabama basketball program took action after learning what had transpired. Baker resigned to avoid being fired. Sexton was suspended and reinstated after the family repaid undue benefits from an outside party. The NCAA reviewed Alabama’s compliance efforts before reinstating Sexton.

The FBI investigation is ongoing. At this point, there is no information linking Avery Johnson or any of his assistant coaches to any wrongdoing.

Keeping a college basketball program clean is not easy. College basketball has been dirty for a long time. Ultimately, it will not be corrected by the FBI investigation. The NCAA in its future actions and inaction will determine how clean college basketball must become.

So far, the FBI has prosecuted three men who will serve short jail terms. All three were involved in some way with ‘pay for play’ activities. Money changed hands going from those who expected a return on their investment if a player chose a certain school or agreed to sign with a certain financial manager. Money went to members of college coaching staffs, players, families of players, AAU coaches and agent wanna-be handlers. The trials are not over. Others are likely to end up with jail time, one of whom is former Auburn assistant coach, Chuck Person.

After the NCAA Basketball Tournament, two head coaches have been subpoenaed to testify, Arizona’s Sean Miller and LSU’s Will Wade. Both coaches are under duress from speculations about their recruiting practices. The FBI has not charged them with anything. They will be testifying in an additional trial over charges against Christian Dawkins. Dawkins is one of the three men already convicted on separate charges in an earlier trial.

An Arizona assistant under Sean Miller has already pled guilty to bribery charges. It has been widely reported the FBI has taped of phone calls between Will Wade and Dawkins discussing some details of LSU buying players. UPDATE: Friday afternoon, LSU suspended Wade indefinitely and stated it is in close communication with the NCAA regarding compliance.

Miller and Wade are not alone. The FBI investigation resulted in former Louisville head coach, Rick Pitino and former Athletic Director, Tom Jurich being fired by the school. Kansas coach Bill Self has been implicated in ‘pay for play’ activity. Most recently, it has been reported assistant coaches at Creighton and TCU may have taken bribes from Dawkins.

There is little question this seedy and sometimes criminal activity has occurred at more than a small minority of Division 1 basketball schools. Yet, we may never know how widespread are the abuses. The NCAA does not have the resources and perhaps not the inclination to pursue all the information coming out of the FBI investigation.

Alabama basketball fans should not underestimate the value of having a head coach who, to date, has never been mentioned in any potential wrongdoing. There is no reason to believe he ever will be and for that Avery Johnson is to be commended.

Here are three very good sources to learn more. ESPN – Three sentenced; New Indictments; Will Wade wiretap.

In closing, we offer an opinion. Bruce Pearl is a very good basketball coach. He is also a two-time NCAA violator who reportedly persuaded his assistants to lie to the NCAA and tried to convince a recruit’s father to do the same. He had plenty of resources to survive his show-cause penalty. His assistants did not and they and their families suffered financially. So, spare me the whining Alabama basketball should have hired Pearl.

If nothing more, at least understand a tainted Alabama basketball program would fuel even more bogus claims Alabama football is not a clean program. That is one big reason why the ‘Bruce Pearls’ throughout college basketball can never become Crimson Tide coaches.