NCAA Basketball: Auburn cleverness leads to more attention
By Ronald Evans
The FBI investigation into NCAA basketball has turned into an NCAA investigation and the Auburn Tigers appear to be in deepening trouble.
When the FBI investigation into college basketball ended with what is generally viewed as a whimper, few believed NCAA basketball enforcement would do more. To an extent, that lack of confidence in the NCAA is legitimate. In June, the usually tight-lipped NCAA announced six NCAA basketball programs would receive a Notice of Allegations (NOA) before the end of the summer.
Stan Wilcox of the NCAA also stated there could be more – “another group of cases that we’re still working on.”
Now, in late summer, only North Carolina State has been formally notified of an NOA. Former, Alabama basketball coach, Mark Gottfried was the Wolfpack head coach during the period cover by the allegations. Specifically, Gottfried may be in serious trouble for
"specifically a failure to monitor his program and promote an atmosphere of compliance"
Such a claim shows the NCAA flexing its muscle with its most recent rulings about head coaches. Head coaches can no longer avoid punishment by claiming they were unaware of ‘others’ on their staff breaking NCAA rules. Assistant coaches or other staff members are no longer the automatic ‘fall guys’ for head coaches.
The best reporting on the FBI investigation and trials and now the NCAA investigations have come from Yahoo Sports. A recent story from Pat Forde explains why Auburn and Bruce Pearl should be very concerned the NCAA has had enough with rules-defying activity on the Plains.
Forde is no fan of the Auburn athletic program, going back to the Cam Newton saga. Some Alabama fans believe Danny Sheridan was not the only guy who knew the then ‘Auburn bagman.’ Forde may have known as well.
Currently more significant is Forde holding nothing back when describing Auburn athletics.
"Situational ethics have long been an Auburn hallmark, and it might end up biting an oft-penalized school again."
Give Forde’s complete story (linked above) a read to understand how the above quote applies to recent Auburn basketball shenanigans. The short version is Auburn apparently thought it could lessen its future penalties by a self-imposed recruiting ban. The ban was never publicly disclosed until recently. Even more recently it has become clear there never was an actual recruiting ban.
More from Forde,
"Pearl, with his florid history of failing to adhere to recruiting parameters, could end up involved in this one …And only Auburn, with its long and storied tradition of athletic dysfunction, could turn a potentially positive compliance decision into a potentially massive negative."
Is Auburn or Bruce Pearl worried about NCAA action? The best guess is they are probably not very worried. If NCAA basketball is going to be fundamentally cleaned up by NCAA Enforcement, there should be real worry on the Plains.
NCAA head coaches cannot hide. dark. Next
Will, Will Wade of LSU, ever be under the NCAA microscope? He should be. What schools like Auburn and LSU should be very concerned about is once the NCAA drills down on a program, other sports become at risk.