AK has recruited good players to UC?

[lomaxblue]

Here https://goomer.ncaa.org/wdbctx/LSDBi/LSDBi.MajorInfPackage.SearchAndDisplayList?p_School1=CINCINNATI&p_School_Num1=140&p_School2=&p_School_Num2=&p_Case_Division=0&p_Date_Radio=1&p_Month1=JAN&p_Day1=1&p_Year1=1953&p_Month2=MAR&p_Day2=2&p_Year2=2006&p_Sport1=Any&p_SportAndOr_1=0&p_Sport2=Any&p_SportAndOr_2=0&p_Sport3=Any&p_TV_Penalty=10&p_Postseason_Penalty=10&p_Probation_Penalty=10&p_Division=0&p_bylaw_radio1=0&p_Bylaw=0&p_Article=&p_Contains_Clause1=1&p_SearchWords1=&p_Inword1=heading&p_Boolean1=and&p_Contains_Clause2=1&p_SearchWords2=&p_Inword2=heading&p_Boolean2=and&p_Contains_Clause3=1&p_SearchWords3=&p_Inword3=heading&p_Button=Go+Search you can read what Catlett left UC.

Yes, cheating was more widespread 30 or 40 years ago. That doesn't excuse it. Catlett left UC with a 2 Year Postseason Ban and a 2 Year No TV Allowed penalty. And it could have been worse, had UC not cooperated with the NCAA.

The player you refer to (Rupp and Baker recruiting) is John Fraley, of course. He signed conference LOI with both (plus Indiana) and finally signed the NLOI with UC. I guarantee you that Adolph Rupp did not recruit the majority of players that UC signed in the 1960's. UC integrated its program in 1932 (Chester Smith). UK integrated in 1969 (Tom Payne).

No doubt UK cheated extensively back then. UK and UC both quit cheating in 1989 - for the same reason. Both were put on severe NCAA probation in the late 1980's. Both were lucky to avoid a more severe penalty, too.

UK recruited Tim Stephens at wing forward in 1976 ahead of Greg Johnson. My sister dated one of the players in the mid 1970's. I knew the players and coaches then. Willoughby was UK all the way with Louisville possibly second. Macy had UC in his Final but picked Purdue over UK (and then transferred to Kentucky after a year). 

So they recruited the same players a few times but not often. Both signed good players, just different types.

Crum recruited at a higher level than Catlett. Crum signed a couple of HS All-Americans every year. Catlett signed 4 - Johnson, Steve Collier, Brian Williams, and Jim Webb. He signed other good players but no other HS A-A recruits.

Rick Pitino's first college recruit (as Syracuse assistant) was none other than Louis Orr. My uncle played basketball in the Air Force with Dean Smith (in Germany in the early 1950's) and I agree - Dean Smith is a gentleman indeed. 

And yes, George Smith got UC in NCAA "hot water" twice - 1956 and 1959. Perhaps Jucker as well. I'm not outraged but I don't excuse it either. 

I'm very glad UC quit cheating in 1989. I hope we never see it again. It's much better to get 25 W per season fair and square.

Tom Gray, UC fan since 1958