1998 NCAA Penalties (And)

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Below are the 5 Major Infractions for UC  from the NCAA database. You'll note 2 such infractions under George Smith in the late 1950's. I deem the 1978 and 1988 infractions the worst because of the harsh penalties (no TV, no postseason play, etc). No one in their right mind would compare 1998 (below) to either of those 2 circumstances.

The UC booster I mentioned (but did not name) indicated he was responsible for making cash payments to a 6-8 forward from Chicago who was part of the 1981 recruiting class. I met the player here in Chicago at a UC/DePaul game a few years ago. The player told me then that UC paid him $ to attend. The booster later admitted that he was responsible for paying the player.

The booster also indicated that UC successfully acquired the services of a 6-11 player from Kentucky in the mid-1970's despite a larger offer from a prominent university in the state (who was also an annual UC rival). I know for a fact that Catlett offered cash and a car to another player from Kentucky, who declined the offer and went on to play for the other prominent university in the state.

Catlett went on to West Virginia, where he received 2 more Major Infractions from the NCAA before retiring. No doubt cheating was widespread in the 1960's and 1970's. UCLA's best player ever received six figures ($) from a booster to attend school in Westwood. This was in the player's own words to my stepdaughter's father, who was an NBA player with him in the 1970's.

I'm very glad that the UC athletic department and coaches cleaned up the mess in 1989. Rick Taylor (AD at the time) deserves lots of credit for having the courage to do so. UC coaches turned down chances to acquire talented players (such as Alexander Johnson, who asked for $35K to attend UC) by refusing to cheat. Johnson signed first with Georgia in 2002 and then Florida State in 2003. I'll let you judge whether Jim Harrick cheated at Georgia or Leonard Hamilton does at Florida State. I don't know.

Someone mentioned that Ed Badger was unable to recruit at UC. When he left, future NBA star Dennis Hopson (from Toledo) was on the verge of committing to UC to play for Badger. Danny Manning had UC on his short list (of 4 schools) because of Badger's friendship with his Dad, Ed Manning. Larry Brown later hired Ed Manning as his assistant at Kansas. Lo and behold, Danny matriculated at KU.

Tom Gray, UC fan since 1958

Matching Major Infraction Cases

Sel     Date    Institution     Summary 
 Nov 05, 1998    University of Cincinnati        IMPERMISSIBLE RECRUITING: prospective student-athlete received impermissi ...  
 Nov 03, 1988    University of Cincinnati        IMPROPER FINANCIAL AID: financial aid awarded to several student-athletes ...  

Dec 29, 1978    University of Cincinnati        Improper financial aid; extra benefits; out-of-season practice; improper re ...

Apr 29, 1959    University of Cincinnati        Improper financial aid; improper recruiting inducements. ...   

Jan 10, 1956    University of Cincinnati        Improper employment; improper recruiting inducement and transportation; try ...

Found 5 Major Infraction Cases 
And 1998 clipped:
B. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF VIOLATIONS.
The violations found by the committee may be summarized as follows: 
During the summer of 1996, members of the men's basketball staff provided a prospective student-athlete with impermissible assistance in registration for summer school courses, note taking services, textbooks and transportation. 
On several occasions between 1995 and 1998, members of the men's basketball staff and a representative of the institution's athletics interests provided several prospective student-athletes with payment for work not performed and impermissible housing, meals and use of academic support services. 
During the fall semester of the 1996-97 academic year, a professor at a branch campus of the university and representative of the institution's athletics interests provided a men's basketball student-athlete with a ticket to a professional football game, transportation, a meal and a round-trip airline ticket. 
During 1997, a Cincinnati business owner and representative of the institution's athletics interests provided a men's basketball student-athlete with transportation, cost-free use of a condominium, long-distance telephone calls at no cost and the cosigning of a note to purchase a used automobile. 
The men's basketball team manager and the assistant men's basketball coach involved in this case violated the NCAA principles of ethical conduct. 
There was a lack of institutional control over the men's basketball program. 
There was a secondary violation involving extra benefits. 
C. SUMMARY OF THE PENALTIES.
In imposing the following penalties, the Committee on Infractions considered the corrective actions taken by the university, as detailed in Part III-A of this report, and the penalties proposed by the university.
1. The committee adopted as its own the following penalties proposed by the institution:
Limit to 30 the number of recruiting opportunities for the head men's basketball coach for the period November 19, 1998, through November 18, 1999. 
Reduction of 30 days in the head men's basketball coach's opportunities for public relations and fund-raising activities for the 1998-99 academic year. 
Prohibition on the recruitment of junior college prospective student-athletes in men's basketball for the 1999-2000 academic year. 
Prohibition on the arrangement of employment for incoming men's basketball student-athletes for the summer of 1999. 
Retention of an outside firm to conduct an audit of the men's basketball program during the 1999-2000 academic year. 
Recertification of current policies and practices. 
Disassociation of the former men's basketball team manager and two representatives of the institution's athletics interests. 
2. The committee found the penalties proposed by the university meaningful and significant. However, because of the nature of the violations and the recruiting and competitive advantage gained from the violations, the committee imposed the following additional penalties:
Public reprimand and censure. 
Two years of probation. 
Reduction by three in the number of total financial aid awards in men's basketball during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 academic years with a reduction of at least one (from 13 to 12) scholarship during each of the two academic years. 
Reduction by five in the number of permissible official visits in men's basketball during the 1999-2000 academic year. 
Reduction by one in the number of men's basketball coaches who may recruit off campus for one year from November 19, 1998, through November 18, 1999. 
Prohibition during the probation period on the use of credits earned in summer courses at the university or any of its branch campuses by prospective student-athletes for the purpose of establishing eligibility. 
Requirement that the institution continue to develop a comprehensive athletics compliance education program, with annual reports to the committee during the period of probation. 
Show-cause requirement for two years regarding the former men's basketball team manager from August 7, 1998, to August 6, 2000. 
· Show-cause requirement for one year regarding an assistant men's basketball coach from August 7, 1998, to August 6, 1999.