UConn was focusing squarely on Fairfield at its practice today at Gampel. The Huskies have great respect for the Stags, who have won four straight and have an NBA-type talent in Rakim Sanders.
“This won’t be the easiest team, personnel-wise, that we play the rest of the way," said Jim Calhoun. "I think, from a talent standpoint, they’re better than some of the teams we’ll be playing in the Big East.”
However, talk eventually drifted over to the Huskies' Big East season, which gets underway on Dec. 28 at South Florida. Of course, Calhoun won't be on the sidelines for that game -- or for St. John's on Dec. 31 and Seton Hall on Jan. 3 -- as he sits out an NCAA-imposed three-game suspension stemming from the Nate Miles mess.
Calhoun said sitting out the three games will be "difficult. It's something that, according to the NCAA, happened 5 ½ years ago, some of these kids were probably sophomores in high school. It’s for, I guess, an atmosphere. I’m sitting out three games because – for me, it’s probably an attitude, as opposed to an atmosphere ..."
He added that the school suggested some alternatives to the suspension, but the NCAA didn't want to hear it.
"That’s unfortunate," Calhoun said, "Because I just don’t think you should drag these things on, particularly in light of a lot of things going on in college athletics.”
Calhoun won't travel with the team for the South Florida game.
“You’ve got to start off with somebody running the team and make sure they have a practice and can spend some time down there with the kids," he explained. "It’s nothing that they don’t know, just a different voice. Same system, different voice.”
It's not known whose voice the Huskies will be listening to just yet. George Blaney, of course, has always filled in in the past. Blaney wasn't at practice today while tending to a personal issue. Assistants Kevin Ollie and Glen Miller were also on the road recruiting.
Calhoun said he'll meet Wednesday with compliance director Marielle VanGelde to iron out what he can and can't do during the suspension.
*** Andre Drummond, for one, can't wait to kick off his Big East career.
“I’ve been looking forward to this since the day I stepped on this campus," he said. "I can’t wait to play in the Big East. I can’t wait to play Syracuse, Louisville, Notre Dame … you go down the line of the teams.”
It will be "pretty weird" playing the first three games without Calhoun, he admitted.
"But I think we’re going to be fine. Coach Blaney is also a great coach. Coach Miller, Ollie … anybody can really coach us, it just depends on how we go out there and play.”
*** The big sidebar heading into Thursday's Fairfield game will be the battle of the Olander brothers: Tyler, UConn's sophomore foward, and Ryan, Fairfield's 7-foot senior center.
The two have never really played against each other before, other than in 1-on-1 games in the driveway -- which often got very chippy. So chippy, in fact, that it's impossible to tell who had the upper hand in terms of basketball in those games.
"We'd always get in fights because neither of us wanted to lose," Ryan said. "We never really finished any games, they were always so physical."
We'll have more on the Olanders in a feature story later today.
*** Shabazz Napier appeared to turn his ankle badly at the very end of practice. He was crumpled on the ground, writhing in pain for several moments. Trainer James Doran tended to him, and Napier eventually got up, walked around and appeared fine.
"He wanted to end the drill," joked Calhoun, who never looked concerned even while Napier was down.
Showing posts with label Nate Miles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nate Miles. Show all posts
The Hofstra men's basketball team could start to look like mini-UConn pretty soon.
According to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com, former UConn assistant coach Patrick Sellers is expected to be named one of Mo Cassara's assistants. And, the Dutchmen are one of the possible destinations for Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, who has already made one unofficial visit to the Hofstra campus and is hoping to take another.
Either way, good to see Sellers land on his feet. He was let go by UConn in the wake of the Nate Miles recruiting violations, but since then his name has been cleared of all wrongdoing.
According to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com, former UConn assistant coach Patrick Sellers is expected to be named one of Mo Cassara's assistants. And, the Dutchmen are one of the possible destinations for Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, who has already made one unofficial visit to the Hofstra campus and is hoping to take another.
Either way, good to see Sellers land on his feet. He was let go by UConn in the wake of the Nate Miles recruiting violations, but since then his name has been cleared of all wrongdoing.
It wasn't supposed to be revealed publicly until Tuesday, but thanks to a glitch on the part of the NCAA, the APR scores of college teams from across the country became public knowledge this morning.
And, as expected, the UConn men's team will be docked two scholarships next season for its failure to meet APR standards. The Huskies' four-year rolling average APR score, from 2006-2010, is 893 -- below the standard score of 925.
UConn is a first-time APR violator, so it is subject simply to "public notice." So why are the Huskies being docked two skollies? Because while teams aren't penalized solely for falling short on APR the first time, they lose scholarships for every "0-for-2" player on the most recent academic year's team roster. The Huskies had two players from last year's team leave school while not in good academic standing (i.e., they flunked out), so they lose two scholarships.
It will likely get worse next year, too. Teams falling short on APR for a second time lose a scholarship (on top of any "0-for-2's") as well as practice time. The Huskies' APR for the 2009-10 team was a grisly 826, and all signs point to the Huskies falling short on their four-year average at this time next year.
Fall short a third time and the Huskies would be ineligible for postseason play. The good news for Husky fans is that they look to be in pretty good shape in two years, since the classes from 2008-12 appear to be in decent academic standing.
(Here's my story in today's Register)
The program has already been docked a scholarship by the NCAA for violations in the recruitment of Nate Miles and the defending national champions will have just 10 scholarships for next season. UConn has eight returning scholarship players and one incoming freshman (Ryan Boatright of Aurora, Ill.), meaning it currently has just one to give out to a prospective recruit for next season.
Failing to meet APR standards will hurt Jim Calhoun in his checkbook, too. Per his contract, his bonus for winning the national championship (about $87,500) would only be paid if the team meets APR standards. Also, he must donate $100,000 to the school’s general scholarship fund, meaning UConn’s APR shortcomings could cost the Hall of Fame coach about $187,500.
And, as expected, the UConn men's team will be docked two scholarships next season for its failure to meet APR standards. The Huskies' four-year rolling average APR score, from 2006-2010, is 893 -- below the standard score of 925.
UConn is a first-time APR violator, so it is subject simply to "public notice." So why are the Huskies being docked two skollies? Because while teams aren't penalized solely for falling short on APR the first time, they lose scholarships for every "0-for-2" player on the most recent academic year's team roster. The Huskies had two players from last year's team leave school while not in good academic standing (i.e., they flunked out), so they lose two scholarships.
It will likely get worse next year, too. Teams falling short on APR for a second time lose a scholarship (on top of any "0-for-2's") as well as practice time. The Huskies' APR for the 2009-10 team was a grisly 826, and all signs point to the Huskies falling short on their four-year average at this time next year.
Fall short a third time and the Huskies would be ineligible for postseason play. The good news for Husky fans is that they look to be in pretty good shape in two years, since the classes from 2008-12 appear to be in decent academic standing.
(Here's my story in today's Register)
The program has already been docked a scholarship by the NCAA for violations in the recruitment of Nate Miles and the defending national champions will have just 10 scholarships for next season. UConn has eight returning scholarship players and one incoming freshman (Ryan Boatright of Aurora, Ill.), meaning it currently has just one to give out to a prospective recruit for next season.
Failing to meet APR standards will hurt Jim Calhoun in his checkbook, too. Per his contract, his bonus for winning the national championship (about $87,500) would only be paid if the team meets APR standards. Also, he must donate $100,000 to the school’s general scholarship fund, meaning UConn’s APR shortcomings could cost the Hall of Fame coach about $187,500.
Conventional wisdom -- confirmed by sources within UConn's program -- is that Kevin Ollie would succeed Jim Calhoun whenever Calhoun decides to retire. We can guarantee here's one thing Ollie can still bring that Calhoun can't:
Here are the stories from today's Register: a game advance in which we ponder whether this is Calhoun's greatest coaching performance yet, and a notebook which talks about DeAndre Liggins ready to guard Kemba Walker, Glen Miller's interest in the Colgate job and other items.
And, of course, no UConn trip to the Final Four would be complete without Nate Miles surfacing.
Finally, here's a capsule breaking down the matchups between UConn and Kentucky.
Here are the stories from today's Register: a game advance in which we ponder whether this is Calhoun's greatest coaching performance yet, and a notebook which talks about DeAndre Liggins ready to guard Kemba Walker, Glen Miller's interest in the Colgate job and other items.
And, of course, no UConn trip to the Final Four would be complete without Nate Miles surfacing.
Finally, here's a capsule breaking down the matchups between UConn and Kentucky.
Over the past few weeks, Kemba Walker has burned just about any player who’s tried to guard him.
He’s torched guys who were the defensive players of the year in their conferences, shot over smaller guards, blurred past 6-foot-8 forwards and forever resigned poor 6-10 Gary McGhee to Craig Ehlo status after an ankle-breaking move for a game-winning shot.
Tomorrow night, DeAndre Liggins gets his chance. Liggins, a 6-6 junior who was the Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year, is certainly ready.
“The thing with me is taking on the challenge, being competitive,” the Chicago native said on Friday, “having confidence that I can stop the other guy.”
Liggins has stopped other top players this season, most notably Tennessee star Scotty Hopson (5-for-18, 24 points in his two meetings with Liggins this season). Of course, he wasn’t so successful guarding Walker in the Maui Invitational championship game on Nov. 24. Liggins – and several other Wildcat defenders – allowed Walker to pour in 29 points and lead the Huskies to the title.
“He killed me, he killed us,” Liggins recalled. “He had it going offensively. He has great confidence and my job is to contain him a little more.”
Walker has all but said that no one can stop him in the past, but he was judicious in his praise of Liggins on Friday.
“He’s one of the better defenders because he’s extremely active and had a height mismatch over me,” Walker said. “He’s got great length. I know it’s going to be a difficult, tough night for me. But I’m just counting on my teammates to give me the ball in the right situations and set up some great screens.”
Liggins is anticipating a tough night, as well.
“You can’t stop players like (Walker),” he said. “You just have to do your best on them. If he makes shots over you, then you have to live with that. But he is going to make shots over me (tonight). He is going to make some crazy shots, but I have to keep playing. I can’t get frustrated.”
Cal vs. Cal, Pt. Deux
Not to belabor this, but it is fun: Jim Calhoun and John Calipari are having fun with the (correct) perception that the two don’t get along well.
When asked about their bitter feuds back when Calipari was coaching UMass, Calhoun said: “He was loud, 50 miles away, trying to fight for a little bit of turf in New England … John really was trying to claim New England, he could never say he ‘parked the car in Harvard yard,’ he didn’t know what clam chowder really was. He had the red stuff, not the real clam chowder. I took umbrage to it, but I take umbrage to a lot of things.”
Calhoun did add, however: "He's developed into, in my opinion, a terrific coach. I watched the way he coaches. His kids play hard, play great defense and play together. He's been getting, as you well know, tremendous, big-name players. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and no disdain for him as a person."
Calipari addressed Calhoun’s “My Three Sons” reference earlier in the week, when he referred to the other three (younger) coaches in the Final Four as “my two sons, and my problem child.”
“I did tell him that I knew (“My Three Sons” star) Fred MacMurray, Mr. Calhoun,” Calipari said, “and you are no Fred MacMurray.”
Awkward!
Calipari was asked two questions at today's press conference that indirectly referenced his past, which includes his two prior Final Four apperances (with UMass and Memphis) being vacated later by the NCAA.
First, he was asked if he is the "2000 Jerry Tarkanian."
"I respect everything that Jerry did, his kids, how they played, all those things," Calipari said. "But no, I think I'm the 2011 John Calipari. I don't know what that means and I hate to talk in the third party. But I am who I am."
Later, someone asked him "how it feels to coach in your first Final Four?"
Calipari smiled and said, "I don't deal with that. We've been here three times. Those players played those games and did what they were supposed to. I'm so proud of what they've all accomplished. It's been fun. It's been a good experience, and this is going to be a good experience."
Not Here to Talk About the Past
Calhoun was reminded of his own checkered past, as well. He was asked about Nate Miles' recent interview with Slam magazine, in which Miles said UConn's athletics administration knew that the Yahoo story was coming out and were looking (particularly A.D. Jeff Hathaway) for a way to boot him out of school.
"I said my personal and private feelings would not be discussed, and are not going to be discussed," Calhoun said. "If anybody wants to drag up an experiene that happened two years ago, bring it back up, that's their choice. I'm going forward because I'm going forward with my life."
He’s torched guys who were the defensive players of the year in their conferences, shot over smaller guards, blurred past 6-foot-8 forwards and forever resigned poor 6-10 Gary McGhee to Craig Ehlo status after an ankle-breaking move for a game-winning shot.
Tomorrow night, DeAndre Liggins gets his chance. Liggins, a 6-6 junior who was the Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year, is certainly ready.
“The thing with me is taking on the challenge, being competitive,” the Chicago native said on Friday, “having confidence that I can stop the other guy.”
Liggins has stopped other top players this season, most notably Tennessee star Scotty Hopson (5-for-18, 24 points in his two meetings with Liggins this season). Of course, he wasn’t so successful guarding Walker in the Maui Invitational championship game on Nov. 24. Liggins – and several other Wildcat defenders – allowed Walker to pour in 29 points and lead the Huskies to the title.
“He killed me, he killed us,” Liggins recalled. “He had it going offensively. He has great confidence and my job is to contain him a little more.”
Walker has all but said that no one can stop him in the past, but he was judicious in his praise of Liggins on Friday.
“He’s one of the better defenders because he’s extremely active and had a height mismatch over me,” Walker said. “He’s got great length. I know it’s going to be a difficult, tough night for me. But I’m just counting on my teammates to give me the ball in the right situations and set up some great screens.”
Liggins is anticipating a tough night, as well.
“You can’t stop players like (Walker),” he said. “You just have to do your best on them. If he makes shots over you, then you have to live with that. But he is going to make shots over me (tonight). He is going to make some crazy shots, but I have to keep playing. I can’t get frustrated.”
Cal vs. Cal, Pt. Deux
Not to belabor this, but it is fun: Jim Calhoun and John Calipari are having fun with the (correct) perception that the two don’t get along well.
When asked about their bitter feuds back when Calipari was coaching UMass, Calhoun said: “He was loud, 50 miles away, trying to fight for a little bit of turf in New England … John really was trying to claim New England, he could never say he ‘parked the car in Harvard yard,’ he didn’t know what clam chowder really was. He had the red stuff, not the real clam chowder. I took umbrage to it, but I take umbrage to a lot of things.”
Calhoun did add, however: "He's developed into, in my opinion, a terrific coach. I watched the way he coaches. His kids play hard, play great defense and play together. He's been getting, as you well know, tremendous, big-name players. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and no disdain for him as a person."
Calipari addressed Calhoun’s “My Three Sons” reference earlier in the week, when he referred to the other three (younger) coaches in the Final Four as “my two sons, and my problem child.”
“I did tell him that I knew (“My Three Sons” star) Fred MacMurray, Mr. Calhoun,” Calipari said, “and you are no Fred MacMurray.”
Awkward!
Calipari was asked two questions at today's press conference that indirectly referenced his past, which includes his two prior Final Four apperances (with UMass and Memphis) being vacated later by the NCAA.
First, he was asked if he is the "2000 Jerry Tarkanian."
"I respect everything that Jerry did, his kids, how they played, all those things," Calipari said. "But no, I think I'm the 2011 John Calipari. I don't know what that means and I hate to talk in the third party. But I am who I am."
Later, someone asked him "how it feels to coach in your first Final Four?"
Calipari smiled and said, "I don't deal with that. We've been here three times. Those players played those games and did what they were supposed to. I'm so proud of what they've all accomplished. It's been fun. It's been a good experience, and this is going to be a good experience."
Not Here to Talk About the Past
Calhoun was reminded of his own checkered past, as well. He was asked about Nate Miles' recent interview with Slam magazine, in which Miles said UConn's athletics administration knew that the Yahoo story was coming out and were looking (particularly A.D. Jeff Hathaway) for a way to boot him out of school.
"I said my personal and private feelings would not be discussed, and are not going to be discussed," Calhoun said. "If anybody wants to drag up an experiene that happened two years ago, bring it back up, that's their choice. I'm going forward because I'm going forward with my life."
... or should I say, The Hooner vs. Johnny Clam Chowder? Nah, Cal vs. Cal works fine. Heck, John Calipari is referred to rather chummily in Kentucky's media notes as Cal, so why can't we?
As we blogged about a few days ago, these two guys don't like each other much. Perhaps their frosty relationship is best described in this piece on lostletterman.com, which explains how Calhoun used to dub him "Johnny Clam Chowder" in an attempt to mock Calipari as an outsider (from Pittsburgh) trying to tell people what's good for New England basketball.
Good stuff there. And here's how Calipari responds to my question on how he'd characterize his current relationship with Jim Calhoun:
Now, let's see how the two coaches stack up, head-to-head, in various different categories.
Head-to-head: Calhoun 3, Calipari 2
Career victories: Calhoun 853, Calipari 509
Career winning pct.: Calhoun .699 (853-367), Calipari .771 (509-151)
Current players on NBA opening day rosters: Calhoun 11 (Allen, Hamilton, Butler, Okafor, Gordon, Villanueva, Gay, Armstrong, Thabeet, Price, Adrien; Calipari 12 (Bledsoe, Camby, Carney, Cousins, Dorsey, Douglas-Roberts, Evans, Orton, Patterson, Rose, Wall, Williams)
Active coaching tree (former assistants now head coaches): Calhoun 6 (Dickenman, Hobbs, Jarvis, Moore, Pikiell, Woodward), Calipari 6 (Barbee, Flint, Kellogg, Martin, Pastner, Roccaforte)
30-win seasons: Calhoun 8, Calipari 7
NCAA tournament wins: Calhoun 47, Calipari 32
National championships: Calhoun 2, Calipari 0
Final Fours: Calhoun 4, Calipari 3
Final Fours vacated by NCAA committee on infractions: Calhoun 0, Calipari 2
Programs brought to Final Four: Calhoun 1, Calipari 3
Sweet 16's: Calhoun 13, Calipari 8
Elite 8's: Calhoun 9, Calipari 6
NIT championships: Calhoun 1, Calipari 1
Background: Boston Irish, Pittsburgh Italian. Let's call this one a draw.
NBA experience: Claims he was once final cut in Celtics camp, 2 1/2 messy years as head coach of Nets. Let's call this one a draw, too.
Infamous quotes: "I f@$&ed up" or "Not one dime back" or countless others vs. calling a New Jersey reporter a "Mexican idiot."
Scandal: Nate Miles recruiting mess vs. Marcus Camby's pay-for-play or Derrick Rose cheating on SATs
Angering other coaches: Unfairly blaming Mick Cronin for not voting Kemba Walker first team all-Big East vs. John Chaney threatening to kill him.
As we blogged about a few days ago, these two guys don't like each other much. Perhaps their frosty relationship is best described in this piece on lostletterman.com, which explains how Calhoun used to dub him "Johnny Clam Chowder" in an attempt to mock Calipari as an outsider (from Pittsburgh) trying to tell people what's good for New England basketball.
Good stuff there. And here's how Calipari responds to my question on how he'd characterize his current relationship with Jim Calhoun:
Now, let's see how the two coaches stack up, head-to-head, in various different categories.
Head-to-head: Calhoun 3, Calipari 2
Career victories: Calhoun 853, Calipari 509
Career winning pct.: Calhoun .699 (853-367), Calipari .771 (509-151)
Current players on NBA opening day rosters: Calhoun 11 (Allen, Hamilton, Butler, Okafor, Gordon, Villanueva, Gay, Armstrong, Thabeet, Price, Adrien; Calipari 12 (Bledsoe, Camby, Carney, Cousins, Dorsey, Douglas-Roberts, Evans, Orton, Patterson, Rose, Wall, Williams)
Active coaching tree (former assistants now head coaches): Calhoun 6 (Dickenman, Hobbs, Jarvis, Moore, Pikiell, Woodward), Calipari 6 (Barbee, Flint, Kellogg, Martin, Pastner, Roccaforte)
30-win seasons: Calhoun 8, Calipari 7
NCAA tournament wins: Calhoun 47, Calipari 32
National championships: Calhoun 2, Calipari 0
Final Fours: Calhoun 4, Calipari 3
Final Fours vacated by NCAA committee on infractions: Calhoun 0, Calipari 2
Programs brought to Final Four: Calhoun 1, Calipari 3
Sweet 16's: Calhoun 13, Calipari 8
Elite 8's: Calhoun 9, Calipari 6
NIT championships: Calhoun 1, Calipari 1
Background: Boston Irish, Pittsburgh Italian. Let's call this one a draw.
NBA experience: Claims he was once final cut in Celtics camp, 2 1/2 messy years as head coach of Nets. Let's call this one a draw, too.
Infamous quotes: "I f@$&ed up" or "Not one dime back" or countless others vs. calling a New Jersey reporter a "Mexican idiot."
Scandal: Nate Miles recruiting mess vs. Marcus Camby's pay-for-play or Derrick Rose cheating on SATs
Angering other coaches: Unfairly blaming Mick Cronin for not voting Kemba Walker first team all-Big East vs. John Chaney threatening to kill him.
Three words sum it all up: No postseason ban.
Isn't that what it's really all about? Sure, the NCAA's sanctions against UConn are everything from minor to embarassing to legitimately hurtful. But when it's all said and done, the lack of a postseason ban is really what Husky fans care about the most.
And if you listen to committee of infractions chairman Dr. Dennis Thomas, a postseason ban could have happened.
“There are a lot of options the committee has in its quiver,”
said Thomas, who is the commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. “Based upon all of those options, which is inclusive of a postseason ban, we decided to implement the penalties as said forth in the public release.”
Let’s break down what each of the NCAA’s sanctions against UConn means to the program and to Jim Calhoun, and how everything that transpired today affects the program going forward.
Public reprimand and censure.
Little more than public embarrassment. Jim Calhoun takes his image, legacy and place in the history of the game seriously, so I’m sure he’s not happy about it. But it is what it is. Does anybody even remember that Charles Rangel was publicly censured a few months ago? Didn’t think so.
Three years of probation from February 22, 2011, through February 21, 2014. The public infractions report further details the conditions of this probation.
The NCAA adds a year to what UConn already self-imposed. Hardly the end of the world.
The head coach must be suspended from all coaching duties for the first three conference games of the 2011-12 season. He cannot be present in the arena where the games are played and cannot have contact with the coaching staff or student-athletes during the games.
Embarassing, no doubt. A little surprising, too, that the long arm of the NCAA extends into specifically suspending a coach from conference play. Tennessee’s Bruce Pearl was suspended for the first eight SEC games this season for misleading NCAA investigators (sound familiar?), but that was levied by the SEC itself. The NCAA has yet to punish Pearl (who, ironically, coached against UConn, a non-conference foe, in the middle of that suspension last month).
Two-year show-cause order for the former operations director (February 22, 2011, through February 21, 2013). The public report further details the conditions of this penalty.
This obviously only affects Beau Archibald. According to a source, Archibald will appeal this decision.
Permanent disassociation of the involved booster. The public infractions report includes further details.
Did you really think the program would ever associated itself with Josh Nochimson again?
Reduction of men's basketball athletics scholarships from 13 to 12 for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
NCAA adds one more year to UConn’s self-imposed two-year sanctions. Not a shock, and certainly not a back-breaker. Consider: UConn has 12 scholarship players this season (per its own self-imposed sanctions). Seniors Donnell Beverly and Charles Okwandu are gone after this year, and in all likelihood, so is Kemba Walker to the NBA. That’s three spots open for next year, maybe more if there are any of the usual transfers, etc. One spot has been filled by Chicago point guard Ryan Boatright. The Huskies will have at least two spots open for next year and the year after, since everyone else on this year’s roster is a sophomore or freshman. That’s enough.
I’m going to lump these next four together:
Ban on men’s basketball recruiting calls during the 2011-12 academic year until 30 days after the first day that phone calls are allowed.
Reduction in the number of men’s basketball coaches allowed to make phone calls from three to two, not including the head basketball coach, for six months after the university’s response to the notice of allegations (self-imposed by the university).
Reduction of the number of men’s basketball off-campus recruiting days by 40, from 130 to 90, for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 recruiting periods.
Limit of five official paid visits for men’s basketball for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
None of these are good for the Huskies, particularly the reduction of off-campus recruiting days. But again, UConn has a host of good, young players already in stock, and it’s a good bet the Huskies will still be able to get good players despite these sanctions.
The head coach, assistant coach and all members of the compliance staff must attend the NCAA Regional Rules Seminar.
Whatever.
Bottom line: Jim Calhoun says he is “very disappointed” in the NCAA’s findings. I’m sure there is a part of him – the extremely prideful part, the part that will never go down without a fight, the part that is very protective of his place in the history of the game – that is disappointed.
But there almost has to be another part of Calhoun that is a bit relieved that the sanctions weren’t worse. There is no postseason ban, which is about the only thing that most UConn fans really, truly cared about. The lack of a postseason ban and the cloud finally being lifted off the program should be enough to satisfy prospective recruits and limit any more negative recruiting that may be going around.
If nothing else, Calhoun is guilty of his overzealous pursuit of Nate Miles. Now, he’s paying the piper – but the price could have been a lot worse. UConn is going to the NCAA tournament this season and can for seasons to come, as well, provided it deserves a bid.
Isn't that what it's really all about? Sure, the NCAA's sanctions against UConn are everything from minor to embarassing to legitimately hurtful. But when it's all said and done, the lack of a postseason ban is really what Husky fans care about the most.
And if you listen to committee of infractions chairman Dr. Dennis Thomas, a postseason ban could have happened.
“There are a lot of options the committee has in its quiver,”
said Thomas, who is the commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. “Based upon all of those options, which is inclusive of a postseason ban, we decided to implement the penalties as said forth in the public release.”
Let’s break down what each of the NCAA’s sanctions against UConn means to the program and to Jim Calhoun, and how everything that transpired today affects the program going forward.
Public reprimand and censure.
Little more than public embarrassment. Jim Calhoun takes his image, legacy and place in the history of the game seriously, so I’m sure he’s not happy about it. But it is what it is. Does anybody even remember that Charles Rangel was publicly censured a few months ago? Didn’t think so.
Three years of probation from February 22, 2011, through February 21, 2014. The public infractions report further details the conditions of this probation.
The NCAA adds a year to what UConn already self-imposed. Hardly the end of the world.
The head coach must be suspended from all coaching duties for the first three conference games of the 2011-12 season. He cannot be present in the arena where the games are played and cannot have contact with the coaching staff or student-athletes during the games.
Embarassing, no doubt. A little surprising, too, that the long arm of the NCAA extends into specifically suspending a coach from conference play. Tennessee’s Bruce Pearl was suspended for the first eight SEC games this season for misleading NCAA investigators (sound familiar?), but that was levied by the SEC itself. The NCAA has yet to punish Pearl (who, ironically, coached against UConn, a non-conference foe, in the middle of that suspension last month).
Two-year show-cause order for the former operations director (February 22, 2011, through February 21, 2013). The public report further details the conditions of this penalty.
This obviously only affects Beau Archibald. According to a source, Archibald will appeal this decision.
Permanent disassociation of the involved booster. The public infractions report includes further details.
Did you really think the program would ever associated itself with Josh Nochimson again?
Reduction of men's basketball athletics scholarships from 13 to 12 for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
NCAA adds one more year to UConn’s self-imposed two-year sanctions. Not a shock, and certainly not a back-breaker. Consider: UConn has 12 scholarship players this season (per its own self-imposed sanctions). Seniors Donnell Beverly and Charles Okwandu are gone after this year, and in all likelihood, so is Kemba Walker to the NBA. That’s three spots open for next year, maybe more if there are any of the usual transfers, etc. One spot has been filled by Chicago point guard Ryan Boatright. The Huskies will have at least two spots open for next year and the year after, since everyone else on this year’s roster is a sophomore or freshman. That’s enough.
I’m going to lump these next four together:
Ban on men’s basketball recruiting calls during the 2011-12 academic year until 30 days after the first day that phone calls are allowed.
Reduction in the number of men’s basketball coaches allowed to make phone calls from three to two, not including the head basketball coach, for six months after the university’s response to the notice of allegations (self-imposed by the university).
Reduction of the number of men’s basketball off-campus recruiting days by 40, from 130 to 90, for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 recruiting periods.
Limit of five official paid visits for men’s basketball for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
None of these are good for the Huskies, particularly the reduction of off-campus recruiting days. But again, UConn has a host of good, young players already in stock, and it’s a good bet the Huskies will still be able to get good players despite these sanctions.
The head coach, assistant coach and all members of the compliance staff must attend the NCAA Regional Rules Seminar.
Whatever.
Bottom line: Jim Calhoun says he is “very disappointed” in the NCAA’s findings. I’m sure there is a part of him – the extremely prideful part, the part that will never go down without a fight, the part that is very protective of his place in the history of the game – that is disappointed.
But there almost has to be another part of Calhoun that is a bit relieved that the sanctions weren’t worse. There is no postseason ban, which is about the only thing that most UConn fans really, truly cared about. The lack of a postseason ban and the cloud finally being lifted off the program should be enough to satisfy prospective recruits and limit any more negative recruiting that may be going around.
If nothing else, Calhoun is guilty of his overzealous pursuit of Nate Miles. Now, he’s paying the piper – but the price could have been a lot worse. UConn is going to the NCAA tournament this season and can for seasons to come, as well, provided it deserves a bid.
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