Alabama basketball program put on probation following NCAA investigation
The NCAA has just announced penalties for Alabama’s basketball program following an investigation into violations committed within the hoops program at Tuscaloosa.
The NCAA investigation revealed a former University of Alabama associate athletics director broke rules by taking money in exchange for facilitating a meeting between the father of a student-athlete, a financial advisor and the financial advisor’s representative.
“The nature of the conduct — selling access to student-athletes and their families — completely undermines the Association’s foundational values,” the committee said in its decision, which can be read here.
Following the investigation, Alabama’s basketball program has been put on probation for three years.
The unnamed former Alabama associate athletics director received the harshest punishment, as he was given a 10-year show-cause following the investigation.
Here is an outline of the penalties the NCAA handed down on the Alabama basketball program:
- Three years of probation.
- A $5,000 fine plus 1% of the men’s basketball program budget.
- A 10-year show-cause order for the former associate athletics director. During that period, any NCAA member school employing him must restrict him from any athletically related duties unless it shows cause why the restrictions should not apply.
And are we expected to believe this same associate athletic director did NOT accept money and facilitate these same kinds of meetings for any football players? Yeah ok, *wink wink*
mehhh this is nothing. No scholarship losses or post season ban.
Nothing indeed. As an Alabama fan there’s no way you could have been worried the NCAA would actually do something to Alabama.
I mean Bama did nothing wrong here really. One guy acted on his own and took some money to facilitate a meeting. That guy is getting punished with a 10-year show cause. Seems fair.
I don’t necessarily disagree. But it just seems convenient I guess when the NCAA by their own admission says Mizzou did nothing wrong, the tudor acted on her own accord and yet Mizzou gets a bowl ban, a baseball post season ban, a softball post season ban and loss of scholarships and loss of recruiting periods. I mean, LOL.
Yeah I get your point and its valid for sure. NCAA is a joke.
I get your still bitter over your probation but you need to know facts. Alabama was put on probation for a player taking $500 from an agent. Not academic fraud, $500. It may have been a rogue tutor but that’s still academic fraud.
If you actually read the article you would know that the deal wasn’t for the kid to sign with the school. The money came from the agent for an introduction. Your laundry bill must be huge with having to wash all those crying towels.
LOL. The NCAA must be getting ready to issue a strong word of warning to LSU basketball along with a glass of milk & cookies.
@Mudragon, well said!!
This is the exact same thing Chuck Person is going to jail for. But with Auburn, two players had to miss more than a season and Bruce got dragged through the mud.
A Federal crime and an NCAA violation is not “the exact same thing.” It’s just good fortune that Auburn has not yet received that letter of inquiry they’ve been expecting for the last year or so.
The only difference was the dollar amount. They were both selling player access to agents and got caught in the same FBI sting.
No. Alabama had already self-reported their violation, fired the coach, and suspended the player per the NCAA’s recommendation. Alabama’s guy broke NCAA rules by taking bribes in exchange for facilitating a meeting. Chuck Person accepted bribes to *pay* Auburn players. I’m sure you can see the difference. Oh, and by the way, one of Bruce Pearl’s coaches (Person) paid several of Bruce Pearl’s players. He deserves to be drug thru the mud little and it’ll get worse if the NCAA deems it a “failure to monitor.”
9mmDave – You don’t get a 10 year show cause for “facilitating a meeting” lol
Auburn sat two players for entire year and some of a second year because of Persons. Auburn also fired Persons. Person did not pay Auburn players. In fact he was hurting Auburn by telling them to sign with certain financial advisors and steering them away from Auburn to go pro sooner. It wasn’t a pay for play. The Alabama assistant was caught in the same thing as Persons.
Well … he did. For that and for violating NCAA ethical conduct rules when he refused to provide information relevant to the investigation – a Level I-Aggravated violation. And… {sigh} not the same thing. Alabama’s guy was never even indicted on federal charges, much less convicted … as was Chuck Person.
Exactly.. it wasn’t just facilitating a meeting, which is what I said.
It was the same as, it was a part of the whole FBI thing to begin with. Not necessarily the same “crime”.
smh :)
Nothing good has came out about Basketball recently… I’m not sure the NCAA will be able to get an actual handle on it.