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NCAA won't take further action against SMU basketball program

05:13 PM CDT on Friday, September 21, 2007

By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News
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SMU announced Friday that the NCAA has completed its review of the men's basketball program.

The NCAA will not take further action, ruling that SMU's actions in response to self-reported violations during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 academic years were satisfactory.

SMU fired former coach Jimmy Tubbs in April of 2006, citing a self-initiated investigation that the school said revealed NCAA violations in a number of areas.

SMU compensated Tubbs for the final two years of his four-year contract, worth $600,000.

"Coach Tubbs remains disappointed in both SMU annd the NCAA and plans to appeal the NCAA's ruling," said Michael Pegues, Tubbs' attorney.

Pegues said that Tubbs has not been sanctioned by the NCAA and declined to elaborate.

The NCAA does not comment on secondary infractions.

Reports at the time of Tubbs' firing revealed allegations such as Tubbs buying a meal for two players and conducting practices beyond the NCAA-mandated 20 hours per week. Booster Max Williams jump-started the investigation by telling officials he saw something in the program he didn't like.

When SMU fired Tubbs, former athletic director Jim Copeland said in a statement, "The few incidents described in recent media reports are not the sum of the alleged violations in the program. Those incidents would not, in themselves, warrant significant action on the part of the University."

Tubbs went 27-30 at SMU. He was unable to secure the commitments of Dallas ISD players; his connection to DISD was one reason SMU hired him.

SMU moved on, with incoming athletic director Steve Orsini hiring coach Matt Doherty in April of 2006.

"SMU reiterates its commitment to competing at the highest level with integrity throughout its athletic programs and, like the NCAA, considers the matter closed at this time," the university said in a statement.

What, no violations? No penalties? Nothing? I'm stunned. You cant imagine my amazement.

Mabey jtstang can get on with important things like........who can he bum and mooch off of next. Come talk to me on the 'Vard JT, Special Delivery handles almost every major law firm in Dallas, I can probably help you get a job that pays.

thats all they are going to say???

ALEX LIFESON wrote:Mabey jtstang can get on with important things like........who can he bum and mooch off of next. Come talk to me on the 'Vard JT, Special Delivery handles almost every major law firm in Dallas, I can probably help you get a job that pays.

SMU is gutless, but you go ahead and make jokes about the fact they ruined Tubbs' livelihood based on false pretenses. I hope you're happy. I for one am glad to see that Tubbs is not taking this lying down and plans to appeal. I hope he doesn't use you to deliver it, you'd probably lose it on the way.

I am not happy that things turned out bad for Jimmy Tubbs. I've had the chance to get to know (and like) Jimmy through quite a number of Mustang Club functions, and fund-drive workers get togethers. Don't remember seeing you at any of those? It's easy and "gutless" to howl at the moon.......put you money, time, and effort where your big mouth is.

Okay I admit it. You're a member of the Mustang club, that makes you better than me. Happy?

I am confused...what is he appealing???

Apparently the finding of a secondary infraction.

Does Mad Max have a grandson wanting to play football at SMU?

SMU compensated Tubbs for the final two years of his four-year contract, worth $600,000.

They treated the situtation about as poorly as possible but the man is getting paid.

It's a dead issue now. Copeland is gone. Move on. He was a terrible AD.

It's not a dead issue. Tubbs is appealing.

But since you want to put this behind us, do me one favor first. Tell me the specific violations that Tubbs was fired for, and I'll move on with you.

Too bad we can't harness your tenacity on this issue, for which there is nothing you can change, into doing something productive.

jtstang wrote:SMU is gutless, but you go ahead and make jokes about the fact they ruined Tubbs' livelihood based on false pretenses. I hope you're happy. I for one am glad to see that Tubbs is not taking this lying down and plans to appeal. I hope he doesn't use you to deliver it, you'd probably lose it on the way.

1. SMU isn't gutless — it's the NCAA that concluded no further punishment was needed.
2. Coach Tubbs is a great guy, and I wish him well. In the end, he got the full $1.2 million that his four-year contract allowed. I wish someone would "ruin my livelihood" like that.
3. It's over. Nothing more will ever come out of this. You don't have to like it, but it's time to move on.

Good luck wherever you are, Coach Tubbs.
Good luck, Coach Doherty.
GO PONIES!

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 5c22c.html

I think this is one of the weirdest articles that was written concerning this situation. I never understood the part about Max saying he gave money to Tubbs to purchase meals for the players and then turning him in for buying the meals. Jimmy then claims it was his own money that purchased the meals. Does the source of the money make it wrong or right?

Copeland's quote about SMU hiring Tubbs to recruit the best players in the area and specifically the DISD, and saying he failed at that was also currious. What does that have to do with an investigation that supposedly revealed "NCAA violations in a number of areas in the program"?

I personally am for dropping this subject, but those of you who want it dropped need to quit posting excuses for what happened and saying Tubbs got his money so he should be happy.