probation

[davidpaul123]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/b ... ncaa.0135/

[i phone money]

Ouch...

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

WTH

I had no idea there was anything like this going on with SMU athletics right now. Is this the first news of this issue?

[2ndandlong]

well that freaking blows. this is the first I've even heard about this.

[SMU SID]

NCAA Accepts SMU-Recommended Sanctions Over Texting To Parents, Commends Men’s Basketball Coach For Corrective Action

March 10, 2011

DALLAS (SMU) – SMU announced today that the NCAA has accepted the University’s self-imposed sanctions for “inadvertent violations” involving text messaging by the men’s basketball program.

In a news release March 10, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions said, “The violations in this case were limited in scope, involving impermissible text messages” to parents of at least seven prospective student-athletes, all of whom ultimately signed with other institutions. Fewer than 100 text messages were sent after the men’s head basketball coach received erroneous advice from a former SMU compliance officer, indicating that texts to parents were allowable under NCAA rules.

The SMU basketball staff self-reported the violations after learning that the text messages were impermissible based on an NCAA rules clarification adding parents to the list of impermissible text recipients.

“As soon as the head men’s basketball coach realized” he had received erroneous advice, “he immediately reported the violations and corrected his staff’s actions,” the NCAA said.

“In distinguishing this case from other previous text messaging cases, the [infractions] committee noted the men’s basketball staff sought guidance on rules rather than knowingly circumventing them,” the NCAA said. “Further, the committee noted that there is no evidence that more than a minimal recruiting advantage was gained by these inadvertent violations.”

The committee also said the “erroneous guidance” from a former compliance officer “strongly mitigated the staff’s responsibility for the violations.” The NCAA noted that “the head men’s basketball coach kept up to date on rules education, which led him to discover the recruiting violations. The committee commended the head men’s basketball coach for his actions in this case.”

After reporting the violations to the NCAA, SMU hired an outside firm to conduct an investigation. It found that 16 impermissible messages had been sent to parents of recruits over a three-month period, based on available phone records. Because the text messaging occurred over two years (2007-2009), the NCAA and SMU estimated the total number of impermissible text messages to be not more than 100. All were limited to the men’s basketball program; no other SMU programs were involved. Although each text message would constitute only a secondary violation, the total number and duration of the texting elevated the violations to major.

“SMU is committed to full compliance with NCAA regulations and has taken corrective action,” said Athletics Director Steve Orsini. “We have made changes to our compliance staff and are increasing the number of staff members in view of the fact that technology is adding new dimensions to the compliance environment. We also have expanded educational programs to keep coaches and staff up to date on NCAA regulations, and we have instituted a state-of-the-art system for monitoring text messaging. The fact that this problem was self-reported and proactively addressed reflects our commitment to maintaining a culture of compliance and accountability regarding NCAA regulations.”

The NCAA also noted an “associated violation” involving the former compliance staff’s failure to implement self-imposed rules education after SMU self-reported four secondary violations regarding text messaging in 2007-2008.

The NCAA accepted SMU’s recommended two-year probation (March 10, 2011, through March 9, 2013). The NCAA also accepted SMU’s proposal to reduce the number of recruiting-person days available to the men’s basketball staff by 15 (to 115) and the number of official paid visits available to the men’s basketball program by two (to 10), for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years. SMU already had implemented a two-week ban on initiating communication with men’s basketball prospective student-athletes, beginning April 28, 2010, and ending May 11, 2010. In addition, all SMU coaches attended the NCAA Regional Rules Seminar in June 2010.

# # #

[expony18]

sorry should have scrolled

[Monkeystang]

I am just glad we have some of the boys we have for next year. this is unbelievable though.

[PonySnob]

Yawn........................

[Harry0569]

Everyone does it. Good that we self-reported it.

[Samurai Stang]

What is pathetic is that the violations that led to probation have not contributed to success. Being on probation is unacceptable, but even more so when it is on a losing program.

Simply another example of Doherty's incompetence. Consistent losing and being put on probation should result his being fired. However, SMU is abnormal, meaning his return is certain.

[NickSMU17]

Waiting for a response from The Doh Faithful on this....

This doesn't make me feel better

[redpony]

I would think that Doh's contract has a clause whereby he can be fired with cause (and no buy out)if he or any of his staff are guilty of any ncaa violations.
Obviously he is responsible for his staff and must suffer the consequences. We now have a reason and also do not need to find money to get rid of him. Doh must go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


GO PONIES!!!

[hoopmanx]

these aren't even sanctions, it's like a one-week paid vacation for Reggie Brown and co.

Redpony, they knew about these last Spring, and didn't care then, and they don't care now. The texts were always a non-issue, and nobody is firing a coach at SMU coming off a winning season, w/a loaded roster moving forward, for what looks like the next 2 or 3 years. Beyond that, SMU was arguably the best coached team in CUSA this season, and statistically one of the most improved in America. This program is trending up in a big way.

You going to advocate the coaches dismissal IF we get a CIT invite? That's like firing June after getting the Hawaii Bowl invite lol.

[2ndandlong]

Two weeks ago they were calling for him to be COY, now people are calling for his ouster without cause. Lets all tap the breaks.

[mrydel]

I just wish the past 4 years could be explained. What was Doh trying to do, because apparently nothing worked until he got Mangino and Hobbie here. That said, if you have been watching the team for the past 5 years, you can easily see the improvement made this year. It is night and day. Maybe it takes that long for a transition of this type but I find that hard to believe. But this team now is in a system that works for them and I for one am excited to see additional progress next year. We should be contending for the title in CUSA from day 1. If not, lets change, but until then, based on the progress I have witnessed this year, I say lets keep going.