SMU BASKETBALL 2 YEAR PROBATION

[abezontar]

Did we at least get the recruits?

I don't think so. The email said they ended up signing elsewhere.

[Wuba]

Did we at least get the recruits?

Amazing how many people are on here commenting that did not read the release. It clearly states the terms of the punishment (none of which apply to postseason play) and that all of the players signed with other schools.

[Junior]

Did we at least get the recruits?

I don't think so. The email said they ended up signing elsewhere.

Hmm, I must've read straight over that part and skipped to the sanctions.

[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.

# # #

[Mitch McConnell]

Hey, if a few extra text messages helped get the Arlington Lamar kid here or that Houston kid here or that Jalen Jones guy here, I'm fine with it.

Screw it...I'm tired of losing. Back up the truck...let's go!!!

[hoopmanx]

Hey, if a few extra text messages helped get the Arlington Lamar kid here or that Houston kid here or that Jalen Jones guy here, I'm fine with it.

Screw it...I'm tired of losing. Back up the truck...let's go!!!

LOL, I'm w/ya. Spoken like you grew up in the desert

[ponyte]

Vast improvement in our handling of these violations. I can remember a time when we would have probably flailed ourselves like crazed Iranians during Ramadan. Now we accept probation and limit a few goodies.

[Junior]

Only because it didn't involve burgers and Cheer.

[RedRiverPony]

Unbelieveable. Get that bum out of here. Hire Billy Gillespie

Because Billy G is a slave to doing things the right way and following every rule?

... 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.

It is the job of the compliance office to understand and enforce rules, and to educate the coaches in every sport about the rules, which are too numerous for anyone with other job responsibilities (like, say, coaching a team) to know in their entirety. Coaches (other than Jim Tressel, of course) know a lot of compliance rules, but if a compliance officer sends an e-mail stating that something is legal or illegal, every coach in the country has to have faith that the compliance office is sending accurate information. That's precisely why athletic departments have compliance offices.

This entire case falls on the former compliance officer, not the basketball staff.

[2ndandlong]

I agree with RRP. Exactly right.

[Junior]

That's probably why it's the "former" SMU compliance officer.

[Hoop Fan]

this is almost funny, pure irony. Give me a freakin break, coaches know the rules on texting these days or they should. This has been well publicized over the past few years based on several high profile situations.

I would never fire a coach for minor crap like this, but SMU does...I also like the Cam Newton aspect of this (if you pay/text the parents, and not the athlete himself, its ok right? ).

[hoopmanx]

this is almost funny, pure irony. Give me a freakin break, coaches know the rules on texting these days or they should. This has been well publicized over the past few years based on several high profile situations.

I would never fire a coach for minor crap like this, but SMU does...I also like the Cam Newton aspect of this (if you pay/text the parents, and not the athlete himself, its ok right? ).

There were other issues w/Geary, it wasn't just the texting, that led to his dismissal. Coaches do have a problem w/the NCAA minutia around texting and new media. I know, I speak w/many coaches as part of my job, and ask two, get two different answers

[skyscraper]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/colleg ... etball.ece

From the DMN story on this - I think some staff have dropped some hints to Kate:

None of the sanctions will prevent SMU from playing in a postseason tournament this season, expected to be the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament.

[Mexmustang]

Had to laugh at the comment about Jim Tressell, didn't he claim that he didn't know there was even a compliance office? or was is where to find it? or was it the proper place to go, I can't remember.

Seems like we handled it fine, including the coaches, although they shouldn't have had to rely on someone else's opinions as to the rules. They should know them verbatum.