ROLL TIDE FOREVER AMEN
08-22-2005, 09:13 PM
HEH! HEH! This is funny.
2005-08-18
by Elizabeth A. Davis
The Associated Press
KNOXVILLE -- The NCAA passed new rules last year to stop schools from luring recruits with special perks and elaborate entertainment as a response to well-publicized scandals at Colorado and Miami.
The rules outlaw the obvious such as personalized jerseys and putting the recruit's name and picture on the scoreboard to simulate game day introductions. But they also catch anything special added to the locker room or other location just for the prospect's visit.
Tennessee officials found out recently how a welcome sign made from a piece of ordinary typing paper can cause trouble.
A men's basketball graduate assistant thought he was just being creative and helpful when he made a color sign for a high school player on an unofficial visit on June 17 and posted it beside the locker room door in Thompson-Boling Arena.
A school compliance official saw the sign and determined it fell under the category of "personalized recruiting aid,'' which is now banned by the NCAA.
The university self-reported the secondary violation to the Southeastern Conference office on July 1, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Coach Bruce Pearl and the graduate assistant were sent letters of admonishment by athletic director Mike Hamilton, and now a member of the staff has to approve recruiting materials.
Brad Bertani, associate athletic director for compliance, said he was waiting on a response letter from the SEC, but he expected the self-imposed penalties would be accepted.
Pearl said he takes responsibility for making sure his staff knows all the rules.
Still, a small welcome sign pales when compared to schools taking recruits to five-star restaurants or flying them in private planes -- all allowed before the rules were enacted.
"It's hard to believe that that would be something that would rise to the level of having to report,'' Pearl said.
A lawsuit filed by a woman who said she was raped by Colorado players or recruits set off a scandal that accused the school of using sex and alcohol to lure recruits. Miami offered a scholarship to a player who was on probation when he was charged with hugging a woman without her permission and setting off fire extinguishers during a recruiting visits to Florida.
Bertani said the NCAA alleviated possible misunderstandings with the rules by just getting rid of anything special for recruits.
"It was also an intent to make your visit similar to how it would be when you're there at school. When you're a student at school, you're not going to have signs and bands playing for you when you walk in the gym,'' he said.
Self-reporting of secondary violations is a common practice at Tennessee and other schools.
"Whenever there is a violation we're required to turn it in. It's more of a violation when you don't turn it in,'' Bertani said.
Another secondary violation reported on July 1 resulted in the athletic department adding a new policy that prohibits new athletes from moving to Knoxville before being enrolled unless it is approved by Hamilton.
A freshman on the football team who graduated from high school in December but was not going to enroll until summer moved to Knoxville in March and was staying with some other football players.
The action violated NCAA benefit rules because the player was technically still a prospect and he did not pay his share of the rent. The name of the player was not released because of student privacy laws.
:D
2005-08-18
by Elizabeth A. Davis
The Associated Press
KNOXVILLE -- The NCAA passed new rules last year to stop schools from luring recruits with special perks and elaborate entertainment as a response to well-publicized scandals at Colorado and Miami.
The rules outlaw the obvious such as personalized jerseys and putting the recruit's name and picture on the scoreboard to simulate game day introductions. But they also catch anything special added to the locker room or other location just for the prospect's visit.
Tennessee officials found out recently how a welcome sign made from a piece of ordinary typing paper can cause trouble.
A men's basketball graduate assistant thought he was just being creative and helpful when he made a color sign for a high school player on an unofficial visit on June 17 and posted it beside the locker room door in Thompson-Boling Arena.
A school compliance official saw the sign and determined it fell under the category of "personalized recruiting aid,'' which is now banned by the NCAA.
The university self-reported the secondary violation to the Southeastern Conference office on July 1, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Coach Bruce Pearl and the graduate assistant were sent letters of admonishment by athletic director Mike Hamilton, and now a member of the staff has to approve recruiting materials.
Brad Bertani, associate athletic director for compliance, said he was waiting on a response letter from the SEC, but he expected the self-imposed penalties would be accepted.
Pearl said he takes responsibility for making sure his staff knows all the rules.
Still, a small welcome sign pales when compared to schools taking recruits to five-star restaurants or flying them in private planes -- all allowed before the rules were enacted.
"It's hard to believe that that would be something that would rise to the level of having to report,'' Pearl said.
A lawsuit filed by a woman who said she was raped by Colorado players or recruits set off a scandal that accused the school of using sex and alcohol to lure recruits. Miami offered a scholarship to a player who was on probation when he was charged with hugging a woman without her permission and setting off fire extinguishers during a recruiting visits to Florida.
Bertani said the NCAA alleviated possible misunderstandings with the rules by just getting rid of anything special for recruits.
"It was also an intent to make your visit similar to how it would be when you're there at school. When you're a student at school, you're not going to have signs and bands playing for you when you walk in the gym,'' he said.
Self-reporting of secondary violations is a common practice at Tennessee and other schools.
"Whenever there is a violation we're required to turn it in. It's more of a violation when you don't turn it in,'' Bertani said.
Another secondary violation reported on July 1 resulted in the athletic department adding a new policy that prohibits new athletes from moving to Knoxville before being enrolled unless it is approved by Hamilton.
A freshman on the football team who graduated from high school in December but was not going to enroll until summer moved to Knoxville in March and was staying with some other football players.
The action violated NCAA benefit rules because the player was technically still a prospect and he did not pay his share of the rent. The name of the player was not released because of student privacy laws.
:D