Blame compliance, not Cal

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Not surprisingly, things have metaphorically hit the fan with a John Calipari-coached team.

Yesterday, a forest fire was lit in the mid-South when it was revealed that the Memphis Tigers are under investigation for “known fraudulence or misconduct” on a player’s SAT exam and providing more than $2,000 worth of free travel of an associate of the player.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal released the official documentation here Wednesday night. The names have been redacted, but the language of the document indicates that Derrick Rose is the main culprit, that somebody took his SATs and got the minimum qualifying score.

Nobody who’s followed Calipari is shocked by this. He does whatever it takes to win, and get the most out of his players, and sometimes that includes pushing the envelope. Believe me, you should hear some of the recruiting trail stories about him floating around. He hasn’t made a lot of friends on the way, but like his counterpart Rick Pitino, he knows how to play the media and the public very well. Few know how to drum up the masses like Coach Cal.

The University of Kentucky has already come out and said that Cal will not be charged with anything (of course), but that he will need to be present at the June 6 hearing. But the wolfpack has already thrown its daggers in his direction.

After all, he “had nothing to do” with the UMass fracas back in the 90's either. Really, there was no way he could have known that three starters were playing with below a 2.0 GPA; or that Marcus Camby was walking around with $28,000 and a big platinum “21” chain around his neck; or that Calipari was giving tickets to agents. So much did he have nothing to do with the problem that he’s inducted into the UMass Hall of Fame, and has a room dedicated in his name at the library.

But I digress. These are two different beasts.

Amongst all this talk of accountability regarding Calipari, RC Johnson and the UK athletic department, here’s the question I want answered: where’s the compliance auditor in all this?

We can talk all we want about Cal’s cutthroat recruiting tactics, win-at-all-costs mentality or his constant modern-day Othello with the national media. But at the end of the day, this is a problem that demands the accountability of the athletic department’s compliance office. Just because there is no “lack of institutional control” charge does not mean these guys are off the hook. Let’s remember, people, that it is ultimately up to the compliance office to make sure these kids are eligible to participate in college athletics, and that their status as an amateur athlete is not in jeopardy. THEY have the final say.

Now, I’m not dismissing the fact that Cal could have used his clout to strong-arm the department. But let’s remember to see the forest through the trees when explosive stories like these hit the streets.

On a lighter note, the Memphis women’s golf team is SCREWED.