UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, October 2, 1996
58
Florida probing NCAA violations
Left tackle got $500 via agent's affiliate
The Associated Press
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The shoe could be on the other foot.
Steve Spurrier once referred to Florida State as Free Shoes University because some of its players accepted Foot Locker store merchandise that was paid for by sports agents.
On the same day the NCAA upheld the Seminoles' one-year probation for not monitoring agents on campus, Florida was investigating whether tackle Mo Collins was the only player who accepted money from an agent's representative.
If there is another player who has accepted money, he won't play either, Spurrier said at his weekly news conference.
Collins, a redshirt sophomore who has started every game for the top-ranked Gators, was held out of the 65-0 victory against Kentucky on Saturday when school officials learned he took $500 shortly after the Fiesta Bowl from someone affiliated with an agent.
Athletic director Jeremy Foley said the Gators' first three victories, including a pivotal win against Tennessee, would not be in jeopardy because the school did not know Collins took the money.
"I would not say I'm surprised it happened here," Foley said. "When Florida State was going through its troubles, I said that the University of Florida would be naive if we did not think that could happen here.
"When you compete at the highest level, it can happen. And obviously, it has happened here now."
The extent to which it has happened will be determined by an investigation that Foley said would take up to five weeks. He said he could not discuss specifics, but information they have uncovered so far indicates it is an isolated incident.
Spurrier, shooting for an unprecedented fourth straight Southeastern Conference championship, seemed unconcerned about the effect of Collins' ineligibility. Spurrier is having to reshape most of his offensive line as the Gators prepare for a crucial stretch of the season.
The Gators play at Arkansas
on Saturday, then play consecutive home games against No. 14 Louisiana State and No. 20 Auburn.
"We're not making much of it, I can assure you that," Spurrier said. "We've got other players. The rules are you can put 11 out there at a time, and we've got 11 ready to play.
S spurrier was more distraught about the knee injury defensive end Willie Cohens suffered against Kentucky, he said. Cohens is scheduled to have surgery this week and will likely miss the rest of the season.
"We played the whole game last week with Mo out of there. We can play again."
"He certainly didn't choose that injury to occur, whereas Mo's situation, he chose to accept some money," Spurrier said. "Wherever it came from, we'll let the investigation take care of that."
Collins was in the training room on Tuesday and declined to talk to reporters. He is still eligible to practice with the Gators. Foley said that depending on what the investigation concludes, Florida can apply to have him reinstalled.
"I'm not saying we will do that." Foley said.
Florida football coach Steve Spurrier once called interstate rival Florida State Free Shoes University. But he is now investigating whether left tackle Mo Collins was the only Florida player who accepted money from an agent's representative.
Florida State loses probation appeal
School eligible for bowls, TV
The Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
— The NCAA rejected Florida State's appeal of a one-year probation on Tuesday, noting the university committed a major violation by failing to adequately monitor sports agents on its campus.
The report also suggested that the school failed to do its homework on the appeal.
The committee's report said the school had failed to assure NCAA rules compliance within its football program and had not taken sufficient actions to investigate possible violations of NCAA amateurism rules.
The NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee ruled against Florida State on each of three issues raised by the school.
In addition to not monitoring agent activity, the NCAA said, Florida State neglected to object to the testimony of an unfriendly witness during the initial review, and the school did not raise the repeat-violator penalty in the formal appeal.
"The Committee on Infractions took the position that the penalty issue had been waived by the institution," the NCAA report said.
Florida State officials
called a news conference to respond to the decision.
The school was handed a one-year probation on March 20, but lost no scholarships and remains eligible for bowl games and television appearances. The probation was backdated to Feb. 3, the date the school appeared before NCAA officials.
The NCAA also ordered the school to develop a more thorough compliance program and recitify its current policies and practices.
Yesterday's denial of the appeal did not change the sanctions.
The Feb. 3 probation date also automatically began a five-year period during which Florida State would face serious sanctions if it violates NCAA rules again.
Florida State acknowledged it found 14 NCAA rules violations in its own internal investigation. Eight of the violations involved a November 1993 after-hours shopping spree to a Foot Locker shoe store at a local mall, where several players received about $6,000 worth of merchandise paid for by uncleard sports agents.
Five players, including All-American linebacker Derrick Brooks, were suspended in the 1994 season for two and four games for accepting gear during the shopping spree.
Shawn Kemp skips opening of Supersonic training camp
SEATTLE
SEATLE
Shawn Kemp,
unhappy with his $3
million salary and
unsure when he will
join his teammates,
a was no-show yesterday
at the opening of
the Seattle Super-
Sonics' training
camp.
Kemp, a four-time All-Star who helped the Sonics reach the NBA Finals last season, will be the sixth-highest paid player on the team this season.
The labor agreement between the league and union states that a player's contract can't be changed until three years after it is signed. So Kemp must wait another season before the Sonics can give him more money.
"When my contract can be reworked in October of 1997, I will take steps at that time to assure that my compensation is elevated to a level commensurate with my standing on the Sonics and in the NBA," Kemp said in a statement issued through ProServ, the company that represents him.
Kemp will be fined for missing training camp workouts.
Teammate Sam Perkins also missed a mandatory media session Monday
night, but Perkins practiced yesterday.
Kemp said that the Sonics would see him when he showed up and that they wouldn't be hearing from him until then.
After the Sonics' practice, team president Wally Walker, coach George Karl and Kemp's team-mates said they were puzzled by his absence.
"There will be no further comments to the media on this issue." he said.
"I'm not sure I understand," Walker said. "It's an emotional situation."
"I don't know if I understand it, but I don't understand a lot of things in the NBA," Karl said. "All Shawn needs to do is tell us what he wants, and we'll do it."
Kemp's agent, Tony Dutt, was in Seattle with Kemp yesterday, ProServ representative Dewey Blanton said. Dutt did not return telephone calls to The Associated Press.
"Sometimes, an athlete needs to go off by himself, and maybe this is his time," guard Hersey Hawkins said. "We don't know why Shawn isn't here, but you have to respect his reasons."
"I don't have a feel for the timing of it," Walker said. "We're optimistic, but that's Shawn's call."
when Kemp would be back.
Kemp, 26, is entering the second year of a seven-year extension he signed in 1993. Two years ago, he signed a contract extension for a $14.6 million balloon payment in 2002-03.
Kemp is believed to be particularly unhappy with the $33 million, seven-year contract the Sonics gave free agent Jim Mclvaine, who will be the club's starting center. Mclvaine was a backup center for the Washington Bullets last season.
Walker said that he talked to Dutt by phone yesterday and that Dutt didn't say
Gary Payton, Seattle's All-Star point guard, signed a seven-year, $87.5 million contract in July.
Payton said he talked with Kemp by phone yesterday.
this point, I cannot say when I will be returning to the Sonics."
"He needs a little break," Payton said. "Give him a couple of days to relax, and he'll be fine."
Kemp said the new collective bargaining agreement didn't allow for veterans to be paid what they are worth.
"I only know how to play basketball one way and that is all out, giving everything that I have," he said. "I cannot do that at time. At
Kemp said he needed time to be alone to think.
"At times, it can be overwhelming to constantly be in the public spotlight," he said. "For a while, I just need to be Shawn Kemp, the person, instead of Shawn Kemp, the professional basketball player."
For the Sonics, practice without Kemp wasn't the same.
"There weren't very many dunks out there today," Hawkins said.
The 6-foot-10 Kemp averaged a career-best 19.6 points and 11.4 rebounds in his seventh NBA season, helping the Sonics win a club-record 64 regular-season games and take the Bulls to six games in the NBA Finals.
"I hope he stays in good shape," Karl said. "We need Shawn Kemp here."
Walker said, "You don't lose one of the best players in the game and not be disadvantaged. And Shawn is one of the best players in the game."
1105 Mass.
Perkins, 35, didn't want to explain his Monday absence.
Lawrence, KS
"I don't know," he said. "No reason. It's over with now."
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