UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, November 21, 1996
3B
Missouri fights NCAA order to repay cash
Tigers receive penalty because of ex-player
The Associated Press
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri has appealed an NCAA decision to penalize the university because of a ruling that former basketball player Jevon Crudup accepted extra benefits from an agent.
If Missouri loses the appeal, the university would have to return almost $97,000 earned from the NCAA Tournament in 1994, said Joe Castilione. Missouri athletic director.
The decision to penalize Missouri came Aug. 7 and 8 at the NCAA Executive Committee meeting, said Kathryn Reith, an NCAA representative in Overland Park. The university made the penalty public on Tuesday with an announcement that it was appealing the penalty.
The penalty also nullifies Missouri's three victories in the 1994 tournament. Missouri is appealing only the order to return the money.
"That's not to say we are not upset about the decision to vacate the final standings," Castiglione said. "The two combined are, in our opinion, too severe given the circumstances."
The 1994 season was among the university's most successful as the Tigers won the Big Eight Conference and finished 28-4 overall. They reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament, beating Navy, Wisconsin and Syracuse before losing to Arizona.
Coach Norm Stewart declined comment on the developments.
In its appeal, the school argued that it was not involved in Crudup's actions, which were self-reported by Missouri in 1994 after Crudup completed his eligibility. Castigliione said.
"Norm said it's a university matter, and the university is handling it," said Bob Brendel, Missouri's sports information director.
The association's Executive Committee will consider Missouri's appeal as early as December. Castiglione said.
difficult position. You've done everything right. You have good checks and balances in place ... But in this case the institution suffers some consequences even though it was determined it wasn't at fault."
Reich said that when a school used an ineligible player in the tournament, the NCAA could withhold up to 90 percent of its distribution.
The committee decided to order Missouri to return half of what the NCAA could have required from Missouri, Reith said.
But Castigliola said that was too much. Missouri's 1994 tournament earnings were about $215,052, and the NCAA asked the university to repay $96,774.
Castiglione said that was not fair because the university had shared its tournament proceeds equally with the other seven Big Eight schools.
"Frankly, our appeal focuses on their decision to retain that portion because we didn't make that much," the athletic director said. "We had to split it up."
Castiglione said he was not ruling out the possibility of seeking reimbursement from Crudup if the university's appeal was unsuccessful.
Crudp, a 6-foot-9 center, was a second-round draft pick for the Detroit Pistons in August 1994. He signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Cavaliers in September and was later waived. Brendel said that he thought Crudp was playing overseas this season, as he did last season.
The violations involving Crudup first were reported by The Atlanta Journal and Constitution in November 1994. The newspaper said Crudup received cash and other incentives from prospective agents before and during the 1993-94 season. Such benefits violate NCAA rules.
Nate Cebrun, who recruits college athletes for agents, said he organized trips to Las Vegas for Crudup and former University of Missouri-Kansas City player Tony Dumas before their senior seasons. He also claimed that Crudup's mother, Mary, traveled to Las Vegas during the past basketball season, courtesy of Las Vegas-based agent Paul Bey.
$55 million for Belle fuels baseball labor dispute
NEW YORK — Hours after Albert Belle agreed to a deal that makes him baseball's first $10 million-a-year player, acting commissioner Bud Silig called for an owners meeting next Tuesday in Chicago.
It's unclear whether owners will reconsider the labor deal they rejected on Nov. 6: one that would impose a luxury tax in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
"If they decide to do a 180, they'll tell me and I'll deal with it," Fehr said. "But I don't consider that likely."
Union head Donald Fehr said on Tuesday that he assumed the proposed deal "is dead, dead as a doornail." Owners rejected the agreement 18-12, leaving the agreement 11 votes short of the three-nuarters majority needed for ratification.
White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, among those who spoke out against the deal, was criticized by some owners after agreeing to the deal with Belle, said to be worth $55 million for five years.
"It is perfectly fiscally responsible for us to give him this money because we can afford to give him this money," Reinsdorf said. "We have to compete under the system that exists. We have an obligation to our fans to try to win. We're trying to win. It doesn't mean I have to like the system."
If the labor deal had been ratified, the luxury tax next season would have affected payrolls above $51 million, including benefits. The White Sox has a $48 million payroll this year,
Reinsdornd said White Sox attendance still hasn't recovered from the 1994 strike. Chicago averaged 21,220 this season, 19th among the 28 teams.
and Belle would have put them across the threshold.
"It was incumbent on us not to say, 'We're sorry,' but to show them (fans) how much we regret what happened," Reinsdorf said. "The person who has to say he's sorry is Don Fehr."
Fehr said Reindorf and other hard-liners caused the walkout with their attempt to impose a salary cap and their failure to make a $7.5 million benefits payment following the 1994 All-Star game.
"Mr. Reinsdorf is extraordinarily good at deflecting attention to his own behavior," Fehr said.
"I want the people in Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Milwaukee, all these small towns, to have a chance for their team to compete," he said. "I'm fighting this fight because I love the game. I want competitive balance and I want the people in every city in America that has a baseball team to have a chance to see a winner.
Reinford said he still favored a system that would control salaries more.
"Look at Montreal, competing in the hunt. Gets into August, what does everybody do who's in the hunt? They go out and get somebody. Poor Montreal, they couldn't go out and get anybody. We have a very, very bad system."
Helping out
Tvler Wirken / KANSAN
Faced with the arduous task of aliding in the clean-up of Memorial Stadium, Russell Stutz, Kearney, Neb., junior braves the rain and picked up trash after the Kansas vs. K-State football game. Stutz is a member of the Air Force ROTC program that cleans up the stadium to raise money for the program. The group spends an average of 2.1/2 hours cleaning the stadium after each home game.
NCAA places Louisville on probation
The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville's men's basketball program, perennially one of the best in the nation, was placed on two years' probation by the NCAA yesterday for rules violations concerning recruiting, extra benefits and preferential treatment.
The school, which was accused of 10 violations, will remain eligible for postseason play and can continue to appear on television.
The NCAA accepted various penalties that the university had imposed against itself following its own investigation.
The case arose from questions concerning former player Samaki Walker's use of two cars during the summer and fall of 1995.
"In that regard, this was a model response," he said. "They were very thorough and forthright. This is a good example of what a program should do."
David Swank, chairman of the NCAA Committee on Infractions, commended the university for conducting a careful and thorough examination of the case.
Louisville coach Denny Crum expressed relief that the verdict was in, and that it was a favorable one.
The penalties imposed by the NCAA Committee on Infractions include requiring the school to continue to develop and implement a comprehensive educational program on NCAA legislation.
The committee also said that the men's basketball coaching staff must attend an NCAA regional compliance seminar. It also required the recertification of the school's current athletic policies and practices.
The announcement ended a 1 1/2-year ordeal that started with a report by The Courier-Journal surrounding phone calls made to a Louisville recruit by former volunteer strength coach and booster Jimmy
Thompson.
In a later report, telephone records obtained by the newspaper revealed that assistant coach Larry Gay apparently made improper phone contacts with at least two top Kentucky high school juniors during the 1994-95 school year.
According to NCAA bylaw, coaches can't call prospects or their parents before July 1 following the completion of the prospect's junior year in high school.
Louisville also reported on Walker's use of a $34,000 Ford Explorer as part of his compensation for a part-time summer job.
Walker was suspended for two games at the start of the season while the school looked into his use of the vehicle.
The school sent a 31-page report to the NCAA in February outlining its findings surrounding the Explorer and allegations that Walker's father might not have paid for a Honda Accord in August 1995.
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