The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that one of Derrick Rose’s former Chicago Simeon teammates may have taken his SAT for him.
‘‘ [The NCAA] thinks that [former Simeon player Kevin Johnson] took [the SAT test] for him,” Luther Topps, who coached Rose’s club basketball team with Derrick’s brother Reggie, told the newspaper.
Topps said he and Simeon coach Robert Smith don’t know anything firsthand.
‘‘[Smith and I] didn’t know anything about his test,’’ Topps said. ‘‘Reggie moved me and him out of the way long before that, as soon as the money got involved.’’
The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Wednesday that the NCAA is investigating major violations at Memphis during the 2007-08 season, Rose’s only year at the school. Rose just finished his first season in the NBA with the Bulls. The player’s name is redacted throughout the NCAA letter, which you can read here.
The Commercial Appeal reported that the individual involved denied the charge through university personnel.
If the allegations are proven true, Memphis could forfeit its 38 wins and Final Four appearance from that season, marking the second time John Calipari would have had to do that. His 1996 Final Four with UMass was also forfeited.
Memphis head coach Josh Pastner and the current team reportedly face no repercussions, but you have to wonder how these charges might impact recruiting. Will potential recruits shy away from Memphis given what has happened? Will Memphis be extra cautious when dealing with, say, Lance Stephenson, who has his own baggage to deal with?
Calipari, who led Memphis to the 2008 NCAA title game and then took the Kentucky job March 31, said he would cooperate with the investigation.
“Even though I’m not at risk, I will fully cooperate with the NCAA hearing. Beyond that, I concur with the statement from the University of Kentucky and will have no further comment,” he said.
FAMOUS SITUATION UP IN THE AIR
The appears to be some mixed signals coming out of the Jarrid Famous camp.
His father, Jerome, is on record saying that his son will play for South Florida next year.
“He’s never complained about USF to me,” Jerome Famous told the Tampa Tribune.
Yet Westchester Community College assistant Mickey Carey says Famous wants to get out of his letter of intent because the staff lost two coaches after Famous committed and the situation is not “stable.”
“He’s still trying to get out of his letter of intent,” Carey said by phone. “His father believes he’s still going.
“Jarrid still has to speak with the AD at South Florida and hopefully that will be enough to resolve the matter.”
Asked when that might be, Carey said: “Before the end of the week for sure. We don’t have a lot of time.”
The 6-11 Famous averaged 25.2 points and 13.7 rebounds last year at WCC. He chose USF over Arizona, Seton Hall and Missouri and could end up at Arizona if he gets out. If he doesn’t get out and chooses not to attend South Florida, he’ll have to sit out the year and play somewhere beginning in 2010.
“If he gets out he’s going to explore his options,” Carey said. “Of course he’s going to look back at the schools that were already looking at him. He’s looking for a stable situation and the South Florida situation is not stable. This young man only has two years.”
South Florida head coach Stan Heath will reportedly visit with Famous on Sunday. Famous has not returned messages left on his cell.
RUTGERS WINS IN SPAIN
Pat Jackson had 22 points and seven rebounds to lead Rutgers to a 72-61 victory over the Canarias Basketball Academy on Wednesday in the Canary Islands.
Hamady N’Diaye added 12 points and Greg Echenique had 10 points and nine rebounds. Mike Coburn dished out 10 assists and Florida transfer Jonathan Mitchell had nine points on 4-of-9 shooting in his first official Rutgers game.
Per FIBA rules, the teams played four 10-minute quarters and with a 24-second shot clock.
“It was a different style of play and I thought we responded well,” said head coach Fred Hill. “The 24-second shot clock and the way travelling is called is much, much different. The speed and quickness of the decision making was new and it showed early, but we adjusted very well. It was nice to get Jonathan (Mitchell) out there for the first time. We played everyone. It was different, but it was a great experience for our guys.”
The Knights are playing four games in four days on this trip.
(Photo courtesy Chicago Sun-Times)
Big Ben / May 28, 2009
You can bet this isn’t the only thing that comes out of the investigation into Calipari/WWW/Memphis. Once the NCAA shows up in town they find stuff (they have to justify being there, right?). Hopefully Cousins, Bledsoe, and Wall have all suddenly become college-caliber students because I don’t think bribing proctors is going to work this time.
Oh, and I guess this means Lance won’t be heading to Memphis after all? I’m still picking Gainesville for BR.
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word2bigbird / May 28, 2009
What does WWW mean?
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USC.trojan / May 28, 2009
AZ,
The NCAA issued 18 pages to Memphis.
Yes, it goes beyond Rose.
They are looking at the AD, as well.
So, …DID the AD or the famous FEDUP boosters know about this Rosie situation?
One can not be naive….YES, several Memphis school officials knew.
The NCAA is going to give some major penalities to Memphis and its basketball program.
This happened on the Memphis AD watch Johnson.
There is much more to this beside Cali.
More Memphis people knew….
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
WWW isn’t a FedEx booster, he’s just a Calipari booster. The FedEx folks can sometimes be a handful as well, but Wes is far more interesting to the NCAA (or at least an NCAA that actually wanted to promote clean programs).
If Cal knew (or instigated) shouldn’t the violations follow him to Kentucky? It happened to Sampson and he went to probably a more powerful NCAA institution so it seems the NCAA won’t be able to give Calipari and Wes a free pass on this one unless they’re OK with upsetting the powers that be at Indiana.
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DiamondbackRuss / May 28, 2009
WWW= World Wide Wes
http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_5735
With three UK recruits still to fully qualify I wonder if they will now that light has been shed on the Memphis situation.
Calipari: Whoops you’ll have to show up and actually take the test now
Recruit: But coach you said…
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Lord2FLI / May 28, 2009
Why should the school know about what a player did before he was a student at said school? That’s not to say they didn’t, but if the SAT people didn’t know something wrong had happened, then why should Memphis? If Calipari is cleared of this, then I have to go on the assumption the school will be cleared too. If you can say the school knew, then Calipari knew too, he was the GOD of the men’s basketball program, everything passed through him BEFORE it passed through the AD. The infraction involving the charter flight and hotel room, that is something that has some meat on it and really could get the school in trouble, the SAT thing though…I dunno, it just seems like smoke and mirrors, not sure there is anything to go on with it.
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pastaboy / May 28, 2009
If the AD knew about Rose cheating its silly to think Cal didn’t know ……I don’t see how the NCAA can clear Cal while the investigation is uncompleted .
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
They didn’t clear him. The Kentucky Athletic Department’s PR philosophy is the same as a certain previous administration’s was. Just lie until you’re proven wrong. It’s pretty cynical and dishonest, but hey, it puts a lot of pressure on your accusers to prove you’re wrong. Chances are they’ll screw something up in the process and you can point at that as a reason they’re not to be trusted.
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DiamondbackRuss / May 28, 2009
Between the AD, WWW and the President of FedEx, perhaps they were able to insulate Calipari from some things to give him plausible deniability. Anyone that really knows what happened isn’t talking to the media so we’ll just have to sit back and let this play out.
The people I feel bad for are the fans of the program.
This is another great example of why they just need to let kids go straight from high school to the pros. USC and Memphis are both being investigated for major violations due to recruiting/signing a one-and-done player. Sooner or later some program is going to get the death penalty and that will totally suck for the fans of that program and the kids that got scholarships on the up-and-up.
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
What you’re describing is lack of institutional control and will end in far more severe penalties than vacating the 07-08 season.
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DrDick / May 28, 2009
It’s funny hearing the UK fans defend Calipari and blame this on Memphis. Calipari was Memphis. He controlled everything. It happend on his watch. Yes he was involved and should be the one to blame.
UK got burned and hired the next Tim Floyd or Kelvin Sampson. Shows what greed does for you.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. The NCAA needs to crack down on WWW and the pimps and cheating coaches who prey on high school kids. I say UK will be on probation long after Cal & Wes have left for another gig.
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
You seem to know more than the folks close to the Memphis program are letting on.
The major problem is Rose. The trip problem seems to be ROses’ brother getting a ride on the team plane to a game.
THe other stuff is women’s golf which was self reported.
Please do not say things unless you know what you are talking about…
The main problem is not Memphis or CAl. The charges do not say that there are Memphis instituaitonal problems but The charge is that Derick Rose had someone takie the SAT for him. Also, it has been suggested that another player had the same person that took ROse’s test take it for him!!!
The charges are not about Memphis! But the NCAA will hit Memphis with sanctions even if Memphis knew nothing about what may have happened. Of course, it looks like Rose has not talked with the NCAA.
So, Memphis may get an infraction for not knowing that someone sat in on Rose’s SAT exam. No one said that the NCAA cared about being fair.
This is complete BS if no (I say if) no one at Memphis knew of a player cheating before they even started college. Amazing.
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
Everyone should be very cautous when recruiting Lance.
Memphis may get hit for something a player may have done. Yet Memphis may not have known any of the situation. It is very hard to believe that Memphis knew since on one is charged.
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
Tim Flody and Eddie Sutton are on the outter extereme of dirty coaches. UK and USC have had their reputations simply killed by the coaches.
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
NOT the NCAA is specifically not charging lack of instituational control. That is a much more serious charge.
The are charging that DIRECK ROSE had someone take the SAT for him and sinc ehe went to Memphis, Memphis needs to be held accountable for Rose’s actions. PERIOD.
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
Agreed, which is why the punishment for this is likely vacating the 2007-08 wins. Of course, what else the NCAA finds may make LOIC a more real possibility.
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
NCAA Threatens Basketball Player
According to a story by Michael O’Brien of the Chicago Sun Times, Luther Topps was Derrick Rose’s club coach in Chicago.
Topps told the Sun Times that he’s known about the NCAA investigation for about three weeks and that the NCAA had threatened Rose’s former high school teammate Tim Flowers with a loss of eligibility if he didn’t agree to an interview.
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pastaboy / May 28, 2009
Big Ben …doubt it ….your comment is irresponsible and ill-informed …. the fact is the hearing will be in 10 days …Memphis will report their findings and in 8 months the NCAA will vacate Memphis’s record while Rose was playing at worst …..personally I’ll be glad to have the last 2:16 of the Kansas game erased ……. this story has no legs .
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
I would say that’s the best case scenerio for Memphis. Could be, but when the NCAA is involved it rarely ends so pretty.
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cosmkdbree / May 28, 2009
Found this cerfing around. Probably didn’t mean much a year ago, but now……..
http://billyreedsays.com/2008/04/07/memphis-has-worldwide-wes-to-thank/
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
Well it’s certainly important to remember that WWW has more to do with Calipari’s recruiting than Calipari does. That WWW, as close to Rose as he is, had nothing to do with paying off the SAT people is really hard to buy.
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terps85 / May 28, 2009
Here we go justifying! Now all the worms are starting to wiggle. Calipari and all his associates knew about the SAT test. Come on, this is nothing new for him, he already has on final four banner in the trash. In this game there is a thing call integrity, and Cal has none, and everyone involed in this situation doesn’t either. The mark of a good coach is one that makes a STUDENT ATHLETE better with the goal of obtaining a degree. This is the mission of the NCAA. It is possible to win without compromising yourself, ask Gary Williams. Shame on Calipari, shame on Memphis, shame on Kentucky, shame on everyone involved.
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
I was with you till you brought up Gary Williams. His APR is consistently below average and just this year it was low enough to draw sanctions (912). He’s hardly the guy you should be holding up as a model coach.
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Hawkdaddy23 / May 28, 2009
Wonder if this will eventually lead to the NCAA finally identifying World Wide Wes as a “booster” wherever Calipari is?? It is just like the famous Watergate line…”follow the money”!!
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
From the same article
Rose’s AAU coach also seems to be implying that someone paid Rose to go to Memphis (not that everyone didn’t already assume that):
‘‘[Smith and I] didn’t know anything about his test,’’ Topps said. ‘‘Reggie moved me and him out of the way long before that, as soon as the money got involved.’’
http://yourseason.suntimes.com/1595888,052709-derrick-rose-ncaa-investigation.article
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homertuck / May 28, 2009
Are you seriously bringing up the APR? If you are, you are very uneducated about how flawed that system is. It doesn’t account for players leaving early or who don’t finish their degrees in 6 years. I’d hardly put that on Gary’s shoulders. What is he suppose to say to a kid who can go make $300,000 in Europe? “Hey, cost yourself 300K and stay here and get your degree.” Please.
Also, the score isn’t low enough to draw sanctions.
AND there is a difference between players not graduating in 6 years and a coach who has players cheat. So, please don’t put Gary Williams in the same sentence as that scumbag Cali.
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USC.trojan / May 28, 2009
Yes, WWW is not a FEDUP booster.
But, the FEDUP booster are as dirty as Memphis.
And there WILL be MAJOR penalities for Memphis.
This NCAA investigation will the USC-Timmie thing look like child’s play.
Do you believe CASH was provided to the Memphis player?
YES.
Not just by one person but, several separate interested parties.
With so many people involved, there is PROOF.
“…as soon as the money got involved”.
Memphis would want YOU to believe that it ended with someone taking the SAT test.
CASH MONEY was heavily involved.
PS—
Thank you Dirty Memphis.
You just saved Timmie’s job.
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
terps said, “The mark of a good coach is one that makes a STUDENT ATHLETE better with the goal of obtaining a degree.”
An APR under 915 is surely indicitive of failure on this account regardless of the flaws in the system.
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USC.trojan / May 28, 2009
“This is complete BS if no (I say if) no one at Memphis knew of a player cheating before they even started college. Amazing”
The NCAA is NOT naive.
Of course, several MEMPHIS basketball personnel knew about the TEST and the MONEY- CASH MONEY.
Come clean Memphis.
You didn’t even SELF REPORT this.
Thinking it would NOT get out.
Come on.
AD Johnson…………time for you to be FIRED.
Do the right thing Memphis…clear YOUR dirty name.
West Coast Timmie says THANK YOU dirty MEMPHIS.
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USC.trojan / May 28, 2009
AZ,
Who is going to break the Memphis story WIDE OPEN?
There was CASH MONEY coming from many sources.
The Chicago coaches knew about the MONEY FLOW.
The MONEY continued at Memphis.
Note:
We will soon have a statement issued by the FedEx corporation, PR person.
Saying that they knew nothing about the Memphis things.
YES, UK is being told to be very careful.
People are watching the UK recruits and the new flow of money.
The MONEY is temp. on HOLD.
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
NOT MUCH TO COME FROM NCAA CHARGES
see http://www.commercialappeal.com in Memphis
The university apparently feels good about its response to the charges. There has been speculation that if a player cheated on his SAT and rendered himself ineligible that the Tigers’ NCAA-record 38 victories and 2008 Final Four appearance could be vacated. However, if it’s not proven Memphis had reason to know the player was ineligible — indeed, the NCAA clearinghouse had certified the eligibility of that season’s freshmen — it would be hard to justify that action. The coaches were told the kid could play, so they played him.
ALSO — Rose’s brother who was on the trip had given a credit card for the trip. The NCAA did not have this information.
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
NO one paid Rose to go to Memphis. The NCAA has evidently been looking deeply into Rose and Memphis. My understanding is that the NCAA looked into this rumor. No basis to it.
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
The Memphis situation is simple. A player may be had someone take his SAT for him. Memphis nor any staff knew about it.
There is not situation with the program!
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
It would be hard to imagine a situation where WWW and Calipari didn’t know that someone was paid to take the test for Rose, who had flunked the SAT numerous times.
I mean, maybe it’s convenient for you, as a Memphis fan, to believe that, but it’s not going to convince too many outsiders who’ve assumed Memphis was cheating ever since they brought in Calipari. Luckily for you the head cheat headed for greener pastures.
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Outsider / May 28, 2009
USC.trojan…
You sir are an idiot. Seriously you obviously havent read the whole story here. The money involved deals with the Memphis womens golf program and the former head coach providing gift cards, etc. The $2260 is an amount left over from an associate of the said memphis player from unpaid travel. There is a credit card on file at the university of memphis from this associate that has already been brought forth. More than likely this will be cleared up. No money exchange of money between player or associate has been accused in this report. Also, this report was finalized and no other allegations have been or will be made from this report. If you understand NCAA regulations, the NCAA files a finalized report handed to he university and the university defends itself from these allegations.
Get your story straight there chief. Read the report and then move on. The “major” violations are coming from the womens golf side of the deal. When Kansas dealt with Darrell Arthur’s issues, they were classified as minor. If the basketball allegations were seperate from this report they would be classified as minor as well. Also, this will not affect the program going forward. Derrick Rose was recruited from 06-07 and played from 07-08. Pastner wasnt even on the staff until 08-09 and was kept seperate of these issues as stated from a number of sources inside the situation, the memphis commercial appeal, and the university of memphis. You are a rambling fool for making the allegations you are with unfounded sources or any credibility. Get your facts straight before you go on making a continued fool of yourself sir.
At the worst, the men’s basketball program will forfiet the 07-08 season. However, with your wonderful USC trojans, there are documented cases of money exchanging hands in the basketball program and major indiscretions on the football side with Matt Lienart, Reggie Bush and Dewayne Jarret. These fall on the side of “lack of institutional control.” The issues you are dealing with at the USC program make what memphis is dealing with seem like childs play. Yes, memphis played with fire and got burned. USC hasnt even felt the flames yet, but they are getting very very very close.
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Outsider / May 28, 2009
To address the William Wesley accusations,
Calipari and Wesley are close and it is no surprise to anyone the outside dealings they have with players. I think that Wesley and Calipari signify all that is wrong with college athletics. I believe players should be paid in some fashion. I also believe coaches should be allowed to work out players and practice with the teams for so many hours a week in the summer and I think it would mitigate alot of these problems with handlers and quasi-agents.
Calipari has done this at UMass, Memphis and he is already doing this at Kentucky. The Clifton’s wanted to avoid Kentucky for a reason because they thought they would lose hold of their golden boy John Wall. Do I deny the fact that money changes hands between boosters and players and handlers at any school anymore, absolutely not. However, these are not in the allegations made against the Memphis BASKETBALL program. Also, if you want to bring up Milt Wagner and his sudden coaching status and Director of Ops status at Memphis, we could also say the same thing about the Trojans and Daniel Hackett, Kansas and what happened with Danny Manning back in the day and most recently with Mario Chalmers. In terms of grade changing issues, we can also bring up as I did in my last post with Darrell Arthur, if that would have come to fruition, Kansas would have had to vacate their 08 national championship. So to say memphis is a renegade program and that they are the worst like some of you are saying… Let’s get this straight: UK had Eddie Sutton and his assistants, Louisville had issues with Denny Crum, OU and Indiana had Kelvin Sampson, UCLA and Georgia dealt with Jim Harrick… I can go on. Memphis had a major violation back in the mid 80’s with Dana Kirk and the “shoebox” of money, this was one man and not the school as a whole. Same goes for all of the other programs. The only one that I can see that has a complete lack of institutional control would be USC. The NCAA has been building a case against this school dealing with both football and basketball. Seems like this is an even bigger story.
Do I think this will follow Calipari to UK? Probably not because as many are saying he seems to be one step ahead of everyone. However, a pattern is developing. This will taint his legacy as a coach and I do not think the NCAA is through with John Calipari. Once the shoe drops, and I believe it will eventually drop on USC, Calipari and all that are associated with him are next. Also, the SEC is not CUSA. Coaches will not let him be the defacto commisioner of the league as many of the coaches called him in CUSA. Calipari is not the “Prince” of that league. Also, he won’t be able to grease the wheels on many of his players getting into UK like he did at Memphis due to more stringent recruit standards being in a BCS league. It won’t help either with what is occuring now with Derrick Rose. A spotlight has now been put squarely on Mr Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, Dodson, etc. All of these players have eligibility issues and questionable GPAs to begin with. I am not bashing Memphis as an institution with this next statement as I have done my research on this school. They have one of the top teir Psychology programs, Artificial Intelligence programs and a very good business school. However, Getting into Memphis and Kentucky are not the same.
So I guess my point is, Calipari’s troubles are only beginning. I believe this is the tip of the iceberg for him and the few at UK that were against this hiring are starting to sounds smarter and smarter by the minute. Yes, Calipari has been assured by the NCAA that he has not been named; yet, he has been summoned to the hearing and will be questioned. This will make the administration at UK watch with more dilligence what he is doing with their program.
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DiamondbackRuss / May 28, 2009
Actually “follow the money” was a line in “All The President’s Men”. Whether or not the person famously known as deep throat actually said it I’m not 100% sure of.
A more appropriate “Watergate” line would be what did Calipari know and when did he know it. LOL
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USC.trojan / May 28, 2009
AZ,
I cheetah’d my STD’s and loks ats how I tern oust.
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DiamondbackRuss / May 28, 2009
Ben you were misinformed about Maryland and APR sanctions. The Terps avoided punishment under NCAA rules because their score didn’t fall below 900 and because no player left school this year while academically ineligible.
The team’s score was 912, which was below the average of 924 for all Division I men’s basketball programs at public institutions. But it was an improvement over last year’s score of 906.
I hope that helps clear things up.
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terps85 / May 28, 2009
Here is a blurb on World Wide Wes from GQ mag. titled “Is This The Most Powerful Man In Sports” It is a really interesting read.
In 2001, Wes’s godson and Milt’s son, Dajuan Wagner, was the consensus best high school basketball player in the world. If Dajuan had entered the NBA draft after his junior year at Camden High, he might have been the number one pick. But Wes persuaded him to let the NBA wait and spend a year or two playing for John Calipari at the University of Memphis. The deal came with plenty of strings attached: Wes made it clear to Calipari that Dajuan was more inclined to sign with a school that also gave a free ride to his best friend, Arthur Barclay, an all-state player who’d been passed over because of poor test scores. (Done.) Then Milt, despite lacking a college degree, was hired to be Memphis’s head of basketball operations. When news of the deal leaked out, the media crucified Calipari, painting it as nothing more than legalized graft. Wes answered accusations that something shady had gone down, saying, “Man, I’ve heard the second-guessing. It’s simple: Juanny needed to improve his defense and prove that he can play on the next level. Coach Cal can help him do that. What do I have to gain by him going to Memphis?”
Wes had been managing Dajuan’s career since the boy was 11, and so when it came time for Dajuan to head to Memphis, Wes went along. After only one season—in which Dajuan averaged twenty-one points a game—Calipari called Milt and Dajuan into his office. “I tore up Dajuan’s scholarship in front of him to make sure he understood he wasn’t coming back,” Calipari says. Dajuan was ready for the NBA. The Cavaliers selected him in the first round of the 2002 draft, and as Dajuan made his move from college to the pros, Wes was there to ease the transition. In his first year, Dajuan was among NBA rookie leaders in scoring, assists, and minutes played.
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
LOL. As I said, Maryland is consistently below average academically and because of this they should obviously not be held up as a model of doing what is right for the ‘student athlete’.
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lanceisahawk / May 28, 2009
APR is a joke. I think Maryland had problem but they just graduated 3 players a year ago and 2 this year. I am sure Terp or Diamondback can help. APR also hold you accountable for kids who transfer and kids who make the NBA. It is also a rolling score so if you started out low then the number is skewed.
IMO you are right about the student athlete thing but a not about the character of your program. I read an article that Gary Williams didn’t want to deal with these riff raffs. Now that is a coach you want your young man around.
I love that. I love what I have heard about Wisc program. He is a great coach too.
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
SEE THIS… 4 of Rose’s HS team mates are apart of the SAT/Grades scam.
1 of the HS players is thought to have cheated on his SAT.
4 other players on his HS team are invovled in a HS transcript scam.
2 of the players play DiV I basketball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/1596666,derrick-rose-simeon-grades-cheat-memphis.article
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USMCHAZE / May 28, 2009
Calipari is a slimy character, now 2 storied programs will have NCAA final four appearances taken away , UMASS and Memphis. What is so hard about the college entance exams anyway, my daughter scored a 23 on the ACT. She’s in the 7th grade.
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Outsider / May 28, 2009
“There are some substantial charges against the women’s golf program, which is how new Kentucky coach John Calipari came to find himself in the headlines. His name appears nowhere in the report, but two allegations regarding the Tigers basketball program he once coached have been extrapolated to “major” because they were stuffed under the same umbrella as the golf case.
Under ordinary circumstances, the issues involving the basketball team would be disposed of fairly simply. The accusation that a player, reportedly star point guard Derrick Rose, did not take his own SAT is a huge deal. There’s not much worse than academic fraud. But this customarily would not constitute a major violation against the program because no Memphis staff member is alleged to have facilitated it or known about it.
A charge that a family member of a player received free travel, reportedly Rose’s brother Reggie, would be disposed of with a check to reimburse the university for its expense.”
This is all per Mike DeCourcey at the SportingNews. He makes a good point here as well that no one seems to realize. These are not major violations against the Memphis Basketball program.
1. Academic Fraud is no minor incident. However, as stated how can you accuse the Memphis program of knowing of this when the transcripts were changed at the school, sent, and then changed post receipt as well as the SAT issue? Was a coach in the room wtching this take place? Is there a trail leading back to John Calipari? No, technically not.
2. The issue of $2260 is a non factor because it has been shown previously that payments back to the school had been made and at the time of the report were they still being made and was this the amount left or is there a clerical error.
I am not a fan of John Calipari. In fact I think he is dirty and will eventually be caught for “major” violations at some point that will “at that time” affect Memphis AND Kentucky. However, this is not one of those times. The Memphis Women’s Golf program is in major trouble and will have to deal with “major violations.” The Men’s Basketball program not so much.
Also, this in no way compare’s as of now to what is going on at USC or the investigations at USC. Their’s are much much worse and cross the line of “lack of institutional control.
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cosmkdbree / May 28, 2009
1. WWW and others should be listed as boosters. That’s a great idea. Anyone from the NCAA Rules Committee listening?
2. These are major infractions on anybody’s watch. Cheating on the SAT’s, tisk, tisk. Could there be a worse crime for a college athelete?
3. Outsider, are you stating that Cal is already breaking the rules at UK?
4. Trojan, whatever happened at your Zona press conference you were bolstering about yesterday?
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Outsider / May 28, 2009
cosmkdbree
Of course I think he is already “bending” the rules at UK if not breaking them. I do not think you bring in a class like that anywhere just based on who is the coach. What really gets to me is all the Calipari supports talk about “his” DDM offense. Newsflash people, he took that from a man named Vance Walberg and changed a few aspects of what it really looks like. Plus, if you watch the offense versus a descent zone, i.e. Syracuse, it basically turns into a 3 man weave at the top of the key with a cutter through the base line. Wait until Billy Donovan and the other defensive minds of the SEC get ahold of him. I give call 4 years and he is run out of UK for lack of production or burned at the stake for being another Eddie Sutton. Folks there is a reason coach Calipari took everything from Memphis including his secretary (she was at Memphis and an employee there years before he was) to Kentucky… for lack of better words, she knows where the skeltons are.
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Big Ben / May 28, 2009
Truer words have never been spoken. Just like any gimmick offense, Calipari’s will fail when presented against similar athletes and good coaching. It doesn’t even require a zone, just good athletes that don’t gamble.
The fact that no one on the roster besides Meeks (if he stays) can hit a 15 foot jumper makes them even more susceptible to solid defense.
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Outsider / May 28, 2009
thank you big ben…
i am not a supporter of either school but i cant stand people like this usc trojan guy coming on these boards and posting incoherent babble. you on the other hand even though i might disagree with some of your comments make valid points and make for nice banter
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
Actually there is more than 1 college involved. Rose went to Memphis and 2 of his HS team mates went to a different school to play Div I basketball.
3 kids are involved in a SAT scam. 1 player seems to have taken Rose’s SAT and another took the tests.
The players and 1 more did transcript fraud. Evidently someone in the IT department changed the grades for the 4 kids and then changed it back a month later.
This is huge.
PS: there has to be an adult that worked all this out. Someone had to get to another adult in the Chicago school system to make the changes…
I smell… jail time.
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johnjohn / May 28, 2009
There are 3 of his HS team mates involved in teh SAT fraud. All 3 went to Div I colleges.
1 took the test for Rose and other player.
This is a Grade/SAT Scam ring.
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
Big Ben ….. this gimmicky offense is 139 and 13 the last 4 years …..and if you did your homework you would know that Darnell Dodson from Miami Dade shoots 43% from the trey …and was recruited specifically as a zone buster for this offense ….. stop posting ill informed dribble on here or I’ll have to continue to embarrass you .
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
Outsider …what happened when coaches of teams like Texas , Michigan , and UCLA coached against the ddm ? ..LOL …….. blowouts ….. Michigan down 30 at the half ….. Billy Donavan is a fine coach but to say this offense hasn’t been tested by top athletes and coaches is not factual …..stop posting ill informed dribble like Big Ben or I’ll have to continue to embarrass you also …..next
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
everyone on this thread needs to read this article by Mike Decourcey …………..then stop the silliness http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=553953
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
13-13 against non-CUSA caliber teams.
And please, very rarely do JUCOs produce at the high D1 level. He was no where to be found on the top 100 lists coming out of high school for a reason (well a couple reasons).
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
His offense hasn’t been tested night-in and night-out by legitimate coaches and athletes. Since he has no idea how to adjust, I don’t see that test ending well.
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
Sorry, Cal was 14-10 over the last 4 years against legitimate D1 programs. Of course 8 of the wins are about to be vacated thanks to Wesley and DRose so it looks like 6-8 is going to be his record after the NCAA rules.
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
And outside of redneck land the term is drivel, LOL.
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
That’s true ….Cal hasn’t faced Gardner Webb yet ….. but in the past 4 years he has beaten Texas ….Alabama …U.c.l.a. (twice) ….Cincinnati (twice) Providence …Ole Miss (twice) Gonzaga (twice) Purdue….Tenn. (twice) Oklahoma …Ky….Tex a&m…U.s.c. ….Georgetown …Arizona …Michigan St….and Maryland …. by an avg. margin of 12 points …..you people who think his teams are a product of a “weak” conference are in for a rough ride on this one ….Ky. will be a dominant team in years to come …starting next Oct.
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
Inside educated land dribble indicates saliva running from the corner of the mouth as to Drool ……( hands Big Ben a tissue)
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
Wow. Nothing like completely failing a figure of speech.
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
6-8 against the top 40 the last 4 years.
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
Big Dummy ….I can assure you…U.c.l.a was ranked in the top 40 both times Memphis beat them …as was Mich. St. …… Texas (twice) ….as was Gonzaga (twice) as was Tenn. (twice) …as was Texas a&m ….. Oklahoma and U.s.c. ……Georgetown …Arizona ….try again …. you are making a fool of yourself now
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Outsider / May 29, 2009
Pastaboy…
really, embarass me. The problem with Texas, Michigan State, and oh UCLA FOR ONE YEAR is they tried to run with Memphis instead of slowing the game down into a half court set. If you watch previously in Memphis games versus UCLA, it turned into a half court game running a set offense against a sagging or match up zone and Memphis struggled mightily. Also, look at how teams that match up with Memphis in terms of athleticism have played us… we have lost a majority of those games (UAB 2 years ago, Missouri, Tennessee 2 times, Kansas.) This doesn’t even count the games that should have been lost to teams that didn’t even deserve to be on the same court as Memphis (UCF this year and last, Tulsa year in and year out, Houston, UAB.) So do not tell me I am just posting incoherent ramblings when I have stats and instances to back up my postings.
Also, Cal is a product of a weak conference. He did not have to deal with team fatigue at the end of the season, injuries, low post battles night in and night out let alone play UT twice a year, Florida twice a year, Alabama twice a year, I can go on. There is a major differnce obviously between the two conferences. As I stated, when John Calipari has to start making adjustments, things usually do not go well for him. I have watched him for the last 9 years living in Memphis. And as I have stated before, I am not a Memphis fan. I just went to Law School at Memphis. When coaches like Billy Donovan, Trent Johnson, Anthony Grant, Darren Horn and the others actually get a shot at him twice a year, it will be a different tune. Trust me, Bruce Pearl has beaten John Calipari how many times out of the last 4? And was is the average margin of defeat? Oh, and wasn’t Memphis number one in the country and at home on their “unbeatable” court? I hate UT and I cannot stand the SEC but I am stating fact here. And if you are really a John Calipari fan, watch the bench… figure out who the real coach is on that team and get back to me. There is a reason John Robic hasn’t left John Calipari and he is taken care of better than most head coaches in America. So do not come on here and disrespect and try and knock what I say when it is a proven fact and Memphis’ history against teams that run a match up or sagging zone defense or teams that match up athletically with Memphis.
Last, don’t compare the Memphis versus Michigan State, Texas etc… That is like stating the obvious about the Florida versus Ohio State national championship game in football. If Michigan State tries to slow the game down or bang down low like Mississippi State did with Memphis as well as UTSA that year, its a different story folks. ALSO…. GET IT RIGHT, IT WASN’T MICHIGAN, IT WAS MICHIGAN STATE. It’s called proofreading bud, or is it your “dribble” that is incoherent.
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
Interesting debate style. Now, as I explained, vacate the 2007-08 wins and you come to 6-8.
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
LOL ……. Outsider …… that rambling post makes absolutely no sense ….you have an excuse for every game Cal won against top competition ….read my list …he beat them all… every major conference ….and he beat them badly ….he has better athletes … and the ddm offense is light years ahead of the old screen and roll stuff that was being played with peach baskets ….. the “weak ” conference argument will get blown away next year by KY. ….and btw …he’s 2 and 2 against Pearl …who is a great coach ….. bottom line …Calipari is 446 and 139 …..only Roy Williams has won more games in his 1st 17 years of coaching …..
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
uh Big …..vacate the 2007 /08 wins against top 40 …and you lose one game …Tenn ….. and that’s not 6 and 8 …try again …but this time try doing some research instead of throwing out numbers ( hands Big another tissue) …besides …. as of now ….2007/2008 has not been vacated …. nor will it
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
Also Ben …vacating the 07/08 season would eliminate 4 losses to top 40 …… math isn’t your strong suit is it?
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
What is this “dribble” you speak of. In 2007-2008, Memphis beat Oklahoma, UConn, USC, Georgetown, Gonzaga, Mississippi St, Mich St, Texas and UCLA and lost to Tennessee and Kansas.
2008: 9-2 against the top 40 (though you don’t vacate the losses).
2009: 2-4 (Ls to Xavier, Georgetown, Syracuse and Missouri. Ws against Tenn and Gonzaga)
2007: 2-4 (Ls to GTech, Tenn, Arizona and Ohio State. Ws against Kentucky and Texas A&M)
2006: 3-3 (Ls to Duke, Texas and UCLA. Ws against UCLA, Tenn and Bradley).
So, after vacating 2008s wins, Cal is 7-13 against top 40 teams. You should have stuck with my quick glance 6-8 record, LOL.
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
Why would you eliminate losses? You only forfeit wins, dribbler.
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
Ben …..in 2006 Memphis also beat Oklahoma and Texas A&m … I could go through your entire list but this is becoming boring now ….you got caught in a lie …admit it …apologize to the thread ….and please know that if you continue to post non factual info here I will correct you ….you have no formal education do you Ben?
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
Someone should inform Memphis that they played those teams in 05-06, LOL. Keep digging (or maybe dribbling), it’s kind of cute to see you flailing away like this.
http://www.gotigersgo.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/mem-m-baskbl-sched-2005.html
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
Memphis indeed played Oklahoma in 2006-2007 but they weren’t in the top 40 that year.
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
Not to mention Memphis only lost twice in 07-08.
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
Oklahoma was 17th that year ….also Bradley wasn’t played that year …..
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
Wow.
In 2006-2007 Oklahoma’s record was 16-15. That’s obviously not a top 40 team (and certainly nowhere near #17, LOL).
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/conferences/standings?confId=8&year=2007
Seriously man, take a play or two off. You’re not helping the Kentucky intellectual stereotype here.
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
And they indeed played Bradley in the 2005-2006 Sweet 16. You are looking up results for Memphis University and not the Memphis Grizzlies, right?
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
Ben according to your logic …Urban Meyer has never won a NC at Florida ….because after all ….those teams may have played an ineligible player and their victories could be vacated …..you got caught in a lie Ben ….the 6 and 8 lie …and now you look like a child …..you have no formal education do you Ben?
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
I look like a child for proving you unable to perform a successful google search?
My 6-8 was admittedly a quick estimation that ended up a bit off. Calipari actually will have a much worse 7-13 record against the top 40. That said, your attempts at proving mistakes in my research have been themselves comically inaccurate (Oklahoma finished 16-15 but was the #17 team in the nation? UK didn’t play Bradley in the 05-06 season? You forfeit loses as well as wins when you’re found to be cheating?). In fact, you’ve yet to make a valid point at all.
Again, for the love of Wildcat Nation, stop perpetuating the headstrong redneck stereotype.
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ChrisMullin / May 29, 2009
ha. pasta’s getting schooled by a child. reminds me of the old days.
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
7 and 13 against top 40 but doesn’t include this past season of 9 and 2? LOL …because you say that will be vacated? …..that’s childish logic …you got caught in a lie …..your stats are inaccurate …and you have no formal education
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
Nurse ….show in the next un- educated troll please ( busy day)
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
Vacating the 2007-08 season is certainly possible if not probable at this point.
The fact of the matter is, besides one year played with an ineligible player, Calipari’s Memphis teams weren’t anything to write home about, certainly nothing to make someone think he was capable of a bigger job. Heck, even if the NCAA doesn’t yank the 07-08 record, 16-15 isn’t at all impressive.
Care to go through a list of coaches with more than 16 top 40 wins in the last 4 years? We may be here a while.
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
I’ll start with a fairly obscure one- Mike Anderson at Missouri had 11 top 40 wins last season alone. Only 4 the year before though (still more than Cal in any 1 year besides 08) and 2 the year before that. So there you go, Mike Anderson has 17 top 40 wins in the last 3 years (in case you missed it Cal has 16 in the last 4 years).
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johnjohn / May 29, 2009
The Chicago Newspapers are over this story. They are not saying if Rose did the Grade Change. They are flat out saying that he was involved.
And now the newspapers have said that they know who actually who took the SATs. I find that a little hard to believe.
BUT… this is a summary of what has been reported in the Tribune and Sun papers.
This is bigger than Memphis and Rose.
Rose and 3 of his high school team mates worked together to cheat on SATs and to change their grades via a computer system so that the NCAA would get the wrong information so that 3 of the kids could play college basketball.
There are 2 colleges and the NCAA that are involved. It appears that neither the NCAA that clears the kids to play nor either school nor staff new about this.
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
How about we look at another ‘accused’ cheater. This time Tim Floyd of USC.
06: 4 top 40 Ws
07: 5 top 40 Ws
08: 4 top 40 Ws
09: 7 top 40 Ws
So yep, Tim Floyd has (allegedly) cheated his way to more top 40 wins as well. Cal’s not even the best cheater in D1 hoops.
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
Here’s one. I frequently travel to Chicago and work with quite a few Illinois graduates. They are about 50/50 as to whether Bruce Weber should retain his job at UI. Let’s see how he fares:
06: 9 Top 40 Ws
07: 3 top 40 Ws
08: 1 top 40 Ws
09: 6 top 40 Ws
So yeah, even a guy that half the fan base at Illinois wants to can has 19 top 40 victories in the last 4 years (Cal, remember, has 16 even if the NCAA doesn’t vacate 9 of them).
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pastaboy / May 29, 2009
Calipari is 436 and 139 Ben ….139 and 13 the past 4 years ….. the highest paid coach in college basketball ….. he’s just coming into his prime ….. parse the record all you want …. it’ll make you look even more foolish ….Ky. will be ranked number 1 starting the season ….Cal may run the table …40 and 0 and win a NC ….LOL …wouldn’t want to be you Ben
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Big Ben / May 29, 2009
123 of his wins in the last 4 years were against teams no better than what would comprise the bottom 3 of the SEC. And cheating to do it.
2006: 33-4, 3-3 vs top 40
2007: 33-4, 2-4 vs top 40
2008: 38-2, 9-2 vs top 40
2009: 33-4, 2-4 vs top 40
Overall: 137-14, 16-13 vs top 40, which will include 5 or 6 SEC teams in any given year. Extrapolate that 16-13 out and assume he now plays 10 of these games in conference per year, you win 6 and lose 4 of these games in an average year. My guess is Tennessee and Florida, with their current coaches in place, will beat that record most years in conference.
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jhawk4 / May 30, 2009
Big Ben wins this argument in dominating fashion. nice.
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pastaboy / May 30, 2009
Big Ben is a hater of successful people ….. Cal is the best coach in basketball now …..the fans know it ….the recruits know it ….the press knows it …. and next year when Ky. is dominating the SEC ….people like Big Ben will be nowhere to be seen or heard ……unless its to provide meaningless statistics skewed to favor whatever illogical assumtion he is promoting that day …… must suck to be you Ben ….no money …no hair ….hater of successful people …LOL
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pastaboy / May 30, 2009
extrapolate this …… Memphis in the last 4 years is 14 and 3 against the SEC …..more to come at KY.
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Big Ben / May 30, 2009
LOL. Iraqi Information Minister is in the house.
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ChrisMullin / May 30, 2009
Sweet Jeebus, this is impressive even for an anonymous message board. I’d give 2-1 odds that pastaboy is AZ throwing ridiculous comments at the wall to promote traffic. 93 comments so far, it seems to be working.
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