The other shoe falls: Baylor b-ball on probation

[Greenblood94]

When you consider that the NCAA could have taken away postseason play for any number of years (or worse), I think Baylor should be relatively happy for what it got...

NCAA puts Baylor on probation through 2010

Updated: June 23, 2005, 3:49 PM ET

Associated Press

Baylor will have to play a shortened men's basketball season either this year or next and will remain on probation through 2010, the NCAA announced Thursday in releasing the findings of its investigation into former coach Dave Bliss' scandal-plagued program.

The NCAA will allow Baylor to decide which of the next two seasons will not include non-conference games, as many as 15 per season if a team plays in an exempted tournament. The Bears will be allowed to play the Big 12 Conference regular season and will be eligible for postseason competition.

NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions' found intentional violations by coaches and attempts to cover up those violations. That led to a finding of unethical conduct against former head coach Dave Bliss and three former assistants.

``The coaches' disregard for NCAA rules has tarnished them, the university and intercollegiate athletics as a whole,'' said Gene Marsh, chair of the Division I Committee on Infractions and a professor of law at the University of Alabama.

Earlier this month, Carlton Dotson, 23, was sentenced to 35 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in the death of Patrick Dennehy, a killing that led to revelations of wrongdoing in Baylor's program. Dennehy was missing for six weeks before his body was found in July 2003 in a field where the best friends had gone to shoot guns at targets.

By August, Bliss and athletic director Tom Stanton had resigned in the wake of numerous allegations of NCAA violations.

School investigators later discovered that Bliss paid up to $40,000 in tuition for two players and improperly solicited $87,000 from Baylor boosters. The probe also revealed that staff members did not properly report some players' failed drug tests.

The infractions led to self-imposed sanctions, including a three-year probation, reduced scholarships and reduced contact between coaches and recruits. The school also banned itself from postseason play in the 2003-2004 season, and all players were offered a release from their scholarships.

The scandal is the second to rock the program in the last decade.

In 1994, Baylor reduced scholarships, banned itself from postseason play and television appearances and placed itself under a two-year probation after a recruiting and academic fraud scandal under former coach Darrel Johnson.

[Guest e-bone]

For all that happened, not just including one teammate murdering another, they got off very easy.

[UNTLifer]

``The coaches' disregard for NCAA rules has tarnished them, the university and intercollegiate athletics as a whole,'' said Gene Marsh, chair of the Division I Committee on Infractions and a professor of law at the University of Alabama.

Anybody, besides me, find it funny that a professor from Alabama made this statement? Alabama should have been given the death penalty a couple of years ago for their infractions.

[EagleToo]

For all that happened, not just including one teammate murdering another, they got off very easy.

You seem to think the murder was an institutional thing?

[Guest e-bone]

You seem to think the murder was an institutional thing?

The events leading up to the murder were. The most tragic part is that it took a teammate murdering another teammate for all of this to come to light.

[VideoEagle]

While I think Baylor probably deserved the Death Penalty in this case, what they got certainly was NOT a slap on the wrist.

SMU was only banded from playing one year. They could have played an all road schedule the next year if they had chosen to do so. The second year was their choice.

In basketball, having NO non-conference games is the one step short of the Death Penalty.

The NCAA gave Baylor's regret as a reason for not giving them the Death Penalty. Baylor did everything short of cancel games as they're self imposed punishment. They did far more the Alabama did!

[gksmith]

I think the penalty includes no non-conference games and no post-season play (I think conference tournament is included). If Baylor is not allowed to play non-conference games, that will put their schedule at less than 15, and with only conference play that will put them starting in January while everyone else starts play in October or November.

That isn't the "SMU Football Death Penalty" but it is as close as you can get.

Dave Bliss really delt Baylor Men's Basketball a very serious blow.

[Coach]

The murder was unfortunate and the cover-up by Bliss disgusting. However, just looking at the gifts to players and other NCAA violations, this punishment was fair. I think I heard that Bliss was banned from coaching in the NCAA for 10 years, which I think was very light. The things he did, and the things he would have done if not for that assistant coach taping the conversations, I think are worthy of a lifetime ban.

While this is a tough blow for Baylor, they have a good coach with Scott Drew who can help overcome this as well as anyone could. They also have a national champion women's team and competitve teams in several sports. I think Baylor will be fine, though those affected by Dennehy's death won't be for a while.

[Guest e-bone]

I don't understand how there wasn't some crime that Bliss could be charged with. Him getting away with ignoring the problem that made one teammate kill another and then trying to cover it up afterwords to try to shift any fault off himself is sickening.