Sports Scandals

by Laura Finley; Jeffrey J. Fountain Peter Finley

  Within days the University of Georgia suspended Harrick Jr. and never renewed his contract. The move took his father by surprise. Only one day before he had told reporters that ''we don't do work for people, nor do we give them money. Do we make mistakes? Yeah. Will they find something minor?

  Maybe.'' He made it clear that he thought an investigation would vindicate his son and the program.64 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Charlie Tapalian, a booster, was the source of the money Cole received to pay his bills. Cole produced a Western Union receipt for the $300 with the sender named as ''Jim Harrick.''

  Within days the university suspended Harrick Sr., and declared two starting players ineligible because of academic fraud that involved the Coaching Principles and Strategies of Basketball class taught by Jim Harrick Jr. It also banned the basketball team from competing in both the Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament and the NCAA tournament, a move that cost the university hundreds of thousands of dollars (their share distributed by the SEC). The actions by the University of Georgia received praise from NCAA president Myles Brand, who said, ''I want to compliment President Mike Adams for his leadership and his rapid, strong response to the situation in the face of tremendous pressure,'' and, ''I think we are starting to see a very important trend. I think the system is working.''65

  Harrick Jr.'s Coaching Principles and Strategies of Basketball course had three basketball players in it. Each received an ''A,'' but never attended the class. Not that it mattered much. Harrick Jr. had made attendance optional for all students and gave a final exam that included such questions as: How many halves are in a college basketball game?

  On March 27, 2003, Jim Harrick Sr. resigned as head basketball coach of the University of Georgia after reaching a settlement with the university. This was the third time in Harrick Sr.'s twenty-three-year coaching career that he left a program under a cloud of suspicion. Harrick Sr. was previously at UCLA, where he was fired for lying on expense reports. He then coached at the University of Rhode Island, where allegations of academic fraud among players surfaced. Under the agreement, the University of Georgia paid Harrick Sr. $254,166, the balance due for 2003.66 After leaving the University of Georgia, Jim Harrick Sr. temporarily retired from coaching and became a basketball analyst. He returned to coaching in 2006 with the Bakersfield Jam, a team in the NBA's Developmental League.

  INELIGIBLE PLAYER BRINGS DOWN ST. BONAVENTURE

  The St. Bonaventure men's basketball program grabbed national headlines in March 2003, when the Atlantic 10 Conference determined that center Jamil Terrell, a transfer student, had been playing in spite of being academically ineligible. The scandal grew after the team refused to play its final two games, costing the university $120,000 in fines.67 By the time the dust settled, the coaches and university president were gone, the athletic director's contract was not renewed, lawsuits were filed, and the chairman of the board of trustees committed suicide.

  In 2002 St. Bonaventure athletic director Gothard Lane attempted to prevent the impending scandal by alerting the university president and then two members of the board of trustees that a new transferred player, Jamil Terrell, was ineligible. Terrell had earned a welding certificate at his community college, but did not have the requisite associate's degree. President Wickenheiser, whose son was the assistant coach who had recruited Terrell, personally approved the transfer and cleared Terrell to play, Lane was sure that he was correct that Terrell was ineligible. Unconvinced by Wickenheiser's response, he contacted the two board members. They declined to get involved, and the university would pay a heavy price.

  The Atlantic 10 Conference stripped the team of six victories and banned it from postseason play for violation of transfer rules.68 NCAA investigators determined that Wickenheiser was to blame, as he had authorized Terrell to play despite the objections from Lane and the compliance staff. Citing lack of institutional control, the NCAA cut two of the team's scholarships for 2004 and 2005 and reduced the opportunities for coaches to go on recruiting visits.

  As the scandal wore on, Wickenheiser resigned, coach Jan van Breda Kolff was dismissed, and in spite of his attempts to enforce the eligibility rules, Lane's contract was not renewed. The most stunning tragedy related to the scandal was the suicide of the chairman of the board of trustees, Bill Swan, in August 2003. Swan, an alumnus who had dedicated his life to the university, had worked to usher the school through the scandal, ousting the president and briefly running the university. His effort to see the school through the storm was scuttled when the university released the results of its investigation, which claimed Lane had informed Swan and trustee Jim Gould about his eligibility concerns and Wickenheiser's response. Lane had forwarded the trustees copies of e-mails in which Wickenheiser stated that Terrell was eligible, in his estimation, and that there would be no further discussion of the matter. Declining to get involved, Swan told Lane that it ''was an internal issue and that R. Wickenheiser would be accountable if the conclusions set forth in the email to Lane were erroneous.''69 Swan was vilifled by the local media and via e-mails from alumni, and he was viciously attacked on Internet chat sites for his reluctance to get involved and avert the scandal. In particular, postings on a site called Bonnie Bandwagon attacked Swan, which profoundly affected him, according to his wife. ''Bill was annihilated,'' Ann Swan recalled. ''He went into a shell.… He felt as if his morals, values and his soul had been attacked.''70 The week before Swan hanged himself in the basement of his home, he asked his wife if she had seen the Internet. After the suicide, she recalled one post on the site that read, ''Every time Bill Swan opens his mouth, he hangs himself.''71 Swan left a short note that, in part, apologized for the pain he caused St. Bonaventure University.

  Claiming he was wrongfully dismissed and libeled, Coach van Breda Kolff sued the university for $21.5 million. An investigation conducted by the university had concluded that the coach did not know the player was ineligible, but asserted that he should have attempted to determine the player's status after questions were raised. The suit was settled in 2005 for an undisclosed amount. Van Breda Kolff was an assistant with an NBA team in 2003-4 and then directed basketball clinics in Nashville.

  Gothard Lane sued the university, claiming he became a scapegoat after the NCAA became aware of the ineligible player. The suit, which sought $1 million for defamation, claimed university officials made false and malicious public comments about him after the scandal made national news. ''They said I violated NCAA rules,'' Lane said, ''[but] I was the one trying to stop them from violating NCAA rules.''72 The university settled for an undisclosed amount in 2006. Lane claimed he was vindicated by the settlement and the public admission by the university that he had not violated any NCAA rules.

  ''I don't know how many athletic directors have confronted their president and told him he was wrong. Then I went over his head to two trustees.''73 Lane was out of work for over two years and was rejected from over eighty positions. He finally found work in October 2005 as director of championships for the Eastern College Athletic Conference.

  The NCAA sanctions, coupled with players transferring out of the program, significantly hurt the team. In 2003-4 the team won only seven games, the fewest in over a decade. The poor play continued for years. Anthony Solomon, who was hired to replace van Breda Kolff and clean up the program, was fired in March 2007 after posting a 24-88 record over four seasons. The team lost nineteen or more games in each of his seasons. He had caused a controversy of his own by accusing fans of not supporting the team, and he was booed off the court at his last home game. At its lowest point, some Atlantic 10 officials wondered whether the team even should have continued to be a part of the conference. The NCAA probation ended on July 14, 2006, returning some measure of hope to the Bonnies faithful.

  SPYGATE-NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS BUSTED FOR SPYING

  The New England Patriots were caught red-handed videotaping the New York Jets defensive coordinator signaling plays to his defense during the first game of the 200
7 football season. The Patriots won the game in a rout. The practice, which allowed the Patriots to change its play via a last-second audible, gave its offense ''a great advantage,'' according to one former NFL defensive coordinator. Not only was the videotaping illegal, but the league had issued a memo to clarify that teams must not do it. New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick claimed that he had a different interpretation of the rule.

  NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made it clear that Belichick's interpretation was unequivocally wrong. Belichick never explained how he misinterpreted the rule that read, ''No video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches' booth, on the field or in the locker room during the game.''74 The incident quickly became known as Spygate, and Belichick was dubbed ''Belicheat'' by some sports columnists.

  Curiously, it was former Belichick assistant, Eric Mangini, who blew the whistle. He had left the Patriots, against Belichick's wishes, to become head coach of the Jets. Many wondered if Mangini knew of the Patriots' chicanery because he had participated in it while coaching with New England, and, if so, had cheating helped him earn a head-coaching position before turning thirty-five? Regardless, he was more than willing to order Jets security to wrestle the camera away from the Patriots' employee who had kept it aimed directly at his defensive coordinator.

  Goodell fined Belichick $500,000 and the Patriots $250,000. He also stripped the team of a first-round draft pick for the following season. As rumors circulated that the Patriots also stole audio signals from opponents, Goodell ordered the team to turn over all evidence of its videotaping program.

  He promptly had all of the evidence destroyed. Given the commissioner's record of doling out severe penalties to players, many thought Belichick deserved a suspension from one game, if not several, in addition to the fine. Belichick offered an apology but, oddly, refused to say what he was apologizing for and consistently declined to discuss the incident, much to the consternation of the media members who peppered him with questions about it over the next several weeks.

  Beyond the penalties levied by the league, Belichick lost considerable credibility with the fans. He had won three Super Bowls as head coach of the Patriots, and another two as defensive coordinator with the New York Giants under Bill Parcells. All of the titles became instantly suspect. Some players who had lost Super Bowls to the Patriots acknowledged that they questioned their losses. Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward said he believed his team lost out to the Patriots' use of inside information in 2002, and Philadelphia cornerback Sheldon Brown found it suspicious that every time Patriots quarterback Tom Brady changed a play in the 2005 Super Bowl it was a perfect call.

  The reigning league MVP, LaDainian Tomlinson, said that the Patriots live by the motto, ''if you're not cheating, you're not trying.''75

  In a classic example of unconditional love in sports, the Foxboro fans gave Belichick a standing ovation as he ran onto the field the week after Spygate.

  After dismantling the San Diego Chargers, his players hugged him and team owner Robert Kraft presented him with the game ball. Former players and team officials from around the league also showed support for Belichick. The Chargers' general manager, A. J. Smith, called Belichick an ''outstanding football coach'' and ''a master of strategy.''76 Only time will tell how significant Spygate will be in shaping the legacy of a coach who is almost certain to be a Hall of Fame inductee.

  Chapter 6

  RACIST AND OTHER REGRETTABLE COMMENTARY

  Contrary to some perceptions, racists don't just parade around in the wee hours of the night donning white sheets. Nor is racist commentary restricted to hushed tones or sentences that begin with, ''I'm not a racist, but …'' Sometimes, and quite shockingly, racist comments are spewed by those who have a platform on television and radio programs and are paid to make insightful comments. Some of the ''insight'' reveals shocking ignorance on the part of the commentators, who generally believe they are simply being provocative or speaking a truth that few dare to speak. From Al Campanis and Jimmy the Greek to Rush Limbaugh and Don Imus, the comments have often been directed at black athletes and their abilities, or perceived lack thereof.

  There are also those who could best be described as equal-opportunity offenders, targeting minorities in general, homosexuals, and anyone else they perceive to be different from themselves. Marge Schott, Reggie White, and most notably Major League Baseball player John Rocker famously verbally attacked racial and ethnic minorities, as well as people based on religious differences and sexual orientation. Given the light punishments athletes and others involved in sport tend to receive for offensive behavior, it is somewhat surprising that commentators who have made ludicrous comments tend to be sanctioned fairly significantly. Many have lost their jobs, been fined, suspended, and publicly scorned-although, as with so many scandalous people in the sports world, they are typically quick to bounce back.

  AL CAMPANIS CLAIMS BLACKS LACK ''NECESSITIES'' TO MANAGE

  Forty years after Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier when he suited up for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the real progress that blacks had made in the sport would be overshadowed by the unfortunate comments of a member of that same Dodgers organization. The Dodgers, since signing Robinson in 1947, had been considered one of the most liberal and progressive teams in the sport. Thus, it was shocking when executive president Al Campanis suggested, on ABC's Nightline with Ted Koppel, that black players lacked the necessities to move into management and front office positions.

  The comment came during an episode dedicated to the topic of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color line that aired on April 7, 1987. Koppel had asked Campanis to explain the lack of blacks in front office and managerial positions. Campanis replied, ''I don't believe it's prejudice. I truly believe that they may not have some of the necessities to be, let's say, a field manager, or perhaps a general manager.''1

  Campanis apologized the day after his comments aired. Dodgers' team president, Peter O'Malley said, following the apology, that Campanis's job was absolutely not in jeopardy. Campanis had been with the Dodgers organization since 1947, the same year Jackie Robinson was signed. But by the next day, public outcry and criticism from political and civil rights leaders made it clear that Campanis had to go. He resigned under fire two days after making the comments. O'Malley said, ''Comments given by Al Campanis are so far removed from what the organization believes that it is impossible for Al to continue his responsibilities.''2 Regarding his promise of the day before, that Campanis's job was safe, O'Malley said, ''The reflection of a good night's sleep after a hectic day yesterday helped me conclude that this was the appropriate, proper, and right thing to do.''3

  Major League Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth appeared on Nightline the day after the incident. He refused to address Campanis by name, saying, ''There can be benefit from what I think is a very unfortunate set of remarks by somebody that was maybe thinking a little bit in the past or a lot in the past. Obviously the individual does not speak for baseball. He spoke for himself. He does not speak for the Dodgers as I think the Dodgers proved very clearly today.''4

  When Campanis made his comment, there had only been three black managers in Major League Baseball history, and there were none working at the time. Frank Robinson had been fired from the San Francisco Giants in 1984. Between 1984 and 1987 there were thirty managerial openings. None went to black candidates.

  Frank Robinson, who became baseball's first black manager in 1975, saw that some good could come from the comments and the attitudes they revealed. ''I was upset, but I didn't get angry. I was happy because it brought it out in the open from a high-ranking official from behind closed doors. Everyone suspected it for years, but when it was mentioned or brought up, everyone always denied it.''5 Similarly, the comments were seen as an opportunity to push for a healthy change in baseball by the NAACP, which threatened to shut down Major League Baseball with demonstrations both inside and outside of stadiums if owners refused to crea
te affirmative action policies to address the dearth of blacks in management positions. NAACP executive director Benjamin Hooks said that he did not believe demonstrations would be necessary, given that the owners were already embarrassed by the scandal.

  JIMMY ''THE GREEK'' SNYDER CLAIMED SLAVERY CREATED BLACK ATHLETES

  Jimmy Snyder, better known as Jimmy ''the Greek,'' was a gambler and football personality who appeared on the CBS football program The NFL Today for twelve years as a betting analyst. Born Demetrios Georgios Synodinos in Ohio, in 1956 Jimmy the Greek moved to Las Vegas where he established his reputation for being able to pick winners in the weekly wagering on National Football League games.

  It was during a videotaped luncheon interview for a Washington-area local television show that Jimmy the Greek made racist comments that would cost him his job and reputation. On a show dedicated to the progress of blacks in society, Jimmy the Greek said, ''[Blacks are] bred to be the better athlete.…

  This goes all the way back to the Civil War when, during the slave trading, the owner, the slave owner, would breed his big black to his big woman so that he would have a big black kid, see? That's where it all started.''6 He went on to cite such ''evidence'' as claiming that blacks have larger thighs than whites, and other such preposterous and unfounded claims. He also suggested that the only hope for white players was in outworking or outthinking the black players because they were outclassed athletically.7 The show aired on Martin Luther King Day in 1988.

  Jimmy the Greek went on to take the position that the only thing left for whites in sports is coaching. ''If they take over coaching like everybody wants them to, there's not going to be anything left for the white people; I mean, the only thing that the whites control is the coaching jobs.''8 When media members questioned him about his comments, he said, ''I want you to listen to everything that was said and then you make your own decision as to what I said that was so wrong.''9