By Keith Taylor
Special to NKyTribune
Scandals are nothing new in college athletics. They’ve been around for decades.
However, things have changed in the modern era, with a heavy emphasis placed on recruiting. In an effort to gain an edge on the recruiting trail, some college coaching staffs and coaches are willing to do whatever it takes to get a player on campus and involves more than promises for playing time. Recruiting has become more like in-game coaching and is a year-round process.
Recruiting high school players is pressure-packed and very intense. So intense it’s almost easier to coach a game, than lure top recruits to campus for even just a visit.
Just nearly two weeks ago, Southern Methodist University was placed on 3-years probation for recruiting violations by the NCAA. Brown was suspended for nine games and the school was banned from competing in the NCAA Tournament this season. Brown’s biggest mistake was allegedly “lying” to investigators during the probe.
As SMU was getting its verdict from the NCAA, Louisville found itself in early stages of potential trouble after a prostitute made allegations published in a book titled, “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen.”
The book alleges former Louisville director of basketball operations Andrew McGee arranged for Katina Powell to provide escort services to players, recruits and others during recruiting visits on campus from 2010-14.
The allegations forced Louisville to call an impromptu press conference with Cardinals coach Rick Pitino. A firestorm of speculation regarding Pitino’s future and what the allegations hold for the program followed the media gathering in which he proclaimed his innocence following the initial shockwave of Powell’s accusations.
Throughout his coaching career at Kentucky and Louisville, Pitino has kept his programs free of major violations, with the only shortfall being a well-documented affair a few years ago that tarnished his personal image, but not his reputation on the sidelines. The Hall of Fame coach guided the Cardinals to a national championship nearly three years ago.
Pitino led Kentucky back to the promised land just seen years after the Wildcats were placed on a postseason ban for three seasons and lost scholarships and narrowly missed the death penalty. Pitino survived the hard times and left the program in tip-top shape after leaving for the Boston Celtics following the team’s national runner-up finish in 1997.
Although Pitino’s predecessor Eddie Sutton wasn’t implicated in the major academic and recruiting infractions that occurred under his watch at Kentucky in 1988, it eventually became impossible for Sutton to remain on as coach. As the investigation intensified during the 1988-89 season, it became increasingly impossible for Sutton to keep his focus as the Wildcats struggled to a 13-19 campaign.
Even Kentucky’s athletics director at the time, Cliff Hagan resigned, paving the way for C.M. Newton’s arrival, which later resulted in Pitino’s hiring.
Like Sutton, even if Pitino had no knowledge of the allegations, as he has claimed, he still could have lacked having the proper institutional control. What Sutton didn’t know end up hurting him. That could be the case with Pitino if the allegations prove to be true.
Regardless, it’s going to be difficult for Pitino to keep calm and carry on with a cloud of uncertainty hovering over his program until a thorough internal and likely NCAA investigation is complete.
Even if he devotes his full attention to basketball, the scandal is always going to be in the back of his mind.
Keith Taylor is a columnist and senior sports reporter who covers UK sports for the KyForward.com