Show-cause penalty (NCAA)
Encyclopedia
In the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA), a show-cause penalty is an order saying that for a set period of time, any NCAA penalties imposed on a coach involved in major rules violations at a university's athletic program will remain in force if he is hired by any other NCAA member institution. Both the school and coach are required to send letters to the NCAA agreeing to abide by any restrictions imposed, and report back to the NCAA every 6 months until the end of employment or the show-cause, whichever comes first. If the school wishes to avoid the NCAA restrictions imposed on that individual, it must appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions and "show cause" as to why it should not be penalized for hiring him.
Contrary to popular belief, an NCAA member school is allowed to hire a coach with a show-cause order outstanding. However, a show-cause amounts to an official finding that a coach is a serious offender. Also, as mentioned above, any school that hires a coach with a show-cause order in effect can be penalized merely for doing so. Consequently, most schools will not even consider hiring a coach with a show-cause penalty in effect. For this reason, a show-cause penalty usually has the effect of blackballing a coach from the collegiate ranks for the duration of the penalty. Many coaches who are given such a penalty never coach again, even after the expiration of the penalty. The penalty is intended to follow a coach for violations that he had a role in committing.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA), a show-cause penalty is an order saying that for a set period of time, any NCAA penalties imposed on a coach involved in major rules violations at a university's athletic program will remain in force if he is hired by any other NCAA member institution. Both the school and coach are required to send letters to the NCAA agreeing to abide by any restrictions imposed, and report back to the NCAA every 6 months until the end of employment or the show-cause, whichever comes first. If the school wishes to avoid the NCAA restrictions imposed on that individual, it must appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions and "show cause" as to why it should not be penalized for hiring him.
Contrary to popular belief, an NCAA member school is allowed to hire a coach with a show-cause order outstanding. However, a show-cause amounts to an official finding that a coach is a serious offender. Also, as mentioned above, any school that hires a coach with a show-cause order in effect can be penalized merely for doing so. Consequently, most schools will not even consider hiring a coach with a show-cause penalty in effect. For this reason, a show-cause penalty usually has the effect of blackballing a coach from the collegiate ranks for the duration of the penalty. Many coaches who are given such a penalty never coach again, even after the expiration of the penalty. The penalty is intended to follow a coach for violations that he had a role in committing.
Men's Basketball
- Bob Wade - former head coach for the Maryland TerrapinsMaryland TerrapinsThe Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 27 men's and women's athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
, who provided a loan to a recruit and free clothes to his players; he also lied to the NCAA and held meetings with his staff where they made plans to lie. For this, he was hit with a five-year show-cause penalty, which expired in 1995. Wade hasn't returned to the coaching ranks since. - Todd BozemanTodd BozemanTodd Bozeman is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach at Morgan State University.-Berkeley:...
- Former head coach for the California Golden BearsCalifornia Golden BearsThe California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
, who had paid for a player's parents to watch their son play and lied about it to school and NCAA officials. He was forced to resign in 1996 and was handed an eight-year show-cause penalty, which expired in 2004. He now coaches the Morgan State Bears; to date, he is the only Division I men's head basketball coach to have ever gotten another head coaching job after being hit with a show-cause. - Clem HaskinsClem HaskinsClem Smith Haskins is a retired American college and professional basketball player and college basketball coach. He and star player Dwight Smith became the first black athletes to integrate the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball program in the fall of 1963. This put Western Kentucky at the...
- Former head coach for the Minnesota Golden GophersMinnesota Golden Gophers men's basketballThe Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team represents the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have played in the Big Ten since the conference began sponsoring basketball in 1905...
, who was guilty of paying a tutor to write papers for players on the team; he also lied to the NCAA about those payments and encouraged his players to lie as well. For that he was hit with a seven-year show-cause penalty. This penalty expired in 2007, but Haskins has yet to return to collegiate coaching. - Dave BlissDave BlissDave Bliss is a former American college basketball coach. He coached at University of Oklahoma, Southern Methodist University, University of New Mexico and Baylor University...
- Former head coach for the Baylor BearsBaylor Bears men's basketballThe Baylor Bears basketball team represents Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Bears compete in the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games in Ferrell Center and is currently coached by Scott Drew....
and the central figure in the scandal that engulfed the programBaylor University basketball scandalThe Baylor University basketball scandal was an incident in which the Baylor University men's basketball program was investigated and punished for numerous NCAA violations. The scandal broke out after the 2003 murder of men's basketball player Patrick Dennehy...
in 2003, starting with the murder of New Mexico transfer Patrick DennehyPatrick DennehyPatrick James Dennehy was an American college basketball player. He was born in Santa Clara, California. He was fatally shot by a teammate in 2003....
by former Baylor player Carlton DotsonCarlton DotsonCarlton Eric Dotson, Jr. is an American former college basketball player who is currently serving a 35-year prison term for the murder of Patrick Dennehy, one of his teammates.-Basketball career:Dotson attended North Dorchester High School...
that June. In the wake of Dennehy's death, it was revealed that Bliss had paid tuition for Dennehy and another Baylor player. Bliss lied to investigators about the payments, and worse yet, encouraged players and assistant coaches to lie. Bliss went so far as to suggest that the players tell investigators and law enforcement that Dennehy had paid for his tuition by dealing drugsIllegal drug tradeThe illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
. One of his assistants taped these conversations and sent them to the NCAA; the tapes were later leaked to the media. Dotson's estranged wife and the mother of another Baylor player also reported widespread abuse of marijuanaCannabis (drug)Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
and alcoholAlcoholic beverageAn alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
by players that neither Bliss, his staff, nor the Baylor athletic department ever addressed. Bliss was forced to resign; and in 2005 was hit with a ten-year show-cause penalty, effective until 2015. This stands as the longest show-cause penalty ever given to a head basketball coach. Two of his assistants were also given show-cause penalties of five and seven years, respectively. The assistant who taped the conversations, Abar Rouse, escaped NCAA punishment, but has been effectively blackballed by the coaching fraternity; his only coaching job since the scandal was one year as a graduate assistant at a Division II school. - Kelvin SampsonKelvin SampsonKelvin Sampson is an assistant coach of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. He previously was a men's college basketball coach at Montana Tech , Washington State University , the University of Oklahoma and Indiana University .-Early life and coaching:Sampson was born in the...
- Former head coach of the Oklahoma SoonersOklahoma Sooners men's basketball-1908-1980:The Sooners enjoyed moderate success on the court during this era, posting only 16 losing records in their first 72 seasons. They were coached by 9 different coaches during this period, beginning with Bennie Owen , and ending with Dave Bliss in 1980...
and the Indiana HoosiersIndiana Hoosiers men's basketballThe Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
, who was guilty of making impermissible cell phoneMobile phoneA mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
calls to recruits. He landed Oklahoma on probation before leaving for Indiana in 2006. When he repeated the violations at Indiana, he was forced to resign from that institution in 2008. That same year, the NCAA gave Sampson a five-year show-cause penalty, effective until 2013. Sampson has since been an assistant with two NBA teams—the Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
(2008–2011) and now the Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
.
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- NOTE: Bliss and Sampson coached against each other in the Aug 27, 2011 Oklahoma Alumni Legends Game that was decided in sudden death overtime.
- Rob Senderoff – Former assistant at Indiana under Sampson who was found to have made many of the impermissible calls to recruits. He resigned in 2007, but was rehired by Kent StateKent State Golden Flashes men's basketballThe Kent State Golden Flashes men's basketball team represents Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. The Golden Flashes compete in the Mid-American Conference East Division and last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2008...
, where he had served as an assistant for five years before joining Sampson at IU, before the NCAA announced its findings. Senderoff was hit with a 30-month show-cause in November 2008. Kent State chose to keep him on its staff, presumably accepting any NCAA restrictions on his activities. After Geno FordGeno FordGeno Ford is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach at Bradley University. Ford was named to the position after Jim Les was let go in early March 2011. Ford previously served as head coach at Shawnee State University in 2001–02 and at Muskingum College...
left for BradleyBradley Braves men's basketballThe Bradley Braves men's basketball team represents Bradley University, located in Peoria, Illinois, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2006, reaching the...
after the 2010–11 season2010–11 Kent State Golden Flashes men's basketball teamThe 2010–11 Kent State Golden Flashes men's basketball team represents Kent State University in the college basketball season of 2010–11. The team is coached by Geno Ford and play their home games at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center as members of the Mid-American Conference East Division...
, Senderoff was named as interim head coach and then permanent head coach. His show-cause expired on May 25, 2011. - Neil McCarthyNeil McCarthy (basketball coach)Neil McCarthy is a retired college basketball coach. He was head coach of the Weber State Wildcats team from 1974 to 1985 and at the New Mexico State Aggies from 1985 to 1997....
- Former basketball coach at New Mexico StateNew Mexico State Aggies men's basketballThe New Mexico State Aggies Basketball team is the basketball team that represents New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Founded in 1904, the Aggies currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference and last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2010...
, who was fired before the 1997-98 season due to concerns about his players' poor academic performance. During a deposition for a wrongful-termination suit, McCarthy admitted under oath that he'd agreed to hire a junior-college coach as an assistant if two of his players came to New Mexico State. This triggered an investigation which revealed the junior-college coach had helped the players with their coursework and exams. In 2001, the NCAA gave McCarthy a five-year show-cause order, effective until 2006. The junior-college coach, who had been hired as an assistant before being fired with the rest of McCarthy's staff, was hit with a 10-year show-cause order. As of 2010, McCarthy has not returned to coaching. - Bruce PearlBruce PearlBruce Dean-Fredrick Pearl is an American college basketball coach who most recently served as head coach of the University of Tennessee Volunteers men's team. He is a graduate of Boston College, where he obtained his first position as an assistant basketball coach. He was the first coach to lead...
, former coach of the Tennessee VolunteersTennessee Volunteers basketballThe Tennessee Volunteers basketball team represents the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee in NCAA men's basketball competition. The Volunteers currently compete in the Southeastern Conference...
, received a three-year show-cause penalty for lying to the NCAA regarding major recruiting violations. Each of his assistants received one-year show-cause orders.
- Rob Senderoff – Former assistant at Indiana under Sampson who was found to have made many of the impermissible calls to recruits. He resigned in 2007, but was rehired by Kent State
- NOTE: Bliss and Sampson coached against each other in the Aug 27, 2011 Oklahoma Alumni Legends Game that was decided in sudden death overtime.
Women's Basketball
- Al Barbre - The head coach for the Lamar UniversityLamar CardinalsThe Lamar Cardinals refers to the collegiate athletic teams of Lamar University. The inception of the nickname "Cardinals" dates back to the schools name change to Lamar in 1932. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports...
women's basketball team in the early 1990s. Barbre's program was the subject of an NCAA investigation shortly after a record-breaking 1990-91 season. He was found guilty of making illegal payments to players and received a five-year show-cause penalty when Lamar was placed on probation late in 1992. Barbre has not been a head coach at an NCAA institution since.
Football
- Willie Anderson - The recruiting coordinator for Oklahoma StateOklahoma State Cowboys footballThe Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
in the late 1980s, Anderson was given a 12-year show-cause penalty when the Cowboys landed on probation in January 1989, after the NCAA ruled him guilty of making cash payments to players. Anderson had been previously implicated in major recruiting violations at ClemsonClemson Tigers footballThe Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
when that school landed on probation earlier in the decade. After his penalty was served, Anderson did not return to college football. - Claude Bassett - The recruiting coordinator for KentuckyKentucky Wildcats footballThe Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
under Hal MummeHal MummeHal Clay Mumme is an American college football coach. He is currently the head coach at McMurry University.- Playing career :...
, Bassett was forced to resign in 2000 for numerous NCAA violations, including giving improper gifts to prospects and writing papers for them. In 2002, the NCAA slapped him with an eight-year show-cause penalty. - Todd McNair - The running backs coach at the University of Southern California under Pete CarrollPete CarrollPeter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
, McNair was found guilty of providing false information to the NCAA and covering up rules violations involving All-American running back Reggie BushReggie BushReginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
in 2004 and 2005. McNair retained his position after Carroll left and was replaced by Lane KiffinLane KiffinLane Monte Kiffin is the current head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans college football team. He was previously the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers college football team, the Oakland Raiders of the NFL, and the offensive coordinator for the Trojans...
, despite NCAA allegations against him. When he received a one-year show-cause penalty in 2010, USC did not renew his contract after it expired. McNair appealed the penalty, but it was upheld in April of 2011.