NCAA hits Terrapins with probation for one year

This is very new news - no mention of it on either the Maryland or ACC websites. So no details on what the probation entails.

I wonder what impact this will have on a team that our own David has picked 2nd in the ACC. Are they banned from post-season play? Banned from the conference title? (That would have big BCS implications.)

Jim

it doesn't look like the Terps will have to give up any postseason dreams, it lookied like they complied witht eh NCAA in getting Sharpless to resign, plus ending contact with the recruits.

The story doesn't make clear what the exact terms of the probation are, but it's definitely a far cry from the "let's flog and make them an example" penalties the men's baskeball team was hit with in the early days of the Gary Williams era.

I wonder how this is going to affect the perception people have of Ralph Friedgen.

Not to justify the actions of the Terps former assistant (who has since been fired as the ESPN story confirmed) but in light of the SERIOUS allegations that have arisen at several other D-1 schools in recent years involving grade fixing, "advisors" writing papers for players, athletes not attending class at all and receiving cash and gifts worth THOUSANDS of dollars I find the NCAA's description of the Maryland recruit receiving $300 (the sum that has been widely reported locally, anyway) as being a "MAJOR violation" to be highly questionable....and as for the other assistant coach giving a player a t-shirt and hat worth $20 being described as a "MINOR violation"? -- geez, how generous of the NCAA to label a $20 infraction as "minor"?

While I admit some bias by being a fan of Ralph Friedgen (who, it should not be overlooked, immediately fired the assistant AND ceased recruiting the top prospect, who is not at Notre Dame, when he became aware of the violations) is it me or is this action by the NCAA the equivalent of the local police department holding press conferences to announce stiffer penalties for parking violations? ....the penalties that the Maryland program received (along with the assistant coach who gave the recruit the t-shirt and cap being required to donate $20 to charity) seems to be reasonable in light of the "severity" of the violations but for anyone to think that the Terps deserved to be banned from post-season play or a shot at a conference title as a result of these infractions is absolutely ludicrous.

[ August 11, 2003, 01:02 PM: Message edited by: gamecock ]

There are no terms. They don't lose anything. They're just on probation as opposed to not being on probation. So, in a sense, they do lose the ability to say that they aren't on probation.

I wasn't thinking that at all... I didn't know anything more than what the article said, and was asking the questions that always get asked when the words "NCAA probation" come up.

Jim

I wasn't trying to imply that you were questioning the severity of the probation, Jim....sorry if I didn't express my thoughts clearer but my intention was to make a "general comment" about the fact that some people believe that EVERY time ANY school is placed on probation they MUST have committed some serious violation....in this instance, I believe the NCAA is giving the "punishment" that the Terps football program is receiving an exorbitant amount of publicity to make it appear that they (the NCAA) are "well run" and "under control", particularly in light of the highly publicized recent scandals that have arisen at Baylor, Ohio State, Georgia and Florida State, to name but a few.

My primary point was considering the minor infractions that were committed at Maryland (which has been detailed excessively by the local media) along with the fact that Coach Friedgen and the school acted promptly and swiftly in firing the assistant coach AND immediately ceasing recruiting efforts towards the high school star (who, according to all accounts, wanted to attend Maryland as his brother had but has since enrolled at Notre Dame) there is no reason why the Terps should have received any more than a "slap on the wrist"...now, if Friedgen or one of his assistants slips up AGAIN in the future (which in my view is highly doubtful given the Fridge's emphasis upon ethics and integrity) then more severe penalties would be warranted.

Not surprisingly the University of Maryland's Diamondback has been tracking this story at least since February of this year, as has the University itself as related in this Diamonback article on Feb. 4, 2003.

Looks like Maryland is trying to compete with the bigtime schools for scandal. Linebacker coach Rod Sharpless will probably be sending his resume to one of the new ACC football schools as soon as he hits the door.


BTW Victor Abiamiri is hot. Sorry couldn't resist sticking that in.

Leave it to Maryland to come up with vague and boring controversy

In related news, The Onion recently reported that the state of Maryland is closing. So maybe the Terps can move to Montana.