Ah, if Jim Harrick were only the hands-off coach at UCLA so many critics claimed he was.
Maybe then UCLA would not have been put on three years’ probation by the NCAA Thursday for infractions committed during Harrick’s tenure at the school. Among the violations:
– Harrick and his staff provided recruits with improper entertainment, including free tickets to Lakers games.
– Harrick purchased a 1995 NCAA championship ring for a club coach who had several potential recruits on his team.
– Ten basketball players received free meals at a campus-area restaurant–a total of 70 to 100 meals at approximately $6 a meal.
There were assorted other violations, including the infamous expense-account incident that got Harrick fired in November 1996. Harrick had taken two of his players to dinner with three recruits, an NCAA violation, then tried to cover it up by falsifying his expense account sheet, lying about it on numerous occasions and attempting to persuade an assistant coach to lie as well.
That triggered a Pac-10 investigation, which concluded with a letter of reprimand for UCLA. During the course of the NCAA’s investigation, UCLA and Harrick admitted that the infractions occurred.
Current Bruins coach Steve Lavin was on Harrick’s staff at the time, but UCLA Athletic Director Peter Dalis said he is sure Lavin did nothing wrong.
Neither Lavin nor Harrick could be reached for comment.
“There is no implication he was involved at all,” Dalis said of Lavin.
UCLA’s probation does not involve banishment from television or postseason play or a reduction in scholarships. The harshest aspect is a reduction in official on-campus visits from 12 to six by recruits in each of the next two years. UCLA is already on probation for violations in its softball program, and that penalty will be extended until April 30, 2001.
Though several of the violations were termed “major” by David Swank, chairman of the NCAA’s committee on infractions, the school escaped heavier penalties largely because of Dalis’ firing of Harrick. It is considered a heavy self-imposed penalty, especially since it happened right before the start of the 1996-97 season.
UCLA released a statement that attempted to downplay the severity of the violations. In a classic look-on-the-bright-side bit of public relations, it was headlined, “NCAA penalties for UCLA basketball do not include postseason, television or scholarship sanctions.”
The NCAA also took the unusual step of requesting Harrick’s current employer, Rhode Island, to submit a review of his recruiting next spring.
Rams Athletic Director Ron Petro greeted Thursday’s announcement with a yawn.
“It’s not new news,” he said, explaining that Harrick told him of the violations before he was hired. “We had all the allegations. He admitted he made a mistake.”
Harrick remains in good standing at Rhode Island, and not just because his Rams made the NCAA tournament regional finals this past season. Petro said he appreciates Harrick’s honesty regarding the situation. That is the exact opposite of what initially got Harrick in trouble at UCLA.
“The biggest problem was that Jim asked an assistant coach to lie and cover up,” Dalis said. “That was just unacceptable. That’s like asking someone to suborn a witness.
“If he hadn’t lied and hadn’t asked someone to change his story, he would still be the coach at UCLA.”
