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UK Basketball: Calipari's name still clear

May 29, 2009|Keith Taylor/Sun Sports Editor

John Calipari should be in the clear when the NCAA concludes its investigation into the men's basketball program at the University of Memphis for an alleged violation.

Calipari's name wasn't mentioned when the collegiate rules police alleged a major violation took place at the school during the 2007-08 season.

The NCAA alleged earlier this week that a person knowingly took the SAT college entrance exam for an unnamed player who played at the school for one season. The player is believed to be Derrick Rose, who dressed for the Tigers for one season before leaving for the NBA.

Reports also indicate that someone at the unnamed player's high school changed his grades on a transcript in order to reflect consistency if the entrance exam was ever questioned.

If the player knowingly cheated to gain entrance into an institution, the player or the parties involved are at fault and not the school or coach at the time. The person who allegedly took the test also is at fault.

How could the school (Memphis) and coach (Calipari) know the grades were changed if they were consistent on a transcript?

What about potential cheating on a college entrance exam?

If the school was notified of the allegations on Jan. 16 and considered them serious, why did Memphis make a gallant effort to retain Calipari as coach?

That tells me that Calipari was in the clear from the beginning of the inquiry.

The University of Kentucky has spoken out on the subject and said it was aware of the issues before hiring Calipari.

"We talked with several people and thoroughly exercised due diligence during the process of hiring coach Calipari," Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart said in a statement released by the university Thursday. "We asked the right questions. Coach Calipari was forthcoming and honest about the NCAA inquiry at the University of Memphis during the interview process."

Barnhart also indicated that he has no regrets.

"John Calipari is the basketball coach at the University of Kentucky and we are extremely excited about our future at Kentucky," he said. "We support him fully as he participates in the NCAA hearing and we have encouraged him not to comment and I also will not comment any further."

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