Big Blue too good for 'gray,' Todd says

Kentucky President argues there's no reason for Cats coaches to cheat

By Jerry Tipton / Herald-Leader Staff Writer

Jerry Tipton

UK schedule
Date Opponent Time, TV
Nov. 2 a-CAMPBELLSVILLE BBSN/FSN South
Nov. 6 a-CLARION BBSN/FSN South
Nov. 13 MOREHEAD STATE 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
Nov. 16 MIAMI (OHIO) BBSN/FSN South
Nov. 19 b-SAM HOUSTON ST. BBSN/FSN South
Nov. 21 b-RIDER BBSN/FSN South
Nov. 24 c-Cleveland State BBSN/FSN South
Nov. 25 c-Stanford/Virginia BBSN/FSN South
Nov. 30 d-UNC-Asheville BBSN/FSN South
Dec. 5 NORTH CAROLINA 12:30 p.m., CBS-27
Dec. 9 e-Connecticut 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Dec. 12 At Indiana Noon, CBS-27
Dec. 19 AUSTIN PEAY BBSN/FSN South
Dec. 21 DREXEL 7 p.m., ESPNU
Dec. 23 LONG BEACH STATE BBSN/FSN South
Dec. 29 HARTFORD 7 p.m., ESPN2
Jan. 2 LOUISVILLE 3:30 p.m., CBS-27
Jan. 9 GEORGIA 4 p.m., SEC Network
Jan. 12 at Florida 9 p.m., ESPN
Jan. 16 at Auburn 4 p.m., SEC Network
Jan. 23 ARKANSAS 4 p.m., SEC Network
Jan. 26 at South Carolina 9 p.m., ESPN
Jan. 30 VANDERBILT 4 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 2 MISSISSIPPI 7 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 6 At Louisiana State 4 p.m., SEC Network
Feb. 9 ALABAMA 9 p.m., ESPNU
Feb. 13 TENNESSEE 9 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 16 At Mississippi State 9 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 20 At Vanderbilt 6 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 25 SOUTH CAROLINA 9 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 27 At Tennessee Noon, CBS-27
Mar. 3 At Georgia 8 p.m., SEC Network
Mar. 7 FLORIDA Noon, CBS-27
Mar. 11-14f-SEC Tournament SEC Network/ABC-36
Notes: Times to be announced unless noted; a-exhibition; b-Cancun Challenge (Rupp Arena); c-Cancun Challenge (Moon Palace Resort, Cancun, Mexico); d-at Freedom Hall, Louisville; e-SEC/Big East Invitational (Madison Square Garden, New York City); f-at Nashville, Tenn. (Sommet Center).

Kentucky basketball is so superior to other programs its coach does not have to cheat — or, if you prefer, bend rules — to win.

UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. made that assertion last week while discussing new coach John Calipari and the need to comply with NCAA rules.

It's a familiar point of view. Then-UK president David Roselle said much the same thing 20 years ago: Kentucky basketball's superior tradition, fan interest and national exposure meant that the coach should not resort to underhanded methods. This was Roselle's way of reprimanding a program found guilty of major violations, which was not a first for UK.

Todd echoed the no-need-to-cheat sentiment when asked about a comment made by former UK athletics director C.M. Newton recently. While vouching for Calipari's willingness to abide by the rules, Newton added that almost all coaches, UK basketball's new boss included, venture into a "gray area" that tests the limits of right and wrong.

That prompted Todd to suggest such experimentation need not happen at UK.

"I don't think, at Kentucky, you have to be in a gray area," Todd said before adding, "Whether you have to or not, I don't want you there."

Todd held up UK football coach Rich Brooks as an example.

"I don't think anybody would say Coach Brooks got close to a gray area since he's been here," the UK president said. "And he turned the football program around far better than I ever expected."

In meetings with Calipari, Todd impressed upon the new coach the need to follow the rules. Of course, the big question mark about Calipari involves compliance, a doubt heightened this summer when the NCAA ordered his previous program, Memphis, to vacate its 2008 Final Four appearance because of major violations. Memphis is appealing.

Calipari's other college program, Massachusetts, had to vacate its 1996 Final Four appearance because star center Marcus Camby admitted to taking money and gifts from an agent while playing for the Minutemen.

As Todd reminded those within earshot, the NCAA did not hold Calipari responsible in either case.

Still, in a meeting with the new coach, Todd sent a message: Kentucky is not Memphis nor UMass.

"I don't remember ever saying it that openly," the UK president said before adding, "He understands being in the SEC. He now has certain expectations and restrictions. So he knows that's different from other conferences."

Todd noted what he called the Southeastern Conference's "9-A" rule, which discourages the member schools from recruiting players with eye-catching anomalies on their academic record.

"We had a list of high schools we could not recruit from," Todd said. "I talked to Coach Calipari about that. He said, 'I want the players that want to go to Duke; that want to go to Kansas. Being at Kentucky, I can recruit those guys.' "

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas took a different look at the argument that power programs need not cheat. He saw how such a view unintentionally suggests the less powerful programs have a license to cheat.

"I may be old fashioned, but no program needs to cheat more than another (I consider bending the rules to be cheating, as well)," Bilas wrote via e-mail. "Ethics are not and should not be situational, and it is not more understandable for a program with lesser resources to cheat relative to a program with greater resources.

"Ethically, there is no distinction between a rich person that robs a bank and a poor person that robs a bank. Just because the rich person doesn't need to do it misses the point. Whatever one thinks of the rules, the answer does not lie in their violation. It is wrong no matter who does it or for what reason."

Bradley becomes agent

As second careers go, former UK big man Michael Bradley has found a rewarding job. He helps players keep a basketball dream alive even if the NBA is not an option.

Bradley got certified as a player agent at the end of last season. He specializes in finding teams overseas that want an American.