NCAA
TIMELINE Of Events.
Oklahoma State
Year: 1989
Violation: Bulk of the widespread violations involved two assistant coaches, an
administrative assistant and at least 14 boosters, one of whom was a former member
of the school's board of regents. One athlete allegedly received $5,000 after signing
with Cowboys and cash payments his first two years with the team. He also was given
an "expensive and distinctive" sports car at no cost, with payments and insurance
allegedly coming from three boosters.
Major penalties: 2-year TV ban, 3-year bowl ban, maximum of 20 new scholarship recruits
for each of three years (down from the usual maximum of 25 recruits).
Severity of sanctions: 4
Notable: Cowboys coming off season in which Barry Sanders won Heisman Trophy as
a junior. NCAA gave receiver Hart Lee Dykes immunity to in exchange for information about violations involving Oklahoma State, Illinois, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.
R. Johanningmeier was one of the NCAA investigators.
Memphis
Year: 1989
Violation: Booster allegedly paid one player twice the going rate for summer employment,
resulting in extra benefit of $690. Coach Charlie Bailey was accused of asking booster to
pay excessive rate to player, then instructing the player to lie to NCAA investigators.
Major penalties: 1-year bowl ban, 1-year TV ban, loss of 4 scholarships for one recruiting
year, 1-year ban on off-campus recruiting, campus visits cut to 55 (from maximum 85).
Severity of sanctions: 3
Notable: Memphis avoided "death penalty" as repeat violator. But scandal cost job of Bailey,
who later caught on with UTEP.
Hired Chuck Stobart then in 94 Promoted Rip Scherer from OC to Head Coach.
Clemson
Year: 1990
Violation: On at least two occasions in 1985, a player allegedly received between $50 and $70 with the idea of distributing it to another player. The committee also said that the player allegedly received $50 from a booster in '87, and prospects also were given clothes and impermissible car rides.
Major penalties: None.
Severity of sanctions: 0
Notable: Investigation led to resignation of Danny Ford, who had led Clemson to the national championship in 1981 but was head coach during the era of the violations.
Ford a former BAMA man and Bear Disciple, Considered by many "The ONE" to replace Bear.
R. (Jo)hanningmeier was one of the NCAA investigators.
Year: 1991
Tennessee
Violations: Assistant coach allegedly arranged for an airline ticket on credit for a prospect to attend a special camp. Other accusations included improper off-campus contacts, impermissible transportation and recruitment of prospects before completion of junior year. Assistant coach also cited for allegedly encouraging witness to lie.
Major penalties: Reduction in total number of scholarships for two years to 85 (from
then-maximum of 92 in '92 and 88 in '93).
Severity of sanctions: 1
Notable: Vols, ranked No. 6 in coaches' poll on day sanctions announced, were relieved
that they received no serious penalties. "We have a good future," coach Johnny Majors
said at the time.
This Ultimatly Cost Majors his Job.
1991
Tennessee
In part to accommodate athletes' practice schedules, Linda Bensel-Meyers, head of
composition for the English Department, and Carmen Tegano, head of the academic-services
unit for men's athletics, agree to create a satellite tutoring facility in the athletic department.
The arrangement allows players to take a one-credit English writing lab there under the
supervision of an instructor approved by the English Department.
Tennessee
UT faculty senate passes conflict-of-interest resolution requesting that its members who
serve on boards monitoring the athletic department no longer receive tickets, airfare and
lodging at road games, watches, clothing and other gifts from the athletic department.
1992
Phil Fulmer replaces Johnny Majors as head coach of UT football team.
Jan 1993 ALABAMA WINS 1992 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
BY THIS TIME R. (Jo)hanningmeier and the NCAA are on campus in full force
trying there best to implicate a Pay for Play scheme involving former Tide player
Gene Jelks.
1995
The NCAA finally finds something besides a minor violation and slams BAMA, seems one of the players bought a Insurance policy? wow huh!
"Tennstud" ends longtime association with high-profile Bama booster, Logan Young. The two men ended their firendship after a falling out.
1996:
Alabama UT Football Game moved from 3rd Saturday in October to 4th Saturday in October. Since Then UT has been scheduled an OFF week every year the week before the Rivalry game except in 97.
2-29-96 Trainer Jamie Naughright complained about Manning "mooning" and sexual harassment to Fulmer and his staff.
Aug 96 Naughright complaint filed in court Filed numerous claims of sexual harassment
against UT. She reportedly received a $300,000 settlement from the university in 1997
As part of Settlement she had to turn over 30 tapes that according to the Paul Finebaum Radio Show have proof of the harassment, drug test fixing, paying players, grade fixing, and Fulmer giving one player a list with 5 names of Boosters on it to go to for money.
late 96 Kenny Smith signs with Alabama, not accepted for academic reasons.
1997:
NCAA approves Kenny Smith to go to Univ Tenn, no classes, etc.
Naughtright complaint settled for $300K, paid by Tenn.
Naughtright evidence of wrong doing on Fulmer locked in safety deposit box until June 30, 2005, at which time they are to be destroyed.
8-22-97 Eric Locke commits to Alabama
Dec 97 Ronnie Cottrell hired by Alabama
1998:
Feb 98 Eric Locke is visited on eve of signing by David Cutcliffe, a
violation of ncaa dead period. Cutcliffe also put the Locke's on
telephone with Gov. Sundquist. Eric signs with Alabama.
1998
Jason Trahan, a tutor working with learning disabled players, is fired
after Wright suspects that Trahan at least co-wrote a paper for a player.
Wright said the player admitted that Trahan "typed" his paper for him at
the player's home, which is another athletic department violation because
tutors are required to do all tutoring in the athletic offices unless given
approval.
Mar 19: In a memo to athletic department tutors, Wright says that it has come to her
attention that "some tutors have been actually helping to write the papers
side-by-side with the student athlete in front of the computer." Among the
tutors she later says she was referring to is Victoria Gray, who works with
learning disabled athletes. She reminds them that such activity constitutes
excessive collaboration and is a rules violation.
Spring: DuBose first beat out McCorvey for the head coaching job at Alabama and
then summarily fired him from his staff after the disastrous 1997
football season. Knowing that McCorvey might be itching for revenge
and finding his intimate knowledge of the Tide football program a useful
fringe benefit, Fulmer hired McCorvey to coach wide receivers.
August:Wright promoted to Coordinator of Academic Programs, which includes
responsibility for most of the athletic department tutors, rather than just those
who help on English papers. Among those she says were not under her direct
supervision: tutors for the learning disabled, who report to Prislovsky, and
longtime tutor Ron Payne, who reports to Tegano, because she says Tegano
refused to let Wright get rid of him.
Aug. 19: Wright writes in an email message that goes to Prislovsky and Gerry Dickey,
her boss, that she discovered a "definite case of excessive collaboration"
involving a sophomore defensive tackle (who has since left Tennessee). Wright,
who has on file athletes' in-person writing samples and compares them to the
papers turned in by athletes, contends that a paper written by the player was "far
too polished" for him to have completed. She says tutor Chris Bumpus, when
confronted by Wright, acknowledged that he "typed" it as the player told him the ideas. She says Bumpus was contrite and was unaware that he had broken department rules.
Sept. 9: Wright sends memo to Dickey expressing her continuing objections to Payne's
"tutoring methods." She writes that since Tegano has made it clear to her that he
is unwilling to stop using Payne, she does not want to be responsible for Payne.
She says other English tutors also object to "Ron's spoon-feeding answers to players" and "his constant interruptions of legitimate tutoring sessions." She writes that she has requested to Tegano that Payne tutor in another building to avoid those interruptions.
Fall: Tennessee athletic director Doug Dickey promotes Tegano to Associate Athletic
Director for Student Life, with little change in his duties. He oversees all academic planning, advising, tutoring, career development and other services for male student-athletes.
Oct. 19: Wright sends memo to Tegano about Roderick Moore, a graduate assistant and
former small-college football player responsible for monitoring the study hall. She writes that, without permission, Moore was helping a freshman linebacker and other football players complete their papers. She also writes that an instructor is accusing the linebacker of plagiarism and has already written a letter of misconduct. She writes that Moore also, without permission, hired a tutor for a freshman defensive back in math, and that the tutor, a member of the Tennessee dance team, admitted to her that she had gone to his classes and taken notes -- both a "clear violation of rules." She said that when questioned, Moore tried to physically intimidate her by standing over her in her office and saying, "If they don't get the help they want over here, I'm going to help them with their English papers." In the memo, she laments that "freshman think the tutors should do the work for them." Later, she says, Gerry Dickey tells her Moore has taken over responsibility for the hiring of mentors but that Wright should still handle the paperwork.
Oct. 19: Wright sends note to all tutors in her group reminding them that "no one is
supposed to work on the actual final drafts of papers with the athletes except Writing Center tutors."
Oct. 28: Wright sends email to Prislovsky saying that Gray, who works with learning
disabled athletes in Prislovsky's group, is "getting out of hand" and "essentially doing ALL the work on the papers for these guys. She's out there now doing" a baseball player's "paper while he sits near and looks around and visits. This has got to stop. I have a roomful of tutors out there who are watching her plagiarize that paper and all my talk of academic integrity ain't worth a sh--. She has gotten bolder and bolder till she is essentially taking their classes for them." The note is copied to Gerry Dickey.
Oct. 30: Wright sends another email to Prislovsky about Gray, this time because she believes Gray helped a center on the football team plagiarize a paper that Wright read. "The paper I just saw, in the hands of anyone else, would bring this program down and I've worked too hard to build an amicable relationship with the English dept to let her screw it up," she writes.
Nov David Payne A former Parade All-America football player from Memphis, Tn. says he was offered $25,000 to make allegations of illegal recruiting tactics by the University of Alabama said former Trezevant High School assistant football coach Milton Kirk made the offer and asked him to lie about his recruitment by UA. Paine told The Tuscaloosa News that Milton Kirk first approached him in November 98 with an offer of a car and made the cash offer to him and his mother 2 weeks later. NCAA investigators questioned Paine about Alabama's recruitment of him. Paine has said repeatedly that Alabama used no improper tactics during his recruitment.
Dec. 11: Wright sends email to Gerry Dickey and Tegano saying that two nights earlier she caught Jenai Brown, a mentor with football players, typing a paper for a freshman
receiver in violation of athletic department rules. In the memo, Wright says that the
athlete's instructor just called to say that the paper is "copied from something" and that she will allow him to re-do it.
Dec. 18: Wright writes memo to Tegano saying that, per their discussion, Brown will no longer be working for Student Life in any capacity next semester. Brown, she says, was
dismissed after being observed typing an athlete's English paper in the Student Life area, despite "repeated warnings against helping with English papers." Brown had no written paper to work from, she writes, which constitutes excessive collaboration.
Fall 98 Operation Rogue Booster Put Active according to Autigers.com
1999:
Jan 99 Univ Tenn wins NC. Tee Martin is MVP.
Jan. 4: Tennessee beats Florida State 23-16, completes 13-0 season and wins national
championship.
Jan. 6: Wright writes letter to Fulmer and explains why she has resigned to take a job as
Director of the Academic Assistance and Resource Center at Stephen F. Austin State University. She cites the higher salary in her new job, and says she was frustrated with the "lack of respect" she got in the UT athletic department. She says she was "prevented from developing the top-notch academic program that I am capable of creating here." She places the letter on Fulmer's desk, to ensure delivery.
Oxford, Ms.
Roy McClendon bought a 1999 GMC Yukon Denali what connections the deal had with Senatobia businessman Louie Dickerson are being looked into by a joint NCAA and Ole Miss probe (as of 2003). Louie Dickerson is A member of the Loyalty Foundation, the chief fund-raising arm of the Ole Miss athletic department.
April 26: The Tennessee Faculty Senate executive committee hears faculty complaints that members may not have honored the 1991 resolution requesting that committee members not accept tickets and other perks from the athletic department.
1999: Tom Culpepper sought to take Ronnie's job and had perhaps gained a bit of favor with Marsh & Robbins who thought Cottrell's willingness to skirt the the letter of the NCAA law were detrimental to their own reputations and/or the fortunes of Bama
(likely in that order). When Cottrell learned of what Culpepper had been up to, he reportedly banned him from the football offices. According to several who heard him speak of Cottrell afterwards, an enraged Culpepper swore revenge on Cottrell by any means necessary.
July: With Wright gone, the athletic department's Tutor Guidebook is amended by removing some of the 1996 safeguards that Wright put in place to prevent plagiarism. From now on, any tutor -- not just those trained by the English department -- is allowed to assist players in grammar and use of transitions, and to help the athlete learn to proofread and edit the paper. Unlike Writing Center tutors on the main campus who work with regular students, athletic department tutors are also once again permitted to type
papers for athletes.
Aug. 1: Amid hopes that he will raise new funds for a university hit with budget restrictions, J. Wade Gilley becomes the new president of the University of Tennessee, succeeding Joseph E. Johnson, who retired. In his role as head of a statewide collection of public universities, Gilley has ultimate authority for athletics on the Tennessee campus.
Oct. 1: Tennessee reinstates four players before the Auburn game because, according to
Gilley, the school's preliminary investigation found no Academic wrong-doing by
the players. Although some key witnesses have yet to be interviewed, Gilley also
declares there will be "no NCAA investigation." The NCAA, which does not discuss whether it is investigating a school or plans to, offers no comment.
Feb 99 Wayne Rowe wires money from Diane Sanford, a Univ Tenn supporter
from Mobile, AL to Tee Martin.
Sumr 99 Illegal meeting between Fulmer and Richard Locke
Eric Locke transfer to Univ Tenn. Fulmer told Richard Locke to
tell his son, Eric to go back to Alabama and "keep tightening
the screws on DuBose".
6-9-99 Fulmer recruits Eric Locke illegally through illegal contact in
meeting in Fulmer's office with Richard Locke and Eric's HS
coach.
Oct 99 Dickey flies to Mobile to investigate Tee Martin--does not report
anything to ncaa
10-3-99 Univ Tenn academic problems unfold--Linda Bensel-Myers
Wintr 99 Kenny Smith has plagiarism problems--Fulmer handles problem with
professor
Dec 99 ncaa begins to research claims of Bensel-Myers
2000:
Mar ncaa on UT campus to investigate claims of Bensel-Myers
3-9 Fulmer, 3 coaches (Washington, McCorvey and Caldwell) and
Dir FB Operations meet with (Jo)hanningmeier. Caldwell mention to Jo that Jo should talk to Duke Clement, but he probably would not since SEC treated him badly. So SEC is already investigating even though its policy is not to do investigations.
Mar 00 ncaa looks at Bensel-Myers documents--announce it is no problem,
drops case in Bensel-Myers complaint
5-2-00 Jo goes to talk to Richard Locke about problems at Univ Alabama
May 7: ESPN's Outside the Lines reports that the starters on the football
team were 16 times more likely than non-athletes to receive a grade of incomplete, based on an analysis of the transcripts of the 24 players who started at least three games on offense or defense last season. The nine players in most danger of losing their eligibility -- those with a 2.2 cumulative GPA or less -- are 31 times more likely to get an incomplete which allows a student up to a year of extra time to complete his class-work.
5-7-00 AP runs story saying Tenn investigation by ncaa has new info in Bensel-Myers case. Ron Barker, ncaa investigator will be back on May 23 to follow up.
spring 00 Fulmer meets with TCulpepper after meeting him for the first time at Hula Bowl in Jan 00 and continued to meet and talk during the spring.
5-20 ncaa announces no further investigations coming at UT
5-23 ncaa investigator does not come--says case is closed. Ncaa converses with Fulmer by telephone about being a confidential source against Alabama
5-24-00 Fulmer misleads public by hiding his confidential agreement interview on Finebaum by stating that he sees no problem with Alabama recruiting and would call DuBose if he has a problem as SEC rules require.
7-26-00 Jo meets with Memphis-Trevezant HS Coach Milton Kirk. Aug 00 Coach Kirk and Jo talk again, one of 5 total meetings. Marsh meets with Logan Young for lunch and told him everything is OK and not to worry.
8-7-00 Fulmer meets as a confidential witness with ncaa again and continues to go after Alabama.
8-13 ncaa meets with Culpepper
8-15 Culpepper called Finebaum to set the scheme in motion to fool Finebaum and the media to get Univ Alabama, Coach DuBose, Coach Cottrell and Coach Williams. Jo meets with Milton Kirk.
9-24 Karl Schledwitz gives secret testimony to Jo.
10-27 Karl Schledwitz gives secret testimony to Jo.
Fall: Miss St: The NCAA Aledges (in late 2003) violations, Among the most serious allegations is the offer to pay off the mortgage on the house of a recruit's mother and provide the mother and the recruit with new cars, free medical care for the mother and an undisclosed amount of cash. Ray Griffin, according to the NCAA document, is Sharon Wallace's cousin and relayed the offers to Ben Wallace from MSU assistant coach Glenn Davis. Sharon Wallace twice refused the inducements, according to the NCAA document.
Chris Spencer now plays for Ole Miss.
Nov 2000 Football staff fired at Alabama. Jo meets with coaches with false information obtained from Fulmer and Tenn booster and Culpepper, according to Roy Adams deposition, Rip Scherer shows up at Roy Adams house with Albert Means in the car. Means is still a student at Alabama.
12-4-00 Schledwitz gives testimony to Jo.
2001:
1-10-01 Milton Kirk story breaks in Memphis newspaper
Jan Coach Phillip Fulmer called allegations he arranged a $50,000 line of credit for current Jacksonville Jaguars tackle John Henderson outlandish and threatened to sue. Attorney John Gallion made that charge (nov 2003) on Paul Finebaum's radio show in Alabama.
March 01 Eric Locke dismissed from Univ Tenn
3-11 Seivers (SEC office) came to see Locke--remember the SEC policy is not to do investigations.
3-17 Locke sets up appointment with Fulmer for 3-21-01, a couple of days before Jo shows up unannounced after Fulmer cancels.
May 01 Ronnie Cottrell has last meeting with ncaa
June 01 Logan Young told by Univ Alabama official that they do not have enough information and he would probably only have a monitor in his box.
July 01 Marsh and Robbins give Jo testimony. Marsh has reservations about motives of secret witness.
8-22 Logan Young receives letter terminating his sky box, something "dropped from the sky" in the investigation
Fall Scherer would be a vital link in passing sensationalized and fabricated
allegations about alleged Alabama recruiting violations directly to the
Infractions Committee's head, bypassing the investigative staff and any
chance Alabama officials might have to respond to or refute these
allegations.
Sept 01 Richard Locke goes public
Nov 01 ncaa hearing in Indianapolis
2002:
2-1-02 ncaa sanctions announced
Spring 02 Bensel-Myers allegations pick back up
Apr 02 ncaa takes TWO scholarships from UT over improper recruitment of Eric Locke. Ignores problem with use of booster's automobile.
May 02 Bob Gilbert goes public with Bensel-Myers. Kramer is furious, calls Gilbert. Kramer sends Seivers to meet with Gilbert. SEC finds UT review thorough. SEC policy is that it does not do investigations.
Aug 02 Univ Alabama appeal denied
Dec 02 Coach Cottrell files lawsuit
Dec 19 Mike Price Hired as Head Football Coach
2003:
1-9-03 Univ Tenn cleared on Tee Martin, saying Dianne Sanford (although
admitted funnelling money to Tee Martin) did not go to Univ Tenn
therefore could not be a rouge booster; however, Logan Young
(Vanderbilt Univ graduate), Ray Keller (Florence State grad),
and Wendell Smith (FSU graduate) did not go to Univ Alabama and
deny giving anything of value to players or recruits.
Mar 03 SEC investigates Tee Martin and does nothing. SEC policy is that
they do not do investigations.
Spring Operation Pole Dancer Put Active according to Autigers.com
May 3 Mike Price Fired as Head Footbal Coach
Oct 03 Gallion announces Univ Tenn problems with Rommie Hawkins case.
Oct. 7 The Tennessee offensive got the ammunition it so desperately sought
when Rommie Hawkins, a former Tennessee walk-on, showed up with
his lawyer for a three-hour debriefing in Shanks' office.
"We kept hearing reports about Tennessee being not just dirty but filthy,''
Shanks told SI.com after the meeting. "We never could prove it till Tuesday
night.''
Sports agent Tim McGee, a former star receiver at Tennessee, once
employed Hawkins, Shanks said. During the meeting with Hawkins, Shanks
said, he also saw bank records detailing payments made by CSM, McGee's
Ohio-based firm, to former UT players Henderson, Travis Henry and Fred
Weary.
According to the most damning allegation, Fulmer sat in on a meeting in early
2001 in which plans were discussed to get a $50,000 line of credit for
Henderson. It was expected at the time that Henderson, fresh from winning the
Outland Trophy, would enter the NFL Draft, but instead he returned for his senior
year before being drafted in the first round of the 2002 draft by the Jacksonville
Jaguars.
OCT: Coach Phillip Fulmer called allegations he arranged a $50,000 line
of credit for current Jacksonville Jaguars tackle John Henderson
outlandish and threatened to sue. Attorney John Gallion made that
charge on Paul Finebaum's radio show in Alabama. No suit has been
filed as of Feb 2004. Why the Silence?
Nov03 Logan Young indicted
Jan 04 Document shows Coach Fulmer and Univ Tenn booster Karl Schledwitz
as confidence source ("secret witness").