Rules violations during Harrick’s tenure could force penalties
By Daily Bruin Staff
Oct. 28, 1997 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 29, 1997
Rules violations during Harrick’s tenure could force
penalties
STORY Pac-10, NCAA find six infractions besides recruiting
dinner
By Mark Shapiro
Daily Bruin Staff
The NCAA and Pac-10 Conference investigation that resulted in
the firing of Jim Harrick as head coach of the UCLA men’s
basketball team has again reared its head, with the threat of
further sanctions not ruled out.
The investigation, which took some 11 months to complete, has
unearthed multiple rules violations committed by Harrick and
members of the team toward the end of his tenure in Westwood.
While none of the violations are as serious as Harrick’s
violations of the NCAA extra-benefits rule and subsequent lies
which resulted in his dismissal last year, penalties against UCLA
could be levied in late November or early December, according to
the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
The committee identified six other violations, including
excessive recruiting phone calls by Harrick, complimentary tickets
given in excess to youth basketball coaches and spending in excess
of the NCAA maximum of $20 per recruit for daily entertainment
allowances.
UCLA head coach Steve Lavin does not expect any more sanctions
against the team as a result of the findings.
"It’s not our program; it’s really more coach Harrick who is
really at the center of the investigation," Lavin said. "Because of
the way the NCAA does its investigations, it’s going to be
time-consuming. Obviously, we’re looking forward to just being able
to play basketball and not have to worry about these
distractions.
"We’ve been fortunate because these distractions have kind of
brought our team together."
Lavin, who was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator
during Harrick’s final days, has not been implicated in the
findings. Harrick, who has moved on to the head coaching job at the
University of Rhode Island, could still have sanctions imposed upon
him by the NCAA.
The investigation found that Harrick’s violation of the
extra-benefit rule during an Oct. 11, 1996, recruiting dinner was
the most serious infraction; the other six were confirmed by
Harrick.
"(The violations) were very minor … not even minor," Harrick
told the Long Beach Press-Telegram. "Do coaches and schools have to
be responsible for all the stuff kids do? They are told the
rules."
