hotwheelstx
08-09-2003, 09:29 AM
WACO, Texas (AP) -- Baylor basketball coach Dave Bliss resigned Friday after school investigators discovered that he was involved in two players receiving improper financial aid and that staff members did not properly report failed drug tests.
His resignation, along with that of athletic director Tom Stanton, comes a day after the memorial service for junior forward Patrick Dennehy, whose body was found last month a rock quarry near campus about six weeks after he was reported missing. His former teammate and roommate Carlton Dotson has been charged with his murder.
The school started an investigation into Bliss's program following Dennehy's disappearance and allegations that an assistant coach gave Dennehy money and knew about drug use by players.
"I'm the head coach and I'm accountable for everything that goes on in my program," Bliss said in a hastily arranged campus news conference. "I accept that responsibility. I intend to cooperate fully as the inquiry continues. I'll do whatever I can to make things right."
Baylor president Robert Sloan said he was putting the program on probation at least two years, saying it will not participate in any postseason tournaments next season, including the Big 12 tournament. He also offered to allow any player to transfer.
"Additional sanctions may be imposed as the investigation continues," Sloan said.
Sloan said two players -- he didn't provide names -- had their scholarships paid for by a third party. A school statement said, "the head men's basketball coach has admitted involvement in these infractions."
Sloan also said there were "instances in which staff members had knowledge of student-athletes' use of substances on the list of banned drugs and failed to follow institutional procedures." He said all future drug screening will be done by nurses at Baylor Health Center.
Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said he supports Sloan and the investigation he launched weeks ago.
"We will work closely with the university as it completes the necessary NCAA and Big 12 Conference reporting requirements associated with this case," Weiberg said in a statement. "We will also move forward with a process to review adjustments to the conference men's basketball tournament format as a result of the postseason competitive ban announced today."
On July 28, Bliss said: "We have followed the rules, however difficult they may be, for 30 years." He also said that, as far as he knew, his players had no more to do with drugs "than the man in the moon."
Dennehy's girlfriend, Jessica De La Rosa, said in a telephone interview from California, where Dennehy's memorial service was held, she wasn't surprised by the announcements, just the timing.
She wouldn't comment on whether she had spoken to Baylor investigators.
"My focus has been on Patrick. I'm still trying to adjust that he's still not here," she said.
Full statement from Baylor president Robert Sloan
"Thank you for being here on such short notice. Near to the heart of Baylor University is a commitment to integrity. It is a commitment that includes compliance with all NCAA rules and regulations, but it goes in fact far beyond that commitment to the NCAA. It is a commitment to ourselves and our Lord as a Christian institution where faith and integrity matter.
Institutions such as Baylor that are committed to higher standards must hold themselves to those higher standards. As president of this university I reiterate that our university is committed to principles of honesty, integrity, openness, and accountability. Today we will put those principles into practice.
As you know, this is a difficult time for Baylor University.
But we have an obligation to pursue an aggressive and thorough investigation into allegations related to our basketball program.The investigation is not complete. It will take additional
time to achieve the level of thoroughness we desire. We will take as long as is necessary to do this correctly and with integrity.
We also want to conduct the investigation in as transparent a way as possible without jeopardizing the investigation. So, as we are able to strike such a balance, and have significant activity to report, we will make information available.
The Investigative Committee and I have determined there have been serious or major violations, as that term is defined by the NCAA by-laws, relating to Financial Aid and Awards and Benefits. We have concluded that two student-athletes received money for payment of tuition to Baylor that came from a third party. The head men's basketball coach has admitted involvement in these infractions.
Of course, we will be self-reporting these violations in the appropriate manner to the NCAA.
Coach Bliss has tendered his resignation. I have accepted his resignation effective immediately."
Bliss left the room and did not answer questions following his brief resignation announcement. Stanton joined Sloan at a news conference following Bliss's announcement but did not speak. Sloan said Stanton was resigning, even though he "had no direct knowledge of any of the infractions."
Stanton, who hired Bliss, will remain on the job until his successor is named. Sloan said the school hadn't even thought yet about how it will replace Bliss.
The NCAA has never cited one of Bliss' programs for any infractions, although that's likely to happen in this case.
Baylor, the world's largest Baptist university with 14,000 students, has been placed on NCAA probation twice since 1986.
Bliss, 59, has been a Division I coach for 28 seasons, working previously at Oklahoma, SMU and New Mexico. He arrived at Baylor in 1999 and went 61-57 in four seasons. The Bears were 14-14 last season, 5-11 in conference play.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported last week that Bliss left SMU months after an NCAA investigation uncovered evidence of what would typically be considered major rules violations, including booster payments to a player. Bliss was never cited for any infractions.
Baylor began its probe after allegations surfaced that a coach told Dennehy his education and living expenses would be paid if he gave up his scholarship for a year to another player. Dennehy had to sit out last season because of NCAA rules after he transferred from New Mexico to Baylor.
The committee also examined whether Dennehy received $1,200 to $1,800 from a coach toward a car loan for his sport utility vehicle, and if players passed urine tests despite smoking marijuana.
The NCAA put Baylor on five-year probation in 1994 after an investigation found that coaches were illegally doing correspondence work for players. An FBI inquiry resulted in mail and wire fraud convictions against three assistant coaches. Former head coach Darrel Johnson was fired.
In 1986, the Baylor basketball team was slapped with a two-year probation after the NCAA said it provided cash, transportation and other illegal benefits to players. A player secretly recorded a conversation in which former head coach Jim Haller agreed to give him $172 for a car payment.
Stanton was in his sixth year as AD at his alma mater. In addition to Bliss, he also hired football coaches Kevin Steele and Guy Morriss and women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson.
During his tenure, the school spent more than $30 million on facilities, including a baseball stadium, softball stadium, soccer field, tennis center and golf course.
After getting his bachelor's and master's degrees from the school, he spent 22 years with an international Christian communications company then returned in July 1995 as director of athletic marketing and promotions. He became AD in February 1996.
His resignation, along with that of athletic director Tom Stanton, comes a day after the memorial service for junior forward Patrick Dennehy, whose body was found last month a rock quarry near campus about six weeks after he was reported missing. His former teammate and roommate Carlton Dotson has been charged with his murder.
The school started an investigation into Bliss's program following Dennehy's disappearance and allegations that an assistant coach gave Dennehy money and knew about drug use by players.
"I'm the head coach and I'm accountable for everything that goes on in my program," Bliss said in a hastily arranged campus news conference. "I accept that responsibility. I intend to cooperate fully as the inquiry continues. I'll do whatever I can to make things right."
Baylor president Robert Sloan said he was putting the program on probation at least two years, saying it will not participate in any postseason tournaments next season, including the Big 12 tournament. He also offered to allow any player to transfer.
"Additional sanctions may be imposed as the investigation continues," Sloan said.
Sloan said two players -- he didn't provide names -- had their scholarships paid for by a third party. A school statement said, "the head men's basketball coach has admitted involvement in these infractions."
Sloan also said there were "instances in which staff members had knowledge of student-athletes' use of substances on the list of banned drugs and failed to follow institutional procedures." He said all future drug screening will be done by nurses at Baylor Health Center.
Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said he supports Sloan and the investigation he launched weeks ago.
"We will work closely with the university as it completes the necessary NCAA and Big 12 Conference reporting requirements associated with this case," Weiberg said in a statement. "We will also move forward with a process to review adjustments to the conference men's basketball tournament format as a result of the postseason competitive ban announced today."
On July 28, Bliss said: "We have followed the rules, however difficult they may be, for 30 years." He also said that, as far as he knew, his players had no more to do with drugs "than the man in the moon."
Dennehy's girlfriend, Jessica De La Rosa, said in a telephone interview from California, where Dennehy's memorial service was held, she wasn't surprised by the announcements, just the timing.
She wouldn't comment on whether she had spoken to Baylor investigators.
"My focus has been on Patrick. I'm still trying to adjust that he's still not here," she said.
Full statement from Baylor president Robert Sloan
"Thank you for being here on such short notice. Near to the heart of Baylor University is a commitment to integrity. It is a commitment that includes compliance with all NCAA rules and regulations, but it goes in fact far beyond that commitment to the NCAA. It is a commitment to ourselves and our Lord as a Christian institution where faith and integrity matter.
Institutions such as Baylor that are committed to higher standards must hold themselves to those higher standards. As president of this university I reiterate that our university is committed to principles of honesty, integrity, openness, and accountability. Today we will put those principles into practice.
As you know, this is a difficult time for Baylor University.
But we have an obligation to pursue an aggressive and thorough investigation into allegations related to our basketball program.The investigation is not complete. It will take additional
time to achieve the level of thoroughness we desire. We will take as long as is necessary to do this correctly and with integrity.
We also want to conduct the investigation in as transparent a way as possible without jeopardizing the investigation. So, as we are able to strike such a balance, and have significant activity to report, we will make information available.
The Investigative Committee and I have determined there have been serious or major violations, as that term is defined by the NCAA by-laws, relating to Financial Aid and Awards and Benefits. We have concluded that two student-athletes received money for payment of tuition to Baylor that came from a third party. The head men's basketball coach has admitted involvement in these infractions.
Of course, we will be self-reporting these violations in the appropriate manner to the NCAA.
Coach Bliss has tendered his resignation. I have accepted his resignation effective immediately."
Bliss left the room and did not answer questions following his brief resignation announcement. Stanton joined Sloan at a news conference following Bliss's announcement but did not speak. Sloan said Stanton was resigning, even though he "had no direct knowledge of any of the infractions."
Stanton, who hired Bliss, will remain on the job until his successor is named. Sloan said the school hadn't even thought yet about how it will replace Bliss.
The NCAA has never cited one of Bliss' programs for any infractions, although that's likely to happen in this case.
Baylor, the world's largest Baptist university with 14,000 students, has been placed on NCAA probation twice since 1986.
Bliss, 59, has been a Division I coach for 28 seasons, working previously at Oklahoma, SMU and New Mexico. He arrived at Baylor in 1999 and went 61-57 in four seasons. The Bears were 14-14 last season, 5-11 in conference play.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported last week that Bliss left SMU months after an NCAA investigation uncovered evidence of what would typically be considered major rules violations, including booster payments to a player. Bliss was never cited for any infractions.
Baylor began its probe after allegations surfaced that a coach told Dennehy his education and living expenses would be paid if he gave up his scholarship for a year to another player. Dennehy had to sit out last season because of NCAA rules after he transferred from New Mexico to Baylor.
The committee also examined whether Dennehy received $1,200 to $1,800 from a coach toward a car loan for his sport utility vehicle, and if players passed urine tests despite smoking marijuana.
The NCAA put Baylor on five-year probation in 1994 after an investigation found that coaches were illegally doing correspondence work for players. An FBI inquiry resulted in mail and wire fraud convictions against three assistant coaches. Former head coach Darrel Johnson was fired.
In 1986, the Baylor basketball team was slapped with a two-year probation after the NCAA said it provided cash, transportation and other illegal benefits to players. A player secretly recorded a conversation in which former head coach Jim Haller agreed to give him $172 for a car payment.
Stanton was in his sixth year as AD at his alma mater. In addition to Bliss, he also hired football coaches Kevin Steele and Guy Morriss and women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson.
During his tenure, the school spent more than $30 million on facilities, including a baseball stadium, softball stadium, soccer field, tennis center and golf course.
After getting his bachelor's and master's degrees from the school, he spent 22 years with an international Christian communications company then returned in July 1995 as director of athletic marketing and promotions. He became AD in February 1996.