When Kentucky hired John Calipari, the university’s president, Lee T. Todd Jr., was tickled at the prospect of Calipari’s adding to Kentucky’s stable of seven national titles.
“We want more,” Todd said. “And we want them to stick. And he wants them to stick, probably more than anyone else.”
Todd’s reference to “sticking” referred to Calipari’s history of trouble following his success at the University of Massachusetts and Memphis, in which their Final Four appearances were vacated by the N.C.A.A.
A report Tuesday in The Birmingham News may put Calipari in another sticky situation. It reported a discrepancy in the grade that guard Eric Bledsoe received in an Algebra III class that he took in night school at Parker High School in Birmingham, Ala. It showed he received an A on his four-year transcript, but the grade report from the night classes showed up as a “C.”
The paper reported that the C would have prevented Bledsoe from qualifying for an N.C.A.A. scholarship, putting his eligibility during his one season at Kentucky in question.
There is also the curious matter that Bledsoe, who had a history of getting low grades, aced Algebra III before taking Algebra II, The News reported. Who should be more embarrassed: the N.C.A.A. for not noticing the discrepancy, Kentucky’s admissions office for not questioning it or Parker High School for allowing it?
The former Parker principal Joseph Martin declined to explain why Bledsoe was allowed to take Algebra III first, telling the paper, “I’m going to my grave with that.”
An independent law firm has been investigating Bledsoe’s unusual grade jumps since a report in The New York Times first raised questions in May about Bledsoe’s transcript. That information is expected to be forwarded to the N.C.A.A., which will determine whether Calipari can pull off an unprecedented triple crown — having seasons vacated at three universities.
Calipari is quick to tell anyone who raises questions that he was not directly implicated. The UMass scandal centered on Marcus Camby’s receiving improper benefits from an agent and the Memphis case from questions about Derrick Rose’s standardized test score.
The Birmingham Board of Education is paying for the Bledsoe investigation, and the Birmingham Board of Education lawyer, Afrika Parchman, said that the report was expected soon.
Parchman declined comment via e-mail on Tuesday.
“We are awaiting the official findings from the investigation so that we can consider all of the facts,” she said.
Three independent compliance officers, who were granted anonymity because of privacy laws surrounding discussions of students’ grades, said in interviews on Tuesday that under N.C.A.A. rules, the organization could vacate Kentucky’s 2009-2010 season, in which they reached the Round of 8.
When Bledsoe, now a rookie with the Los Angeles Clippers, arrived at Kentucky, he signed a Student Athlete Statement. There is a clause that says all information provided to the N.C.A.A., “including completion of coursework and high school grades,” is valid and accurate. The statement says that if the student signed the statement “falsely or erroneously,” he would jeopardize his eligibility.
One of the compliance officers was skeptical that Kentucky would have to vacate last season’s record because there was enough mitigating factors, including Bledsoe’s passing through the N.C.A.A. Clearinghouse, for Kentucky to argue that they followed proper protocol.
He added that other relevant factors could include Calipari’s history of problems with the N.C.A.A. and a more aggressive recent effort by the N.C.A.A. to clean up college sports.
Nothing will move forward until Birmingham releases its report. Then it will be up to the N.C.A.A. to act. (The Alabama High School Athletic Association will also be waiting for the report before it decides whether to act.) What will be interesting is how Kentucky handles the latest flap in Calipari’s program. The Times reported last week that his top freshman recruit, center Enes Kanter, took more than $100,000 from his professional team in Turkey.
Calipari is at a premier program, but the smoke from UMass and Memphis has followed him. Todd, the president who wanted Kentucky’s titles to stick, stepped down last week.
As questions continue to arise in Lexington, a new president has to decide whether having a successful program adds up to accepting recruits who ace Algebra III before taking Algebra II.
We want more,” Todd said. “And we want them to stick. And he wants them to stick, probably more than anyone else.”
Todd’s reference to “sticking” referred to Calipari’s history of trouble following his success at the University of Massachusetts and Memphis, in which their Final Four appearances were vacated by the N.C.A.A.
A report Tuesday in The Birmingham News may put Calipari in another sticky situation. It reported a discrepancy in the grade that guard Eric Bledsoe received in an Algebra III class that he took in night school at Parker High School in Birmingham, Ala. It showed he received an A on his four-year transcript, but the grade report from the night classes showed up as a “C.”
The paper reported that the C would have prevented Bledsoe from qualifying for an N.C.A.A. scholarship, putting his eligibility during his one season at Kentucky in question.
There is also the curious matter that Bledsoe, who had a history of getting low grades, aced Algebra III before taking Algebra II, The News reported. Who should be more embarrassed: the N.C.A.A. for not noticing the discrepancy, Kentucky’s admissions office for not questioning it or Parker High School for allowing it?
The former Parker principal Joseph Martin declined to explain why Bledsoe was allowed to take Algebra III first, telling the paper, “I’m going to my grave with that.”
An independent law firm has been investigating Bledsoe’s unusual grade jumps since a report in The New York Times first raised questions in May about Bledsoe’s transcript. That information is expected to be forwarded to the N.C.A.A., which will determine whether Calipari can pull off an unprecedented triple crown — having seasons vacated at three universities.
Calipari is quick to tell anyone who raises questions that he was not directly implicated. The UMass scandal centered on Marcus Camby’s receiving improper benefits from an agent and the Memphis case from questions about Derrick Rose’s standardized test score.
The Birmingham Board of Education is paying for the Bledsoe investigation, and the Birmingham Board of Education lawyer, Afrika Parchman, said that the report was expected soon.
Parchman declined comment via e-mail on Tuesday.
“We are awaiting the official findings from the investigation so that we can consider all of the facts,” she said.
Three independent compliance officers, who were granted anonymity because of privacy laws surrounding discussions of students’ grades, said in interviews on Tuesday that under N.C.A.A. rules, the organization could vacate Kentucky’s 2009-2010 season, in which they reached the Round of 8.
When Bledsoe, now a rookie with the Los Angeles Clippers, arrived at Kentucky, he signed a Student Athlete Statement. There is a clause that says all information provided to the N.C.A.A., “including completion of coursework and high school grades,” is valid and accurate. The statement says that if the student signed the statement “falsely or erroneously,” he would jeopardize his eligibility.
One of the compliance officers was skeptical that Kentucky would have to vacate last season’s record because there was enough mitigating factors, including Bledsoe’s passing through the N.C.A.A. Clearinghouse, for Kentucky to argue that they followed proper protocol.
He added that other relevant factors could include Calipari’s history of problems with the N.C.A.A. and a more aggressive recent effort by the N.C.A.A. to clean up college sports.
Nothing will move forward until Birmingham releases its report. Then it will be up to the N.C.A.A. to act. (The Alabama High School Athletic Association will also be waiting for the report before it decides whether to act.) What will be interesting is how Kentucky handles the latest flap in Calipari’s program. The Times reported last week that his top freshman recruit, center Enes Kanter, took more than $100,000 from his professional team in Turkey.
Calipari is at a premier program, but the smoke from UMass and Memphis has followed him. Todd, the president who wanted Kentucky’s titles to stick, stepped down last week.
As questions continue to arise in Lexington, a new president has to decide whether having a successful program adds up to accepting recruits who ace Algebra III before taking Algebra II.
