University of Memphis self-reported a potential NCAA recruiting violation: Dave Bronczek, president of FedEx and a school booster, did a fast-talking phone pitch to a FedEx colleague who happens to be the mother of Abdul Gaddy, a star point guard from Tacoma, Wash.
Under NCAA rules, boosters are prohibited from having any contact with recruits or their parents. Of course the NCAA's Rulesapooloza contemplates just about every possible activity that could provide a school with a potential recruiting advantage.
Rule 13.1.3.5.1 in the NCAA Division I Manual states:
"Representatives of an institution's athletics interests are prohibited from making telephonic communications with a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians."
I do not condone anyone violating NCAA rules, but I also think these types of allegations are a big waste of time and money. Who cares whether one phone call was made by an influential booster? I think even NCAA staffers would concede chasing after these kinds of cases serves little purpose.
Last year UCLA had to explain why John Wooden meeting with Kevin Love was not an NCAA rules violation. (Answer: Coach Wooden is still an employee of UCLA athletic department, not a representative of UCLA's athletic interests.) It's just more paperwork and time spent responding to these inquiries. But the NCAA is only enforcing the rules voted on by its members, as they like say.
Here's two possible ways to interpret this situation
Sinister view
Bronczek will use his position as FedEx head honcho to pressure his employee to make her son play for his Tigers. Oh and since this booster already has the mother on the payroll, this could be "pay for play." Not only is Bronczek the head of a FedEx, but the company is also one of Memphis Athletics' biggest corporate sponsors. Think of the possibilities.
Enlightened view
On the Dave Bliss Scale of College Athletic Evilness, this should hardly register. The president calling a long-time employee shows he's a good, caring boss. End of story, let's hope.
--Marc Isenberg
Update: I e-mailed Jeff Goodman to find out how this went down. He said, "I uncovered it and then they self-reported it." Disappointing. Do you think Abdul Gaddy's mother would have ever spoken to Goodman had she known that this conversation would result in an NCAA investigation? Once the phone conversation was reported on FoxSports.com (Goodman also phoned Memphis AD R.C. Johnson for comment), Memphis had no choice but to report this. If I was a high school recruit or parent, I would be very careful when talking to the media about private phone conversations. Even innocent comments can be twisted into alleged NCAA violations. It may be one in a million that the president of a large company also employs a mother of a top high basketball recruit coveted by the school he is a booster at. While Goodman believes this case is governed by Rule 13.1.3.5.1, I think common sense should prevail: Mr. Bronczek ought to be able to communicate with an employee.
Marc, while on I agree on the richter scale of offenses this situation is relatively minor, when said Mr. Bronczek has not previously phoned Mrs. Gaddy in her 11 years of employment at FedEx, it tends to raise many red flags. Assuming innocent intentions in this instance is not really enlightened, but a bit foolish.
Posted by: Ray D. | August 01, 2008 at 07:32 PM
I'm with Ray D. on this one.
Still, it wasn't "Call an Obscure Employee Month." The CEO was recruiting an employee's son.
According to Mrs. Gaddy:
"... But the whole time he talked to me, he talked about my son ... He was just talking to me a little bit about (John) Calipari and the program and then he was telling me about The FedEx Forum and how he goes to a lot of games and sits on the floor," she added. "How Calipari is a really nice guy."
Posted by: Migel | August 05, 2008 at 09:25 AM
Ok, so it's an NCAA violation. Does that make it wrong?
Posted by: Gonzo | August 05, 2008 at 09:46 AM