Tuesday, March 04, 2008
The Bouncing Basketball
The Chronicle of Higher Education follows up on the Times' basketball story with a piece titled, "Harvard Coach Accused of Cutting Corners in Recruiting for Men's Basketball Team."
Possible violations include visits to potential recruits by Kenny Blakeney just before he was hired as an assistant coach. Those visits exceeded the contact allowed between a college’s representatives and recruits during that period. In another incident, Mr. Amaker spoke to a potential recruit and his parents during a period when the NCAA limits contact between coaches and possible players.
Another questionable aspect of Harvard’s recruiting involves academic standards.
And on the other hand....
Harvard, which has never won an Ivy League title in basketball, said it had determined that Mr. Amaker’s speaking to a potential recruit and his family was not a rules violation. The university’s athletics director is looking into the alleged contact involving Mr. Blakeney.
...Mr. Amaker...released a statement saying, “individuals who know our staff understand the high principles under which we operate."
The Crimson also weighs in; its piece is headlined, "Coach Faces Recruiting Inquiries."
Three months after head coach Tommy Amaker led Harvard basketball to victory over Big Ten opponent Michigan, the new hire is making national headlines again. This time, however, Amaker is facing questions about his staff’s recruiting tactics and academic priorities after signing the most highly touted recruiting class in Ivy League history.
...Any infractions would have to be reported by the University to the NCAA, and there is no indication that Harvard has done so.
“I haven’t read the story,” Amaker said, “and I don’t have anything else to add on top of what has already been said by the University."
"I haven't read the story?"
Deny, deny, deny.....
According to an admissions office statement, “The admission of Harvard athletes represents the highest levels of Ivy League principles and practices. Any reports to the contrary are inaccurate and premature as students are not admitted until the end of March.”
Hmmmm. I think some student-athletes who were pretty sure that they were getting into Harvard may suddenly have to think about other options.....
Here's a question whose answer I don't know, but others might: When Harvard's athletic recruits receive a letter saying that they are likely to be admitted, as the players in question apparently did, how frequently are they, in fact, admitted?
Or perhaps a better way to phrase it is, After receiving such a letter, how frequently do they not get admitted? ¶ 7:44 AM
Possible violations include visits to potential recruits by Kenny Blakeney just before he was hired as an assistant coach. Those visits exceeded the contact allowed between a college’s representatives and recruits during that period. In another incident, Mr. Amaker spoke to a potential recruit and his parents during a period when the NCAA limits contact between coaches and possible players.
Another questionable aspect of Harvard’s recruiting involves academic standards.
And on the other hand....
Harvard, which has never won an Ivy League title in basketball, said it had determined that Mr. Amaker’s speaking to a potential recruit and his family was not a rules violation. The university’s athletics director is looking into the alleged contact involving Mr. Blakeney.
...Mr. Amaker...released a statement saying, “individuals who know our staff understand the high principles under which we operate."
The Crimson also weighs in; its piece is headlined, "Coach Faces Recruiting Inquiries."
Three months after head coach Tommy Amaker led Harvard basketball to victory over Big Ten opponent Michigan, the new hire is making national headlines again. This time, however, Amaker is facing questions about his staff’s recruiting tactics and academic priorities after signing the most highly touted recruiting class in Ivy League history.
...Any infractions would have to be reported by the University to the NCAA, and there is no indication that Harvard has done so.
“I haven’t read the story,” Amaker said, “and I don’t have anything else to add on top of what has already been said by the University."
"I haven't read the story?"
Deny, deny, deny.....
According to an admissions office statement, “The admission of Harvard athletes represents the highest levels of Ivy League principles and practices. Any reports to the contrary are inaccurate and premature as students are not admitted until the end of March.”
Hmmmm. I think some student-athletes who were pretty sure that they were getting into Harvard may suddenly have to think about other options.....
Here's a question whose answer I don't know, but others might: When Harvard's athletic recruits receive a letter saying that they are likely to be admitted, as the players in question apparently did, how frequently are they, in fact, admitted?
Or perhaps a better way to phrase it is, After receiving such a letter, how frequently do they not get admitted? ¶ 7:44 AM
Comments:
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I believe the student athletes who receive the golden letter are admitted virtually 100% of the time, unless they fail out of high school. As an alumni interviewer, I was once assigned to interview a student athlete who had already received such as letter. I was told my interview was a "courtesy" to the student, and basically informed that my report would be of no relevance.
# posted by 
: March 4, 2008 8:53 AM
: March 4, 2008 8:53 AM
Aren't alumni interviews in general a "courtesy"? To the alumni, that is. They aren't required of all students, are they? so surely they can't factor much or at all in the admissions decision to begin with. Nevertheless, the story above isn't reassuring.
Trouble in Economics?
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=522288
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=522288
# posted by : March 4, 2008 10:27 AM
: March 4, 2008 10:27 AM
'Twould be nice, if some of the FAS perfessers who are regulars around here (RT, SE, JR, Harry the Hat), would comment on this interesting situation, since athletics are FAS too and, one would think, any professional embarrassment would touch them too..
# posted by : March 4, 2008 11:57 AM
: March 4, 2008 11:57 AM
There was this very detailed report issued about athletics. Was commissioned late in Pres R's tenure. Showed that for 5 or 10 years three teams, women's ice hockey, women's basketball and men's ice hockey, as a team, were more than two standard deviations away from the average Harvard undergrad on Board scores. Many teams were actually higher than Harvard average, but these three were really bad, much worse than any of the others. Harvard will deny report but it is out there.Get hold of it. Basketball coach is only following the other three teams. Irony is Bok's stance on college athletes. Complicating is Amakers wife's position.
Why do athletes and legacies get "highly likely" letters in September and the kid who is a brilliant scientist, the kid the great violinist etc. wait until the spring to hear. Happening at a time when Bok said that we are going to level playing field among all applicants and we were going to cut early action.Though he said if it didn't work Harvard would go back to s.q.
total hypocrisy on the part of Harvard.
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Why do athletes and legacies get "highly likely" letters in September and the kid who is a brilliant scientist, the kid the great violinist etc. wait until the spring to hear. Happening at a time when Bok said that we are going to level playing field among all applicants and we were going to cut early action.Though he said if it didn't work Harvard would go back to s.q.
total hypocrisy on the part of Harvard.
# posted by : March 4, 2008 3:51 PM
: March 4, 2008 3:51 PM<< Home
