Self set to woo preps

By Jim Baker     Jul 20, 2005

Kansas University men’s basketball coach Bill Self, who Friday will hit the recruiting trail for the second half of the July evaluation period, does not believe last week’s self-reporting of NCAA violations will hurt his pursuit of high school talent.

“I’m sure there will be some things we have to do, which we will want to do, to totally clarify the situation,” the third-year Jayhawk coach said.

“Anytime you have anything happen that comes out publicly reported in fragments, people outside the area probably don’t understand the reality of what is really going on. I’m sure you have to explain it. We’ll be up-front and do that.”

Former KU coach Roy Williams admitted to violating an NCAA extra-benefit rule by approving small graduation gifts from boosters after players had graduated. It’s an infraction most believe is secondary and likely requires no sanctions.

“Every coach is selfish in they want the very best for the program,” Self said Tuesday while making the media rounds on Kansas City 810 WHB radio’s “Crunch Time” program and “38 Sports Spot” on KMCI-TV.

“In our business it’s not that you want people to help you, you don’t want people to hurt you (with negative recruiting). Just give us a level playing field. We’ve had a great playing field here. It’s a level playing field still, but there’s still explaining that has to go on.

“Although I don’t feel like this totally, the perception is we are in the defensive mode now. We’re defensive in that we have to explain this and that. The reality of it, if you’ve been around college athletics and understand (college athletics), unfortunately these things happen. You just deal with it and move on.

“I’m more glad we have a compliance program in place to catch things like this. Any school in America that has a compliance program will have secondary violations.”

As far as the secondary violations. …

“Based on what I’ve been told, there has been no ill intent of any party to do anything wrong. If this is the worst thing that happens from a rules violation the last 15 years, then I would say we have the cleanest program in America, or at least as clean as any. It’s not the way it’s been portrayed,” Self said.

Self, who spoke to Williams twice before the self report came out Friday, said he felt bad Williams had to endure negative publicity.

“Because it’s Roy and all the success he encountered and left and all that kind of stuff, it’s become a bigger deal than what it is,” Self said. “I feel bad for him because he ran a great program here, and I took over a healthy program and it’ll continue to be healthy.”

  • Anderson OK with report: Justin Anderson, the son of KU booster Dana Anderson, said Tuesday he and his dad were not angry at the fact Dana’s name was made public in KU’s self-report of NCAA violations.

The report said that, with the permission of former coach Roy Williams, Dana Anderson provided graduation cards that included a small gift to departing seniors.

“I am not upset in any way at the university. My dad is not upset. This is not ruining his trip (cruise to Greek Isles) or anything like that. He bleeds crimson and blue,” said Justin Anderson, a Lawrence dentist.

“I am very proud of the KU athletic department and proud of steps they are taking. This is a blip on the radar screen. They are handling this the right way.”

Justin Anderson provided a clarification to the message his dad typed into his BlackBerry wireless handheld this week, which Dana provided to the Journal-World. Dana Anderson, it should be stressed, “wrote checks for only those players who completed their eligibility and the checks were all for the same amount whether they were walk-ons or starters. Those who left (school) early were not included.”

“My dad did exactly what he said he did (in self report). He called Roy to ask for permission. Roy remembers the conversation and acknowledges it (giving permission). It was a miscommunication. My dad did not know he was doing anything wrong when he did it,” Justin Anderson said.

Anderson said he had heard comments on the silliness of the rule that no booster could provide a gift to a student-athlete from the time the student enrolled until the time he died.

“Somebody told me today, ‘I can’t buy Mike Maddox lunch now or it’ll be a violation. Mike will have to buy his own lunch from now on,”‘ Justin joked. “I do understand at the same time, the NCAA has to have rules, too.”

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