NCAA to University: no new sanctions

The fate came in the form of a fax.

And for the first time in more than two years, since Maurice Taylor's Ford Explorer rolled over on M-14 in February, 1996, the dark cloud that has loomed over the Michigan men's basketball program is gone.

The fax, received by the Michigan Athletic Department last Tuesday, informed the University that the NCAA would accept the self-imposed sanctions of the University and not apply any new penalties.

Additional sanctions the NCAA could have imposed included a reduction in basketball scholarships and a television blackout.

The decision wraps up a two-year scandal that saw the firing of a head coach, the resignation of an athletic director and a $140,000 law-firm tab.

The NCAA accepted the findings of Bond, Schoeneck and King, the Kansas-based law firm hired by the University to investigate the team, focusing on the relationship of booster Ed Martin with some of the players.

"We are not and should not be pleased with any kind of investigation," University President Lee Bollinger said. "I was not happy to receive that result. On the other hand, we did everything we could to get to the bottom of the investigation."

The firm found three minor violations, and the University imposed the following sanctions on itself: On-campus recruiting visits were reduced by two for the '97-'98 recruiting year and off-campus recruiting contacts were reduced by one for one year.

In a written statement released to Tom Goss, NCAA enforcement official Cynthia Gabel said, "Inasmuch as the institution's actions in this case were substantial and meaningful, no further action should be taken in this case."

The University submitted its report to the NCAA in December, but did not receive a final response until last Tuesday, impeding coach Brian Ellerbe's recruiting efforts. Between Ellerbe's uncertain job status - he wasn't named the permanent basketball coach until March 20 - and the investigation looming over the basketball program, the University had much turmoil to deal with.

Two highly-sought recruits, Stromile Swift of Louisiana and Tony Akins of Georgia, narrowed their choices down to Michigan and a close-to-home school. Both opted to stay close to home, and Ellerbe received no new commitments during the spring signing period.

The investigation began when then-Michigan basketball player Maurice Taylor's new Ford Explorer rolled over on M-14. The NCAA began to raise questions as to who paid for the car.

The focus of the investigation then shifted to Martin and his close ties to Taylor and former players Chris Webber and Robert Traylor.

The University hired Bond, Schoeneck and King, a law firm known for handling NCAA-sanction cases. The firm discovered three violations in its investigation, all involving Martin: Martin was in Traylor's house during a recruiting visit by then-coach Steve Fisher; Martin gave food to Traylor and his grandmother and provided transportation for his grandmother to some Michigan basketball games; Martin had improper contact with then-Michigan recruit and current Michigan State basketball player Mateen Cleaves during an on-campus recruiting visit.

The University avoided far more serious charges, such as Martin giving money to players, when the law firm was unable to prove such allegations.

The Detroit Free Press cited six unidentified sources in two stories published in 1997 claiming that Martin loaned money to at least Taylor and Webber.

But Bond, Schoeneck and King was unable to substantiate the claims.

During the summer of the investigation, then-Michigan athletic director Joe Roberson resigned for personal reasons. Tom Goss was hired as his replacement and charged with cleaning up the University's image.

Just days after Bond, Schoeneck and King released its report finding no major NCAA violations, Goss fired then-Michigan coach Steve Fisher despite the fact that only three secondary violations were found.

"I never thought his job should've been taken away," longtime Fisher assistant Brian Dutcher said. "But the person that mattered most, Mr. Goss, did think so."

Goss denied that the investigation was the cause of Fisher's termination.

Dutcher was passed over for the head coaching job in favor of assistant Ellerbe in October, and Dutcher, the last link to Fisher's program on the Michigan coaching staff, resigned earlier this month to pursue other coaching opportunities.

05-26-98