This off-season was not an easy one for NCAA Division I Basketball. Investigations by the NCAA seem to be evolving everywhere, from Georgia to right here in our respective back yard at St. Bonaventure. None of them have been as disturbing or disheartening as what has taken place at Baylor University.
"It is a very unfortunate and sad situation," commented head coach Reggie Witherspoon, who will be entering his fourth season as the Bulls' men's basketball head coach. "I'm shocked at everything that happened."
Patrick Dennehy, a star player for Baylor University was found murdered July 25, after being reported missing for almost six weeks. The story began to unravel slowly as allegations of NCAA violations, ranging from falsified drug tests to tuition payments, were leveled against the school and head coach Dave Bliss. Bliss was eventually forced to resign after tape recordings revealed an attempted cover-up at the program.
The aftermath of this is not clear yet, but strong questions are being asked by many, most notably the media, as to whether the system of college basketball contributed to the atmosphere at Baylor. Is it a system that rewards cheating and supports a "win at all costs" attitude?
"I'm not sure if it's getting away from us in our sport," Witherspoon said. "I think that we will have to look at our values down the road. Some unfortunate things happen in sports, as they happen in life. We have to be accountable and responsible for ourselves."
Now that the Baylor scandal has dominated the headlines, what will be the affect on the perception of basketball?
"There is a lot of attention on the bad things and not enough attention to the good things. There have been some very good things that have happened off of the court, things that people may take for granted." Witherspoon said. "We need to decide as people what is going to get the attention. We need to decide what is going to be most important to us, the good or the bad."
The bad in athletic programs seem to be taking an ever-increasing toll on academic staff. The President of St. Bonaventure was forced to resign, and the president of Baylor is facing similar pressure now.
"Commenting on the President I've worked with, I can say he has done a terrific job. He very much trusts people to do their jobs," Witherspoon said. "President Greiner has been there in good times and in bad. When this program was going through its investigation, he stood by and said 'we would get through it'."
Now with the NCAA very conscious of its recent troubled history, will there be a knee-jerk reaction toward offenders, no matter how small the offense may seem to NCAA regulations?
"I'd hate to think bad things control what happens, although in life, sometimes they do," Witherspoon said. "Knee-jerk reactions are the problems with letting something bad dictate the actions of the future. I'm not trying to make myself look like a saint here, there aren't any perfect people; anyone can make mistakes."
It is unclear now whether people will show patience in the future or if they will keep the memory of Patrick Dennehy and how his life ended in the forefront of NCAA policy. What is clear is that the priorities of all involved, from the presidents who start the programs to the fans who buy the tickets, need to recognize what they want. Do they want to win like Baylor wanted to win?
"People need to find their values and live their life according to them." Witherspoon closed. "If all that's important is winning, then this is where it will go."
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
