For the first time in school history, Georgia's 21st-ranked basketball team
will not participate in this week's Southeastern Conference tournament and
will not accept a bid to the NCAA tournament.
The decision from University of Georgia president Michael Adams and
athletics director Vince Dooley to suspend Jim Harrick with pay only one day
after the regular season ended was not as surprising as the strong action to
pull the team from the conference and NCAA tournaments.
"This is, I imagine, as bad as it gets,'' Dooley said when asked to place
Monday's announcement in the historical context of his four decades as
football coach and athletics director at the school.
Dooley called the evidence of wrongdoing "cardinal findings.''
Said Adams: "The main issue for me right now, with all due respect to the
basketball program, is to ensure that we speak to the academic integrity of
the (university). This is the next step. Whether or not this is the last
step, we simply don't know right now.''
The moves came only one day after Dooley said investigators provided proof
of allegations of academic fraud.
The ongoing investigation also has uncovered evidence of unethical
conduct,
resulting in Georgia declaring two starters on the basketball team - Chris
Daniels and Rashad Wright - ineligible.
Daniels and Wright attended a P.E. course with former player Tony Cole,
whose allegations of NCAA rules violations in the program - in the form of
academic and financial benefits - sparked the investigation.
Cole said he received an A in the course taught by Harrick Jr. despite not
attending the class.
Dooley and Adams said Monday's action was the result only of evidence found
of wrongdoing in the course and did not pertain to other allegations.
Daniels and Wright were interviewed by Georgia officials one week ago about
the class, which was taught by Harrick's son, former assistant coach Jim
Harrick Jr.
Less than one week after Cole's allegations were first reported by ESPN,
Dooley suspended Harrick Jr. with pay. The assistant coach was given a
letter of non-renewal last week, ending his relationship with the school
when his contract expires this summer.
Dooley said the elder Harrick has not been directly implicated in evidence
uncovered thus far. Dooley said Harrick still carries "the ultimate
responsibility to this program.''
Added Dooley: "We're not talking about allegations. We're talking about
findings of the most serious nature and because of that I thought it was
appropriate to recommend Coach Harrick be suspended with pay pending further
investigation.''
Said Adams: "This (investigation) continues to move and take twists and
turns and I can't predict (Harrick's future). That will ultimately be the
decision of Coach Dooley's in a recommendation to me.''
Harrick declined comment when contacted at his home Monday night.
Adams said some may consider pulling the team out of the SEC tournament
"excessive'' self-punishment, but he said the decisions were made with the
approval of SEC commissioner Mike Slive and NCAA director of enforcement
David Price.
Dooley and Adams hope that strong self-punishment will lessen possible
sanctions that could come from the NCAA investigation.
Said Dooley: "Hopefully that will show our good faith in what we believe
strongly about the rules and regulations and the seriousness of the
findings.''
Said Adams: "(Slive and Price) both indicated that they appreciated and
respected the response the University of Georgia is taking. This has been a
joint process from the beginning.''
The action from Georgia leaves Harrick's long-term future in serious doubt.
Dooley said he hoped Harrick's status could be resolved "as soon as
possible.''
Assistant coach James Holland will be in charge of the program during
Harrick's suspension. Dooley said Harrick could use his office at Stegeman
Coliseum but could not represent the university.
Dooley stressed that Wright and Daniels "are 3.0 students'' who did not
need
the A in the "Coaching Principals and Basketball Strategies'' course taught
by Harrick Jr.
"They'll probably end up getting an F in the course, but it has no impact
on
their eligibility,'' Dooley said. "They are very good students.''
Georgia's action to declare Daniels and Wright ineligible were based on the
charge of unethical conduct, not the impact the course had on their academic
standing.
Said Dooley: "Unethical conduct can be one of many things, one of which is
telling the truth.''
Dooley said Wright and Daniels "definitely'' will be welcome to return for
their 2003-04 senior seasons.
"At the proper time we will make an appeal (to restore the players'
eligibility),'' Dooley said.