EWU Violates NCAA Rules

[TexasTerror]

NCAA violations for Eastern Washington's football program...not sure the violations provided any competitive advantage at all...

Eastern football violated rules
Dave Trimmer
Staff writer
June 20, 2007

Eastern Washington University's football program has violated some NCAA rules, Eagles coach Paul Wulff acknowledged Tuesday.

The violations center around the number of coaches and student assistants used by the Eagles, according to the outside investigation the school requested and submitted to the NCAA in early May, and whether those violations provide "any significant competitive advantage for the program."

According to the report, which The Spokesman-Review obtained, it appeared that in several seasons since Wulff became the head coach in 2000, there were more than the NCAA-mandated 11 coaches on the staff. Also, during that time, student assistants were usually not taking enough credits as per NCAA rules.

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/sports/story.asp?ID=195634

[NoCoDanny]

Call me crazy but I would think having more coaches would be an advantage.

[GannonFan]

How does such a simple rule like this get broken? How hard is it to count to 11? Does EWU not have a compliance officer?

[GreenDay17]

OK, here you go. I used to work at EWU, and to tell you the truth...I am not surprised in the least and this is only the tip of the ice-berg. This program has been mismanaged and operated as if the rules did not apply to them for a long time.

[CrunchGriz]

How does such a simple rule like this get broken? How hard is it to count to 11?

Ask the 12 members of the former A-10.

[GannonFan]

Ask the 12 members of the former A-10.

Uh, yeah, not the same issue. Why would the entire conference change their name (a trademark name btw) to accomodate its football contingent, of which only 3 schools were affiliated with the A-10 in any other way besides football? xcoffeex

[Maverick]

GannonFan,
Don't be so serious. I think it is a legitimate shot of sarcasm under the circumstances. Laugh and let it go for what it is. It is June, summer time, lighten up and have a cold one. Save it for the serious stuff that will get going in August!!

xcoffeex xcoffeex xcoffeex xcoffeex xcoffeex xnodx xnodx xnodx xnodx xnodx

[GannonFan]

GannonFan,
Don't be so serious. I think it is a legitimate shot of sarcasm under the circumstances. Laugh and let it go for what it is. It is June, summer time, lighten up and have a cold one. Save it for the serious stuff that will get going in August!!

xcoffeex xcoffeex xcoffeex xcoffeex xcoffeex xnodx xnodx xnodx xnodx xnodx


I was waiting for the sarcasm smilie. :p :p :p :p :p

[CrunchGriz]

I was waiting for the sarcasm smilie. :p :p :p :p :p

Sorry, GannonFan, just a little jest, and I forgot to use the goofy smilie to indicate I was joshin'.

Just out of curiosity, which of the 12 A-10 football members didn't count? ;)

(i.e., whose feelings should be hurt because they're deemed not worthy?)

I just find it funny when a conference or other entity has a name that becomes outmoded because of the nature of the name; e.g., 20th Century Fox (great, we get last century's movie quality), Windows 98 (when '99 rolled around, it was a red flag that it was so last year's operating system). Just poor name choice, in most cases.

[GannonFan]

Sorry, GannonFan, just a little jest, and I forgot to use the goofy smilie to indicate I was joshin'.

Just out of curiosity, which of the 12 A-10 football members didn't count? ;)

(i.e., whose feelings should be hurt because they're deemed not worthy?)

I just find it funny when a conference or other entity has a name that becomes outmoded because of the nature of the name; e.g., 20th Century Fox (great, we get last century's movie quality), Windows 98 (when '99 rolled around, it was a red flag that it was so last year's operating system). Just poor name choice, in most cases.

Obviously the Big 10 falls into that same predicament. It's even harder at this level - the A10 has fluctuating numbers in every one of their sports - I'm not sure any of their sponsored sports have exactly 10 members anymore. It's just the way life is. ;)

[Blazerbird]

If Eastern's athletic department operated without regard for NCAA rules, why would it bring up the violations? Furthermore, if you read Trimmer's blog, you'll understand how the violations stem from a lack of resources rather than any sinister motives. But hey, what do I know? I've never worked at the University. Maybe Eastern's now part of the Big Sky underworld. Montana and Montana State have alleged drug dealers and murderers, the Eagles have too many student assistants. Where will it end?

[GreenDay17]

If Eastern's athletic department operated without regard for NCAA rules, why would it bring up the violations? Furthermore, if you read Trimmer's blog, you'll understand how the violations stem from a lack of resources rather than any sinister motives. But hey, what do I know? I've never worked at the University. Maybe Eastern's now part of the Big Sky underworld. Montana and Montana State have alleged drug dealers and murderers, the Eagles have too many student assistants. Where will it end?


EWU seems to play the "lack of resources" card quite a bit. Realistically they are not unlike most of the Big Sky conference in terms of finances.

Why would they now bring up the violations? Can't tell you, but they did just have some changes in leadership (relatively new President, fired the AD and now have a new interim AD, etc) which may lead to disclosing infractions that appear minor on the surface, without the context of how long things of this nature have been occurring at the institution.

Heaven help EWU if the NCAA were to look further into the matter and ask the right people the right questions.

[Blazerbird]

What? Eastern would be next to last in athletic department spending if it weren't for Northern Colorado, and spends half what Montana does.

http://www.midmajority.com/info.php?a=schools-budget&c=BIGSKY

As for context, we know everything necessary. In seven years there have been eleven instances where student assistants did not attempt the required university credits for their position. Additionally, violations involving too many coaches revolve around the designation of almost anyone involved with assisting sports teams as a coach. An independent investigation has revealed no intentional violations, and the administration has already proposed their own punishment. I'm an Eagle fan and would welcome the presentation of credible information that reveals serious and systemic violations of NCAA rules. However, the recent investigative efforts by the University, Spokesman Review, and NCAA have done little to support the assertion that the University's athletic department acts with willful disregard.

[GreenDay17]

What? Eastern would be next to last in athletic department spending if it weren't for Northern Colorado, and spends half what Montana does.



As for context, we know everything necessary...


I stated that EWU is like most of the BSC - 6 of the 9 members have much lower budgets than the two Montana schools, and EWU is pretty much in the middle of the "have-nots."

You know everything necessary to explain this one set of transgressions to which the EWU has admitted. This speaks nothing to the breadth or depth of indiscretions that I am alluding to and have first-hand knowledge of. Like I said, if they ask the right people the right questions....

As to the current state of operations I cannot speak, since I am no longer there. I can only speak to how it was and the fact that many of the faces remain the same. Maybe a leopard can change his spots????