Memphis Tigers must vacate 38 win season

The NCAA Committee on Infractions has placed the Memphis Tigers Basketball program on three years probation, and asked the school to vacate their 38 win season and their 2007-08 Final Four appearance. These penalties come down for major infractions of NCAA rules.

Most of this mess stems back to Memphis Basketball recruit Derrick Rose. Apparently Rose had a highly questionable SAT score, that was later invalidated by Educational Testing Service. Since his SAT score was invalidating that means Rose did not meet the initial eligibility standards for the University or the NCAA. The school apparently also gave Rose’s brother up to 1,700 dollars in free travel that is also an infraction of NCAA rules.

All of this happened under the watch of Head basketball coach John Calipari. Calipari no becomes the first coach in NCAA history to have two trips to the Final Four voided for rules infractions at separate schools. His 1996 team from the University of Massachusetts met the same fate. Calipari has since moved on from Memphis to the University of Kentucky.

While he was not mentioned by name in the rules infraction these charges certainly cast a long shadow on Calipari’s coaching legacy. It seems that University of Kentucky officials should seriously reconsider their hiring of a twice disgraced coach.