Tommy Bell monthly Newsletter — September Edition
09/30/2017 | 2:23:00 | General
Greetings, Saluki Nation!
This was a week that rocked the world of college athletics with news that 10 people, including four college basketball assistant coaches, were arrested by the FBI for bribery and corruption. The FBI's investigation has already led to the administrative leave of Louisville AD Tom Jurich and legendary head coach Rick Pitino. The FBI indicated there might be more arrests and more schools involved.
From my AD's chair in Carbondale, Illinois, I absorbed this news with a range of emotions, beginning with anger and ending with a feeling of hope that justice will prevail and the good guys will ultimately flourish. I was not shocked by the revelations. College athletics in the Power Five is big business, and just like any other industry, there will always be bad actors who cheat the system. Nor was I surprised by the scope of the problem, as rumors of such conduct have always lurked below the surface.
The FBI, with its wiretaps, surveillance video and undercover agents, has pulled back the curtain on what appears to be rampant misconduct at the Power Five level, both unethical and criminal. My hope is that the FBI will succeed in rooting out as many rogue coaches, agents, financial advisors, AAU programs and sports marketers as possible. That will help level the playing field for the many coaches who follow the rules and have avoided the temptation to cheat. I've had the good fortune to work with several high-major college coaches during my career as an administrator. You should know that there are still plenty of good guys out there who are doing things the right way. I'm happy for them, because their jobs just got a little bit easier.
When this fiscal year comes to a close next June, all of the benefits tied to gifts and pledges for Saluki Way giving, such as Stadium Club and Cook Club access, will end at that time. Our development team has been working on a plan that will dole out benefits to our most generous supporters, according to their giving histories. We'll also announce some new and exciting opportunities for you to get involved in supporting Saluki Athletics in the near future. Stay tuned!
If you are a former Saluki student-athlete, coach or administrator, you are automatically a member of the "S Club." If you didn't receive an invitation to attend Homecoming on Oct. 14, please go to our website and update your contact information. We'd love to see you at the parade, the S Club tailgate, and of course, the big game versus Illinois State! Speaking of Homecoming, we're thrilled to welcome back Walt Frazier, who will serve as Grand Marshal, as well as the 1967 football team that will celebrate the 50-year anniversary of its win over nationally ranked Tulsa. It promises to be a fun-filled weekend.
We had our fall MVC administrative meetings this week. It's hard to believe, but the State Farm MVC Men's Basketball tournament, otherwise known as Arch Madness, is just 152 days away! Administrators are working hard to make this a successful event. Recognizing the impact that Wichita State's departure will have on attendance, only lower bowl seating will be sold this year. The best way to get tickets and ensure that you're seated in the best location among Saluki Nation is to call our ticket office at 877-SALUKIS.
From the Ask the AD files, Dave from Florida wrote in to request we play a football game in Florida, noting that we have 24 players on our current roster from the Sunshine state. As I'm sure you recall, we played Florida Atlantic last season in Boca Raton, which was our FBS guarantee game in 2016. While I wouldn't rule out a return trip to Florida sometime in the future, we're currently booked up with FBS opponents through the 2021 season. My scheduling philosophy is to try to stay within a drivable radius from campus to reduce travel expenses, however, if we get an offer to play an FBS team from Florida in which it makes financial sense, I'm certainly open to it.
Dave from California wrote to ask if our basketball game at Louisville on Nov. 21 would still be played, in light of the FBI investigation involving the Cardinal program and removal of Rick Pitino. The answer is yes. I absolutely expect us to play that game. In fact, Louisville has already named an interim coach.
Kyle wrote in to ask what happened to the benches and picnic tables that used to be on the concourse of Saluki Stadium. Actually, there are still some tables and benches located at various spots throughout the concourse, but we moved some of them to Itchy Jones Stadium when that facility opened in 2014. I talked to our Assistant AD for Event Operations, Tad Dunn, and he said it would be possible to move them back and forth between the two facilities. We'll try to bring some back from the baseball facility before the Homecoming game on Oct. 14.
Dallas wrote in with a comment, not a question. "Two friends and I were in Memphis this weekend for a conference. We had the pleasure of staying at the same hotel as your football team. We were so impressed by every interaction we had with the young men who represent your university. We ran into them in groups and individually and they were each polite, courteous and respectful at every turn. You should be very proud of this group of young men and know you now have three new fans from Southeast Tennessee!" Thank you so much for sending this note! I shared it with Coach Hill.
Please keep the questions coming!
With Saluki Pride,
