Scott Thompsett, lawyer for Louisville head basketball coach, Rick Pitino, handling Mr. Pitino’s appeal of NCAA sanctions against him for the former director of operations providing strippers and prostitutes to basketball recruits in the basketball dorm on the campus.
Actually, having read the report, the Barometer found quite a few things that the NCAA identified:
1. Don’t hire as your director of operations one of your former basketball players who spent one year in the pros. One of the guys was supervising the guys.
2. Make sure that all the administrative paperwork is completed for recruits (especially those who are minors) staying overnight in the basketball dorm.
3. A basketball dorm built in memory of your brother-in-law (who died in the 9-11 attacks) is a wonderful gesture, but a basketball dorm (Minardi Hall) without some non-basketball supervision is a risky proposition.
4. Following up on cash disbursements in $200 increments might have given a few clues about the night activities for recruits in the basketball dorm.
5. Do a little surprise visit to the basketball format night and see what’s up. Over four years of these activities, you’re bound to pick up a few clues.
6. Check the security cameras and card entry records — who was coming in and out of the dorm at night? Those guests can be problematic.
In other words, like an executive in today’s world, one cannot delegate and then say, “I knew nothing.” Delegate, but monitor, and do the monitoring through procedures and surprise visits. Behave as parents of teenagers: Come home early and unannounced. You never know what you will find. But, you are always better off finding it than hoping all is well.