Kentucky Issues Drake a Cease-and-Desist Letter

[MWes11]

Ready for a weird and wacky NCAA violation story?

Here goes: Kentucky issued Drake a cease-and-desist letter after his appearance at the school's Big Blue Madness event because he took photos with some recruits.

Kentucky compliance self-reported the impermissible communication between Drake and three potential student-athletes (PSAs) on April 27, according to a letter obtained by Sporting News as part of an open records request.

According to the details in the letter, Drake and his management team arrived at Rupp Arena prior to the event's tipoff and were advised that "NCAA rules prohibited the institution from arranging contact between him and the PSAs as this would be an NCAA violation." After informing the three recruits in town for Big Blue Madness that they were not allowed to have contact with Drake, athletic directors went as far as trying to coordinate who would be in the hallways to ensure that they did not cross paths.

After Big Blue Madness concluded, Drake "headed back toward the locker room to say goodbye to the head coach (who wasn't there)" and "PSA #3 (who Sporting News identified as four-star shooting guard commit Charles Matthews) approached Graham and requested a picture."

The photo request was considered a Level III (non-suspension) violation, and as part of Kentucky's self-reporting, the university sent a letter to the NCAA explaining it had "issued a cease-and-desist letter to (Drake) directing him to refrain from conversations with prospects or taking photos with prospects when that conversation or photo occurs outside the parameters established by the NCAA."

Because Matthews had already verbally committed to the Wildcats in February of 2014 — some eight months before the Big Blue Madness event — Kentucky argued that it was not considered a recruiting advantage in its "mitigating circumstances" section of its correspondence.

The result? Little more than a funny story and a letter that Drake probably never even saw.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-ba...-cease-and-desist-letter?eadid=SOC/Twi/SNMain

 

[gossie21]

That's funny. Especially considering Drake is going to perform at BBM this year.

 

[Rhavicc]

So Kentucky wins again then? Good.

 

[SosaUK]

That's horse shit. How many of these letters did Jordan get? We all know UNC is by the book and all.

 

[MWes11]

That's horse shit. How many of these letters did Jordan get? We all know UNC is by the book and all.

Exactly. Where the hell do you draw the line of who can take a picture with who? Doesn't make any sense. Can potential recruits never take a picture with a celebrity? If Lebron showed up and took a pic with a future recruit, is that a violation?

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

Lol classic NCAA

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

I took a picture with Roy Williams, is that considered a ncaa violation? lol

 

[KA4Prez]

This only makes news because...it's Drake...and it's Kentucky.

There are literally thousands of these violations every year, they just don't make the news.

 

[sefleming]

I'm sure that the ncaa (no consistency at all) will consider this a major violation in comparison
to the minor stuff that has happened at unc*****, sarcism meter high

 

[wild mandu]

I would have him meet and take pictures with all of the recruits this year.

It's such a minor offense, who cares? "Oops...we sent another letter, okay? Now GTFO."

 

[jarms24]

Hell, I hope he gave every one of them a Cadillac Escalade. At this point, what's the NCAA gonna do, after UNC's shenanigans.

 

[Smashcat]

Drake didn't help much. Among the uncommitted recruits at the last MM were Jaylen Brown, Zimmerman and a PG who just reclassified to enroll at Duke.

 

[wild mandu]

Drake didn't help much. Among the uncommitted recruits at the last MM were Jaylen Brown, Zimmerman and a PG who just reclassified to enroll at Duke.

It shouldn't matter really. If a musician I listened to liked a certain school, it wouldn't factor into my decision at all. It adds to the atmosphere of the event for the night, but that's it.

Midnight Madness (Big Blue Madness) is overrated anyhow, certainly as a recruiting tool. It's really just for the fans. I could be projecting, but I get the sense Cal gets tired of doing them.

 

[Bigblueforever]

Media & the NCAA should get back to that big problems of cheating for 20 years by University of North Carolina & quit playing around.

 

[BobbyG_tickle_swerv]

Wow, every thread now turns into worrying about UNC. There seems to be a really bad inferiority complex around here.

 

[dckala2]

Hahaha look who is back!!! .

 

[kybassfan]

I just want to call everyone's attention to the contrast between Kentucky's preventative measures and subsequent reaction to a very trivial infraction (a photo) versus the Institution at North Carolina (INC) which perpetuated a major violation for uncounted years.

The Cats when out of their way to attempt to prevent the issue in the first place. Then when all reasonable preventative measures failed, they issued a warning to the offending party (Drake) and did so in quite a public manner. All very transparent. All self enforced. Handled beginning to end in around 4 months. (Thank God for Sandy Bell)

Compare this to the years of academic infractions at INC. The same institution that has repeatedly tried to hide or down play the infraction. The same institution that was placed on probation by SACS. The same institution which appears to be evading punishment for two men's teams by placing blame on a women's coach made scapegoat. The same institution which has been accused of LOIC by both SACS and the NCAA. The same institution which just extended the contract of their coach, the infamous "Moonpie" Williams. . . Need I go on?

Has ethics, or lack thereof, ever stood in such contrast between an actual university and an institution at the depths of shame due to academic probation?

 

[irishcat1965]

Wow, every thread now turns into worrying about UNC. There seems to be a really bad inferiority complex around here.

No there is a "the NCAA is joke because it seems to ignore the UNC cheating scandal" complex around here.

 

[jarms24]

Wow, every thread now turns into worrying about UNC. There seems to be a really bad inferiority complex around here.

Yeah, if only we felt superior enough to hang our Helms banners. Loser

 

[jrpross]

Wow, every thread now turns into worrying about UNC. There seems to be a really bad inferiority complex around here.

What in the BLOODY HELL do we have to feel inferior to North Carolina about?

 

[kybassfan]

Actually, maybe we should hang the helms banners.

Visiting team locker room perhaps?

 

[BBUK]

Sounds like Cal may lose 3 FF banners and 500 wins...Heck they may retroactively take down two Rupp banners because he didn't foresee this and do something about it then. (Truth is stranger than fiction, don't laugh...)

 

[kybassfan]

Sounds like Cal may lose 3 FF banners and 500 wins...Heck they may retroactively take down two Rupp banners because he didn't foresee this and do something about it then. (Truth is stranger than fiction, don't laugh...)

UGH! Don't give those clowns any ideas.

 

[SosaUK]

Wow, every thread now turns into worrying about UNC. There seems to be a really bad inferiority complex around here.

How have you not been banned yet? Jesus. I can get banned from here for saying one cuss word and this tool can keep up with his shots at UK and constant trolling?

 

[kybassfan]

I took a picture with Roy Williams, is that considered a ncaa violation? lol

Naw, but I'd retain a good lawyer. The Moonpie distributor might have him trademarked and copyrighted.

 

[UK_Johnny24]

I don't even know what in the hell cease and desist means lol. Is that funny? Or something to be ashamed of???

 

[martinsm30]

Drake likely had his security guard blow his nose on the letter.

 

[BBUK]

Wow, every thread now turns into worrying about UNC. There seems to be a really bad inferiority complex around here.

Elmo, how's it hanging?

 

[kybassfan]

I don't even know what in the hell cease and desist means lol. Is that funny? Or something to be ashamed of???

It means: "STOP AT!!!"

 

[BlueSince92]

NCAA. Making the world safe for hatred and oppression.

 

[Poetax]

Wow, every thread now turns into worrying about UNC. There seems to be a really bad inferiority complex around here.

Yea, Bobby the cheating loving fan is back. He's part of the imaginary turdheel way.

 

[Aike]

Does the weird UNC fan who shows up every time they're mentioned wear some kind of alert bracelet or something?

 

[martinsm30]

Y

Wow, every thread now turns into worrying about UNC. There seems to be a really bad inferiority complex around here.

UNC*** has become the standard for other schools to measure infractions. UNC*** is king cheater.

 

[kybassfan]

Yea, Bobby the cheating loving fan is back. He's part of the imaginary turdheel way.

Ah, Bobbi Tickle the Perv or whatever his name was must have oozed out of one of the empty classrooms again. Wonder what he thought about throwing that woman's basketball coach under the bus in an effort to save Moonpie. I'm sure he felt it was no great loss.

Somebody stepped on that dude's moral compass for sure.

 

[kyfan606]

Because Drake likes UK does that make him a booster now? Or was this due to UK having him there? I don't see why taking a pic with a celebrity is any kind of violation.

 

[GonzoCat90]

It's so appropriate that our title squad came out to the "Paris" instrumental. Those first lines fit perfectly.

 

[Federal Cat]

Wow, every thread now turns into worrying about UNC. There seems to be a really bad inferiority complex around here.

And you keep right on lurking and defending, but go ahead keep responding and you'll get laughed at more

 

[BBUK]

Darn Ole MJ, how many shoes has he given prospective unc players? How many pictures???

 

[jarms24]

hope he takes pics with every recruit at Madness this year. Cal was basically laughing at the whole thing on Twitter today.

Yep, matter of fact, I wish Cal would just go ahead and give Drake the special assistant position. At this point, it's a free for all. The precedence has been set. The NCAA is crippled.

 

[MWes11]

John Calipari ‏@UKCoachCalipari 16h16 hours ago
Just so everyone knows, my dear friend @Drake took pics with fans as well as a couple guys as as he was leaving the arena after Madness.

John Calipari ‏@UKCoachCalipari 16h16 hours ago
There are no issues with @Drake and UK, and Drake is and always will be a part of our Big Blue family. I hope to see him on campus soon.

 

[JC for 3]

Bobby Tickle is just a modern day Nero, playing his fiddle..... the fires and subsequent fall at UNC will get started soon enough.