The 30-30 made it seem like it they only found out before the final four that it MIGHT be invalidated.
Memphis was first contacted about the scores in October 2007 from the scoring agency and Rose was contacted directly in November 2007. Since Rose did not cooperate after numerous requests, the NCAA then notified Memphis that it might be invalidated. This is all on Rose imo.
I don't know enough to dispute this - but that's not the way Vitale tells the tale. He says the clearinghouse cleared Rose, and the two other times after the issue came up Memphis asked the NCAA if they were sure Rose was good, and both times the answer was yes. So 3 thumbs up from the NCAA on Rose to Memphis, only to after the fact use a strict liability standard.
I have no idea what goes into initial decisions about content and then later editorial decisions. The two most interesting parts to me of the SI piece were, one, the rumor that Cal told a recruit that Lou Carnasecca had cancer to get the kid to switch to Pitt, and two, the story about how Cal got the UMass job. In both stories, Pitino comes out looking like a snake (maybe that's why I liked them. Heh). The UMass story may not be that important, but the Carnasecca story certainly was. As Bruiser Flynt said, that was the beginning of Cal hate, because it allowed people to think and say that "Cal will do anything to get a recruit." If that was the beginning point of all the Cal controversy, and especially if later proved to be a false rumor, looks like that would have added to the film...
Iirc didn't someone admit to have taken test for him of which I don't understand how one could actually get away with doing such?
Oddly enough, isn't that the same reasoning the NCAA gave for NOT pursuing/punishing Lance Thomas and Duke.............because he (nor the store) cooperated?? Supposedly their "hands were tied".
In the words of another UK coach, "We just gettin started".
