A growing number of people have been concerned, angered and frustrated about the Kansas University athletic department scene for some time.
Years ago, a group of alumni were concerned that the athletic director, the late Bob Frederick, was not as forceful and assertive as he should be. These individuals also thought Frederick was too tied to the basketball program and didn’t do enough to improve the football program, although he always conducted himself in a manner that reflected credit on the university.
Next came Al Bohl. Although he made a good hire in former football coach Mark Mangino, he had major differences with KU basketball coach Roy Williams. After Williams left for North Carolina, Bohl did not last long as AD.
Drue Jennings of Kansas City was a temporary fill-in, and his chief achievement was the hiring of KU basketball coach Bill Self, although he really didn’t have much to do with this because Self had been seeking the KU position for some time.
There were problems during the tenures of these three most recent AD’s but nothing too serious. Frederick was known and respected for a clean program.
Along came Lew Perkins and, almost immediately, there was a major change in the athletics department.
The size of the department staff has ballooned and the payroll escalated. Perkins became one of the highest paid, if not the highest paid, athletic directors in the country, and he initiated a ticket plan that supposedly was tied to how much money an individual gave to a scholarship fund operated by Kansas Athletics. Also, he has made major improvements in the department’s physical plant and raised and spent millions of dollars.
During these years, Perkins appeared to have the freedom to run his program however he wished, without much control from the chancellor’s office. Former Chancellor Robert Hemenway seemed to give Perkins the green light to build his department into a powerful, money-raising machine with little concern or appreciation for the relationship with thousands of alumni who had been generous and influential in helping the university. He and his associates turned their backs on many people who, in turn, became angry and disillusioned with the school and Hemenway’s leadership.
The athletic department seemed to be operating independently, outside the university umbrella.
The dislike of Perkins grew like a slow cancer, and no one — not the chancellor, the Kansas Board of Regents or a sufficient number of KU alumni and friends — had the courage to speak out and bring about some control or restraint of the large, powerful, well-funded athletic department.
At this time, there is no way of knowing how, or whether, the quiet new KU chancellor, Bernadette Gray-Little, will deal with the current ticket scam that finally has focused national attention on the embarrassing situation in Allen Fieldhouse.
A news report earlier this week added new details to an ongoing investigation of major irregularities in the department. It is interesting to note that the hurried-up KU press conference was scheduled only after a detailed report about the ticket scam appeared on the Yahoo website. At the press conference, officials acknowledged six people were involved in the scam, which could amount to $3 million.
It’s a huge embarrassment for the university. Loyal KU alumni and friends have thought something like this happens at other schools, but not at KU.
Well, it did happen, and a lot of people are trying to run from the scene, deny any knowledge of the mess, acting as if they didn’t have anything to do with this, or that it started before they moved into leadership positions at KU. It did happen, and it likely would have continued if the FBI and Internal Revenue Service had not entered the scene.
Given the money and egos involved, it shouldn’t be surprising that something like this happened. Those in high-paying positions of leadership should have been on top of it, but they weren’t. Perkins acknowledged things were going well and they were complacent. Maybe “arrogant” would be a better word.
It’s happened at KU, and there’s a chance the same thing could have been going on at other universities with high-profile basketball or football programs.
A number of actors are involved. The Yahoo report ties in two California brothers who oversee, fund or operate a number of summer league basketball programs. These brothers may have been recipients or participants in the KU ticket scam and some of their summer league players have ended up at KU.
Clearly the matter of successfully recruiting high profile high school basketball players is critical if a coach is to compile a winning record and improve the odds of making the NCAA’s Final Four or national championship game, which, in turn, brings more money to the schools and the coaches.
Unfortunately, high school coaches, who used to play a pivotal role in developing and advising their players, have lost this position to the AAU coaches who recruit the high schoolers to their summer teams. These coaches answer to no one.
When the true stars emerge in these AAU circles, the AAU coaches have gained a personal relationship with the players and their families, and college coaches are well aware of this special relationship. This is when money and/or favors can and do become involved, with the AAU coaches saying they can deliver a player to a certain college coach. But there usually are strings (money or potential assistant coaching positions?) involved. Some college coaches immediately back off, while others are focused on winning national titles and recruiting all the top high school players they can to increase the odds. The Yahoo story claims nine current or former KU players played on AAU teams, some of which were organized by the two individuals implicated in the KU ticket scam.
High school athletic associations and the NCAA have lost their discipline and control over the entire high school and college basketball scene.
At this time, who knows how deeply the KU ticket scam will go into the athletic department, alumni and off-campus friends of the school?
Longtime KU basketball ticket holders have been speaking up for years about the merry-go-round of different individuals sitting in adjacent seats, wondering whether these people had to make the costly donations to qualify for the prized seat locations. Apparently this also is going on for football tickets, even though, at this time, the demand for Memorial Stadium tickets is not as high as for tickets to men’s basketball games in Allen Fieldhouse or in arenas where the Jayhawks are playing NCAA tournament games.
Again, it’s an embarrassment for the entire school. Unfortunately, Kansas Athletics has been the tail wagging the university. Hemenway either didn’t recognize what Perkins was doing or he didn’t care or he couldn’t do anything about it. Obviously, the Board of Regents didn’t do anything, although there was, and continues to be, sufficient public concern about the KU ticket situation.
One has to wonder just how knowledgeable the regents are about what goes on at the universities under their supervision. Apparently, they accept the self-reporting by the chancellor and the presidents that everything on their campuses is great.
Gray-Little, KU’s first-year chancellor, early on, expressed her complete support and confidence in the manner Perkins was running the athletic department. At Wednesday’s press conference, she continued to support the AD.
Perkins said Wednesday he didn’t have any idea about the ticket situation until informed by the FBI or IRS that they were engaged in an investigation. Apparently he had not paid any attention to the growing complaints about the constant stream of different people occupying high-priced seats. It wasn’t until after meeting with federal officials that he terminated several higher-ups in the department.
KU faculty morale is low, and morale among alumni is deteriorating. It can and will affect the school in many ways, such as the upcoming capital campaign.
The anger of many faculty over the millions of dollars spent by the athletic department, while they are being told to operate with reduced budgets, continues to grow.
Will the scandal touch any KU coaches? Will it affect recruiting? Will the scam bring about major changes in how KU tickets are allocated?
And when will the unrest reach a point that Kansas Athletics officials will be open and transparent about how much all individuals are paying to be seated where they are? Shouldn’t someone who has paid many thousands of extra dollars for his or her seat location be sure that those sitting next to them have paid the same premium?
KU officials are so proud of their “points” and priority seating system. Apparently, it worked so well that department insiders figured out a way to use it to line their own pockets with hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Neither Perkins nor Gray-Little can be pleased with the level of oversight of the athletic department. They ought to be ashamed.
Comments
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tophawk87 (anonymous) says…
Thanks for this strong editorial. We need to return integrity to Kansas University Athletics. Hopefully the Chancellor will do the right thing and cut Perkins loose...
sgtrresq (anonymous) says…
Men and women have been graduating from KU for three generations ever since my grandfather returned from World War I to attend medical school. I came back from Vietnam to get my undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Kansas. My grandfather, uncles, sisters and I number perhaps nine degrees from KU between us..
I believe I come from a rich Kansas University tradition. I used to bleed Big Blue. One of my life's small, but nevertheless sublime pleasures, has been following the efforts of Kansas athletes and teams.
My loyalty to the University academically and to the way of life on Mount Oread remains.
In part, the many wonderful and challenging years at KU helped instill my moral code. That is one of the critical functions of an education.
Accordingly, I shall not be a rooter or fan of the corrupt KU athletic department ever again.
Bill Daniels
Haiku_Cuckoo (anonymous) replies…
Bill, anyone willing to give up support for KU sports apparently wasn't much of a fan to begin with. Best wishes to you.
sparky1958 (anonymous) replies…
is that you lew????
imastinker (anonymous) replies…
I couldn't agree more. I'm a third generation jayhawk and my kids are little jayhawks too - but this bothers me. It bothers me that the athletic department (the profitable part of the university) is split off from the academic side in order to spend money using private money with accountability of the state.
opobserver (anonymous) says…
I hate to see people let the actions of six people affect their feelings for KU or KU Athletics. The six people involved should and probably will end up in jail. They should pay back the $, if they have any of it left. But I hope that people do not let the actions of six dishonest people affect their love of KU. Rockchalk!
davidsmom (anonymous) says…
opobserver - I totally agree.
Stymie (anonymous) says…
Top Kill
Fire Lew Perkins
...until that happens KU will not get one dime from me.
Forget KU Basketball, Forget KU Football until the day Lew leaves.
Stymie (anonymous) says…
opobserver, you are naive. This was not the actions of just six people. It was the result of a culture of corruption which itself resulted from a failure to stay true to KU's mission - Educate Kansans.
walter_sobchak (anonymous) says…
I blame George Bush.
merrill (anonymous) says…
The six people making the primary headlines are among the scapegoats I say. Yes they were key to making the theft and fraud work but WHO I say WHO were they working FOR ?
Was this person or persons so powerful that the highlighted six were in fear of their jobs?
Who was fronting the money?
Did they hand out tickets before getting money?
How many local big money people were backing this theft and fraud?
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
It's really too bad, that Mr. Simons cannot equate some of the problems with the operation of the city of Lawrence, the Planning Department, as they are very similar in their administration and shal we say "lack of trust and accountability".
merrill (anonymous) says…
And some of the local names that surfaced during the Junction City fraud on the taxpayers have surfaced here as well??? So I was told last night.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/aug...
Junction City fraud
http://cjonline.com/news/state/2009-0...
Boom Town for Lawrence Developers
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/aug...
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/sep...
Freeman also said Tuesday that he and Wunder helped another Lawrence company -
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/oct...
Lawrence Scuttlebutt
http://www.democraticunderground.com/...
7texdude (anonymous) says…
This scandal comes at the worst possible time for KU athletics. Whether you like or hate Lew Perkins is not the issue here. The question that the chancellor and the university face is how big a role does athletics play here at KU. And, just as important, how to fund it.
The time of superconferences is close.KU is on the edge of the line. Football not basketball is what drives the superconferences. When the conferences expand - and who knows what direction they will go - where will KU end up? How does the university compete financially with Texas and OU and Nebraska and stay competitive?
The simple answer is to do away with the points system and fire Perkins. That is a good beginning, but how will it end? Do you believe that de-emphasizing athletics is going to increase donations to the university? And if you take away the points system, how do you fund the athletics program? Do you really believe that people are going to fill Memorial Stadium and Allen Fieldhouse to watch the Jayhawks' new conference rivals: Wyoming, Colorado State, San Diego State, TCU, etc.? And that this will help the community in some positive way when attendance and local spending are down.
Firing Perkins is a start, but it is not the solution to KU's problems. The chancellor, the board, the new AD (Sayers?) the alumni and the students need to decide what direction to take and do it soon. The longer this drags on, the worse it will get for KU.
Graczyk (anonymous) replies…
I am concerned about the impending conference realignments. One thing I know we can count on Lew for is to make sure that KU lands on its feet. Perhaps the right move is to keep him around until KU's position is secure and then cut him loose?
riverdrifter (anonymous) replies…
Exactly. Lew is precisely the mover and shaker we need to guide KU through the conference realignment.
Can't you just see the results of Gray-Little firing Lew and bringing in some unconnected deer-in-the-headlights AD virgin at this critical time?
Not the thing to do.
As I've said, if you're going to swim with the sharks it's always better to be one.
The impending conference realignment is no place for a rookie AD.
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
Perkins needs to come forward and step aside, he needs to annouce that he is a thorn in the side of many and he wants to move forward. Look, the guy has no plans to retire in Lawrence so the sooner he leaves, the better for him and Lawrence.
camper (anonymous) says…
This has sleaze writen all over it. The "pluumt brothers". The builder who has bribed public officials. If I were rich enough to live in a house by Frdetland, I would think the Karma would be bad enough to make me want to move out right away.
As a disclaimer, this is merely speculation and thought. It may or not be necessarily factual.
voevoda (anonymous) says…
Has this ticket scandal caused "low faculty morale"? Hardly. KU faculty have come to expect huge slush funds in the Athletic Association while the academic program starves.
Faculty at KU earned salaries that were only 75% of those of their peers before the financial crisis hit. They have labored for two years without raises, with diminished research and technology funds, larger classes, fewer staff, and fewer colleagues to share the work. But nonetheless, they enjoy their work: making new discoveries and educating a new generation of students.
Here's what's demoralizing, Mr. Simons:
* When our hometown newspaper runs a front-page "expose" about the "inflated" cost of a KU education, leading readers to the conclusion that students aren't receiving their money's worth.
* When the Lawrence Journal-World routinely runs editorials condemning plans to enhance state revenues and endorsing candidates for state office who pledge to slash the education budget.
* When Mr. Simons bemoans the supposed lack of attention to "quality" and "excellence" in the academic program at KU, just because KU didn't rank highly in the US News and World Report "beauty pageant."
* When Mr. Simons impugns the wisdom and integrity of the search committees (made up largely of faculty) that select KU's administrative leadership.
Why should the Lawrence Journal-World create a picture of faculty as overpaid and disgruntled? It's simply not true!
Phillbert (anonymous) replies…
Dolph thinks he has to destroy the university in order to save it. Either that, or he's acting out his revenge fantasy against those who won't acknowledge that he is the only person on the planet who should be chancellor...and AD...and governor...and president...
wastewatcher (anonymous) says…
voevoda Neither the LJ World nor Mr Simons is responsible for the situation at KU or K STATE for that matter/ It is time for the board of regents to get to work and excersise their duty and control the institutions . I personally applaud Mr Simons for having the guts to call it the way he sees it and not be a lap dog for KU or anyone. This is journalism at its best. three cheers for mr simons.
nedcolt (anonymous) says…
Now that's a great editorial,which is why Dolph should be running things at KU,,great job,your once again loyal reader Ned...
Haiku_Cuckoo (anonymous) says…
"Longtime KU basketball ticket holders have been speaking up for years about the merry-go-round of different individuals sitting in adjacent seats, wondering whether these people had to make the costly donations to qualify for the prized seat locations."
So what? For many people the point system was the first time people actually got to see a game from decent seats. Corporate execs often buy tickets and invite employees to games with them. Before that, you basically had to wait for a person to die before those seats became available. Many, many universities use this type of system and it is a great way to fund the program. The budget has doubled, we went to the Orange Bowl and facilities have been greatly improved. Those involved in the ticket scam were fired. Let's put aside the sour grapes and move forward.
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
Perkins nepotism though fits right in with the nepotism throughout the city, the school district and KU. So he did follow suit on that issue.
local_support (anonymous) says…
Well said Dolph.
You sum up everything in a nutshell.