3/29/02- STEVE FISHER DODGES THE HARD QUESTIONS...

I'm going to start off by saying that I used to like Steve Fisher.  In the past I respected him as a person and a coach and never thought he received the credit that he deserved for the success of the Fab 5 era at Michigan.  I always wanted to believe that he didn't know that his players may have been taking money.  I took him for someone who put a lot of trust in the people around him, people who took advantage of that trust. 

But my opinion of him has changed.  Steve Fisher recently gave a televised interview where he dodged the tough questions and refused to accept responsibility for what may have occurred under his watch as Wolverine Head Basketball Coach.  According to Steve Fisher  (and a number of naive Wolverine Fans) Ed Martin was not considered a 'booster' by the NCAA or by University of Michigan.  Let's see what the NCAA by-laws have to say about the definition of Booster:

6.4.2 Representatives of Athletics Interests

An institution’s "responsibility" for the conduct of its intercollegiate athletics program shall include responsibility for the acts of individuals, a corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization when a member of the institution’s executive or athletics administration or an athletics department staff member has knowledge or should have knowledge that such an individual, corporate entity or other organization:

(a) Has participated in or is a member of an agency or organization as described in Constitution 6.4.1 as listed here: (An institution’s "responsibility" for the conduct of its intercollegiate athletics program shall include responsibility for the acts of an independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization when a member of the institution’s executive or athletics administration, or an athletics department staff member, has knowledge that such agency, corporate entity or other organization is promoting the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program.)

(b) Has made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;

(c) Has been requested by the athletics department staff to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes or is assisting in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes;

(d) Has assisted or is assisting in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes; or

(e) Is otherwise involved in promoting the institution’s athletics program.

According to published reports Ed Martin meets the definition of booster under the definitions of c, d, and e.  Some seem to think that Ed Martin was exempt from being considered a booster because he knew the players involved before they came to Michigan.  Again let's see what the NCAA has to say about the issue:

"...In general, the Association looks at the motivation behind the benefit. If this person were not an athlete of notoriety, would this benefit be coming their way? Our membership is not concerned with gifts from people who have been family friends for 20 years. But the membership is concerned about protecting student-athletes from people who are motivated by exploitation and greed, people who befriend a student-athlete with the hope of getting something monetarily out of the relationship..."  Bylaws 101 -NCAA

How many kids did Ed Martin 'loan' money to who didn't happen to be basketball players?  If the allegations that he used the players involved to 'launder' money from his illegal gambling enterprise are true it's pretty obvious that he had the hope "...of getting something monetarily out of the relationship..." and IS considered a booster by the NCAA. 

So are these rules new?  Have they been hidden?  Do you remember receiving this book in from the athletic department?

Click to Enlarge Image

Have you ever bought season tickets?  Ever donated money to the Athletic Department?  Ever attended a postseason awards banquet?  Received complementary tickets to a game?  These are just a few of the actions that could define you as booster.

Under NCAA rules you probably are considered a booster.

Think that's funny?  The NCAA isn't laughing.  Another little gem is that once you're defined as a booster you are considered one for life.

Ed Martin is a booster.  If Steve Fisher or anyone else says otherwise they are ignoring the facts.

Steve Fisher takes a Cheap Shot

When pressed about whether he should have known about the alleged loans, Fisher took swipe at his old boss Bo Schembechler.  

"...I know Norby Walby, or whatever his name was, signed football players at Michigan and other places, and he did it under the goal posts, after championship games. And you say, how could you not have known?"

A little background here.  Walby was the original rogue agent who signed a number of players while they were still in college including former Wolverines Garland Rivers and Rob Perryman.  The big difference here is that as Head Coach Bo Schembechler warned his players about this agent and his partner and even went so far as to post pictures of the men in the locker room with a notice to avoid them.  Sadly, Rivers and Perryman disregarded the advice of their coach.  But that is an entirely different situation from how Fisher treated Ed Martin.  Martin was given free tickets to games, access to the Wolverine locker room, and rooms at the Final Four at the team hotel.  By implying that the situations are similar Fisher is merely trying deflect attention from his lack of oversight.

Ultimately, It Doesn't Matter What Fisher Knew...

In the end I don't care what Fisher may have known and when.  There is no disputing that as Head Coach he is ultimately responsible for the actions of his players and overall health of the basketball program.  Evil manipulative coach or country bumpkin he is still responsible. 

A True Michigan Man would take responsibility and apologize for the damage done to Michigan that had occurred under his watch.  Instead Steve Fisher has chosen to dodge responsibility.

Who to Blame?

Everybody...Blame Steve Fisher for either being too naive to reign in Ed Martin or too corrupt to care.  Blame Ed Martin for taking advantage of young disadvantaged athletes.  Blame the athletes for giving in too easy to temptation.

We also need to blame ourselves for not realizing that it was all too good to be true.
 

Go Blue!

Phil Callihan
UMGoBlue.COM- By Fans...For Fans
phil@umgoblue.com

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