Cardinal Sins
The Louisville basketball program has enjoyed monumental success the last five years. Under head coach, Rick Pitino, they are a regular to the tournament. Since 2009, the Cardinals have been to five Sweet Sixteens, four Elite Eights, three Finals Fours, and won a national championship in 2013. Rick Pitino himself was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame the same year. They have been one of the most profitable programs over this span as well. But with one book, it could all come crumbling down. On Friday, October 2nd, in the afternoon, Yahoo’s Pat Forde tweeted out that the Indiana Business Journal had published a book called Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen in which an escort named Katina Powell accused former Louisville director of basketball operations, Andre McGee, of paying her over $10,000 from 2009 to 2014 to entertain Louisville basketball recruits and players. Powell also got her daughters in on the horrific actions, who were minors at the time. Some of the players named in the book name who were “entertained” over the years were Russ Smith, Montrezl Harrell, Wayne Blackshear, Terrence Jennings, and Chane Behanan. Rick Pitino held a press conference amidst the allegations and was very heartbroken and humbled at the situation, not denying the allegations at the time. Wow. That's a ton to digest right there. If the allegations are proven true to the NCAA, a myriad of things could happen to the program. They would almost certainly lose scholarships and be on probation for a while, but the worst possible scenario would be if the NCAA rules it to be improper benefits and vacates all of Louisville’s wins during the span. That would include taking down the championship banner. That doesn't even include what the university decides to do with Pitino. They will likely hold on to him, but if the media and the boosters of the university demand change, they may have no choice but to fire their beloved coach. There has been no ruling by the NCAA on the matter as they continue to investigate and it remains to be seen what they will do. On the surface, it seems that it has to be made up, but a look deeper may reveal otherwise. Dick Cady, the author of the book and a former Pulitzer Prize winner, said in an interview with Kentucky Sports Radio the IBJ hired a forensic team to analyze Katina Powell’s phone. The results confirmed that the number under Andre McGee’s contact in Powell’s phone was indeed Andre McGee’s number. Cady also said if he didn't believe the story, Cady wouldn't put his name on it. Also this past Thursday, CBS Sports reported that former UL commit and recruit JaQuan Lyle confirmed that these escorts did happen during his visit to Louisville. Another former unnamed UL player also confirmed that it happened during their time at the university. With this proof, the NCAA has the proof it needs to make a ruling on the situation, and it is a matter of time before Louisville is forced to admit that some of it is true. The legal side to this situation is still up in the air, as McGee is represented by attorney Scott Cox, who has a very impressive record, but the legal status has no impact on what the NCAA rules. As we all await the fate of the local program, Cardinal fans can only hope that the NCAA has mercy on them.
License: CC0 Public Domain
