Alabama in trouble with NCAA againAlabama awaits NCAA ruling after revealing continuing investigation into textbook improprieties involving athletesFriday, March 06, 2009By GENTRY ESTESSports ReporterTUSCALOOSA — An investigation triggered almost 17 months ago by a female student-athlete has the University of Alabama's football program in hot water again with the NCAA.UA representatives met Feb. 20 in San Diego with the NCAA Committee on Infractions to address allegations of two potentially major violations stemming from Alabama's self-initiated investigation into impermissible receipt of textbooks.Schools officials released details Thursday of the NCAA's charges and UA's admission that the university "failed to adequately monitor its student-athlete textbook distribution system." A final ruling by the NCAA is expected by May."The University has not denied, and cannot deny, that the infractions occurred," said UA's formal response to the NCAA. "Instead, the University has acted diligently to investigate fully this occurrence, take appropriate corrective action to reform its textbook issuance process and prevent or deter any reoccurrence."Alabama's report did not include any infractions by members of the Crimson Tide men's basketball program.The school now hopes its arguments, cooperation and corrective actions will be enough to deter NCAA penalties that could range from the forfeiture of games to the loss of football scholarships and recruiting visits to the extreme punishment of the death penalty, which is made possible by Alabama's status as a "repeat offender."School officials self-reported the violations, and five offending football players were suspended for a 2007 game against Tennessee three days after UA was first made aware of improprieties. UA described its own reaction as "immediate and severe.""Our compliance department and the administration, when that happened and we discovered that, I've never seen a response to a problem that aggressive in resolving it," UA athletic director Mal Moore told the Press-Register last summer. "We kept the NCAA abreast of everything that has been done."UA officials began an investigation soon after Oct. 17, 2007, when an employee of the University Supply Store noticed "questionable textbook charges in excess of $1,600 for the fall 2007 semester" for a female athlete. The NCAA was notified Oct. 19, after the UA compliance office uncovered "charges in excess of $1,300 and $1,500 for fall 2007."...
I had heard stories about the Houndstooth Hole, but never thought they were real...
I know, I always thought it was one of those "13 Alabama Ghost" stories or something...but it's real.
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