glad to see this one opening up again. i had to pleasure of reading tom's manuscript along with the documents of correspondence between the university and the ncaa, along with slam dunked, just about every news paper account from across the country, monthly newsletters written by the ncaa themselves (those are gems) im evening trying to track down congressional minutes...trust me this one is a boondoggle at it's finest.
In fact one of my hurdles with the "lights out in blackham" is how to keep it a reasonable length. what i have noticed is the two camps that have set up-he's 100% innocent or he's 100% guilty.
After reading the book, you can not help but feel symphathetic for Shipley as he was so bitter toward many of those he worked with which affected his life; however, Slam Dunked is a very one sided and opinonated book, and written almost like a conspiracy theory. The flavor of the book is to take a small or insignificant fact, and then twist it to come to an erroneous or self-serving conclusion.
Shipley was a good coach and the 70-71-72 basketball teams were great. I really enjoyed watching and cheering. However, the book really lacks scholarship with too many petty complaints and rants about the university, the board of education, and ncaa. Most people learn in life that they are the architects of their own fate. Lashing out and blaming so many others seems a bit paranoid considering the ncaa findings over several years.
I wish President Clyde Rougeou were alive to defend himself and the others who were berated needlessly also. I am not sure if anyone will learn "objectively" what really happened as most all are dead.
However, the good news was that Andrew Toney came along soon after the probation and revived the program. He and Bo Lamar were probably the greatest two players of all time at UL.
Expected. Not unlike how the NCAA had only small and insignificant facts to work out a death penalty with.
On that note, my question is . . . Why does the NCAA have no records of UL defending itself, and Dr. Authement still had this huge box of prepared answers.![]()
Geaux Cajuns
In my mind, Turb, the answer/reason was always obvious. They did not want someone coming behind them and refuting/attacking their conclusions and, in the case of the University, their lack of defending the program and coaches.
igeaux.mobi
Interesting selection of terms and phrases to comment on the book.
When you believe you're the subject of a one-sided and opinion-riddled investigation that indicted you severely, although the "scholastics" won't like it, you are entitled to respond one-sided and opinion-riddled, severely.
"Written like a conspiracy theory"?... when you consider the times and the complete subject matter... do you not believe some at that time conspired against U S L? I'm not a conspiracy theorist prone individual by nature. I usually nod to those in authority that indeed "you wouldn't have indicted this individual if he were not guilty". But, there are ample reasons to seriously doubt the motives of the investigation and the almost "perfect target" a Beryl Shipley personality afforded those on the prosecuting side. I could quite easily see him being "served up" by his so-called colleagues.
You ask if anyone will ever learn "objectively" about the truth, yet you state individuals were berated "needlessly". The truth is undoubtedly difficult to bring to the light of day, but I doubt the book's berating was the only "needless" act in this whole affair.
"Most people learn in life that they are the architects of their own fate." Not always the case, but a good rule to live by... and so he authored a book.
"Slam Dunked is a very one sided and opinionated book." The responses to allegations in the book were quoted USL's written responses to the NCAA. I know that, because I wrote the original manuscript on which the book was based.
The book describes events as they truly occurred. If you do not know the factual history, you will believe the NCAA.
Did you know that the NCAA and the methods used to convict Beryl Shipley were used on Tarkanian four years later? And Tarkanian sued, it went to the Supreme Court. And the Court ruled that the NCAA was using hearsay to accuse and convict and then didn't confer with the accused schools -- it violated due process procedures.Tarkanian eventually won $2,500,000 from the NCAA.
The procedures used on Tarkanian were precisely the same as those on Tarkanian. But Tarkanian had money.
Much of the history of those days was presented by Lafayette's Daily Advertiser. But the real problem with Beryl and the rest of Louisiana was the fact that he was beating the tar out of the other institutions. He could have integrated his team with no problem -- if his team had just had the sense to lose most of its games.
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