NCAA begins work of implementing reforms
INDIANAPOLIS » The most difficult part of the NCAA’s attempt to clean up college basketball begins now.
Hours after former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice presented the Commission on College Basketball’s sweeping recommendations for reforming a sport weighed down by corruption, NCAA leaders set in motion the process for turning those ideas into reality.
The NCAA Board of Governors, a group of 16 university presidents and the association’s highest ranking body, unanimously endorsed all the commission’s recommendations Wednesday. Now it’s up to various subcommittees, working groups and college administrators to dig into a mountain of work over the next three months as the NCAA attempts to change NBA draft rules, create a new enforcement body, toughen penalties for rules violations, revamp summer recruiting and certify agents. All while trying to get buy-in from organizations that might not be motivated to help.
“It’s going to be a challenge to say the least,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said.
The independent commission Rice led released a muchanticipated and detailed 60page report, seven months after the group was formed in response to a federal corruption investigation that rocked college basketball.
Djokovic loses
BARCELONA, SPAIN » While Novak Djokovic struggles, Rafael Nadal keeps impressing. Djokovic lost again on Wednesday, this time falling to 140th-ranked Martin Klizan 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 in the second round of the Barcelona Open.
Nadal, however, won again. He beat Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4, 6-4 for his 10th win in 11 ATP Tour matches this season.
Djokovic is trying to return to form after a lingering right elbow injury. He hasn’t made it past the last 16 in five tournaments this year.
Tennis report: ‘Tsunami’ of problems
An independent review of corruption in tennis found that the sport “faces a serious integrity problem” at its lower levels — a “tsunami,” according to one person interviewed — but did not determine there are widespread problems at ATP, WTA and Grand Slam tournaments.
The report released Wednesday showed no cover-up by tennis’ governing bodies of improper betting or match-fixing, although there were “errors made and opportunities missed,” Adam Lewis, a member of the three-lawyer review panel, said.
Kenseth returning with Roush Fenway Racing
CHARLOTTE, N.C. » Roush Fenway Racing wants to be among NASCAR’s elite again and recognized it needed help for its ongoing rebuild.
The organization called on Matt Kenseth, one of its cornerstone former drivers, and asked him to come back. When Kenseth took the call from team owner Jack Roush, he had just one question: What took the team owner so long to reach out?
“What took so long is there was a rawness from him leaving me,” Roush said Wednesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Kenseth launched his Cup career with Roush in 1998 and he won a Cup tititle and two Daytona 500s for the once-storied team.