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MERNAGH ON HOOPS: NOVA GETS O’LEARY’D PLUS MORE

Villanova Gets O’Leary’d

Jay Wright was looking to capitalize by adding an assistant to his staff with strong connections to the power base of prospects currently entrenched in Keith Stevens’ Team Takeover grassroots powerhouse and the talent at Paul V HS in Virginia. It appeared as if Wright hit the daily double when he added Doug Martin to his staff last week. Martin has had a profile on the bench of each team for the last several years and is very close with players in the next 3-to-4 recruiting classes coming through both programs.

But shortly after adding Martin there was a discovery of some possible shenanigans on a resume he handed in, a resume claiming Martin played under the legendary UWGB coach Dick Bennett (who also had successful stints at Stevens Point, Wisconsin and Washington State to name a few). Turns out nobody at Green Bay has ever heard of Martin. It also turns out that Dick Bennett has never heard of, or coached, Doug Martin either. Villanova is looking into the situation — you think?!

This is a headache for Wright, one that he really doesn’t need. It’s also a headache that never should have happened. Jay Wright first call needed to be to Dick Bennett the minute he saw the resume (and if he didn’t see it that’s a whole other story because he should see every resume of any candidate he’s considering). Here’s how that scenario would have played out.

Wright: “Coach, How are you? It’s Jay Wright at Nova.”

Bennett: “Jay, how are you, what’s going on?”

Wright: “Just wanted to get your take on one of your old players at Green Bay that I’m thinking about hiring.”

Bennett: “Awesome, I’m surprised they haven’t reached out to me to call you though, who is it?”

Wright: “Doug Martin.”

Bennett: “Never heard of him Jay.”

Wright: “Thanks coach, sorry for wasting your time.”

Wright hangs up and then dials another number.

Wright: “Keith, you got another coach for me, Doug lied on his resume.”

Stevens: “What a Dumb #$$, yeah coach I’ll email you a list in an hour after I make sure they’re clean. Sorry about that.”

Wright: “Hey, stuff happens.”

Easy right?

I mean, the fact that this guy didn’t change his resume the second that Tony Freaking Bennett got hired at the University of Virginia a few years back tells you all you need to know. Didn’t he think eventually somebody would bring it up? It’s sad that a guy with a chance to move into a six-figure career, completely by-passing the levels that so many others have to go through, would throw it away because of a useless lie on a piece of paper.

Possible Marquette Violation No Big Deal

Marquette, just like 100′s of other programs, self-reported a possible NCAA violation. It would be no big deal except the release that the school put out failed to specify what kind of violation it was, which led to all kinds of posts and reports about an “NCAA Violation” being reported by Marquette . I have it on good authority that it was a secondary violation the likes of which get reported every day to the NCAA. It’s minor. So, no worries Marquette fans.

Tweet Tweet Tweet…EWWW

Tom Crean’s been thinking a lot about you lately…a whole lot.

By now I’m sure you’ve read about the tweet Crean sent out, allegedly meant for a recruit, that sounded rather creepy.

Step your tweet game up coach….because that last one ain’t right.

Crean also received some bad news when Trey Lyles reopened his recruitment after pledging to Indiana with his first words out of the womb.

My guess? Lyles eventually matriculates to Kentucky.

CBS Asked and Coaches Answered

CBSsports.com asked a bunch of coaches who they perceived to be college basketball’s biggest cheaters?

The runaway winners were John Calipari and Scott Drew. Of course each coach that answered did so with anonymity and CBS’ Gary Parrish was quick to point out that he didn’t want anyone saying “CBSsports.com says the biggest cheaters are” because they were just reporting what the coaches said.

I understand that…I think you understand that… but something tells me Cal and Drew will be plenty unhappy with CBSSPORTS.com

The funny thing is that almost every coach thinks anyone who beat him for a kid cheated — Cal and Drew have gotten a ton of highly coveted players. Tom Izzo recently talked about the fact that he’s lost players to other coaches who cheat but until a coach like Izzo wants to step up and say “coach x paid so and so 50k to get that kid” he should stop whining and also be careful. It’s crazy that most of us still seem to buy the whole (insert name of coach here) “is full of character and clean” compared to all the others propaganda. I’m sorry to break it to you but nobodies squeaky clean….nobody! Didn’t we learn anything from the recent Penn State scandal? Everybody is human…and humans tend to act in their own self-interest and justify it.

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