Banished boosters still angry, defiant

Steve Addy

Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2000 | 10:08 a.m.

UNLV has permanently banned two athletic boosters whose actions led to severe NCAA sanctions and Tuesday's firing of basketball coach Bill Bayno.

But both boosters have a reply for UNLV: Whoop-de-doo.

Las Vegas dentist Dr. David Chapman and attorney Steve Stein, both accused of giving money to recruits and players, said they aren't broken-hearted about being disassociated as Rebels boosters.

"I probably won't go to the games anyway," Chapman told the Sun.

"Fine. I'll save $5,000 a year," Stein said, citing the cost to be a UNLV scholarship donor, which entitles boosters to choice basketball seats and other perks.

The NCAA on Tuesday placed UNLV on probation for four years and prohibited the Rebels from postseason play this season, in addition to placing limits on scholarships and recruiting. It also demanded that UNLV suspend Chapman as a booster for at least seven years and Stein for five.

However, university president Dr. Carol C. Harter and athletic director Charlie Cavagnaro said they consider Chapman and Stein permanently banned.

That came as a shock to Chapman, a close friend of Bayno and the central figure in the two-year NCAA investigation. Chapman admitted he gave $4,000 in cash and benefits to 1997 Rebels recruit Lamar Odom, but only after UNLV released Odom from his letter of intent. The NCAA said the amount was $5,600.

Chapman, who fully cooperated with UNLV and NCAA investigators, feels the university is hanging him out to dry because it received an unfavorable ruling from the NCAA.

"I'm very hot at UNLV," Chapman said. "The school promised me that if I cooperated with the investigation, they would stand behind me. They agreed that what I did wasn't a major violation, but it's almost like they're retaliating against me because I couldn't get (Odom) to testify.

"I think a lot of this was choreographed because Charlie and Carol have a lot of pressure (to keep) their own jobs. But I'm going to be around a lot longer than they will."

Chapman's attorney, James Chrisman, was livid over his client's permanent ban.

"UNLV said they wouldn't retaliate against (Chapman) if he cooperated. This isn't retaliation?" Chrisman said.

"I don't know why anyone would ever trust UNLV again. By cooperating, David took all of the attention off other people and other issues. They would have gotten the death penalty if he didn't help them out."

Chrisman said he is pondering legal action against the university, but the 38-year-old Chapman didn't sound eager to return to the Rebels' community.

"I only went to six (basketball) games last year, I think, and I haven't been to any (regular-season) games this year," Chapman said. "I barely know who any of the players are now. I think it is best that I just stay away."

Stein was cited by the NCAA for providing cash to Odom, ex-Rebel Desmond Herod and current player Chris Richardson in 1997 and 1998. The NCAA said the payments totaled about $400.

Stein denied the payments last year in his only statement to the NCAA, and he remained defiant to the end.

"I didn't do it," he said Tuesday. "The NCAA says I did. What am I going to do? I can't convince them otherwise. It was a foregone conclusion. I'm not going to bother (suing) the NCAA. What good would that do?"

Of his banning by UNLV after years of support, Stein said, "All I've ever tried to do was help them. Now I'll just devote my time to something else."