Editorial: Sanctions more than a warning

Friday, Dec. 15, 2000 | 9:48 a.m.

UNLV President Carol Harter's firing of the men's basketball coach, Bill Bayno, has created a controversy as to whether his dismissal was justified. What is undeniable is that the NCAA's sanctions on the team were serious: Not only will the Rebels be placed on probation for the next four years, but they also will be banned from postseason play this season for a variety of rules infractions dating back to 1996.

Bayno has said that he hadn't knowingly or willingly committed any violations, adding that he will fight his firing. While it's debatable whether Bayno himself was responsible for the actions of boosters, the fact is that the NCAA's punishment was warranted. Over the years some supporters of the basketball team have said that UNLV has come under the NCAA's microscope unfairly, receiving more scrutiny than other schools. But such rationalizations are no excuse for breaking NCAA rules.

Bayno's team had a poor start this season, compiling a 3-4 record. And many Las Vegans, as do residents of other cities around the nation with Division I university athletic programs, place a premium on a coach's won-loss record. But an obsession with winning at all costs will, over time, ultimately lead to a program's downfall. If a team receives repeated black eyes from the NCAA, top-notch athletes may not even consider attending the university, since they'll wonder whether they'll ever have the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament.

UNLV, under Harter's tenure, has tried to improve the university's academic standing. The NCAA's sanctions, even though they are no reflection on the university's academics, will reinforce some of the worst stereotypes people elsewhere in the nation have about UNLV. Unfortunately, despite UNLV's progress, many again will have an impression that the university is a place where rules don't apply. It is essential that Harter take concrete steps to ensure that such an embarrassment doesn't occur again. Harter also should hire a strong-willed coach who not only will ensure that the program is beyond reproach, but who also understands that winning isn't everything.