FAQS

Are you saying that the University of Kansas is guilty of playing ineligible basketball players and violating the university's own drug policy? No. That is not what we're saying. We are saying that there are credible allegations of both, but after eight weeks, there still hasn't been an NCAA investigation of either.

What makes the allegations so "credible," to use the word that you used? First of all, thanks for the question. Secondly, the allegations came from the former Director of Sports Medicine for the University of Kansas. He would have access to information about the basketball program that others might not. Thirdly, the accuser also claimed that the KU Athletic Director provided an upgrade for tickets in exchange for free exercise equipment, and that allegation is looking better and better every day. Fourthly, the KU Athletic Director and the Lawrence Police have agreed not to press charges against the accuser. Fifthly, why would William Dent try to blackmail someone based on untrue claims? It is possible, but is it likely? Sixthly, there has been an internet rumor from way back that Kansas player Darrell Arthur was not eligible to play college basketball. None of this evidence is proof that the allegations are true, but they are proof that the allegations are credible and deserving of investigation.

If I wrote to Lindsay Lohan in jail, she'd probably read my letter out of sheer boredom, huh? Sir, I think you've found the wrong blog.

What if the NCAA is already investigating Kansas basketball based on these very same allegations? That would be great! However, there's been no announcement of an investigation by the NCAA, and no acknowledgement from the University of Kansas that they've forwarded the allegations on to the NCAA. Quite the contrary, the KU Chancellor conducted an internal investigation of the allegations and concluded that there was "no evidence" to substantiate the claims. Yet, a couple of weeks later, a local newspaper, after obtaining documents from KU through the Kansas Open Records Act, established that William Dent's claims were prima facie true with respect to his ticket allegations. Also of significance, what kind of deterrent effect can the NCAA possibly achieve by not publicly announcing an investigation after allegations such as these? We want the NCAA to get on their horse and clean up college basketball.

How can I help? You can join us, provide input to help refine our ideas, techniques and strategies, sign an on-line petition to the NCAA, comment on the Scout basketball messageboards where THE LAWRENCE PROJECT is discussed, bring the debate to other messageboards (you may copy and paste everything on this site without attribution), and buy a THE LAWRENCE PROJECT t-shirt. (Actually, there are no t-shirts, we are a non-profit organization).

Isn't this a big waste of your time? It is time better spent than bellyaching on a college sports messageboard about how the NCAA doesn't do jack. This is something that has never -- to our knowledge -- been tried before. If nothing else, THE LAWRENCE PROJECT hopes to foster discussion about college basketball recruiting and the NCAA's role in it.

Isn't the NCAA a private organization that can do as it pleases? Yes, it is and can. However, we have a right to free expression, and we can use our rights to call on the NCAA to meet its obligations. Moreover, like any other business, the NCAA is sensitive to public opinion. They need to know that we no longer tolerate cheaters, and we expect the NCAA to handle matters like this in a professional and timely manner.

What gives with the Calvin & Hobbes cartoons? They are not Calvin & Hobbes cartoons. Rather, they are satirically making fun of the child-like dreams of Calvin in contrast to the alleged real-world problems of Kansas basketball. Nobody profits from these cartoons, and although 99.99% of the artwork is from the cartoonist himself, the words have been changed without his knowledge. We do the same thing with the Cathy comicstrip, but in that case, the satire is that Cathy comics are not funny. Bill Watterson is the genius creator of Calvin & Hobbes. Cathy Guisewite is the creator of Cathy.

Why hasn't the NCAA announced an investigation of the allegations made by William Dent? We don't know.

What is the meaning of life? According the American Heritage Dictionary, life means "[t]he property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms and inanimate matter, manifested in functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli or adaptation to the environment originating from within the organism. b. The characteristic state or condition of a living organism." So, actually, there are two meanings of life.