MSC’s camera coverage of the press conference involving the Gophers men’s basketball investigation went something like this:
Pan-in to President Mark Yudof.
Pan-out from Yudof.
Show the reflection of Yudof by zooming in on the tables in front of him.
Barely in the picture on the far left side was Mark Dienhart, the men’s athletic director. He never said much during MSC’s televised portion of the press conference, and he looked like he was frozen right in his seat. McKinley Boston was standing off to the side, out of the camera’s view.
Yudof delivered his prepared spiel about what the University sanctions will be against the basketball program, then opened up for questions.
MSC only aired about 10 questions, including one about the future of some of the administration. None of those questions were answered by Dienhart or Boston.
The problem here is that those two are the ones that have all the explaining to do. Yudof is confident that the NCAA will find instances of academic fraud, but has not made any decisions about the future of some of the administration.
When the NCAA concludes its findings in early November, no doubt Yudof’s little “hunch” will be right, and that’s when the heads should start rolling.
Dienhart: gone.
Boston: gone.
When asked about his job status, Boston said, “As far as I know it looks pretty good, unless you know something I don’t know.
“I intend to be here for awhile. Maybe somebody else has some other notion, but that’s not mine.”
If all goes according to what’s expected, Yudof better have that other notion about Boston and Dienhart.
Of course Boston isn’t going to say he expects to lose his job, but deep down both he and Dienhart have to be worried about their futures at the University.
Programs that pull purposeful and calculated stunts have to start at the top.
Most likely, Boston and Dienhart knew what was going on. If that’s true, they turned the other cheek. And don’t tell me that’s not grounds for dismissal.
Or, they really had no idea what Clem and co. were doing, in which case the two had no control or knowledge of what was going on in their program.
Sorry fellas, ignorance is not bliss.
But Yudof isn’t out of the doghouse either.
Said Yudof, “First, the University will impose a one-year ban on post season play, including the NIT and the NCAA tournament … these actions demonstrate that we understand the gravity of the academic misconduct allegations while allowing the team to begin the process of rebuilding for the future.”
A one-year postseason ban? Let’s get real, Markie. We all know that universities lay down their own law in hopes that the NCAA will see this and lessen their sentences. A one-year ban on the postseason for this year’s team is like hunting with Ray Charles.
Something about it just doesn’t seem right.
“As of today, we will be placing the men’s basketball program on NCAA probation for an unspecified period of time,” Yudof said. “This probation will include a heightened level of reporting, such as periodic self-studies and compliance checks to the NCAA.”
Oh, the iron hand of Mark Yudof. Shouldn’t this be done on a regular basis for all NCAA athletics? Where is the punishment in that? And why, apparently, was the mood around the team so shocked by what Yudof said? What did they think was going to happen?
Yudof’s hiring of Monson as the new basketball coach is a step in the right direction for the program, but the NCAA had better do some hangings at the University. As common as fraud is around college sports, it should stop coming across as something more or less acceptable.
And the ball stops here. No doubt some scholarships will be taken away. But the NCAA should be laughing at Yudof’s punishment.
No doubt this year’s and future Minnesota players are on the losing end of court, and they can thank those former players and the big brothers supposedly watching over them.

Mark Heller covers women’s soccer and welcomes comments at [email protected].