Tech AD Radakovich still has a job; for that, he’s a lucky man
Demaryius Thomas holds a list, but you'll note it's not a list of infractions. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
The strongest sanction in the NCAA arsenal — and we should stipulate this was one sanction not levied against Georgia Tech — is the “show-cause” penalty. When a coach is found to have committed egregious violations (two examples: Dave Bliss and Kelvin Sampson), he’s banned for a number of years and any member institution seeking to hire him during that span must convince the NCAA it has good reason.
I mention this because I’ve been thinking: If the NCAA said, “We want you, M. Bradley, to show cause as to why Dan Radakovich should remain athletic director at Tech,” I’m not sure I could.
This isn’t easy for me to say. I like Radakovich. Until Thursday, I rated him among the brightest stars in his industry. But the department Radakovich heads turned what should have been a one-week tempest into a 20-month ordeal that has yielded four years’ probation, a $100,000 fine and a vacated ACC title.
Even the NCAA sounded a note of incredulity. From its press release: “The university’s failure to cooperate and meet the obligations of membership compounded the seriousness of the case by adding onto what was originally an isolated instance of impermissible benefits and preferential treatment.”
As late as this spring, Tech still believed this case could amount to no more than a secondary violation. This tells us Tech had no idea what was happening, which is a dire indictment. Radakovich has been in this job since 2006 and has spent all but four years of his adult life working for NCAA institutions. This is the man who should have been steering, not asking, “Which way looks good to y’all?”
It’s clear he got bad advice, but Radakovich was (and remains) the guy in charge. He gets paid to safeguard his athletic association. Given that Radakovich had fired coaches Chan Gailey and Paul Hewitt despite the onerous contracts negotiated by predecessor Dave Braine, this AD seemed capable of acing any test. He flunked this final.
In a 25-minute phone conversation Friday, Radakovich was asked if he felt he’d let Tech down. His response: “The circumstances around this have caused a lot of consternation, not only with me, but within the department. I take this very seriously. I know there was no intent to hinder the investigation, but the NCAA enforcement committee doesn’t see it that way. That’s a blow to my integrity.”
If you read the committee on infractions’ 26-page report, you’ll have a hard time grasping how a case that began with the NCAA checking on a football player’s cellphone and his use of complimentary tickets could lead to such heavy penalties because a different player was found to have accepted $312 of clothing. (FYI, most of the clothing given to Demaryius Thomas was never worn and is housed in a cabinet at Tech.) From Point A to Point H to Point W?
Conceded Radakovich: “It’s not cut and dried. It’s not as simple as some cases.”
I get that part. What I also get is that the NCAA got ticked at Tech — not just at former Institute counsel Randy Nordin and what it called his “obstructionist reproach,” but also with the AD.
Said Radakovich: “I don’t personally think I angered the NCAA. I think the NCAA and this particular investigator were miffed when I did not follow his instruction to our compliance director.”
Radakovich told football coach Paul Johnson what was coming. Investigator Marcus Wilson had asked that Radakovich not say anything. Said Radakovich: [The NCAA believed] this action impeded their investigation. We maintain that it did not.”
Then: “This [don't-say-anything order] may have come up a hundred times [in other cases], but it certainly wasn’t highlighted. It goes back to how the individual investigator chooses to handle it. It is procedural.”
And that’s Tech’s defense: That its error was procedural, as opposed to conspiratorial. Said Radakovich: “There was no clandestine meeting, no conspiracy to pull together a story. That stuff didn’t happen.”
Why did he tell Johnson? “I was going off previous experience I’d had … I did it consciously.” Then: “I need to have a relationship with coaches. That’s important in being able to run a department. What would my relationship [with Johnson] have been like if I hadn’t said anything? That’s the part that gets lost.”
The NCAA made hay of Tech’s failure to comply with its request. The committee on infractions noted that, because it lacks subpoena power, “the successful adjudication of infractions cases is heavily dependent on the good faith efforts and, most importantly, the full and complete cooperation of member institutions and other involved parties under investigation by the enforcement staff. ”
Translated: We might not be able to make an agent come testify, but if you work at one of our institutions you’d better do as we say.
Said Radakovich: “We didn’t do — Georgia Tech didn’t do — some things very well.”
That doesn’t quite go far enough. This was a howling case of mismanagement — “A cautionary tale of conduct that member institutions should avoid,” the NCAA deemed it — from a school that has, of all things, a college of management.
Asked if he had offered his resignation to Tech president Bud Peterson, Radakovich said: “No, I did not. Was not asked and didn’t offer.”
Then: “The lesson learned from all of this is that when you get that inquiry, the initial phone call is to bring in someone like a Chuck Smrt [a former NCAA investigator who now counsels those being investigated and who was retained by Tech] … someone who is skilled in that kind of forum. You need a different set of eyes. As good as any university attorney is, this is not their forte.”
In 2006 a Tech coach said, “If Tech people understand anything, it’s business.” The next day Gailey’s team lost the ACC title to Wake Forest in the worst game ever played. Fifty-one weeks later, Radakovich fired Gailey. Two years after that, a different Tech coach won the conference title. This week the crowning achievement of this AD’s most notable hire was forfeited because the AD and his department didn’t follow procedure.
I’m not a Tech grad, but I wouldn’t call that good business. I’d say it’s close to being a firing offense.
By Mark Bradley
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291 comments Add your comment
T3
July 15th, 2011
2:15 pm
Need some clarification.
Did the NCAA find Demarious Thomas and/or Morgan Burnett…ELIGIBLE or INELIGIBLE
to have played in the 3 games in question?????
Lindsey Snot
July 15th, 2011
2:21 pm
This is an absolute joke! The real deal is that some snot-nose nccaa dude got his feelings hurt because Radakovich didn’t play step-and-fetchit fast enough. Politics, plain and simple. There’s nothing to see here. You want something to complain about? Two words – Cam Newton.
Eric
July 15th, 2011
2:21 pm
REPEAT OFFENDERS – that’s why the punishment is harse
DawginLex
July 15th, 2011
2:24 pm
I can see why he felt the need to tell his head football coach. This comes out later and he hadn’t said anything to Johnson and their relationship is done.
Mistake was not holding the kid out. Hold the kid out and telling the coach becomes WAY less of an issue to the NCAA.
I am really surprised he is still employed as AD though.
His job is to keep GT OUT of this kind of mess and the way he handled it got them in it.
teamguy
July 15th, 2011
2:25 pm
Tech needs to leave the cheating to folks who are good at it. . .no wonder they had to leave the SEC. . .if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’!
ASG = JERKS
July 15th, 2011
2:26 pm
Team Goals
9.) Cheat
10.) Lose to UGA
Tifton Jacket
July 15th, 2011
2:26 pm
Mark
In comments I have read by yourself and Schultz it appears that you guys are calling into questions Dan’s ethics and integrity. I agree that he used bad judgement but you guys are saying he spoke with Paul with intent to tamper with the investigation. That’s a direct attack of Dan as a person and his moral character not his decision making. From Dan’s comments, it seems he was unclear of his ability to talk with coach unless you think he is lying about that.
And while we all agree that coaches (assistants included), boosters, agents, etc often take action to cover things, you will be hard pressed to find more than a few ADs and Presidents of universities that knowingly seek to mislead the NCAA there is too much at risk beyond just football. So it seems to me that while its fair to question some of the judgement decisions Dan made when you start attacking a man’s integrity you better had come with facts that you seem to be lacking.
From what I read, the NCAA is decided to call this situation a major infraction because: a) Dan told Paul about the impemending interview (bad judgement) and b) the NCAA didn’t like how Tech cleared the players to participate in the last three games (seems like a peeing match between the school and the NCAA) 3) our legal counsel was not prepared (judgement not a character issue)
My question is why didn’t the NCAA go back to Tech after Thomas and Burnett played in the UGA game and demand we sit them out for the ACC Championship and the Bowl game (which occured almost two month after the incident)? If the eligibility was still in question, why didn’t the NCAA push back after the first game. It speaks that the NCAA knew they didn’t have the proof to hold these guys out of competition. They let this occur for another two games and then they make a stink about 20 months later. This seems like the NCAA wanting to dole out punishment. Plus all three games were on national TV so it wasn’t hard to find out they were playing. Why not ask that question of the NCAA? Where are the hard questions to the NCAA?
So as a Tech graduate and fan, I would appreciate you and your paper withholding comments that challenge a man’s ethics unless you have more facts that he knowingly lied and tried to cover this up. You can question his judgement but I think you and Jeff are stretching things by stating Dan took action in an attempt to withhold information. To me that is the thing which insulted and angered both Dr. Peterson and Dan yesterday. The fact that the NCAA publicly tried to humiliate the AD and President of the school by saying their actions were not of the highest integrity. I look forward to watching the appeals process.
DawginLex
July 15th, 2011
2:26 pm
I still believe the NCAA practices selective enforcement.
Worm
July 15th, 2011
2:27 pm
The arrogance of their former players is absolutely amazing..Gentlemen, Those rings NOW have no meaning or revelance..It’s like a FAKE diamond..It you contimue to wear them, then you’re a bogus imposter..I’m sure over time you’ll do the right thing and turn them over to the NCAA…Isn’t it an “improper benefit” to be sporting a ring that has been “RECALLED” by the NCAA.
Jake
July 15th, 2011
2:28 pm
I agree with WreckBuzz. It’s another example of NCAA arrogance — demanding unquestioning obedience. But who in their right mind would give unquestioned obedience to an organization that reeks of hypocrisy and incompetence?
Worm
July 15th, 2011
2:29 pm
whoops, meant relevance.
Greg
July 15th, 2011
2:29 pm
I don’t understand how Drad compromises his relationship with CPJ by saying nothing. Of course CPJ will catch wind of the investigation and ask about it, and DRad tells him “NCAA procedures prevented me from alerting you, I’m sure you understand”. CPJ is a reasonable man, and that’s the end of it. That rings incredibly hollow.
Sonny Clusters
July 15th, 2011
2:35 pm
Any school that builds its library that close to a tunnel is asking for trouble. We think the AD should be left standing out by Grant Field late at night with an i-Phone and a Macbook Pro clearly visible. See how he comes out. If he makes it we say forgive and forget.
MDubTheWiz
July 15th, 2011
2:37 pm
How Radakovich still has his job after this is beyond me. He must have pictures of the Tech President in a compromising position.
Hal
July 15th, 2011
2:40 pm
If there is no smoke there can’t be a fire. That’s how people like Tech get upset and ask people from the NCAA to take a hike. The question is how did four friends in a room chillen out make it to the front Desk of the NCAA Infractions Committe so quickly. Who turned them in and for what?
Harold Banks
July 15th, 2011
2:41 pm
This is a very harsh penalty for $312.00!!!! I’m not a Tech fan but DAMN!!!!!! I guess USC, UNC, Oregon and others should be very nervous about any allegations. 4 years probation for $312.00!!!!! I guess Tech is in the same league with the other big boys who broke some kind of rule to be stripped and probated.
Sir Barks A Lot
July 15th, 2011
2:47 pm
Agree with Dawginlex – the NCAA is selective and is a huge part of the problem.
GT should have received a secondary slap of the wrist.
The real issue is timing – and the timing of all this was bad for GT.
1. The NCAA has to appear tough and in control now that the OHIO STATE fiasco has happened.
2. The Fiesta Bowl mess – has the NCAA looking like chumps.
So now what happens – the NCAA is now making mountains out of mole hills in order yield power and manage by intimidation.
Tech’s AD had the right to tell CPJ – even if the NCAA did not want him to.
This is complete BS.
It will be interesting to see how consistent the NCAA will be with it’s sanctions against OHIO STATE as compared to GT.
tim
July 15th, 2011
2:48 pm
Lyinkovich pants are on fire and his nose is growing………
Buzz 2011
July 15th, 2011
2:49 pm
Quite “colorful” comments from the Dogs in reference to a ” nothing incident at GT..
What a joke!!!! You have recently been embarrassed with an AJ ” Green” and Let’s
a Michael ” red panty” Adams.. Adams was the AD, right? Get back in you dog house
with UGAS and sleep…..By the way we beat Clemson two or three times to win 2009
ACC championship and won it.. It will not go away..
techfan
July 15th, 2011
2:49 pm
Greg, you summed up what I was going to say pretty well. DRad intentionally went against the requests by the NCAA because of his relationship with CPJ. That kinda doesn’t make any sense. He could have also told CPJ not to talk to the players, which apparently he didn’t do. I’m with Mark on this one. DRad should feel lucky he still has a job right now. You could argue that him alone costs us an ACC championship, although I still feel the punishment was way over the top and would never happen to a bigger school.
Saban
July 15th, 2011
2:52 pm
Once Georgia loses to Boise State 66 to 0 the dawgs will have something else to worry about.
DC
July 15th, 2011
2:52 pm
Worm,
Give me a break…arrogance…really? arrogance?…
gt4ever
July 15th, 2011
2:55 pm
Bradley, YOU are a COMPLETE IDIOT! Good Grief. Does the AJC have anybody worth a DAMN as a journalist…
Saban
July 15th, 2011
3:01 pm
Yo quiero hombres.
Auburn 28 – Alabama 27. I am still in tremendous agony. Get me some whiskey for I still can’t get over that Camback. Up 24-0, and we lost at home. Maybe I am not as good a coach as I thought.
Yo quiero hombres.
George O'
July 15th, 2011
3:03 pm
Been caught cheating? Funny how non important this program is to rest of college football these days. SAD just SAD I tell ya. Maybe the old compliance guy can expose the cheating that takes place in AU now.
404
July 15th, 2011
3:04 pm
Folks, its AJC.
Its the friggin UGA School of Liberalism (oops) I mean Journalism over there.
George O'
July 15th, 2011
3:06 pm
BTW, FSU is BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
George Stein
July 15th, 2011
3:09 pm
Did I get blocked and, if so, why?
Buzzzed
July 15th, 2011
3:09 pm
Dan did okay. NCAA is in rare form.
I guess Ohio St., UNC and Auburn are getting the death penalty.
Party it up!
July 15th, 2011
3:11 pm
when will the tech president fire radokovich?
Matter of Fact
July 15th, 2011
3:11 pm
If you want to fire someone,,,FIRE all of those inept attorneys in the Tech legal section. They are resposible as anyone for this mess!!!
funny....
July 15th, 2011
3:13 pm
Undefeated at home. LOL
How’d that work out for them?
404
July 15th, 2011
3:17 pm
Besides me, any other GT fans happy to pay $312.00
to see Sean Beaford pound Mark Bradley into the pavement ??
jbzm
July 15th, 2011
3:24 pm
How can this guy still have a job? I would have fired him when he agreed to the six million one year roll over conract with Paul Hewett. This guy must be an idiot. Tech is getting what they deserve allowing this caliber employment.
Gordon
July 15th, 2011
3:28 pm
I normally agree with you, Mark, but you are WAY off base on this. To suggest Radakovich should lucky to keep his job over this is absolutely ridiculous. One of the worst things you have ever written.
rduck
July 15th, 2011
3:34 pm
jbzm.. try to know a little bit about something before spouting off. DRAD didn’t give Hewitt the roll over contract. Dave Braine did. Feel free to study up before posting your ignorance…
AGTFan
July 15th, 2011
3:34 pm
I know a bunch of DAWG fans are having fun at Techs expense. Thanks to the few DAWG fans who have noted how arbitrary and capricious the NCAA was in this case. We keep hearing over and over about this one investigator who got his panties in a wad. Makes you wonder about his other investigations. This is prime example of the NCAA’s abuse of power, If and when this happens to UGA, you’ll see the DAWG fans loadin up thier shotguns. I don’t question DRADs integrity. I do question the NCAAs.
juvenal
July 15th, 2011
3:40 pm
Buzz2011 makes a point-how many of the dumbmasses dauugs saying we should fire Drad stuck up for evans? 1st-the nzaa is not the law, taking legal advice to disagree is a business decision-the result of turning collegiate $port$ into a business(Mark-WHERE did this nordin guy go to skule?)2nd, the decisions made by the nzaa are inconsistent enuf to be farcial, which i bet we see in the triad they are still working on….Paul, must respectfully disagree till all facts(you usually like those)are in, perhaps in appeal….got my yellow jump suit ordered, dickies has ‘em…….
Herschel Talker
July 15th, 2011
3:43 pm
jbzm @3:24:
You, sir, are a fool. That was Dave Braine, not Dan Radakovich.
HT
Techmate
July 15th, 2011
3:51 pm
All you little UGA boys, please go back behind your mama’s skirts. You don’t know how to play in the real world. You just pick up gossip like your mama and squeal like little girls. Bye, bye.
Peter
July 15th, 2011
3:56 pm
If it were me I would fire Paul Johnson…not only is he arrogant, he obviously was part of the cover up, and his idea of football is boring, and sucks.
George Stein
July 15th, 2011
3:56 pm
Eh, MB is a UK guy (not mate, though), 404. I have no idea what his political leanings are, and that’s a good thing.
Dan Pearson
July 15th, 2011
3:59 pm
This whole case is bizarre…as I understand it, the only think the AD did “wrong” was to notify his head football coach that the NCAA wanted to come in and talk to a player. As a head coach, I would be pissed if my AD knew this was going to happen and he didn’t notify me. The school launched its own investigation and the NCAA did a unilateral investigation and neither could definitively say the player did anything wrong. To say Tech deliberately “misled” and “impeded” the investigation is a stretch at best. With the crap going on at Auburn, Ohio State and Oregon, this really appears to be nothing more than a witch hunt.
wxwax
July 15th, 2011
4:00 pm
100% correct, mark.
I’m was waiting for someone to write this story. I’m glad you did so.
I like Tech and Radakovich, but this was his blunder all the way down the line. It needed to be pointed out.
(Any discussion about how the NCAA goes about its business is a separate issue. Radakovich needs to get his head around that. It sounds like he’s still in denial.)
George Stein
July 15th, 2011
4:02 pm
Did you bother to read the report, Peter? Johnson comes out looking even better.
As to you other three criticisms, he has every reason to be arrogant and brand of football is awesome. But if you don’t like it, I have great news. Don’t watch.
Mark Bradley for UGA Pres!
July 15th, 2011
4:03 pm
I have always found the sports columns in the AJC fun to read, as a UGA Fan I love reading some of the “Let’s rub it in GT Fans Face” articles Mark Bradley writes humorous! But Mark enough is enough… you clearly are smart enough to know what you incite with your writtings and I suppose that’s great for ratings and showing your superiors you have followers, but even you need to have morals and be fair!
GT and its AD haven’t done anything other than not kiss the NCAA investigator’s Hinnie! This case clearly shows how childish the NCAA is from top to bottom.
from a legal stand point I hope GT appeals and I genuinely hope you Mark Bradley find a better way to sell news rather than perpetuate ignorance.
Coach Hewitt...
July 15th, 2011
4:14 pm
“Dan Pearson …As a head coach, I would be pissed if my AD knew this was going to happen and he didn’t notify me.”
FWIW… CPJ works “FOR” DRad,.. Who GAS if CPJ gets pissed, is DRad scared of him? If the NCAA tells you not to tell the HC, you comply or suffer the consequences…
Delbert D.
July 15th, 2011
4:15 pm
The part that bothers me is that the NCAA demands that the AD must keep the information from anyone else. Is this organization one part inept and three parts Gestapo?
LexJacket
July 15th, 2011
4:17 pm
Dawgs who wear ‘RED’ panties should not throw stones about judgement. What color panties do you Mark??
YellowJacket
July 15th, 2011
4:17 pm
Screw the NCAA and the AJC, don’t give a crap about them. Dan’s not going anywhere