Jerry Tarkanian and the NCAA

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

It seems like the story with Jerrry Tarkanian and his troubles with the NCAA never ends. but it did. or

has it? the NCAA has been looking at his basketball program at Fresno State of late. so you never

know. look below to see how it all unfolded.

The never ending story...

1968 Jerry Tarkanian becomes Long Beach State basketball coach.

October 1972 NCAA announces it will investigate Long Beach State football and basketball.

November 1972 NCAA says it will investigate UNLV football and men's basketball.

March 1973 Tarkanian becomes UNLV basketball coach.

April 1973 Official inquiry listing NCAA rules violations is submitted to Long Beach State. Supplemental allegations are submitted in August, September and November of 1973.

January 1974 Long Beach State placed on three years' probation with penalties that include limitations in television appearances in football and basketball, postseason play in men's basketball and loss of scholarships in football and basketball. Tarkanian denies violations and says findings were made without his participation in the hearing process.

1975 Long Beach State sponsors legislation that would permit the NCAA to take action against coaching staff members involved in violations who subsequently move to another NCAA member institution. The proposal is defeated in January 1976.

February 1976 NCAA submits letter of official inquiry to UNLV, listing allegations of NCAA rules violations, primarily related to men's basketball prior to and during Tarkanian's tenure. A supplemental inquiry is forwarded to the university in June 1976.

November, December 1976 Committee on Infractions conducts three days of hearings regarding allegations against UNLV. The university and Tarkanian deny violating NCAA rules.

March 1977 At Tarkanian's and UNLV's request, Committee on Infractions conducts a special hearing to consider claims that NCAA enforcement staff members lied, created evidence and had a vendetta against Tarkanian. Committee on Infractions finds no grounds for the claims.

September 1977 Following an appeal process, UNLV is placed on two years' probation, including sanctions that limit grants-in-aid in men's basketball and prohibit television appearances and postseason play for two years. In addition, a "show cause" requirement is issued, stipulating that the university take action against former members of the men's basketball coaching staff to disassociate them from involvement in the university's athletics programs and to suspend Tarkanian's involvement in athletics activities for two years.

Tarkanian files lawsuit in Nevada against UNLV to prohibit the institution from suspending him. The judge finds for Tarkanian and permanently enjoins UNLV from carrying out the NCAA's disciplinary action. UNLV appeals the judgment to the Nevada Supreme Court. That court reverses the judgment on the grounds the NCAA was an indispensable party to the lawsuit. Upon remand to the trial court, Tarkanian adds the NCAA to the lawsuit in 1979.

1978 U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations conducts an investigation of the NCAA enforcement program at the urging of Rep. James Santini, R-Nev. The subcommittee report is issued in December 1978, recommending numerous changes to the enforcement procedure. The NCAA adopts many of the recommendations the following year.

August 1979 UNLV is restored to full rights and privileges of NCAA membership after satisfying the penalties imposed by the Committee on Infractions.

June 1984 Following a Nevada State Court trial, Judge Paul Goldman affirms the permanent injunction entered by his fellow judge in 1977, enjoining UNLV and the NCAA from taking action to suspend Tarkanian. UNLV does not appeal the judgment, and the injunction against UNLV remains in effect. The NCAA appeals the judgment against it to the Nevada Supreme Court, which affirms but modifies the injunction's effect. The U.S. Supreme Court finds the NCAA was not engaged in state action and orders the judgment reversed, thereby freeing the NCAA to consider the 1977 "show cause" requirement regarding Tarkanian.

April 1987 UNLV announces the formation of a university committee to investigate alleged NCAA rules violations as a result of newspaper accounts of the recruitment of Lloyd Daniels, a high school prospect from New York.

October 1987 NCAA notifies UNLV it will investigate men's basketball based upon information developed by the university and the Big West Conference.

1989 UNLV requests that the NCAA withhold submitting allegations related to its 1987 investigation until issues related to the order to "show cause" concerning Tarkanian can be resolved.

July 1990 Committee on Infractions accepts UNLV's position that it is barred by the Nevada State Court injunction from suspending Tarkanian and imposes an alternative penalty to resolve the Tarkanian suspension. The Committee announces that UNLV will be banned from postseason play for the 1990-91 season.

August 1990 Committee on Infractions reconsiders action against UNLV based upon agreement by Tarkanian that he voluntarily consider actions against him that otherwise would be contrary to the injunction imposed on UNLV. UNLV and Tarkanian accept an alternative penalty banning men's basketball from television appearances and the NCAA postseason during the 1991-92 season, allowing the Rebels a chance to defend their 1990 national championship.

December 1990 NCAA submits a letter of official inquiry alleging NCAA rules violations in men's basketball related to the 1987 investigation.

April 1991 Nevada Legislature passes a law requiring the NCAA to use defined due process procedures in its investigations. Tarkanian and others urge that the NCAA adhere to the Nevada statute in processing the 1987 case.

November 1991 NCAA sues in federal court in Nevada to have the Nevada due process law declared unconstitutional. Tarkanian files counterclaims alleging tortious behavior by the NCAA. In July 1992, the U.S. District Court finds the Nevada statute unconstitutional and counterclaims are dismissed without prejudice.

March 1992 Tarkanian resigns as UNLV basketball coach.

November 1992 Tarkanian and his wife, Lois, re-file counterclaims as a new lawsuit against the NCAA, Walter Byers, David Berst and Robert Stroup for monetary damages in Nevada District Court. The lawsuit alleges tortious breach of an implied covenant of good faith, tortuous interference with Tarkanian's employment contract, tortious interference with his contractual relations, interference with a prospective economic advantage, breach of fiduciary duty, intentional infliction of emotional distress and fraud.

November 1993 Committee on Infractions accepts the university's summary disposition report related to the 1987 investigation. Penalties imposed on the university include three years' probation and sanctions that prohibit television for non-conference road games for two years, prohibit non-conference home games in 1994-95 and various scholarship and recruiting restrictions.

1993-1995 Discovery takes place in the lawsuit, depositions are taken, and relevant documents are produced. The NCAA moves to dismiss Walter Byers from the case, which is granted. Trial is set for May 1996.

March 1996 NCAA moves for partial summary judgment and a change of venue from Las Vegas due to a supposed inability to obtain an impartial jury.

April 1996 Aforementioned NCAA motions are denied. The change of venue denial is appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court. The appeal stays the trial date. A trial date of May 1997 is set.

May 1997 The Nevada Supreme Court affirms the denial of the NCAA's motion to change venue. A trial date of May 18, 1998, is set.

October 1997 The NCAA files a petition for a writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court claiming the failure of the Nevada Supreme Court to independently evaluate the circumstances underlying the NCAA's motion for change of venue violates the constitutional right to an impartial fact finder.

December 1997 U.S. Supreme Court denies petition for writ of certiorari. NCAA files motion in U.S. District Court in Nevada to enjoin the re-litigation of issues that could have been raised in the 1977 lawsuit. Motion denied.

January 1998 NCAA appeals the denial of the federal injunction motion to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

March 1998 Mediation clerk for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals contacts the parties suggesting mediation of the lawsuit. Discussions with the mediator begin.

April 1, 1998 Case settled.