By Staff
ON STAGE – MSU's Larry Templeton speaks to local Rotary Club members on Monday. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
July 30, 2002
Internet chat rooms could pose perhaps the biggest danger to the athletic programs not only at Mississippi State University, but Ole Miss and the rest of the schools in the Southeastern Conference.
Larry Templeton, the athletic director for Mississippi State, was in Meridian on Monday as the featured speaker for the Noon Mixer for the Meridian Rotary Club at the Howard Johnson hotel. Templeton's visit to Meridian came just one day after a lengthy weekend inquiry with investigators from the NCAA.
The veteran athletic director did state that the review by the NCAA was over what he termed "secondary violations." He also confirmed the NCAA will talk with some Mississippi State student athletes about their recruitment.
Templeton admitted some minor violations were committed.
He then cited a particular violation.
Templeton said the meeting with the NCAA was of a preliminary nature.
When pressed later about the investigation, Templeton became more guarded.
He said he had "no idea" how long the NCAA inquiry would take. He refused comment on the number of athletes that will be interviewed by the NCAA. He then basically summed up the meeting as the NCAA "doing their job."
Later in his address to the Rotarians, Templeton expressed his disdain for the internet chat rooms that have become popular breeding grounds in spreading rumors about cheating in recruiting.
Templeton then said that it is up to the schools to police themselves, not the commissioner. The SEC recently hired former Conference USA Commissioner Mike Slive to replace the retiring Roy Kramer. In a recent Sports Illustrated article, it was stated that Slive has a vast background in dealing with NCAA investigations. His law firm helped represent schools in cases brought by the NCAA.