Shark Attack: Jerry Tarkanian and His Battle With the Ncaa and Unlv
Jerry Tarkanian, the head coach of the men's basketball program at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, is one of the most controversial coaches in college basketball. Tarkanian's reputation for giving academically borderline players a second chance (and then winning championships with them) is one reason for his decade long struggle with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the governing agency for collegiate sports. The NCAA has a history of selective enforcement of their rules and has actively pursued Tarkanian, who is one of their most outspoken critics. While Yaeger is overly supportive of Tarkanian, he makes a strong case for the NCAA having too much unrestrained authority. He also criticizes the NCAA's habit of basing their investigations on hearsay. This interesting if biased look at a controversial coach will circulate in most sports collections.- J. Sara Paulk, Concord P.L., N.H.Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.