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Gib Arnold, former University of Hawaii men’s basketball coach, at his home in Kailua in Oct. 2014. (Star-Advertiser file)
• ‘We got crushed’: NCAA hands down sanctions against UH
Despite a suspension by the NCAA, former University of Hawaii men’s basketball coach Gib Arnold is “very pleased” with the outcome of the case, his attorney, James Bickerton, said today.
“Gib is very pleased. He always knew that the program faced some violations findings but he was adamant that he had not made any Level I violations, and now he has been vindicated,” Bickerton said.
UH has not yet commented on the case, which will include a reduction in scholarships and a ban on post-season play for the 2016-17 season.
The NCAA classified it as a Level II case, downgrading three of the Level I violations. Levels I and II are the most severe of the four categories.
Bickerton said, “It is important to realize that we got no help at all from the university which actually pleaded guilty to Level I. I think if the university had simply stood shoulder to shoulder with us and down some investigation that we could have done even better than we did.”
In addition, Bickerton said, “The university wouldn’t turn over critical phone records and emails that would have damaged the credibility of some of the accusing witnesses. They didn’t interview key witnesses. They never took a statement from Benji Taylor.
“I think with the institution basically laying down on the charges it made it harder for us to defeat them. But we were still able to defeat the Level I charges. We could have done better with their help.
“I forget who used to say it, but there’s a saying in Hawaii, ‘cool head main thing,’ and I just wish the university brought a little bit more of that to the situation. They were like Chicken Little.
“The NCAA found that the compliance department mishandled matters and did not do its job and that contributed to the problems substantially.”
Bickerton said, “I think that the committee a fair job on this case. We still don’t really agree with all the findings but that often happens in a case that you have your own view of the evidence. I think they acted in good faith and did their best.
“We’d like to see no sanction at all (against Gib) but I think (under) the circumstances that is a result Gib can live with. Basically what they found is that there were violations, but the lack of action by the compliance office put the team in a difficult spot and put Coach Arnold in a tough situation that led to the violations piling up. That, I think, is mitigating to him and the panel understood that.”
Just go away Gib.
Completely agree. He trashed the program and his name is tarnished in Hawaii
UH should have waited and then terminated with cause.
agree. Gibby is finished in coaching and was terribly overpaid at the UH. I would nail him to the wall. There is no reason to be pleased with serious sanctions and national embarrassment to the UH which has had more than its share of embarrassment.
Listening to what his attorney Bickerton had to say, I would never hire that guy, he has no moral values. He and Gib feel 2 years of no post season and the lost of 2 scholarships for 2 years is a minor violation? If I were the players on the team I would be pissed and Gib and his attorney are absolutely overjoyed. They don’t give a s*** about the players. But as it went on I could tell what kind of person he is and his children and grandchildren will have to live with that legacy forever. And for the University what a shame that they fired him for no cause, who are their attorneys? What a joke.
He got $700k for his client and fellow cult member. That’s good work.
Let’s hope we’re done with this cult – and especially with their lack of integrity.
Maybe good for Gib but he’s come close to destroying the program. His selfish statement shows little concern for the penalties imposed upon UH. The loss of scholarships, the post season ban and possibility that current players will transfer will make it very difficult over the next 3 years.
I know it has only been a very short time, but it seems like Ganot is the type of person and has the right character to get us out of this mess that both Gib and the UH administration (and legal “experts”)got us into.
Gib has become one of those infamous UH names that causes stomach issues just hearing it. He’s all good with it…smh
Spin if good Fib you always were a liar and you always will be. Good luck to you selling used cars with Benjy.
WHO hired Gib in the 1st place ?? UH, that’s who !! Now, the school pays the price for not doing due diligence on Gib, PRIOR to his hiring !!! Gee, Greg McMackin, the Head of the UH Med school, previous UH Presidents, Norm Chow ??? So shoot the messenger ?? How about firing Bley-Vroman and ALL the Regents for too closely resembling the 3 Stooges ???
Doodoo rolls downhill
Not unless it’s thrown like what Gib has done to the people of Hawaii while laughing all the way to the bank.
I agree – UH leadership is a joke. They all ran from the fire rather trying to see how they can help to put it out. What a bunch of panties!!
No, they knew an infraction was committed and they quickly made the decision to cut out the source of the problem – Arnold. If they stuck with Gib then they may have suffered more penalties trying to support someone who violated rules.
Agree. But I’m amazed that he has the balls to say how pleasantly please he is with what the basketball team is getting hit with. No remorse, hope he has body guards with him.
So he’s very pleased that UH basketball got screwed? Vindicated? Does it really matter whether it was level 1, 2 , or 1000 violation when the outcome is UH being screwed? Where is this guy coming from? Oh…I know, the great ethical swampland that’s based in Utah.
What irony in this situation. When Gib was hired, he said that he was going to redeem the family name in relationship to Hawaii basketball. Instead, he further damaged it, and perhaps destroyed it. He will now be remembered as corrupt and bad for the program. I hope he never coaches college basketball ever again. Thank you Gib for hurting Hawaii basketball.
In contrast to what Gib & his attorney are saying, this posting from the NCAA media relations dept. indicates that Gib was greatly at fault:
http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/former-hawaii-head-men-s-basketball-coach-violated-ncaa-ethical-conduct-rules?sf17533137=1
Thanks for the post. Geez, what planet are Gib and his attorney living on? Oh, I know, Uranus. They sure are spinning things to save Uranus.
No, the Mormon Temple.
Excellent link, everyone INCLUDING the SA writers need to read the NCAA response carefully and post it verbatim in the SA. It was very clear, concise, OBJECTIVE or what Arnold and others did, including the lying to investigators to try to cover up the infractions, which is what the committee really hammered UH and subsequent punishment handed out to UH. At the end they gave the names of the committee members made up of administrators of various universities on the mainland who had no ax to grind with UH or Arnold. That should have been the lead story NOT comments from Arnold’s lawyers. The NCAA report only validated UH could have fired Arnold for cause which would have stood up in court. No need to fire him without cause and then have to pay him off;
Did he at least apologize for what happened to the program under his watch? I guess he is only sorry for the 1.4m he didn’t get. Poster boy for the “I, me, myself” .
What a clown!
they all are…
Been commenting all along – compliance officer was at fault, instead of doing their job and helping the program comply – their attitude was to find fault and give tickets!
And wasn’t Amanda Peterson, the Compliance Officer promoted last week to Assistant AD where she will continue to head compliance? Yikes!!!!!
Peter principle at work – rise to your level of incompetence, except for the Public Sector, it’s rise well beyond your level of incompetence.
I think it is in poor taste and quite selfish that he come out now with his comments. He can ride off into the sunset living quite comfortably while in the wake of his mess the program is left to pick up the pieces. All those still in the program had nothing to do with this mess but they have to live with the consequences.
What a first class JERK you are Gib. How about the players you recruited, no feelings for them? Just about yourself – how selfish. A real JERK! Don’t ever come back here – you’re not welcome.
So ends another chapter in the feckless UH administration’s history. Between the bumbling athletic department and the top-heavy yet clueless administration since the days of that Evan Dumbell fella, this has become a regular feature of the tragi-comedy that we used to call our state university.
Congratulations once again to Jim Bickerton for pulling back the curtain on the monkey works that charade themselves as our institute of higher learning.
I don’t agree with what Hib and his attorney are saying but if the leadership at UH existed it would have been a better outcome at least for the players and the school. But due to the lack of leadership and all involved wanting to cover their arses to keep their jobs, we got what we got.
Well Gib? What a zero you are! Hawaii no knows who you really are ! Your children are soooooo lucky to have a father like you ! You Jerk !
Wow. I’m missing how the harsh NCAA “vindicates” Gib. Sure looks like the basketball program took the hit, while he skated under the radar for being fired “without cause.” This is SO harsh on all the players, who had NOTHING to do with any of the above, but will pay the price.
Part wrong is still WRONG Gib you dummy!
Hope Arnold don’t come back to the islands again.
Pretty harsh penalty for a self reported incident. I wonder what kind of non penalty would have happened if this were Duke or Syracuse?
Agreed. Arnold got UH into this mess. level 2 versus level 1, they are still violations and UH will have to pay for Gib’s mistakes. Vindication? I seriously doubt it, it is more of a confirmation that Gib broke the rules and now UH will have to pay for it. UH was smart to get rid of him and cut ties, UH knew that Gib was wrong and took action to admit guilt and make sure it didn’t get any worse. Gib can now get his big paycheck while UH has to suffer for his mistakes.
Gib is the ultimate loser, and everyone I talk to said he’s the worse coach ever in U.H. Basketball History, the Father also had to resign before he got fired. No morals and ethics. To be happy means he don’t care about the kids, just acted like he did. Gib Arnold = LOSER.
What a loser. Gib Arnold has no credibility and who pays? Young athletes. What a selfish pitiful excuse for a coach. Good riddance. Stay away.
Another “Arnold” did us in, with help from inept UH administrators and BORs. UH continually shoots itself in the foot and asks the Hawaii people and government to bail them out(Won’t Appen, June Jones, HERM Frazier, Big Mac, Glib Arnold, Chow Time). When will this madness end?
like father, like son. they both messed uh up!!!!!
Yup. Must be genetic. I foresee him selling used cars in the future.
Why? He already made millions off UH stupidity, especially by Ben Jay and Apple.
So.. Does anyone know what Gib did? I can read he’s guilty of some level II NCAA stuff, but what did he actually do, minus the lawyer speak? Did he lie and cover up the Fotu stuff? Did he tell his players to lie? I wanna know the stuff you would hear at a bar, not this lawyer crap. I’ve been hearing stuff for two years now. What’s the truth? Please help. Mahalo.
Please, no more Punahou alumn as coaches at UH.
he is very pleased as he was successful in having uh crushed.
Gib, the University is held to a higher standard; institutions of higher education always have been. And, you were supposed to uphold those standards too.
Gib Armold is an _$$. All this happened while he was in charge and “on his watch”. I hope he’s happy. Does he still live in Hawaii?
He’s very pleased?? From what I hear, he’s an a-hole to the max and hope he never coaches again. But, he’s not totally at fault as the UH administration once again proves what an inept organization it is. I’m glad Gov. Ige did not give them anything. Hope this is a wakeup call for UH to get their act together and tighten up and enforce policies.
UH should have listened and heeded Riley Wallace’s warnings and objections to hiring Frank Arnold’s son, Gib.
Yes,Riley wanted a smart young coach from a program like St.Mary to begin with. There were too many “behind the scene” power players connected with a certain affiliation that pushed for Gib (also stormin’ Norm). Also, and I know lot of you don’t want to hear this, this is one reason why Shoji is untouchable (although his record merits him having the power)and why Shoji gets away with showing certain players preferential treatment.