Dobelle defends UH

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

UH President Evan Dobelle, left, gave AD Herman Frazier a vote of confidence. Advertiser library photo • June 21, 2002

In a span of six months, Hawai'i has been hit with three significant rules violations, two involving the certification of its football players for postseason play and one involving the use of an ineligible player in men's volleyball.

The infractions led to $10,000 in total fines, a one-game suspension of its Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback and the forfeiture of the 2002 NCAA men's volleyball title.

Dobelle acknowledged it was the first time an athletic department under his command has been hit with such a rush of significant penalties, but added the department still remains in relatively good standing.

"Nobody suspended us from postseason play, nobody gave us the death penalty here, no one has suspended our scholarships (during my tenure)," said Dobelle, who is overseeing his first Division I-A athletic program after serving as president at three other colleges. "Our program is pretty strong. I'm pretty confident of our coaches and our athletic director."

NCAA penalty too harsh

Dobelle defended Frazier amid the volleyball infraction, saying "it has nothing to do with Herman Frazier," and noted that the enrollment of the accused volleyball player occurred before Frazier became UH athletic director on Aug. 1, 2002.

Dobelle also deemed the NCAA's punishment of stripping UH of the national volleyball championship as too harsh.

"Does this judgment meet the fairness rule and common sense rule?" Dobelle said. "I don't think it does and we're going to appeal it. What the result will be, we'll see."

Had the accused player told UH officials before enrolling in 1999 that he didn't receive any compensation but "played for a professional team in Europe," the ensuing penalty would have caused the player to sit out several matches, Dobelle said.

Dobelle said he didn't know if UH's appeal would be successful, but added, "the best result is we win the national championship next year to show that we have a significant team."

Run of sanctions

The sanctions began March 23 when the Western Athletic Conference Board of Directors fined UH $5,000 and issued a public reprimand after the school failed to certify its roster for the 2002 Hawai'i Bowl or seek a waiver.

On Aug. 21, the NCAA ordered quarterback Tim Chang to sit out the season opener for appearing in the Hawai'i Bowl while academically ineligible.

On Sept. 5, the NCAA fined UH $5,000 and stripped the 2002 men's volleyball title after determining All-American Costas Theocharidis played while ineligible.

Dobelle called the certification system for the football team a complex issue because it was "almost impossible" to certify players between the end of fall classes on Dec. 20 and the Dec. 25 Hawai'i Bowl.

Besides Chang, Dobelle said he didn't know if other players competed in the bowl game while ineligible. On the missed certification, Dobelle said the university will "not make that oversight again."

"I think it was innocent," Dobelle said. "And therefore, the bottom line was that Timmy sat out one game. In the world of fairness, that seems fair, it sort of meets my common sense test."

NCAA rules questioned

Dobelle also questioned the NCAA rule on amateurism as it pertains to foreign athletes who often have no access to amateur leagues in their home countries. He said the rule inadvertently denies some foreign athletes access to higher education and athletics.

"If you grow up in Europe, Eastern Europe or South America and there are no college teams, and you're 16-, 17-, 18-years old ... if the only way you can find a way to compete at the highest level is to play for a professional team, but you're not compensated for it, (but) they pay your travel expenses, is that a determinate that doesn't allow you to compete in American college athletics?" Dobelle said. "I think the NCAA has to take a look at that."

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458