MSHSAA's case vs. Scott Central seems to have reasonable doubt

To any objective outsider, the Bell City-Scott County Central boys basketball dispute is a tough nut to crack.

If you talk to people with knowledge of the case, which went before the Missouri State High School Activities Association board of directors and resulted in the suspension of basketball coach David Heeb for much of next year, and you're confronted with a thicket of private relationships and personal acrimony that's all knotted up with the long history and proximity of the two schools.

But get beyond the emotion, the personal agendas, and much of the history -- although interesting but largely irrelevant to the facts of the case -- and what are you left with? For the past few weeks, I've interviewed people both on and off the record, read the reports and the evidence, and tried to put it all in perspective.

There are things that we know about this case and a few things we do not.

Actions vs. intent

Scott Central officials will talk about the lack of a smoking gun in this case. That is, none of the four students with whom Heeb, the former Bell City coach, allegedly discussed the possibility of transferring schools actually did.

Officials from MSHSAA and Bell City, which filed the written complaint, point out it's not the action that matters -- it's intent. They're right. Regardless of what action the students took, if they can prove the coach had the discussions, he's wrong.

Advantage: MSHSAA

Motivation

But the question should be asked: Of all the students at Bell City, why these four?

"Two of the kids I kicked off the team when I was over there. They don't like me," Heeb said.

It's here the Scott Central case gets stronger. Why would a coach want to go out of his way to bring in two players he had previously kicked off his team? Scott Central superintendent Joby Holland brings up another point regarding all four players: "What are we going to offer them? Playing time to a group of kids that averaged 1.2 points a game?"

I've read the summary report of the MSHSAA Investigative Committee. Nowhere is the question of motivation addressed.

It should be.

Advantage: Scott Central

The evidence

Bell City provided to MSHSAA letters written by the four students and a parent, and details of alleged discussions that took place between Heeb and various people connected with Bell City schools.

Here is one of the letters (The first sentence, which contains the student's name, is withheld.):

"David Heeb has said to me that you should come to Scott Central so we can win a state championship and how Bell City isn't going to go to state. Scott Central is the best place to play to win the state championship."

That's it. The printed letter is not signed. The other three letters carry on in the same vein.

The names of three of the four students who wrote letters appear in the investigative committee summary report. One does not.

Scott Central claims this student backs up their side of the story. "This same kid, after ball season was over, sends me a graduation announcement," Heeb said, showing me a photocopy of the announcement and the envelope.

According to Heeb, the player told him, "Coach, you didn't recruit me. They just lied because they hate you."

Was this student interviewed? If not, why not? If so, why was his statement left out of the report?

There are few, if any, eyewitnesses to any of these alleged conversations. A parent of a Bell City student who was interviewed by MSHSAA officials claimed another parent as a witness to a conversation with Heeb.

Scott Central pointed out his timeline doesn't make sense. The alleged conversation in March of 2005 was prior to the coaching vacancy at Scott County.

SCC officials also produced documentation and a letter from the son of the parent that call into question the veracity of his statement. "Coach Heeb would never ask my dad to move to SCC," wrote the son.

MSHSAA's investigation produced a quantity of evidence. I'm not convinced of the quality of all the evidence.

Advantage: Scott Central, although it should be pointed out that the investigative committee report does not contain conversations or witness testimony from MSHSAA's closed door meetings.

Bottom line

There are two very different ways of looking at this situation.

There are the rumors, whispers and innuendo that grew up around Heeb during his time at Bell City. There is a sizeable chunk of sports fans that want to convict Heeb for alleged activities that took place while leading the Cubs to two state titles.

But that's not what this case is about.

It's about the alleged activities of Heeb during the time frame of when he decided to go to Scott Central last spring and before school started last fall.

It's about the statements of four students -- three of whom already live in the Scott Central school district -- and their claims of alleged recruiting and undue influence.

Is this case convincing beyond a reasonable doubt? My answer would have to be no.