Snyder can land recruits, trouble

Quin Snyder seems to attract off-the-court troubles as readily as he attracts blue-chip recruits to Missouri.

The rise of the school's basketball program to prominence also has brought a marked rise in problems for the school and its youthful coach. The Tigers are in the news as much these days for what they've done wrong as they've been for building a team that's Final Four material.

For every big-time big body who signs a national letter of intent, there's an accompanying brush fire to divert attention. All of the commotion hasn't yet threatened Snyder's job security, and may never, given athletic director Mike Alden's recent glowing recommendation.

Earlier this week, Alden said he had an "unbelievable amount of confidence" in Snyder, who has put Missouri back on the big-time college basketball map with four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including a run to the final eight two years ago.

Clean reputation damaged

But at the very least, the reputation of the once squeaky-clean Duke University product and former Mike Krzyzewski protege has been tarnished.

In the case of Ricky Clemons, the school has had to deal with a full-fledged bonfire. The latest revelation: The FBI has gathered more than two dozen hours of recorded jailhouse phone conversations while Clemons serves a 60-day sentence after pleading guilty to false imprisonment of his former girlfriend.

The news prompts all sorts of speculation. Why would the FBI care about a college point guard? The possibilities to ponder are all unsavory.

On and on it goes.

The NCAA is separately investigating allegations made by the former girlfriend, Jessica Bunge, that Clemons received cash and clothing and cheated on exams while playing for Missouri.

Snyder also has acknowledged that he gave Clemons unauthorized promotional clothing.

The recruitment of Clemons and Uche Okafor from the College of Southern Idaho also is receiving scrutiny. Clemons magically earned 24 credit hours in three states the summer before he enrolled at Missouri.

In April the school self-reported possible NCAA violations in the recruiting of Jason Conley, who transferred from Virginia Military Institute.

That's only this year's dossier.

Arthur Johnson and Rickey Paulding are both big success stories, making the United States Pan American Games team this summer and preparing for possible NBA careers heading into their senior season. But back in 1999, before Snyder's first season, the Detroit recruits were required to repay the university for flights their mothers took on an airplane chartered by the university.

All of the missteps haven't hurt Snyder yet. The commitments keep coming despite the negative publicity, and Snyder served as an assistant coach at the Pan American Games.

Clemons, who has been kicked out of school, won't be missed for his undisciplined demeanor both on and off the court.

The school points out that Snyder is far from alone in skirting the rules. Illinois self-reported 20 secondary or minor violations by former coach Bill Self, errors that didn't keep Kansas from hiring him.

Spinning the negative publicity, Self said the fact there were so many violations at Illinois speaks to the strength of the compliance program there, and not any lack of institutional control.

"Everybody commits secondary violations," Self said last month. "Everybody."

That certainly seems to include Missouri.