Bradley University

More important than "Will it play in Peoria?" as it now pertains to Bradley basketball is the question: Will it play in Indianapolis? A half a century has expired since the Peoria-based Braves ventured this deep into the NCAA tournament. Two more wins and Bradley is in the Final Four.

Stan Albeck, who recently has been coaching in the NBA, signed a five-year contract to coach basketball at Bradley University, his alma mater.

Make no mistake about it, Bradley University plays big-time college basketball. The Braves have all the accustomed trappings: A 32-3 record last season, a former NBA head coach on the bench, a junior guard they're grooming for All-American . . . even a real, one-year NCAA probation for recruiting violations. But just in case UC Irvine didn't get the message, Bradley hit the Anteaters over the head with it as the Braves loosened up for Monday night's nonconference game.

The NCAA today banned Bradley University from post-season play and barred its coaches from off-campus recruiting next season because of what the organization deemed improper recruiting and unethical conduct by head basketball Coach Dick Versace. The university, in Peoria, Ill., announced that it would not contest the ruling and that the coach had signed his "final" one-year contract with Bradley before departing on a two-week vacation in Europe.

Stan Albeck walked the campus of Bradley University several weeks ago wondering if he should return as a coach to the school where he was an "awful" basketball player more than 30 years ago. "I couldn't honestly believe that Bradley was thinking about me," Albeck said at a recent news conference called to announce he was replacing Dick Versace, who quit after an NCAA investigation resulted in one-year penalties for the team.

Bradley University was penalized Monday by the NCAA for recruiting violations and unethical conduct by head basketball Coach Dick Versace, who promptly signed a one-year contract that school officials announced will be his last. The NCAA sanctions bar Bradley from competing in postseason play and off-campus recruiting for next season only, although the school officially was placed on probation for two years. No television sanctions were imposed.

Make no mistake about it, Bradley University plays big-time college basketball. The Braves have all the accustomed trappings: A 32-3 record last season, a former NBA head coach on the bench, a junior guard they're grooming for All-American . . . even a real, one-year NCAA probation for recruiting violations. But just in case UC Irvine didn't get the message, Bradley hit the Anteaters over the head with it as the Braves loosened up for Monday night's nonconference game.

Make no mistake about it, Bradley University plays big-time college basketball. The Braves come with all the accustomed trappings: a 32-3 record last season, a former NBA head coach on the bench, a junior guard they're grooming for All-America . . . even a real, one-year NCAA probation for recruiting violations. But just in case UC Irvine didn't get the message, Bradley hit the Anteaters over the head with it as the Braves loosened up for Monday night's nonconference game.

More important than "Will it play in Peoria?" as it now pertains to Bradley basketball is the question: Will it play in Indianapolis? A half a century has expired since the Peoria-based Braves ventured this deep into the NCAA tournament. Two more wins and Bradley is in the Final Four.

Make no mistake about it, Bradley University plays big-time college basketball. The Braves come with all the accustomed trappings: a 32-3 record last season, a former NBA head coach on the bench, a junior guard they're grooming for All-America . . . even a real, one-year NCAA probation for recruiting violations. But just in case UC Irvine didn't get the message, Bradley hit the Anteaters over the head with it as the Braves loosened up for Monday night's nonconference game.

Stan Albeck walked the campus of Bradley University several weeks ago wondering if he should return as a coach to the school where he was an "awful" basketball player more than 30 years ago. "I couldn't honestly believe that Bradley was thinking about me," Albeck said at a recent news conference called to announce he was replacing Dick Versace, who quit after an NCAA investigation resulted in one-year penalties for the team.

Stan Albeck, who recently has been coaching in the NBA, signed a five-year contract to coach basketball at Bradley University, his alma mater.

Bradley University was penalized Monday by the NCAA for recruiting violations and unethical conduct by head basketball Coach Dick Versace, who promptly signed a one-year contract that school officials announced will be his last. The NCAA sanctions bar Bradley from competing in postseason play and off-campus recruiting for next season only, although the school officially was placed on probation for two years. No television sanctions were imposed.

The NCAA today banned Bradley University from post-season play and barred its coaches from off-campus recruiting next season because of what the organization deemed improper recruiting and unethical conduct by head basketball Coach Dick Versace. The university, in Peoria, Ill., announced that it would not contest the ruling and that the coach had signed his "final" one-year contract with Bradley before departing on a two-week vacation in Europe.

It's a risky world out there for married folks who are friends with a member of the opposite sex. Just ask U.S. Sen. John McCain. The Republican presidential candidate's relationship with a female lobbyist was the subject of a recent New York Times story and, as a result, subsequent newspaper articles, blog posts and radio commentary across the nation. He has firmly denied the relationship was anything other than simple friendship. In his case, the furor centered largely on whether the woman had special political access.