Bad Tour Guide: UConn Faces Rules Violation For Moore's ESPN Visit

UConn Commits Recruitment Violation For Arranging Moore's Tour Of ESPN HQs

The Univ. of Connecticut "committed a secondary rules violation" while recruiting freshman women's basketball player Maya Moore by arranging for her to take a tour of ESPN HQs in October '05, according to sources cited by ESPN's Shelley Smith. The net "acknowledged that it 'obliged' UConn when the women's basketball office requested a tour for Moore and her mother." ESPN VP/PR Josh Krulewitz, in a statement, said that the net "has now changed its policies on such tour requests." Krulewitz: "To avoid future incidents, our tour policy will now prohibit high school athletes from receiving tours at the request of a college or university athletic official" (ESPN.com, 3/12). UConn Associate AD/Communications Mike Enright: "Whatever was done, no one viewed as a potential NCAA violation" (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/13).

KNIGHT TIME: Bob Knight last night made his debut as an ESPN college basketball analyst, and MSNBC.com's Mike Miller wrote it "lacked the one thing ESPN hired Knight to provide -- compelling TV." Knight's debut had "decent analysis, some expected guffaws between Knight and longtime friend and fellow analyst Digger Phelps and the requisite Q&A session where Knight answered e-mailed questions." Miller: "It wasn't boring ... but it lacked punch" (MSNBC.com, 3/12). However, in Austin, Cedric Golden wrote Knight is a "natural on television." He had "good chemistry with Phelps and didn’t show any of the stress associated with the pressures of coaching college basketball" (STATESMAN.com, 3/12). USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand: "Who knew Knight, at least out of the gate, would seem so comfortable in his TV makeup?" (USATODAY.com, 3/12).

NOTES: ABC beginning April 4 will bring back its game show "Duel," hosted by ESPN's Mike Greenberg. The network will run 10 one-hour episodes on Friday nights (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 3/13)....ESPN's X Games Brazil will be held at the Sambodromo Do Anhembi in Sao Paulo April 25-27. The previous three X Games Brazil, held '02-04, took place in Rio de Janeiro (ESPN).