The Other Side of Treo Gate
by Evan Pfaff on Oct 2, 2009 9:11 AM CDT
in Missouri Tigers Basketball
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By Evan Pfaff, Big12Hoops.com Missouri Beat Writer
Missouri brass is counting their blessings that they hired Mike Anderson to coach the Tiger basketball team, and not, say Kelvin Sampson.
When Mike Bellman (fitting name) purchased 25 old cell phones from the University earlier this year, he received more than he bargained for.
The phones, which Bellman intended to sell for parts, contained, amongst other things, a Sprint Treo with outgoing call logs and text messages from Anderson.
And while Mizzou should be condemned for being absolute idiots and not clearing potentially important and sensitive information, I contend that the the unintentional outcomes is one that Mizzou alumni, students and fans should be proud of. I contend that the louder murmur should be one of applause.
Applause because there wasn't a single illegal call to a recruit on there.
Applause because there wasn't a single inappropriate text to his wife....or someone who isn't his wife.
Applause because there was no mistress, bookie or dealer uncovered.
Applause because the phone DID reveal what appears to be a harmonious relationship between the sports powers within the school.
If "Treo gate" proved anything to other NCAA programs or prospective recruits, it is that Mizzou does things on the up and up. Parents of kids looking at Mizzou should feel safe in sending their children to Columbia, knowing that the Tiger program won't cut corners or cheat to put a successful program on the floor.
Because we like to be a little different here, instead of writing out a laundry list of misdeeds that some coaches can't seem to avoid - we are looking at you Quin Snyder, Isaiah Thomas, Kelvin Sampson, Rick Pitino, and John Calipari - let's instead compile a list of things that Coach Anderson has done that are sure to illicit some pride in the Missouri faithful.
- Suspending players stemming from a bar fight, including his leading scorer
- Dismissing Kalen Grimes from the team after he hit a man in the face with a gun
- Suspending his own son for drinking and driving
- Suspending Darryl Butterfield after he was arrested and charged with domestic assault
Perhaps other schools, and even Mizzou in years past, would have swept some of these events under the rug. Mike Anderson however has brought in and enforced new standard of conduct. In the tradition of his mentor Nolan Richardson, and other notable and ethical coaches such as John Wooden and Dean Smith, Coach Anderson is teaching life lessons and not just basketball to a group of impressionable 18-22 year olds. A group who had they gone to other schools might never have learned that their actions have consequences.
So let's applaud Mizzou for doing the right things... but also make sure an intern is available to wipe all data in the future.
Dan Russell contributed to this article.
Follow Evan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MizzouHoops/
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I see not clearing the phone data (before they were to be scrapped) to be such a non-issue. Especially due to the fact that there was nothing ‘bad’ found to be on the phones.
You obviously want to win, but a running a clean program is paramount in my opinion. I’m glad to see MANderson (continues) doing things the right way!
Agreed.
Right now I am more proud to be a Missouri Tiger, knowing we do things right and “only” making the Elite 8, than a Memphis Tiger making the championship game but at the cost of their reputation.
With thy watchwords, Honor, Duty / Thy high fame shall last.
clearly it seems mizzou bball is running things a little differently
than say…. ohhhh kansas.
"The field mouse is fast but the owl sees at night"
2 points to make
I see not clearing the phone data (before they were to be scrapped) to be such a non-issue. Especially due to the fact that there was nothing ‘bad’ found to be on the phones.
You see it as a non-issue, but how would you feel if there was sensitive and damaging information about the school or Mike Anderson’s personal life? That’s why I think the bigger issue is the lack of security shown by the University in selling a bunch of old cell phones. It’s surprising in a day when our cell phones are basically small computers that they wouldn’t treat them as such and destroy the memory before selling. You’d expect the University to destroy old hard drives unlike the VA.
How is it any of our business if Anderson is cheating or not? I’d like to think that that’s a matter between him and his wife, as naively as that sounds. I really don’t care, as long as it’s private and not damaging the basketball team or the University in any way.
As an IT guy, this breach of security frightens me.
As a lifelong Mizzou fan, this makes me feel really good about being a Tiger fan. Thanks for the memories so far Mike, hope you’re here for long time.
Also, good piece of writing. I’ve been meaning to come check this site out for a while now, and this is the first thing I read.
by CPC on Oct 2, 2009 5:56 PM CDT up reply actions
There are numbers and names of people in those phones that shouldn’t be public and shoulnd’t have gotten into the wrong hands. Mizzou should hae erased them, no doubt.
i was trying to find the other side, the side the media outlets were overlooking. Trust me though, if there were illegal calls to recruits then they would have jumped on those in a heartbeat. The point about the lack of a mistress was just to emphasize Coach Anderson’s character. Sure it isn’t any of our business, but again, the lack thereof shows his character, and again had there been something on there Mizzou would have gotten a black eye. So in a sense, having something like that would have been damaging to the team.
Thanks for reading, check back often.
With thy watchwords, Honor, Duty, Thy high fame shall last
How do we know that the phone wasn't left like that on purpose?
Just sayin’…..
by CPC on Oct 2, 2009 6:33 PM CDT up reply actions
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