The Michigan-Ed Martin saga, which started on Feb. 17, 1996, has ended more than seven years later.
The NCAA infraction appeals committee announced Thursday that it reduced Michigan's postseason ban from two years to one, making the Wolverines eligible for tournament play in 2004.
Even though Michigan banished Martin from its basketball program years before he died of natural causes in February, current players were often asked about him.
"I'm glad those questions will possibly stop," senior Bernard Robinson said.
The Wolverines won 17 games last season, then watched the NCAA and NIT tournaments from home as part of the school's self-imposed sanctions.
"Last year I watched Coach (Tommy) Amaker and his team play with heart and dedication, but with no hope of postseason play even though they were not involved in any way," university president Mary Sue Coleman said in a statement.
"It feels good to know the team can go into this season focused 100 percent on the potential for future success."
The Wolverines are eligible for postseason play after winning an appeal of an NCAA ban that resulted from Martin lending more than $600,000 to four former players. The ban had been handed down in May.
Michigan will be expected to take advantage of being the first school in five years to win an appeal with the NCAA.
For the first time in years, the Wolverines will likely start the season ranked. The team returns many of its top players along with highly regarded freshmen.
"We all remain excited about the upcoming season and truly look forward to the challenges that lie ahead," Amaker said in a statement.
Amaker issued a challenge when he met with his team Wednesday night at Crisler Arena, Robinson said.
"Coach said there's no more excuses now," Robinson said. "It's up to us."
The cloud that hovered over Michigan's basketball program for years had nothing to do with any current player or coach.
Michigan's involvement with Martin, a self-described basketball booster, became known after a now-infamous accident.
Maurice Taylor, a current Houston Rocket, crashed his truck during Mateen Cleaves' official recruiting visit while they were returning from a party in Detroit. Cleaves ended up leading Michigan State to the 2000 national championship.
When Michigan learned that Cleaves' recruiting visit included a visit to Martin's house, the school began to investigate the retired auto worker's ties to the basketball program.
After the firing of two basketball coaches (Steve Fisher and Brian Ellerbe), two internal investigations that didn't reveal much and the hiring of a new athletic director, Martin finally shed light on the scandal in 2002 when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money.
Martin told federal prosecutors he took gambling money, combined it with other funds, and lent $616,000 to Chris Webber, Robert Traylor, Louis Bullock and Taylor.
The Wolverines became one of college basketball's most popular programs during the Fab Five era in the early 1990s. But 10 months ago, Michigan endured what Coleman called a "day of great shame" when she announced self-imposed sanctions.
The Michigan-Martin drama will only drag on if the university sues Webber.
Earlier this month, school officials asked a federal judge to order Webber to reimburse the school $695,000 for legal fees and losses from NCAA penalties.
"Writing a letter to a judge was just for show, in my opinion," Webber's attorney, Steve Fishman, said Thursday. "If the University of Michigan was making a list of dumb things to do, suing Chris Webber would probably be No. 1."
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/6864568.htm
The NCAA infraction appeals committee announced Thursday that it reduced Michigan's postseason ban from two years to one, making the Wolverines eligible for tournament play in 2004.
Even though Michigan banished Martin from its basketball program years before he died of natural causes in February, current players were often asked about him.
"I'm glad those questions will possibly stop," senior Bernard Robinson said.
The Wolverines won 17 games last season, then watched the NCAA and NIT tournaments from home as part of the school's self-imposed sanctions.
"Last year I watched Coach (Tommy) Amaker and his team play with heart and dedication, but with no hope of postseason play even though they were not involved in any way," university president Mary Sue Coleman said in a statement.
"It feels good to know the team can go into this season focused 100 percent on the potential for future success."
The Wolverines are eligible for postseason play after winning an appeal of an NCAA ban that resulted from Martin lending more than $600,000 to four former players. The ban had been handed down in May.
Michigan will be expected to take advantage of being the first school in five years to win an appeal with the NCAA.
For the first time in years, the Wolverines will likely start the season ranked. The team returns many of its top players along with highly regarded freshmen.
"We all remain excited about the upcoming season and truly look forward to the challenges that lie ahead," Amaker said in a statement.
Amaker issued a challenge when he met with his team Wednesday night at Crisler Arena, Robinson said.
"Coach said there's no more excuses now," Robinson said. "It's up to us."
The cloud that hovered over Michigan's basketball program for years had nothing to do with any current player or coach.
Michigan's involvement with Martin, a self-described basketball booster, became known after a now-infamous accident.
Maurice Taylor, a current Houston Rocket, crashed his truck during Mateen Cleaves' official recruiting visit while they were returning from a party in Detroit. Cleaves ended up leading Michigan State to the 2000 national championship.
When Michigan learned that Cleaves' recruiting visit included a visit to Martin's house, the school began to investigate the retired auto worker's ties to the basketball program.
After the firing of two basketball coaches (Steve Fisher and Brian Ellerbe), two internal investigations that didn't reveal much and the hiring of a new athletic director, Martin finally shed light on the scandal in 2002 when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money.
Martin told federal prosecutors he took gambling money, combined it with other funds, and lent $616,000 to Chris Webber, Robert Traylor, Louis Bullock and Taylor.
The Wolverines became one of college basketball's most popular programs during the Fab Five era in the early 1990s. But 10 months ago, Michigan endured what Coleman called a "day of great shame" when she announced self-imposed sanctions.
The Michigan-Martin drama will only drag on if the university sues Webber.
Earlier this month, school officials asked a federal judge to order Webber to reimburse the school $695,000 for legal fees and losses from NCAA penalties.
"Writing a letter to a judge was just for show, in my opinion," Webber's attorney, Steve Fishman, said Thursday. "If the University of Michigan was making a list of dumb things to do, suing Chris Webber would probably be No. 1."
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/6864568.htm
