One of the sticking points that may have driven men's basketball head coach Frank Martin away from the Kansas St. Wildcats and into his new job with the South Carolina Gamecocks may have been K-State athletic director John Currie's decision to declare Jamar Samuels ineligible for the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
According to Kellis Robinett of the Wichita Eagle, an anonymous individual found a wire transfer receipt in a garbage can at a grocery store that provided proof of Samuels accepting money from a former AAU coach.
"It was found, basically, it was found just on the floor, in the trash at the grocery store and it was brought to the compliance office," Currie said Tuesday. "I promise you, I wish it would have stayed in the trash."
"There was a violation of NCAA rules in that circumstance," Currie said. "Under the rules a student-athlete if they have committed a violation … they are ineligible from the time it occurred and or the time the institution becomes aware of it.
"It would have made my weekend a lot better if a receipt hadn’t shown up in our compliance office. We do not have people out combing the trash cans in Manhattan searching for trouble. Once it came into our possession, for us to do nothing would have risked the integrity of the institution."
Currie and school president Dr. Kirk Schulz stand by their decision to suspend Samuels, even if it was the catalyst for Martin leaving the program.
For more updates and news regarding the Frank Martin situation, keep checking this StoryStream. For more on the Kansas State Wildcats basketball program, check out Bring On The Cats.
