Since I typed this whole thing out before I saw that tornado had responded, I thought I'd post it anyway. A little more of the history for you young fans----
Ritchie McKay was one of Jim Molinari's assistants when he came to Bradley in 1991-1992. He moved up through the coaching ranks and got the New Mexico job in 2002 at the same time Jim Les took over at Bradley. One of the conditions of Jim being offered the Bradley job was that he keep all the assistant who were here. But Duane Broussard (who played for Molinari and became an assistant after he finished his playing career) left voluntarily and resurfaced as an assistant under Ritchie McKay at New Mexico.
Unbeknown to Les and the others at Bradley, after Broussard moved to New Mexico, he kept in touch with many of the Bradley players that stayed to play under Jim Les. Though he first denied talking with Granger, the Albuquerque Tribune obtained cellphone records of Broussard documenting dozens of call to Granger, his father, and his former high school coach in Louisiana. Those calls undoubtedly lead Granger to quit the Bradley team in January of 2003 and transfer to New Mexico.
Again, McKay and Broussard denied they made illegal contact with Granger, but the cellphgone records were proof that they had. Bradley filed a complaint with the NCAA and refused to release Granger from his scholarship, which resulted in him having to pay his own way his first year there and losing a year of eligibility. Eventually, the NCAA agreed with Bradley there had been violations made by McKay and Broussard, but the penalties they imposed were minor (compliance meetings, and loss of a few weeks of recruiting in the summer).
No doubt, the loss of Granger in midseason of 2002-2003 killed any chances of that year being successful, and it hurt Bradley for the next 2 1/2 seasons that they lost Granger. He was a potential All-American had he stayed at BU. The one full season that he was with New Mexico, was their only NCAA appearance under McKay. It set back Jim's chances to succeed at Bradley, which his excellent recruiting and coaching eventually overcame.
But the tampering and NCAA violations by a couple of former Bradley guys, and their deceit to try to cover it up, will never be forgiven by many Bradley fans.
