Being photographed at campus parties kissing co-eds. Admissions violations. Paying athletes when scholarships run out. Complex recruiting cover-ups relating to a player's death.

It has not been a flattering few years for NCAA men's basketball coaches. Perhaps that's why the NCAA deemed it necessary to hold an ethics summit for all men's basketball coaches in Chicago. And also why it made the meeting mandatory.

The most controversial aspect to some coaches however, was not the subject, but the penalty for failing to attend -- not receiving complimentary Final Four tickets. Normally, every Div. I men's basketball coach gets two tickets to the sport's signature event. While a few coaches, like LSU's John Brady, protested the mandate, others viewed it as a positive step. Count Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis among the latter.

"I thought it was important for us to go," DeChellis said. "We've had some issues as coaches and I think what we tried to do at the ethics meeting was just basically refocus our attention on some things we need to talk to our teams about."

Some of those things DeChellis would be referring to include the resignations of Iowa State's Larry Eustachy and Baylor's Dave Bliss. Eustachy stepped down after being photographed partying with students after road games. Bliss left Baylor after trying to cover up recruiting violations by having coaches and players lie about the tuition of slain player Patrick Dennehy. Upon hearing that he would be forced to attend the summit, LSU's Brady lashed out. "It's offensive to me that they're going to tell me how to act," Brady said. "I'm under contract with LSU, not the NCAA. I'll be there. I want my Final Four tickets, otherwise I wouldn't go."

DeChellis did not seem to be offended by the mandate. He viewed it as good motivation to attend.

"Every once in awhile, I think you need to be poked and you need to be prodded," DeChellis said. "I saw nothing wrong with us all getting together as a coaching group."

DeChellis' stance is unsurprising, given his track record at East Tennesse State and at Penn State as both an assistant and head coach. One of the hallmarks of his early tenure has been his focus on off-the-court issues as much as the play on the court.

In his inaugural press conference last Tuesday, DeChellis preached the importance of having his players not miss a single class, adviser appointment or tutoring lesson. He promised stiff penalties for those who were late to practice or caught skipping class.

DeChellis' attention to detail and enthusiasm are a welcome change for men like Temple coach John Chaney, who has previously voiced frustration at his peers for what he perceives to be an apathy for off-the-court issues.

In the end, self-reflection becomes an important issue for coaches.

"We have to partially take a look at ourselves and make sure that we're doing what we're supposed to do," DeChellis said. "We always talk about ethics in our coaching and our recruiting, looking at the rulebook and being ethical and being moral. I think that was what was important."