You know the racket: Deny and take the money

I was working on a column about summer basketball coaches who run sketchy recruiting services, and I decided to call Troy Cotton Sr. because -- between you and me -- he fit the description perfectly.

I was told he fronted the Devin Harris-funded DTA program out of Milwaukee and published the Best of Wisconsin scouting service.

When I dialed his cell phone Wednesday he answered. I introduced myself and asked about the recruiting service.

"All I do is run an AAU team," Cotton said. "I don't have a scouting service."

But I was told you run the Best of Wisconsin recruiting service.

"No," Cotton answered. "I just run the AAU team. I'm the president and director of DTA."

Well then who runs the Best of Wisconsin recruiting service?

"I don't know."

Honestly, the man sounded convincing. I took him at his word. But then somebody sent me a copy of the Best of Wisconsin recruiting service, and right there at the top was a phone number for subscribers to call, a phone number that seemed vaguely familiar.

Why? Because it was Cotton's cell phone number.

"He told you he doesn't have a recruiting service?" asked one college coach, who then laughed uncontrollably. "He must think you're stupid."

I phoned Cotton again and left a message informing him I'd be glad to listen if he wanted to explain how his cell number got on a newsletter for a recruiting service he said he didn't run. At the time this column was filed Thursday morning, he still hadn't called back.

But if you want to know why summer basketball has the shadiest reputation this side of Pete Doherty, you don't have to go any further than this column to find Exhibit A.