Has the gag order been lifted?

[Scrutineer]

Didn't Benedict once hire Bruce Pearl? My God, what a mess. Calhoun created a family bond with players n coaches that's now fractured & embarrassing. Hope this doesn't mess up the Hurley era. Fact is the only folks who really bleed blue are fans. Think any former players ever went to sleep wondering about conference realignment like we do?

And where are all the donations to the Werth Center from the many millionaires that came through the program?

One of Calhoun's responsibilities was to secure major gifts from his former players and, unless I'm mistaken, the only major gifts were from Emeka, Donyell, Ollie and possibly one other.

So many people here dump on Syracuse, yet their practice center is named after Carmelo Anthony who only played there one year, gave Boeheim his only championship, and who apparently feels more gratitude to that school than all the big names who played for Calhoun.

 

[UConnNick]

Every donor receives a brochure every year describing how contacting a PSA is a violation unless there's a prior relationship. How did Ray Allen not know this?

Of course Ray knows it. Every D1 school in the country that has prominent ex-players does this every year. Geno has done it. Secondary NCAA violation.

Nobody cares, unless you happen to be looking for every conceivable NCAA violation to void a 10.6 million buyout clause.

 

[intlzncster]

Herbst, Warde and AD signed a deal favorable to them? That would be a first. Just like we didn't have to buyout Diaco?

Come back to reality for me for a second. They signed a horrible deal and that is why we're in this mess debating whether a phone call from Ray Allen and a couple workouts is going to void the $10M they are on the hook for.

That was poorly worded on my part. I wasn't trying to imply they signed a favorable deal. There isn't a person alive who'd claim that. The buyout on the deal was an idiotic concession.

I was saying they shouldn't be ashamed about including a provision which affords them as much leverage as possible.

 

[husky8273]

So who’s taking one for the team and reading all 1300 pages for us if they get released?

Have they been released? link?

 

[huskymedic]

Of course Ray knows it. Every D1 school in the country that has prominent ex-players does this every year. Geno has done it. Secondary NCAA violation.

Nobody cares, unless you happen to be looking for every conceivable NCAA violation to void a 10.6 million buyout clause.

Unless of course you've been whacked previously for the same type of violations.

Legislative Services Database - LSDBi

Institution: University of Connecticut

Date: February 22, 2011

Violation Summary: Violations of NCAA legislation involving: impermissible recruiting of a prospect by a representative of the institution's athletics interests; impermissible phone calls and text messages; impermissible inducements; impermissible entertainment; unethical conduct; failure to promote an atmosphere for compliance and failure to monitor by the institution.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Or you could understand that contract law in American jurisprudence is grounded in economic efficiency and not morality.

And that not only did Herbst and Benedict have the option to seek to fire KO for cause under the facts here, they arguably had a fiduciary duty to do so.

And for those obsessed with whaling - er, wailing - and gnashing of teeth about the morality of all this, why is UConn any more immoral for using a contract clause to get out of paying KO $10 million despite the minor nature of the NCAA violations than KO is for using a contract clause to assert he's entitled to $10 million despite driving the program off a frigging cliff?

You could have tightened up the closing characterization of what KO did, but I doubt it would move the needle for those disinclined to take a look at how much substance exists in your post. There has been ample basis for and incentive toward settling throughout this drama,and anyone claiming an absolute position at this point forfeits a place at any good negotiation table.

 

[UConnNick]

Signing a contract is supposed to mean something. There may be boilerplate terms about NCAA violations at most schools that aren't expected to stand up in arbitration or court, but every impression I got when Ollie signed and re-upped was that UConn's contracts are very nailed down on this issue compared to industry standards.

It seems like some on this board are of the opinion that Ollie would have reasonably expected to 1) have his team lose a bunch of games and look like garbage doing it 2) have NCAA violations occur under his watch 3) face no consequences from his employer for the losing or the violations despite a pretty iron clad contract saying DON'T COMMIT ANY FACHKING NCAA VIOLATIONS KEVINNNN

Yes, Ollie knew he was committing NCAA violations if the allegations are true. His defense now seems to primarily consist of making his 2 year old, whiney, pickle-sucking face, while exclaiming, "Yeah, I broke the rules, but y'all let Jimmy and Geno break a bunch of rules and you never fired them, so you can't fire me either!"

 

[selles]

Just admit it's disingenuous. It's a message board, it'll be ok to take off the national flag blue.

They are (possibly) going to get out of this $10M deal due to minor NCAA violations used as technicalities and the fact a former employee of the UConn basketball program snitched the NCAA.

Oh, and the fact that had we'd made the NCAA Tournament last year, none of this would be happening.

It's a slimy situation, perpetuated by a President who is clueless towards D1 athletics and has already had to be bailed out from a prior idiotic buyout with the Diaco situation. Only cost us a BC home game and a payday game at Clemson.

This isn't slimy, this is common sense. This is a situation where an employee badly underperformed such that it was imperative to fire him before he could do more damage to the product. The employer could either pay him $10 million after firing him, or not. The employer is funded in part by your tax dollars. Are you saying you want the employer to say 'ah heck, he did a terrible job and we have the right to void our $10 million obligation to him, but let's go ahead and pay him anyway'? That's nuts.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I wonder how often the NCAA gives a coach immunity? Anyone recall that happening before?

Quite frankly, before OR after the FBI publicized its' Nike pays players' friends and family investigations?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Bottom line, there is no integrity in major college sports. None. You need to understand and accept that if you are going to enjoy the product. Having gone to school in the SEC, and witnessing some of the things that went on, I've long held zero illusions about the cesspool that is college athletics.

That's essentially the point I'm trying to make here.

I hold zero illusions about college sports, and frankly don't care either (with obvious exceptions like Mich State, Baylor, Penn State, etc.)

My point here is that Herbst and UConn went about this in a sleazy way, with the help of Miller who ratted out Ollie over some frivolous bs. Which both scenarios ultimately would have never come to light or been an issue had KO been winning.

The notion that some people here think it's proper business conduct is a joke.

 

[Paesano]

Our terrible fanbase is why UConn got left behind... the Ollie situation has made it crystal clear these are not people you want to be in a foxhole with.

Cheering on rat Glen Miller. If I didn’t see it I probably wouldn’t have believed it.

People can continue to convince each other who is right here but one thing is for sure, you need to be banned from here and find a new team to root for.

 

[bmo22]

welp I'm not sure how he gets out of this one

"Ollie got a close personal friend named Derek Hamilton to train some of the players off campus in 2015-16. Several players participated in after hours, on-campus workouts with Hamilton as well as off-campus workouts. Three players traveled to Atlanta to train with Hamilton and the players were fed, transported and housed for free — all considered NCAA violations. The letter said one of the parents of a player who went to Atlanta even called Ollie to ask if the trip was legal."

Wasn’t Vance Jackson’s dad being mad online and threatening to leak damaging info about KO and the program a while back (pre Ollie firing)? Maybe he was the parent who knew about this.

Anyway these are minor infractions that won’t hurt UConn long term. With that said KO should have known he wasnt getting the job done and then accepted a lesser buyout. Of course cause is only used when you’re losing, but this seems clear as day to me. Whether or not you think it’s shady or warranted, UConn is off the hook.

 

[Waquoit]

How much closer is this to being over? I'm not even reading about it.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

UConn had to find NCAA infractions, but not any that would trigger sanctions against Hurley's teams. Tricky tightrope to walk.

Bump.

Hiding on page one a mere 6 posts beneath @Brochacho 's Comment that deserves all thirty-four Likes it has received thus far.

 

[Scrutineer]

Our terrible fanbase is why we got left behind??????????

I guess the ACC never heard about Pittsburgh's fans..............

 

[Jaker]

Has Chiefs gag ball been pulled?

 

[uconnphil2016]

Ya know, I’m all for cheating. Don’t care about that. KO was just bad at it. If it was up to me, we’d pay recruits. That’s how you win. I volunteer to be the bag man once randy and crew start paying top 100 football recruits to come to Storrs. @whaler11 will supply the dough

 

[intlzncster]

How much closer is this to being over? I'm not even reading about it.

Doesn't seem much.

 

[The Viking]

For those of you offended by what UConn did - would you have preferred they not fired him? Because I can't imagine they'd have fired him, decided to play nice and hand him 10 mil, AND hired Hurley to the contract they did.

Would you prefer that Ollie is still coach today and that Hurley is a coach at Pitt right now? And we're another year down the $hitter and a year less attractive to a quality candidate.

 

[CL82]

I just don't believe that they could have been practicing more than allowed.

More, not better.

 

[CL82]

This is crap. I hope he gets every dime.

How so?

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

"In the four-page letter sent to Ollie days before his administrative hearing Benedict laid out the university’s case against him accusing the coach of intentionally participating in impermissible activities with student-athletes during an official visit, intentionally facilitating prohibited contact between potential recruits and UConn representatives and most important 'not being completely truthful' when interviewed by university officials."

Some players' alleged paid trip to Atlanta, hotel, meals, etc and Miller's allegations to the NCAA regarding Raphael Chillious and by extension fired coach Ollie "...using Markelle Fultz, to you know, influence the kid to come to UConn ... and that they wanted to use Fultz to help work out a -- a Nike deal for the AAU team that ---recruit--- played for" caught my eye. However, once KO's hands were allegedly caught in the cookie jar were identified and documented facts also misrepresented, covered up, other TBD?

Sometimes, it's not (just) the (alleged) misdeed, crime, etc. Sometimes, it's B) the alleged cover up. Other times, it's A + B.

 

[Jaker]

 

[UconnU]

"impermissible activities with student-athletes during an official visit"

Anyone know any details on this?

 

[CL82]

It sucks. He doesn’t deserve to and won’t get every dime, but he didn’t deserve to get set up, either, which is what this smells like.

It sucks that he put himself in that position, but this doesn’t feel good. The Miller thing really turns my stomach. Imagine what he could say about the Calhoun years?

Set up? C'mon. He committed violations. Look I don't love Glen turning state's evidence, and I wonder if he a personal agenda in narcing out Ollie, but the actions are Ollie's actions, no one put a gun to his head, no one "set him up."

 

[amsterdamjade]

>>A key member of the investigation is former UConn coach Glenn Miller, who was granted immunity for his testimony before NCAA investigators and he was a key figure in confirming many of the allegations.<<

Ollie should not have fired him.

 

[CL82]

Sorry rat out then. Yeah it sounds like technical infractions were committed, but from what has come out so far it looks like the types of things that are only honored in the breach. I mean, again, from what I’ve heard about the JC years this is the equivalent of jaywalking.

And again, not saying he didn’t suck at his job the last two seasons or that he didn’t deserve to be fired. And I am happy we made the change.

I just feel bad juju about doing it this way.

Geesh, why crap on Calhoun with some vague allegation? That doesn't somehow rehabilitate what KO did.

I looked at the first three of these and thought "wow, this is pretty weak" but as it went on I cringed a bit. These aren't "technical" violations they are violations. If they knew this was out there Kevin's representation should have settled and gotten out of dodge.

 

[CL82]

Calhoun loves UCONN. GM is loyal to Calhoun. Not hard to see that GM would save UCONN under JC's guidance.

That's a bridge too far. I doubt JC's fingerprints are on GM's testimony, except other that a recommendation to tell the truth.

 

[CL82]

Glenn Miller was granted immunity from what exactly? Facing violations at a DIII program?

UConn really put the screws here to KO. It's not about what anyone deserves, but rather what was written in the contract.

Herbst and the athletic department should be ashamed they signed the deal in the first place, and how they have weasled their way out is pretty shameful.

Weaseled CHB? How by actually following the terms of the contract? Should they have been "good guys" and paid KO $10M of Connecticut taxpayer money just because?

 

[Stainmaster]

This whole thing would’ve been avoided if AD Dave hadn’t gotten pantsed by KO’s attorney when negotiating the contract. Between that and the Diaco extension he initiated, we’re completely screwed long-term if he hasn’t learned his lesson.