Men's CBB corruption thread

[wbbfan]

 

[oldude]

What else really should we expect of the top recruits? After all, they see college as a one-year minor league on the way to fame and fortune in the Bigs. Gotta get in early with agent, contracts, perfect one-year college placement to maximize draft rank, etc. So long as it's a one-and-done, high school players will have complete contempt for the "college year." We're okay enlisting 18 year olds to kill and be killed in the army, but we can't trust them to behave themselves in the NBA. But they're fine for the NBA at 19? System is broken....

Well stated Bags. Trevor Matich on ESPN had a similar comment when speaking about all the money that coaches, universities, shoe companies and tv networks were making off these kids, he asked the rhetorical question, "Why shouldn't these kids benefit?"

 

[meyers7]

University of Louisville 'won't fire Pitino without a bare-knuckle fight'

Well, it looks like Louisville has had enough. Pitino & Jurich are out. It's about "bleeping" time.

Looks like there was a fight then.

 

[donalddoowop]

Look I hear you however you just painted Duke in with the other KNOWN CULPRITS yet I know of no evidence again Coach K doing or even hinting at improprieties so if you would clarify why Duke? The others are very obvious as you noted. And yes, UConn Men's team has had its share of items as well, though maybe not a single blatant, still a concern and is what hastened Calhoun's exit.
I actually read the filings and it seems pretty detailed on the laws broken that the FBI had the resources to conduct and that the NCAA as an organization could never have investigated or done. I am not saying the NCAA is not without its issues or selfish agenda to keep the money rolling in, however, this is deeper than the NCAA could ever have proved due to its restrictions.

You missed one of my points. Duke's coach has never been associated with cheating because the NCAA chose to look away. You see where I wrote about Quinn Snyder? He was an assistant at Duke and noticed cheating going on and so he did the same things when he was the head coach at Missouri U. He admitted it and the NCAA did not investigate. Why? Because Duke is one of their big money makers. Do you think that if a former assistant coach at Oklahoma or Uconn who was caught cheating at his new school and admitted he was doing the same things he saw at his former school that the NCAA would not investigate? Duke is one of the untouchables. Some sports personalities in St. Louis turned against Duke after the Snyder admission.

 

[Charliebball]

call me naive but I don't think that Coach K or Roy Williams are involved in paying recruits.............do I think that school boosters and others around their programs may be handing out some goodies?..................probably so

 

[meyers7]

If you haven't seen it yet, take a look at ESPN's 30 for 30 on Sonny Vaccaro (The Sole Man). He was the one that got this whole money wagon started many years ago. He said towards the end of the film that shoe money was past the High Schools now and starting to get down into the Middle Schools.

A little bit about it.

Sole Man - ESPN Films: 30 for 30

 

[oldude]

Looks like there was a fight then.

The Louisville President & Chairman of the Board have indicated that Pitino is on "unpaid administrative leave" and Jurich is on "paid administrative leave" at a press conference moments ago. Also that an interim coach & AD will be appointed within 48 hrs.

At this point Louisville is following HR administrative procedures as detailed in Pitino & Jurich's contracts, but there is no doubt they are both gone.

As to possible settlements, I suspect that will depend on what evidence may emerge that would allow Louisville to void Pitino's contract based on failure to adhere to ethical standards detailed in the contract.

 

[TitleTown]

call me naive but I don't think that Coach K or Roy Williams are involved in paying recruits...do I think that school boosters and others around their programs may be handing out some goodies?...probably so

Just ask Duke player Lance Thomas about the $100k worth of jewelry. Stuff like this happens at EVERY big time DI school in the country!

 

[wbbfan]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I've ignored this up 'til now, but on the radio on the way home there was a report of 3 coaches arrested and a 4th on the way and the charges carry up to 80 years jail time! Addidas in it up to the neck. This is getting interesting.

Now if we could just see a few NCAA officials indicted....

 

[wallman]

I must have been under a rock as I am just reading about this now.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Didn't a UConn player get busted on a minor drug possession charge while driving a red Cadillac "on loan" from a local car dealer (booster)?

 

[CocoHusky]

You missed one of my points. Duke's coach has never been associated with cheating because the NCAA chose to look away. You see where I wrote about Quinn Snyder? He was an assistant at Duke and noticed cheating going on and so he did the same things when he was the head coach at Missouri U. He admitted it and the NCAA did not investigate. Why? Because Duke is one of their big money makers. Do you think that if a former assistant coach at Oklahoma or Uconn who was caught cheating at his new school and admitted he was doing the same things he saw at his former school that the NCAA would not investigate? Duke is one of the untouchables. Some sports personalities in St. Louis turned against Duke after the Snyder admission.

You state that the NCAA looked the other way in one place and that they did not investigate in another. How do you know there was no investigation? One of the reason Pitino was able to survive the hookers for recruits scandal is because the money man did not talk to NCAA. It's not that hard to stall the NCAA.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I must have been under a rock as I am just reading about this now.

I mostly ignore news that is not news to me, or you, or the whole flipping above dunce world of sports fans.

 

[BobbyJ]

call me naive but I don't think that Coach K or Roy Williams are involved in paying recruits...do I think that school boosters and others around their programs may be handing out some goodies?...probably so

I believe you're right. Those guys are making too much money to risk getting their hands dirty. Same way the heads of mob families never pull a trigger. And that's the reason Pitino's lawyer is acting all cocky claiming his boy will be exonerated. Technically there probably won't be any of Pitino's finger prints on this to be found. The lawyer is just fighting to get a cut of the alleged $44M buyout owed to the wonderboy. Pitino knows he's done, he just wants to get paid to go.

 

[Charliebball]

 

[Plebe]

Can someone explain to me why Pitino seems to be is the only head coach being fired, while the HCs of all the other named schools are barely even being mentioned?

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Can someone explain to me why Pitino seems to be is the only head coach being fired, while the HCs of all the other named schools are barely even being mentioned?

They may yet, but mostly because this whole scandal - from the top down - wasn't the simple case of getting an athlete to a certain school but rather selling them the services of a specific agent type and a financial adviser. And the salesman was the involved Assistant Coaches. Of course, you had to get the athlete at the specific school(s) to sell the second part, but this isn't quite the same thing as a specific booster trying to improve the winning at his school. It all comes down to legitimate factors as to what the head coach knew (or had reason to suspect). I wouldn't be shocked if some did.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

What else really should we expect of the top recruits? After all, they see college as a one-year minor league on the way to fame and fortune in the Bigs. Gotta get in early with agent, contracts, perfect one-year college placement to maximize draft rank, etc. So long as it's a one-and-done, high school players will have complete contempt for the "college year." We're okay enlisting 18 year olds to kill and be killed in the army, but we can't trust them to behave themselves in the NBA. But they're fine for the NBA at 19? System is broken....

100%. The colleges serving as an unpaid one year farm-system with each team out to get as much as they can for that year is the root of all this evil. Part of why I don't follow men's basketball.

As was mentioned in another thread, as well as this one, of course there is cheating in women's basketball. However, as Muffet sort of intimated, it really isn't anything so basic as paying players significant money - because, as she said, there just isn't the money there. However, there is the pressure to succeed.

 

[eebmg]

Can anyone explain why there is no discussion on the status of the recruits who "allegedly" were bribed to sign? Can they just keep the money and play without losing eligibility??

 

[oldude]

Can anyone explain why there is no discussion on the status of the recruits who "allegedly" were bribed to sign? Can they just keep the money and play without losing eligibility??

The kid at Louisville, Bowen, has been suspended from the team per the school's interim president at yesterday's press conference. I suspect that he will be ruled ineligible.

Don't know exactly who the other kids are or whether they are still playing in college, but if they accepted money to play and they're still in college, the NCAA will rule them ineligible. As for giving back the money, that's a question I can't answer as I'm not sure they did anything illegal by accepting it in the first place. If they, or their parents, did not report it as income, which is probably the case, at a minimum it's tax fraud.

 

[huskeynut]

Can anyone explain why there is no discussion on the status of the recruits who "allegedly" were bribed to sign? Can they just keep the money and play without losing eligibility??

Oldude gave a good explanation. Louisville has taken the initiative so far. A smart move on their part before the NCAA brings down the hammer. I'll give their interm president credit for moving quickly on this.

As to sanctions by Emmert and the NCAA as to programs and players, don't expect anything any time soon. They don't dare open their mouths at this point.

 

[eebmg]

The kid at Louisville, Bowen, has been suspended from the team per the school's interim president at yesterday's press conference. I suspect that he will be ruled ineligible.

Don't know exactly who the other kids are or whether they are still playing in college, but if they accepted money to play and they're still in college, the NCAA will rule them ineligible. As for giving back the money, that's a question I can't answer as I'm not sure they did anything illegal by accepting it in the first place. If they, or their parents, did not report it as income, which is probably the case, at a minimum it's tax fraud.

Thanks olddude. I guess from the family side, it is like an outside job. Lose the eligibility but keep the money (pending tax issues). I guess he can enter the NBA draft once he turns 19.

 

[j66kicker]

Looks like Pitino was directly involved in funneling the $100K of Adidas money to Bowen.

Source: Pitino is 'Coach-2' in federal complaint.

And now Nike's EYBL division is being served a subpoena (3 of the 4 assistant coached mentioned in Tuesday's FBI communication are at Nike schools).

Sources: Nike division served with subpoena

 

[eebmg]

Looks like Pitino was directly involved in funneling the $100K of Adidas money to Bowen.

Source: Pitino is 'Coach-2' in federal complaint.

And now Nike's EYBL division is being served a subpoena (3 of the 4 assistant coached mentioned in Tuesday's FBI communication are at Nike schools).

Sources: Nike division served with subpoena

Probably pissed that he is being identified as Coach-2 and not Coach-1.