OT: FBI has reportedly arrested several NCAA basketball assistant coaches.

[Palatine]

Any lawyer worth his salt would say keep your mouth shut without a deal.

Agree, get a deal. Take the deal. Get immunity. Cooperate completely. Sing. Sing. Sing.

 

[Husky25]

Yes indeed. Of all the three letter agencies, this is the one that strikes fear in people's hearts. The FBI couldn't put Al Capone away. The IRS did.

The IRS has the power to take your money and keep making you live in the real world. The FBI can take away your freedom, but at least you get three hots and a cot on the inside.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm still waiting for Emmert to say the magic words. "In light of the FBI investigation and arrests, and despite the fact that they do not appear to be involved, we have decided to focus the NCAA's attention on the University of Connecticut. I suspect that we can write a new rule to fit conduct they have previously committed, then provide waivers to any other schools with similar conduct, so that we can punish only them."

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

but at least you get three hots and a cot on the inside.

Is that what they call it these days? Was that meant as an Euphemism?

 

[Husky25]

Is that what they call it these days? Was that meant as an Euphemism?

I watch a lot of gangster movies...and Shawshank.

 

[Penfield]

How the hell is Kentucky not mixed up in this?

You dont get to the top by being sloppy.

 

[2Infinity]

You brought up an interesting thought in my head, with these kids who are getting paid out to commit to a school... what happens if you decide to go to Louisville for that $100,000 to the family and after year 1, you transfer out? Clearly the school can't say "excuse me officer, this kid and his family took $100,000 to come play for us and now they're leaving, get us our money back please!!!"

So does anyone think schools are or have paid out for a transfer, and that its possible families have been paid out a couple of times by strategic movement?

and also, anyone else having a tough time staying on point at work, wanting to find more and more revelations from this onion of a story?

Three points...
1) I'm not sure what recourse the "giftor" would have in the event of a renege by the player...short of going "Gambino" on them or their family. Obviously, there would be a huge risk of being exposed for the shoe co. or coaches, if they did.
2) Would a player really try to double-dip? lol I suppose they could, but would be burning bridges on their way up the ladder to the league...so not sure they would do it... if a legit prospect.
3)Why did all those recruits transfer out of UNC? Is it possible that they didn't receive all, or maybe any, of what they were "promised" when they committed?

 

[UConnStats]

How the hell is Kentucky not mixed up in this?

if Nike ever gets hit like this, I’m sure they will. But over the past year, looking at their recruits...

Diallo: Nike
Quade Green: Nike
Nick Richards: Nike
Kevin Knox: Nike
P.J. Washington: Nike
Jarred Vanderbilt: Nike

They didn’t stray at all, which likely saved their asses here.

Knox was a shocking commit, Diallo flipped after likely verbaling to UConn, and Quade Green suddenly flipped after looking like a Cuse lock. You can practically hear the bagman’s footsteps IMO.

 

[TopDogs]

Likely the first of many decommits and transfer requests:

 

[crazyUCfan23]

Players getting schollies needed to apply for financial aid?

Even if they are on scholarship, they are still entitled to their financial aid as well. (at least I think so)

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[2Infinity]

Fox Business Channel just announced that Pitino will be fired today.

 

[Penfield]

if Nike ever gets hit like this, I’m sure they will. But over the past year, looking at their recruits...

Diallo: Nike
Quade Green: Nike
Nick Richards: Nike
Kevin Knox: Nike
P.J. Washington: Nike
Jarred Vanderbilt: Nike

They didn’t stray at all, which likely saved their asses here.

Knox was a shocking commit, Diallo flipped after likely verbaling to UConn, and Quade Green suddenly flipped after looking like a Cuse lock. You can practically hear the bagman’s footsteps IMO.

Imagine you are UConn or Cuse and you start to suspect Nike is helping UK steal your recruits.... Wonder how that next apparel contract negotiation goes.

On Nike's side what is the incentive to buy a recruit away from one Nike school to another? More merchandise sales?

The complexities behind this system are very interesting.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Imagine you are UConn or Cuse and you start to suspect Nike is helping UK steal your recruits.... Wonder how that next apparel contract negotiation goes.

On Nike's side what is the incentive to buy a recruit away from one Nike school to another? More merchandise sales?

The complexities behind this system are very interesting.

The UK fanbase and the exposure their school gets is insane. Idk if I would start putting other schools bc you never know what will come back around

But was about bazleys decommit from OSU to cuse? Our three random transfers? MAL? Or Greene from cuse to UK

 

[CL82]

... and, an Interim President left with only one option in the face of Pitino's and Jurich's programs' (plural in waiting) latest unethical practices

Isn't their accreditation also being reviewed? Kind of a perfect storm, isn't it?

 

[HuskyHawk]

How the hell is Kentucky not mixed up in this?

We will see what comes out, but my guess is that UK, Duke, KU and UNC probably don't need to do this. What I see are programs that are hungry to step up or join the bigger names, or in the case of UL, catch UK. I doubt we will see much for football either, because one or two players won't have much of an impact. But with basketball, a nothing school that grabs a 5 star and uses him to bring in a couple of other good players is suddenly a strong, ranked team.

Anecdotally, I know an assistant coach at a private academy/basketball factory school. He knows I hate Calipari, but says that the guy is down to earth and charming, and the HS coaches love him. I think it's safe to say that our view of him is colored by our history, all the way back to UMass.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Imagine you are UConn or Cuse and you start to suspect Nike is helping UK steal your recruits.... Wonder how that next apparel contract negotiation goes.

On Nike's side what is the incentive to buy a recruit away from one Nike school to another? More merchandise sales?

Because Nike has been able to turn Kentucky into the glorified Harlem Globetrotters. You put your highest level talent all in one place, create a singular focus on them and Nike, and elevate the players' brand and popularity (which is what you are paying for as a shoe company when you sign a player). Plus, you have all of your elite assets focused in one place that is run by your hand picked Nike-Gigalo (Calipari) who is owned by Nike and will protect their interests with all of the players and make sure they don't get swooped up by rivals.

 

[CL82]

Bowen’s options are bad and worse.

Depending on how much he knows, his best bet might have been to call the NCAA and offer up everything about everyone in exchange for immunity. But that’s in a normal world where the FBI isn’t involved - I don’t know if he could get any sort of deal at the moment.

But if I’m the Bowen family, I’m looking to talk to anyone for a deal.

Right now, somewhere, an attorney is writing up a narrative about how Bowen is the victim, an innocent in the unsavory world of big time college recruiting.

 

[Penfield]

The UK fanbase and the exposure their school gets is insane. Idk if I would start putting other schools bc you never know what will come back around

But was about bazleys decommit from OSU to cuse? Our three random transfers? MAL? Or Greene from cuse to UK

I have no doubt this stuff happens, but its crazy to think Nike is out there helping schools poach recruits from other Nike schools. How does this work? Cuse goes to Nike, and complains about losing Greene, and says now you owe us one?

 

[Palatine]

Right now, somewhere, an attorney is writing up a narrative about how Bowen is the victim, an innocent in the unsavory world of big time college recruiting.

Bowen needs to working on a deal and spilling his guts.

 

[Penfield]

Because Nike has been able to turn Kentucky into the glorified Harlem Globetrotters. You put your highest level talent all in one place, create a singular focus on them and Nike, and elevate the players' brand and popularity (which is what you are paying for as a shoe company when you sign a player). Plus, you have all of your elite assets focused in one place that is run by your hand picked Nike-Gigalo (Calipari) who is owned by Nike and will protect their interests with all of the players and make sure they don't get swooped up by rivals.

Makes sense. What doesn't makes sense is why all the other Nike schools just go along with it.

 

[CL82]

Kinda saddens me, don't like to see widespread corruption and I don't wish such harm on any fan-base

If these bribes are being offered to top recruits, how can the programs that land ALL the top players NOT be involved?

When people say "UConn cheats", I always point out we're NOT the program landing multiple top ten recruits year in and year out. Hell we only land a handful of top 50 recruits, we must not be paying enough. And no, I'm not complaining about our recruits, I love our system.

As a mitigating factor, if bribes truly are being offered to players, how can more players have NOT come forward outing some schools over the years? Especially those who need money now.

Our greatest crime was accurately reporting our APR scores and being the victim of rule being retroactively applied to us.

When you compare that to the Syracuse, UNC and Louisvilles of the world, it is pretty hard to call us "cheaters."

 

[temery]

We will see what comes out, but my guess is that UK, Duke, KU and UNC probably don't need to do this. What I see are programs that are hungry to step up or join the bigger names, or in the case of UL, catch UK. I doubt we will see much for football either, because one or two players won't have much of an impact. But with basketball, a nothing school that grabs a 5 star and uses him to bring in a couple of other good players is suddenly a strong, ranked team.

Anecdotally, I know an assistant coach at a private academy/basketball factory school. He knows I hate Calipari, but says that the guy is down to earth and charming, and the HS coaches love him. I think it's safe to say that our view of him is colored by our history, all the way back to UMass.

Once upon a time Charles Manson was a fun guy to invite to a party.

Our view of Calipari is colored by his history.

 

[2Infinity]

Jurich has arrived on the UofL campus and just went into a meeting with Postel. Wonder if anything will come of it.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Makes sense. What doesn't makes sense is why all the other Nike schools just go along with it.

1. What other choice do they have?
2. $$$ -- Other Nike schools are still getting ridiculous money from NIKE (Louisville just got a $160MM contract from Nike a couple of months ago I believe).