Thamel: Spreadsheets, wiretaps and bank records detail payment scheme in hoops corruption case

[Travelman6]

This has been known for nearly 25 years (AT LEAST), how are people shocked?



Pete Bell of the Western University Dolphins already called out the NCAA in 1994, at least that is a famous and one of the first, as well as widely known cases of shadiness being exposed.

One of the harshest punishments was handed down after that speech, 3 year ban from the NCAAs and we do not hear much from Western (they were the scapegoat, the sacrificial lamb) these days, now do we?

Ahhh Pete Bell, just had to give into the shadiness. Get ready folks, buckle in, PB 2.0 is gonna happen and it will be much bigger this time!

 

[sammydabiz]

NCAA ruling: Everyone was doing it (that matters anyway), therefore it’s been a level playing field, no one gets punished. Now don’t you crazy kids go getting into any more trouble now ya hear!

Also, UConn I need to see you in my office we need to discuss those recruits you were harassing!

This is exactly what's going to happen

 

[CL82]

Tough to take a report seriously when the guy delivering it looks Carla on Cheers ex husband Eddie Nick.

 

[Danzz]

UConn is under investigation so there is a chance we have some violations but I'd be shocked if we paid anybody. There will be programs that have committed major violations and could receive major penalties....depending which programs of course.

 

[dennismenace]

They'll pick Dickie V as character witness and a member of the penalty committee

and Billy Packer!

 

[Edward Sargent]

I’m skeptical.

The investigation has some bad press with some investigator getting pegged for illegal activity and then all of a sudden, we get leaks about how crushing the evidence is.

I’ll believe it when we see it.

I agree with you on this.

 

[djct1999]

ThIs has to be the beginning of the end for the NCAA. Either they turned a blind eye(most likely) or they are totally useless. Time for this mirage of student athletes and non-profit status to end.

What is there to be skeptical about? I know first hand of kids in top AAU programs out west that openly talk about the 'going rate' to attend certain PAC-12 schools. In other words, everyone who recruits four and five stars kids are doing it. If a few kids are getting compensated, they all are. As for UConn, my guess is Hamidou Diallo was getting handouts all along which kept us in his top two. In the end, the squid swept in and gave him more, well, because he could.

 

[djct1999]

Sounds like a "too big to fail" scenario. No way the NCAA is going to take down most of the top 25. They will either find a fall guy or just stonewall and coverup any wrongdoing.

It is too big to fail which is why it will render the NCAA useless. I agree that your prediction would happen if this was run by the NCAA rules committee but this is the FEDS and a top dog is talking. Not even Emmett can hide from this one.

 

[traitor71]

I'm just amazed they haven't found a link to football yet. Actually I'm not as college football really is too big to fail.

 

[Paesano]

This has been known for nearly 25 years (AT LEAST), how are people shocked?



Pete Bell of the Western University Dolphins already called out the NCAA in 1994, at least that is a famous and one of the first, as well as widely known cases of shadiness being exposed.

One of the harshest punishments was handed down after that speech, 3 year ban from the NCAAs and we do not hear much from Western (they were the scapegoat, the sacrificial lamb) these days, now do we?

Ahhh Pete Bell, just had to give into the shadiness. Get ready folks, buckle in, PB 2.0 is gonna happen and it will be much bigger this time!

You are right. And it is finally coming to a head. I had lost hope myself. I thought it would never happen. I was wrong. I hope the whole system blows up and gets rebuilt. Basketball has a minor league now. Use it, fully. Football needs a minor league. Hockey and baseball are set. Maybe soccer needs one too. Return colleges to the college students.

 

[Danzz]

I'm just amazed they haven't found a link to football yet. Actually I'm not as college football really is too big to fail.

I knew a man who played football at Florida in the late 50's. He was getting $125 a week in pay for a phony job. If they ever focus on football the SEC would have major problems. The NCAA would have to be blind not to be aware of the football violations.

 

[buckley503]

Tough to take a report seriously when the guy delivering it looks Carla on Cheers ex husband Eddie.

C'mon, that's Nick Tortelli.

Eddie was the Bruins goalie that came later.

 

[methodology]

The only ASM connection was Donyell Marshall. All recent guys (Kemba,Drummond, and Lamb) are with Jeffery Schwartz and Hamilton is with his brother's agent. Correct the 'cuse has a recent ASM pipeline with Mccolough, Richardson, and Christmas

Incorrect. Andy Miller was sticks agent when he left UConn. They didn't find each other by happenstance

 

[The Funster]

I think the wheels on the NCAA wagon are getting wobbly. I agree with August West, if UConn is getting screwed let them all get screwed.

Even if the FBI investigation doesn't find enough evidence for RICO, wire fraud, etc. it will keep finding enough unreported income to keep the investigation chugging along. Eventually, all the basketball related stuff will come out. I would think that during the course of this investigation the FBI will find enough information to spark a football investigation as well.

If college sports as we know it survives, the NCAA surely will not. The fact that all these violations could transpire right under the NCAA noses will be the straw that breaks its back. Already under fire, the NCAA's ability to function as the governing body for college athletics will be irreparably damaged.

 

[SubbaBub]

With a few exceptions, FB has cleaned up it's act some. Any payments to players happen after they arrive on campus. The big duffel bags of cash have mostly all gone to BB. Cam Newton stories aside.

The reasoning is likely just risk/reward. In FB one guy may not make much of a difference when you have another just as good on the radar. Why expose yourself for a guy who isn't on your squad?

In BB, one guy can make a program.

There is also the lack of an AAU culture in FB. The AAU, agent, bags of cash connection isn't really in dispute.

It's ironic if KOs biggest change to recruiting was to be cleaner. I guess we will find out.

 

[billybud]

Duke?

Ya gotta be kidding. No way will Duke be implicated. Coach K?

It would be like the Italian Polizio di Stato handcuffing the Pope in front of the cameras.

 

[Dogdeacon]

C'mon, that's Nick Tortelli.

Eddie was the Bruins goalie that came later.

That's what she said

 

[freescooter]

I'm just amazed they haven't found a link to football yet. Actually I'm not as college football really is too big to fail.

I don’t think it is the same in football actually. To the extent it exists it is mostly localized and not a nationwide big business like in basketball. There are many reasons for this including:
1 the one-done system in hoops that allows for a quick return on investment so to speak. Much tougher to insure that a kid who won’t leave for 3-5 years will still be worth paying off.

2. 85 players vs 12. There are just too many moving parts in football and a star at one position doesn’t bring the same results. And is harder to evaluate.

3. No AAU system for football so there is no pipeline. Oh there is the odd all star game and camps but those tend to be less centralized. And run by the schools not the shoe companies.

I’m not saying players don’t get payoffs. Just that it isn’t a systematic or widespread feature of the recruiting process like it is in basketball. AAU basketball is basically the bottom of a sewage pit.

 

[CL82]

C'mon, that's Nick Tortelli.

Eddie was the Bruins goalie that came later.

Inexcusable error. I apologize to the board.

 

[freescooter]

Here is the problem with eliminating the NCAA. You really do need a governing body of some sort and you basically have buy in from everyone now. Not to mention it’s a multi-million dollar operation I’ve even seen multi billion in some places. It needs to be totally reformed. Make a series of bright line rules with bright line penalties with less worry about stupid stuff like whether you can have both crackers and bread with peanut butter after practice and more like if you get caught paying a player you are out of the post season for a year. Sort of the Ten Commandments as opposed to the whole of Leviticus.

 

[CL82]

Here is the problem with eliminating the NCAA. You really do need a governing body of some sort and you basically have buy in from everyone now. Not to mention it’s a multi-million dollar operation I’ve even seen multi billion in some places. It needs to be totally reformed. Make a series of bright line rules with bright line penalties with less worry about stupid stuff like whether you can have both crackers and bread with peanut butter after practice and more like if you get caught paying a player you are out of the post season for a year. Sort of the Ten Commandments as opposed to the whole of Leviticus.

I like the analogy.

Sometimes organizations become so bloated that their inefficiencies are too baked in to the existing culture to eliminate through rule changes. I think that is where the NCAA is. The bloat of the NCAA causes too much waste of the March Madness money machine.

Colleges should start a new organization with simple cleaner rules and clear sanctions.

 

[Jimdish255]

The NCAA has just set the table for this with vacated wins for Louisville and their recent "don't punish the kids here now" philosophy.

Vacate Wins
Fine$$$$
Double Secret Probation
Move On

There's very little disincentive to cheat big that comes from the NCAA. By the time anyone catches on you have 5-10 years of Banners and Paydays and Diaper Dandys.

They want every P5 team eligible in March. That's priority #1.

 

[Ewekon]

the video is pretty intimidating and terrifying

Sorry......what video? Will you point me there?

 

[Vancat]

Sorry.what video? Will you point me there?

Sources: Spreadsheets, wiretaps and bank records detail payment scheme in hoops corruption case

 

[freescooter]

I like the analogy.

Sometimes organizations become so bloated that their inefficiencies are too baked in to the existing culture to eliminate through rule changes. I think that is where the NCAA is. The bloat of the NCAA causes too much waste of the March Madness money machine.

Colleges should start a new organization with simple cleaner rules and clear sanctions.

The History of Religions course I took at UConn many years ago finally bears fruit! Yet another victory for the Liberal Arts degree!