FBI Arrests Coaches in Corruption Scandal

[SoInHoosier25]

7 minutes ago, Reacher said:

Checked out the last few pages of the scandal thread on the Scout Kansas board and for the most part they think they are clean and do not need to cheat. I did see somebody reference the recruitment of Cliff Alexander and Josh Selby as possibly problematic. For years I've seen Chicago kids going there and figured it could only be because of the $.

Was also a thread on Langford but nothing new there.

They did have this list which might answer a few questions.  Not sure how accurate it is...

Universities: 
1 - Auburn 
2 - South Carolina 
3 - Oklahoma State 
4 - Arizona 
5 - USC 
6 - Louisville 
7 - Miami (FL)

Players 
1 - Mustapha Heron, Auburn 
2 - likely Austin Wiley OR Danjel Purifoy, Auburn 
3 - P.J. Dozier, NBA via South Carolina 
4 - Jawun Evans, NBA via Oklahoma State 
5 - Jahvon Quinerly, Arizona commit 
6 - unspecified Arizona player 
7 - unspecified Arizona player 
8 - Charles O'Bannon Jr., USC 
9 - De'Anthony Melton, USC 
10 - Brian Bowen, Louisville 
11 - Balsa Koprivica, Louisville target 
12 - Nassir Little, Miami target"

How many scandals can USC be involved before they just shut down the entire sports program?!?! 

[BobSaccamanno]

I have been swamped at work and really have not had a chance to get immersed in this story.  A few random thoughts:

1.  Other than UNC, I couldn't have less respect for a school than Louisville.  They have sold their souls to the devil long ago.  Whether it was Karen Sypher, the hooker scandal, the vacated championship, hiring Bobby Petrino, this amazing bombshell etc, they are absolutely desperate to win.  They are a third rate school to begin with (my firm almost assuredly would never hire from them, unless it would be a very exceptional situation).  They are in a state without pro sports, and as a mid-sized city, the name "Louisville" on their jerseys, coupled with playing in that YUM arena, give their fans the false impression and illusion that they are big-time.  But a guy like Jurich, with approval from higher ups, have had a pathetic win at all costs mentality.  If I were a true student or professor there interested in academics and the school itself, I'd go through the roof.  But you never hear that.  They want "Louisville" (referring to the city, really, like a pro team) on a jersey to win.

2.  Little Ricky is a flat out scumbag.  It's not just his bankrupt morality.  At the end of the day, any organization has a set of values and a culture that is set up.  You set up a culture from the top down.  "This is the way we do things."  You train, you follow up, you remind, you immerse the whole internal community in a culture.  Obviously, this is the biggest problem at Louisville.  This is not what we should be teaching young people.  I can't imagine high quality parents ever sending their kid to Louisville, not just because it is a third rate school but also because of the culture there that sends all the wrong messages to young people.  Little Ricky should have been fired long ago because his culture, consistent with Jurich's and the school at large, is about winning at all costs, cheating included.  He never set up a positive pattern of demands in the culture there.  It was really the opposite.

3.  I wonder how much the FBI looks into IRS records.  If a player took money, the tax returns of him and his parents could be evaluated.

4.  The NCAA is a corrupt and inept organization.  I don't care about subpoena power.  They have that big shiny building in Indy and administration that is just focusing on immediate cash in a shortsighted manner.  I would get that place sanitized and fumigated.  They need a whole new leadership and clear standards.  Right now, their decisions are haphazard and inconsistent.  They are wholly impotent in setting standards and ensuring compliance.  They get caught up in rules on text messages and the like and create a rule book that would make the IRS blush.  They are so far deep into irrelevant minutiae that they can't keep track of fundamental issues.  In the long run, if new administration came in and exhibited better leadership, in the end the sports would be healthier which will result in more $$ in the end.  You have to just pound a school like UNC to send a message that this will not be tolerated ever under any circumstances with no excuses.  As presently constructed, I don't have any faith that they will send the right messages.  They like to highlight their student athletes who become successes outside of sports, yet do not reconcile how the widespread corruption taints and compromises their vast majority of student athletes.  

5.  I love that the FBI went over the heads of the NCAA and essentially neutered them for all to see them as the keystone cops that they are.  With folks looking at real jail time, hopefully they will get the goods on the other shoe companies and schools.  

6.  Assistant coaches are hardly paupers.  They make well into the six figures at big schools.  This ain't about poor humans trying to survive.  These are guys with money.

7.  Eventually, I hope the FBI is on a larger scale goal of getting other bad actors in the basketball world, but extend this into football (think SEC) and steroids as well.  With the NCAA hopeless, it would be great if the FBI is ambitious and keeps cranking.  
 

[FW_Hoosier]

31 minutes ago, KoB2011 said:

They're no reason for Pearl or Miller to be fired based on anything we know now. From all the evidence it appears to be two rogue assistants and in the case of Auburn it doesn't even appear a player benefited. Looks like person you money to get an agent access to a player but never have the player or family money. 

This was a question I had yesterday that I think got buried.  Could just having a discussion with an agent affect an already enrolled player's eligibility?

[milehiiu]

More fallout today at UL.

SIAP

Louisville's Brian Bowen suspended indefinitely and withheld from practices and workouts

[CampHoosier]

39 minutes ago, Sagamore said:

Sorry I do want to complain about ESPN tho...

I went home during lunch and nothing on any of the XM radio channels on the way home, and when I switched on TV to the ESPN family, all they are talking about is that other stupid sports news story.  

This is very bad news for ESPN. Not surprised they're burying the lead a tad

[CampHoosier]

What do you guys think about Bowen? If he indeed took money, should he be punished? Many before him took $$ and he could be made an example out of. Seems unfair. 

[Reacher]

4 minutes ago, CampHoosier said:

What do you guys think about Bowen? If he indeed took money, should he be punished? Many before him took $$ and he could be made an example out of. Seems unfair. 

I think he better be looking to Europe. He's certainly ineligible for the NCAA

[SoInHoosier25]

Here is a link to Troy Williams ASM page. If Kenny Johnson did in fact recruit Williams then this one worries me a little, especially since Williams is represented by the agency that got raided. Crean might have been clean, but Kenny Johnson being at IU and then ending up in the middle of this Louisville scandal is a bit worrisome. 

http://www.asmsports.com/asm-family/troy-williams

[Indykev]

 

[Indykev]

https://twitter.com/DickieV/status/913116049188560897

[Reacher]

2 minutes ago, Indykev said:

https://twitter.com/DickieV/status/913116049188560897

He seems shocked that someone would break the coaches code of silence. Facing 80 years will get a lot of names named! 

[addictedtoIU]

34 minutes ago, BobSaccamanno said:

7.  Eventually, I hope the FBI is on a larger scale goal of getting other bad actors in the basketball world, but extend this into football (think SEC) and steroids as well.  With the NCAA hopeless, it would be great if the FBI is ambitious and keeps cranking.  

I'd say this is possible in order to finally clean up American sports. It will be the biggest and the best show ever happening in sports. 

[jimsorgi]

9 minutes ago, Reacher said:

He seems shocked that someone would break the coaches code of silence. Facing 80 years will get a lot of names named! 

Whether you like Vitale or not, he's not supporting coaches or in favor of sweeping things under the rug. He's been hammering how bad this is and calling Pitino sleaze pretty much nonstop for the last day and a half. And saying that he hopes FBI catches other schools doing the same thing.

[Hoosrnight]

6 minutes ago, jimsorgi said:

Whether you like Vitale or not, he's not supporting coaches or in favor of sweeping things under the rug. He's been hammering how bad this is and calling Pitino sleaze pretty much nonstop for the last day and a half. And saying that he hopes FBI catches other schools doing the same thing.

Let's see what he says if Duke or UNC get caught up in this!

[jimsorgi]

6 minutes ago, Hoosrnight said:

Let's see what he says if Duke or UNC get caught up in this!

He'll say the same thing, no question.

The thing about Vitale is, beyond anything else: he's a big college basketball fan who always thinks the best about everyone. So that makes him a big fan of every school that has success. But if it turns out those schools are cheating, he will feel personally betrayed.

[OGIUAndy]

1 hour ago, hoosierBGH said:

Just to clarify, I mostly agree with you and others that all the things mentioned will help clean up college basketball a bit, what I disagree with is the notion that these changes will make it completely clean. 

For sure. Greed wins out most of the time. I'm sure stuff like this goes on with every major sport on all levels (including high school) in some form or another. 

[Hoosrnight]

1 minute ago, jimsorgi said:

He'll say the same thing, no question.

The thing about Vitale is, beyond anything else: he's a big college basketball fan who always thinks the best about everyone. So that makes him a big fan of every school that has success. But if it turns out those schools are cheating, he will feel personally betrayed.

I'm not that sure, but who knows maybe he will.

[newhavenwarford]

I'm sorry but Dick Vitale is and has been associated with the same people he is calling sleaze and you cant tell me he didnt know anything has been going on? I'm not buying it. I love the guy,,,I think he is a big part of college basketball. But I'm sorry he knew stuff was going on...just my 2 cents...Go ahead Vitale supporters you can attack my now lol

[OGIUAndy]

4 minutes ago, newhavenwarford said:

I'm sorry but Dick Vitale is and has been associated with the same people he is calling sleaze and you cant tell me he didnt know anything has been going on? I'm not buying it. I love the guy,,,I think he is a big part of college basketball. But I'm sorry he knew stuff was going on...just my 2 cents...Go ahead Vitale supporters you can attack my now lol

If it was the 80s/90s, you might get some flack. But I don't think there are many Dickie V supporters anymore. He's pretty much been a clown for 20 years now. He definitely had his time and has a legacy,  but hasn't been relevant to serious fans for some time.  

[Reacher]

Heard Dakich being interviewed on the radio. He said he thinks up to 100 teams could end up being involved. Also said Kenny Johnson spent 3 hours with the FBI and they took his laptop. Also said that while he likes Sean Miller, he should be fired. Along with Underwood and any other coach implicated or involved.

[newhavenwarford]

Just now, OGIUAndy said:

If it was the 80s and 90s, you might get some flack. I don't think there are many Dickie V supporters anymore. He's pretty much been a clown for 20 years now. He definitely had his time and has a legacy,  but hasn't been relevant to serious fans for some time.  

Who knows Vitale could of even received cash from adidas and nike just to promote player a or player b on national tv to get there names out there....who knows with how dirty college sports are

[Hoosrnight]

2 minutes ago, Reacher said:

Heard Dakich being interviewed on the radio. He said he thinks up to 100 teams could end up being involved. Also said Kenny Johnson spent 3 hours with the FBI and they took his laptop. Also said that while he likes Sean Miller, he should be fired. Along with Underwood and any other coach implicated or involved.

I heard that too. He basically said any head coaches should be fired at any of these schools, as they hire these assistants because they know how to play these games to get recruits. I'm not a fan of his, but when he talks about the coaching aspect he usually seems pretty spot on.

[FritzIam4IU]

I wonder how many of the assistant coaches are going to point the finger at the head coaches in this fiasco. I think this will get crazy with the blame game as this unfolds.

[KoB2011]

1 hour ago, FW_Hoosier said:

This was a question I had yesterday that I think got buried.  Could just having a discussion with an agent affect an already enrolled player's eligibility?

I think they'd have to get a benefit or sign an agreement, could be wrong. 

1 hour ago, SoInHoosier25 said:

Here is a link to Troy Williams ASM page. If Kenny Johnson did in fact recruit Williams then this one worries me a little, especially since Williams is represented by the agency that got raided. Crean might have been clean, but Kenny Johnson being at IU and then ending up in the middle of this Louisville scandal is a bit worrisome. 

http://www.asmsports.com/asm-family/troy-williams

I think this is likely a bad connection, but I don't think anything will come of it. They have wire taps and hard evidence of the other things, this would be from before the investigation and would not be as easy to prove. 

15 minutes ago, Reacher said:

Heard Dakich being interviewed on the radio. He said he thinks up to 100 teams could end up being involved. Also said Kenny Johnson spent 3 hours with the FBI and they took his laptop. Also said that while he likes Sean Miller, he should be fired. Along with Underwood and any other coach implicated or involved.

Why should Sean be fired?

[Bushmage]

12 minutes ago, newhavenwarford said:

Who knows Vitale could of even received cash from adidas and nike just to promote player a or player b on national tv to get there names out there....who knows with how dirty college sports are

I think Dick genuinely would not do that so blatantly, but he's showcasing himself as a hypocrite anyway because he's always shilled for so many of these slimy coaches. Not saying that the money and awareness he has raised did not ultimately go toward great causes but he can't sit there and say he did not smell anything odd at all from anyone ever at his cancer foundation fundraisers. He is way too well connected and ingrained in college basketball to be this disgusted and shocked at what's going on. He's upset his friends got caught.