Several media sources reporting that NCAA hits KU and Self with major violations. If true can Arizona and Miller be far behind.
Report That KU and Self Hit With Major Violations
- Thread starter hallgrad80
- Start date
I hope Kansas and Self are pounded into oblivion...and that LSU and Arizona get it even worse. They all earned it. Maybe someday Coach K is exposed for the fraud he is...and has been for years.
This is gonna be a GIGANTIC slap on the wrist
Yep, nothing of note ever happens. Business as usual with vested interests keeping it that way.
Let's see if any of those players played on that team that narrowly beat us.
I don’t believe that the NCAA can get away with its time- honored “ slap on the wrist “ penalties in these cases as there is too much attention focused on how they deal with the bribery scandal. I could be wrong of course and if that’s the case then not only will it be business as usual,but it will get worse.
I'm amazed how many readers continue to post the slap on the wrist theory. Not happening.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-b...51/ku-charged-lack-institutional-control-more
KU charged with lack of institutional control, more
5:36 PM ET
The NCAA's enforcement staff has charged the University of Kansas with lack of institutional control and Jayhawks basketball coach Bill Self with head coach responsibility violations.
Those are among the most serious charges levied against Kansas and Self in an NCAA notice of allegations the university received on Monday. The Jayhawks are charged with multiple Level 1 violations, the most serious under NCAA rules, as well as allegations related to the school's football program under former coach David Beaty.
Under NCAA rules, Kansas officials have 90 days to respond to the charges. In a release, the school noted "it is already clear from an initial review that the University will fiercely dispute in detail much of what has been presented."
Self, 56, has guided Kansas to at least a share of 14 consecutive Big 12 regular-season titles, three Final Four appearances and the 2008 NCAA championship. He was president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 2017-18.
"By the NCAA's own admission through its public statements early this summer, it's no secret that there is tremendous pressure on the NCAA to respond to the federal court proceedings involving college basketball ... In its haste and attempt to regain control, the enforcement staff has created a false narrative regarding me and our basketball program," Self said in a statement. "The narrative is based on innuendo, half-truths, misimpressions and mischaracterizations ... I will strenuously defend myself and the program, but I will respect the process and will not speak to the details of the case."
NCAA bylaw 11.1.1.1 states that a "head coach is presumed to be responsible for the actions of all staff members who report, directly or indirectly, to the head coach. The head coach will be held accountable for violations in the program unless he or she can rebut the presumption of responsibility."
Under NCAA rules, a head coach can receive a show-cause order and be suspended up to an entire season for Level I violations and up to half a season for Level II violations. The length of the suspension is determined by the Committee on Infractions and depends on the "severity of the violation(s) committed, the level of the coach's involvement and any other aggravating or mitigating factors."
Responding to the allegations regarding Self, Kansas said in a statement that "voluminous evidence demonstrates uncontestably that he did, in fact, promote an atmosphere of compliance and fully monitor his staff. The University firmly and fully supports Coach Self and his staff."
Of utmost concern to the NCAA enforcement staff is the Kansas coaching staff's relationship with Adidas and its employees. The sneaker company was at the center of a federal investigation into bribes and other corruption in college basketball over the past two years. The Jayhawks are the company's flagship program and signed a 14-year, $196 million apparel and sponsorship extension in April.
Earlier this month, former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola was sentenced to probation and fined for his role in pay-for-play schemes to steer recruits to Kansas and other Adidas-sponsored programs.
During closing arguments in a federal criminal case in New York in October, an attorney for former Adidas executive James Gatto told a jury that his client approved a $20,000 payment to current Kansas player Silvio De Sousa's guardian only after Self and Jayhawks assistant Kurtis Townsend requested the payment through Gassnola.
Gatto, former Adidas consultant Merl Code and aspiring business manager Christian Dawkins were found guilty on felony charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The three were accused of paying money from Adidas to the families of recruits to ensure they signed with Adidas-sponsored schools and then with the sneaker company and certain financial planners and agents once they turned pro.
Gatto was accused of working with Gassnola to facilitate $90,000 from Adidas to former Jayhawks recruit Billy Preston's mother and agreeing to pay $20,000 to Fenny Falmagne, De Sousa's guardian, to help him "get out from under" a pay-for-play scheme to attend Maryland, which is sponsored by Under Armour.
Gassnola testified during the trial that Self and his assistants weren't aware of the alleged payments.
On Sept. 19, 2017, three days before Kansas announced the 14-year extension with Adidas, Gassnola texted Self and thanked him for helping the sponsorship deal get done.
Self responded: "I'm happy with Adidas. Just got to get a couple real guys."
Gassnola replied: "In my mind, it's KU, bill self. Everyone else fall into line. Too f---ing bad. That's what's right for Adidas basketball. And I know I am RIGHT. The more you win, have lottery pics and you happy. That's how it should work in my mind."
Gassnola, a former youth basketball director from Springfield, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in April 2018 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in the alleged pay-for-play schemes. He testified during the October trial as part of his cooperation agreement with federal prosecutors.
The NCAA had previously alleged that Gassnola and Adidas were representatives of NC State's athletics interests when Gassnola provided $40,000 in cash to then-assistant coach Orlando Early in November 2015 to ensure star guard Dennis Smith Jr.'s commitment to the Wolfpack.
A footnote in the notice of allegations sent to Kansas states that "Adidas is a representative of the institution's athletics interest," which is how the NCAA defines boosters.
The university disputes this characterization, saying in a statement that it "emphatically rejects the assertion that Adidas and Adidas employees and associates were boosters and agents of the University (as defined by NCAA legislation) during the period of the alleged violations and therefore acting on the University's behalf when they engaged in alleged violations of NCAA bylaws."
Josephine Potuto, a professor at the University of Nebraska College of Law and a former chair of the NCAA Committee on Infractions, said a corporation such as Adidas might fit under the NCAA's definition of boosters.
Under NCAA rules, an individual or entity can be identified as a booster if they "assisted or [have] been requested by the university staff to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes."
"Typically, when you think about a booster, you think of somebody who is trying to assist a particular school," Potuto said, while not specifically talking about Kansas or any of the other schools involved in the federal government's investigation into college basketball corruption. "That's the normal definition and the normal way you think about it, but it's not exclusive.
"To the extent that one of the shoe companies was providing payments to a prospect or to the family members of a prospect, and the interest was getting the prospect to attend a particular school, that would sound as though that would fall within that [booster] provision."
David Ridpath, president of the Drake Group, a thinktank dedicated to protecting academic integrity in college sports, and an associate professor of sports business at Ohio University, said it's too early to tell whether the NCAA can make a dent in cleaning up college basketball corruption.
"[The notice of allegations] is not surprising," Ridpath said. "But it's one thing to allege and another to know what's going to be the end game. I think we saw that in the North Carolina case [involving alleged academic misconduct]. I have my doubts that the membership really truly, truly wants to punish these schools and punish coaches like Bill Self. At the end of the day, whether he knew or didn't know, he should have known or did know. My guess is Bill Self probably knew a lot more than he's letting on.
"If we're going to have these rules, they need to be enforced. Until we see the end game, I don't know how worried Kansas should be about these allegations, because it still has to go through the infractions process. The committee on infractions has shown in the past that it's very reticent to punish some schools. We'll have to wait and see. If they're doing their job, Kansas should be absolutely eviscerated."
ESPN's Jeff Borzello contributed to this report.
KU charged with lack of institutional control, more
5:36 PM ET
-
Mark SchlabachESPN Senior Writer
The NCAA's enforcement staff has charged the University of Kansas with lack of institutional control and Jayhawks basketball coach Bill Self with head coach responsibility violations.
Those are among the most serious charges levied against Kansas and Self in an NCAA notice of allegations the university received on Monday. The Jayhawks are charged with multiple Level 1 violations, the most serious under NCAA rules, as well as allegations related to the school's football program under former coach David Beaty.
Under NCAA rules, Kansas officials have 90 days to respond to the charges. In a release, the school noted "it is already clear from an initial review that the University will fiercely dispute in detail much of what has been presented."
Self, 56, has guided Kansas to at least a share of 14 consecutive Big 12 regular-season titles, three Final Four appearances and the 2008 NCAA championship. He was president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 2017-18.
"By the NCAA's own admission through its public statements early this summer, it's no secret that there is tremendous pressure on the NCAA to respond to the federal court proceedings involving college basketball ... In its haste and attempt to regain control, the enforcement staff has created a false narrative regarding me and our basketball program," Self said in a statement. "The narrative is based on innuendo, half-truths, misimpressions and mischaracterizations ... I will strenuously defend myself and the program, but I will respect the process and will not speak to the details of the case."
NCAA bylaw 11.1.1.1 states that a "head coach is presumed to be responsible for the actions of all staff members who report, directly or indirectly, to the head coach. The head coach will be held accountable for violations in the program unless he or she can rebut the presumption of responsibility."
Under NCAA rules, a head coach can receive a show-cause order and be suspended up to an entire season for Level I violations and up to half a season for Level II violations. The length of the suspension is determined by the Committee on Infractions and depends on the "severity of the violation(s) committed, the level of the coach's involvement and any other aggravating or mitigating factors."
Responding to the allegations regarding Self, Kansas said in a statement that "voluminous evidence demonstrates uncontestably that he did, in fact, promote an atmosphere of compliance and fully monitor his staff. The University firmly and fully supports Coach Self and his staff."
Of utmost concern to the NCAA enforcement staff is the Kansas coaching staff's relationship with Adidas and its employees. The sneaker company was at the center of a federal investigation into bribes and other corruption in college basketball over the past two years. The Jayhawks are the company's flagship program and signed a 14-year, $196 million apparel and sponsorship extension in April.
Earlier this month, former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola was sentenced to probation and fined for his role in pay-for-play schemes to steer recruits to Kansas and other Adidas-sponsored programs.
During closing arguments in a federal criminal case in New York in October, an attorney for former Adidas executive James Gatto told a jury that his client approved a $20,000 payment to current Kansas player Silvio De Sousa's guardian only after Self and Jayhawks assistant Kurtis Townsend requested the payment through Gassnola.
Gatto, former Adidas consultant Merl Code and aspiring business manager Christian Dawkins were found guilty on felony charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The three were accused of paying money from Adidas to the families of recruits to ensure they signed with Adidas-sponsored schools and then with the sneaker company and certain financial planners and agents once they turned pro.
Gatto was accused of working with Gassnola to facilitate $90,000 from Adidas to former Jayhawks recruit Billy Preston's mother and agreeing to pay $20,000 to Fenny Falmagne, De Sousa's guardian, to help him "get out from under" a pay-for-play scheme to attend Maryland, which is sponsored by Under Armour.
Gassnola testified during the trial that Self and his assistants weren't aware of the alleged payments.
On Sept. 19, 2017, three days before Kansas announced the 14-year extension with Adidas, Gassnola texted Self and thanked him for helping the sponsorship deal get done.
Self responded: "I'm happy with Adidas. Just got to get a couple real guys."
Gassnola replied: "In my mind, it's KU, bill self. Everyone else fall into line. Too f---ing bad. That's what's right for Adidas basketball. And I know I am RIGHT. The more you win, have lottery pics and you happy. That's how it should work in my mind."
Gassnola, a former youth basketball director from Springfield, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in April 2018 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in the alleged pay-for-play schemes. He testified during the October trial as part of his cooperation agreement with federal prosecutors.
The NCAA had previously alleged that Gassnola and Adidas were representatives of NC State's athletics interests when Gassnola provided $40,000 in cash to then-assistant coach Orlando Early in November 2015 to ensure star guard Dennis Smith Jr.'s commitment to the Wolfpack.
A footnote in the notice of allegations sent to Kansas states that "Adidas is a representative of the institution's athletics interest," which is how the NCAA defines boosters.
The university disputes this characterization, saying in a statement that it "emphatically rejects the assertion that Adidas and Adidas employees and associates were boosters and agents of the University (as defined by NCAA legislation) during the period of the alleged violations and therefore acting on the University's behalf when they engaged in alleged violations of NCAA bylaws."
Josephine Potuto, a professor at the University of Nebraska College of Law and a former chair of the NCAA Committee on Infractions, said a corporation such as Adidas might fit under the NCAA's definition of boosters.
Under NCAA rules, an individual or entity can be identified as a booster if they "assisted or [have] been requested by the university staff to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes."
"Typically, when you think about a booster, you think of somebody who is trying to assist a particular school," Potuto said, while not specifically talking about Kansas or any of the other schools involved in the federal government's investigation into college basketball corruption. "That's the normal definition and the normal way you think about it, but it's not exclusive.
"To the extent that one of the shoe companies was providing payments to a prospect or to the family members of a prospect, and the interest was getting the prospect to attend a particular school, that would sound as though that would fall within that [booster] provision."
David Ridpath, president of the Drake Group, a thinktank dedicated to protecting academic integrity in college sports, and an associate professor of sports business at Ohio University, said it's too early to tell whether the NCAA can make a dent in cleaning up college basketball corruption.
"[The notice of allegations] is not surprising," Ridpath said. "But it's one thing to allege and another to know what's going to be the end game. I think we saw that in the North Carolina case [involving alleged academic misconduct]. I have my doubts that the membership really truly, truly wants to punish these schools and punish coaches like Bill Self. At the end of the day, whether he knew or didn't know, he should have known or did know. My guess is Bill Self probably knew a lot more than he's letting on.
"If we're going to have these rules, they need to be enforced. Until we see the end game, I don't know how worried Kansas should be about these allegations, because it still has to go through the infractions process. The committee on infractions has shown in the past that it's very reticent to punish some schools. We'll have to wait and see. If they're doing their job, Kansas should be absolutely eviscerated."
ESPN's Jeff Borzello contributed to this report.
I think that to some extent, everyone cheats. Some cheat way more than others. With that said, I don't think it's really a big deal and I'm not a fan of getting on a high horse to belittle the programs and coaches caught of cheating. This is a cutthroat business and everyone is always trying to gain an edge. To some extent, everyone is straddling the line, just some more than others.
The issue isn't with coaches, programs, and shoe companies trying to gain an edge, the issue is with the NCAA's disgusting, archaic, and greed based rules. If the NCAA would simply lax their slave like rules, and at the minimum, allow athletes to accept profits on advertising and their likeness being used, this would be much less of an issue.
The real issue here is with the NCAA. I don't hope that Kansas gets rocked. The NCAA, along with the national media and fanbases around the nation, pick and choose who they want to go after. Everyone wants to see KU, UK, Duke and UNC come tumbling down because those programs are the most elite in the nation. It won't solve anything because those programs getting hit doesn't A.) change the issues happening everywhere else and B.) change the NCAA's nonsense.
The issue isn't with coaches, programs, and shoe companies trying to gain an edge, the issue is with the NCAA's disgusting, archaic, and greed based rules. If the NCAA would simply lax their slave like rules, and at the minimum, allow athletes to accept profits on advertising and their likeness being used, this would be much less of an issue.
The real issue here is with the NCAA. I don't hope that Kansas gets rocked. The NCAA, along with the national media and fanbases around the nation, pick and choose who they want to go after. Everyone wants to see KU, UK, Duke and UNC come tumbling down because those programs are the most elite in the nation. It won't solve anything because those programs getting hit doesn't A.) change the issues happening everywhere else and B.) change the NCAA's nonsense.
That’s the rub. Will the penalties be real? I lost any and all faith after the NC stuff.
I think everyone can live with a modicum of corner cutting. Do I think we do or have? Of course. I think Tiny Morton and Antigua were each dirty as hell and that everyone important either knew or deliberately turned a blind-eye because that’s how it works. But I think our program like many of the smaller Catholic schools with limited resources doesn’t even come close to approaching the many power 5 schools in this respect, a number of which cross any line I would want to approach. Just look at the freaking roster of coaches in the SEC. Good coaches get canned in the league if they don’t cheat enough to keep up.
Good evening.
Do all cheat?
I certainly hope not, as it would be a reflection of our society in general.
Mother Seton pray for us and may those values that we learned at school and/or through our family members allow us to wade through the complex challenges of modern society.
Best regards to all.
Son of Joe Seton ‘49
Do all cheat?
I certainly hope not, as it would be a reflection of our society in general.
Mother Seton pray for us and may those values that we learned at school and/or through our family members allow us to wade through the complex challenges of modern society.
Best regards to all.
Son of Joe Seton ‘49
CBS sports reporting that nothing will happen until the '22 season due to the appeal process---business as usual
Nothing wrong with that.
The FBI told the NCAA to not get involved until they were finished with the legal process. That happened just a couple of short months ago. Now the NCAA is preceding according to the bylaws which allows as it should the appeal process.
Unless due diligence along with proper procedures are followed the results down the road might not be what most want.
The NCAA should be blamed for much, but not this.
The FBI told the NCAA to not get involved until they were finished with the legal process. That happened just a couple of short months ago. Now the NCAA is preceding according to the bylaws which allows as it should the appeal process.
Unless due diligence along with proper procedures are followed the results down the road might not be what most want.
The NCAA should be blamed for much, but not this.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...aa-violation-charges-stemming-from-fbi-probe/
Kansas basketball hit with major NCAA violation charges stemming from FBI probe
The Jayhawks have received a notice of allegations after an investigation into its basketball and football programs
by Kyle Boone
The Kansas basketball program received a notice of allegations from the NCAA on Monday detailing multiple major violations, the University of Kansas confirmed. Kansas is accused of committing three Level I violations -- the most severe in the NCAA rulebook. A responsibility charge is also being levied against Hall of Fame coach Bill Self and KU is also charged with a lack of institutional control.
Several Level II violations have also been levied against the football program dating back to the previous coaching regime under David Beaty, according to Yahoo Sports, which first reported the notice of allegations. Those violations are less serious in nature and reportedly include charges of allowing an extra coach to work during practice.
Kansas' alleged violations in basketball stem from the FBI's recent investigation into the sport related to corruption and bribery. The probe roped in Kansas when T.J. Gassnola, a former Adidas consultant, testified about his involvement in funneling money to the mother of former KU basketball player Billy Preston and to the guardian of current KU basketball player Silvio De Sousa. Last week, reports surfaced indicating an NOA -- with major rules violations allegations -- was likely imminent for the program.
Self would be subject to coach responsibility penalty guidelines adopted by the NCAA in the wake of recommendations from the Commission on College Basketball. That means he could be suspended for up to a year.
Kansas is expected to mount a vigorous defense, a source told CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd, saying it felt "strong[ly]" about the NCAA's accusations. Late Monday, the Jayhawks began that defense with a statement from Kansas' Office of Public Affairs. In part, it reads as follows:
It is already clear from an initial review that the University will fiercely dispute in detail much of what has been presented.
First and foremost, the University emphasizes that it emphatically rejects the assertion that Adidas and Adidas employees and associates were boosters and agents of the University (as defined by NCAA legislation) during the period of the alleged violations and therefore acting on the University's behalf when they engaged in alleged violations of NCAA bylaws.
As for the allegations regarding Head Men's Basketball Coach Bill Self, voluminous evidence demonstrates uncontestably that he did, in fact, promote an atmosphere of compliance and fully monitor his staff. The University firmly and fully supports Coach Self and his staff. [...]
The University strongly disagrees with the assertion that it "lacks of institutional control." In fact, the University believes that the record will demonstrate just the opposite. [...]
We understand this is a unique moment in collegiate athletics, and we recognize the NCAA finds itself in a challenging position. But we don't believe these allegations are the most appropriate way to address long-standing challenges in college basketball.
NCAA investigators were sent to Kansas to look into both the football and basketball programs, Dennis Dodd reported this spring. In June, Dodd reported that at least six schools would be hit with Level I violations as the FBI's investigation continues to reverberate throughout the college basketball landscape.
The earliest the case could be concluded is approximately six months from now if the typical investigatory timeline is followed. The concerned parties now have 90 days to file a response to the NOA. After that, the NCAA has 60 days to file its reply brief. Then a hearing in front of an NCAA infractions panel is scheduled.
That would put a decision on the case into Spring 2020. The lack of institutional control allegation puts a potential postseason ban into play. However, due to the timeline of the case, one person close to the situation told Dodd that the possibility of a postseason ban "highly unlikely" for the 2019-20 season.
That wouldn't preclude Kansas from applying a self-imposed penalty as a show of good faith to the NCAA. However, that doesn't seem to be Kansas' stance at the moment.
Kansas is the second known school to receive a NOA with Level I violations to date, joining NC State, which in July announced it had been hit by the NCAA with multiple Level I and Level II violations. KU is expected to release a copy of the notice of allegations.
Kansas is in this position because of NCAA rule changes that allow it to accept information that has been developed "by another administrative body or a commission authorized by a school." In this case, the FBI's case as presented at trial with evidence in the form of wiretaps and texts involving both Self and top assistant Kurtis Townsend.
Kansas basketball hit with major NCAA violation charges stemming from FBI probe
The Jayhawks have received a notice of allegations after an investigation into its basketball and football programs
by Kyle Boone
The Kansas basketball program received a notice of allegations from the NCAA on Monday detailing multiple major violations, the University of Kansas confirmed. Kansas is accused of committing three Level I violations -- the most severe in the NCAA rulebook. A responsibility charge is also being levied against Hall of Fame coach Bill Self and KU is also charged with a lack of institutional control.
Several Level II violations have also been levied against the football program dating back to the previous coaching regime under David Beaty, according to Yahoo Sports, which first reported the notice of allegations. Those violations are less serious in nature and reportedly include charges of allowing an extra coach to work during practice.
Kansas' alleged violations in basketball stem from the FBI's recent investigation into the sport related to corruption and bribery. The probe roped in Kansas when T.J. Gassnola, a former Adidas consultant, testified about his involvement in funneling money to the mother of former KU basketball player Billy Preston and to the guardian of current KU basketball player Silvio De Sousa. Last week, reports surfaced indicating an NOA -- with major rules violations allegations -- was likely imminent for the program.
Self would be subject to coach responsibility penalty guidelines adopted by the NCAA in the wake of recommendations from the Commission on College Basketball. That means he could be suspended for up to a year.
Kansas is expected to mount a vigorous defense, a source told CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd, saying it felt "strong[ly]" about the NCAA's accusations. Late Monday, the Jayhawks began that defense with a statement from Kansas' Office of Public Affairs. In part, it reads as follows:
It is already clear from an initial review that the University will fiercely dispute in detail much of what has been presented.
First and foremost, the University emphasizes that it emphatically rejects the assertion that Adidas and Adidas employees and associates were boosters and agents of the University (as defined by NCAA legislation) during the period of the alleged violations and therefore acting on the University's behalf when they engaged in alleged violations of NCAA bylaws.
As for the allegations regarding Head Men's Basketball Coach Bill Self, voluminous evidence demonstrates uncontestably that he did, in fact, promote an atmosphere of compliance and fully monitor his staff. The University firmly and fully supports Coach Self and his staff. [...]
The University strongly disagrees with the assertion that it "lacks of institutional control." In fact, the University believes that the record will demonstrate just the opposite. [...]
We understand this is a unique moment in collegiate athletics, and we recognize the NCAA finds itself in a challenging position. But we don't believe these allegations are the most appropriate way to address long-standing challenges in college basketball.
NCAA investigators were sent to Kansas to look into both the football and basketball programs, Dennis Dodd reported this spring. In June, Dodd reported that at least six schools would be hit with Level I violations as the FBI's investigation continues to reverberate throughout the college basketball landscape.
The earliest the case could be concluded is approximately six months from now if the typical investigatory timeline is followed. The concerned parties now have 90 days to file a response to the NOA. After that, the NCAA has 60 days to file its reply brief. Then a hearing in front of an NCAA infractions panel is scheduled.
That would put a decision on the case into Spring 2020. The lack of institutional control allegation puts a potential postseason ban into play. However, due to the timeline of the case, one person close to the situation told Dodd that the possibility of a postseason ban "highly unlikely" for the 2019-20 season.
That wouldn't preclude Kansas from applying a self-imposed penalty as a show of good faith to the NCAA. However, that doesn't seem to be Kansas' stance at the moment.
Kansas is the second known school to receive a NOA with Level I violations to date, joining NC State, which in July announced it had been hit by the NCAA with multiple Level I and Level II violations. KU is expected to release a copy of the notice of allegations.
Kansas is in this position because of NCAA rule changes that allow it to accept information that has been developed "by another administrative body or a commission authorized by a school." In this case, the FBI's case as presented at trial with evidence in the form of wiretaps and texts involving both Self and top assistant Kurtis Townsend.
Wouldn’t it be nice if just once programs like Kansas who get caught with their hand in the cookie jar just admit to their misdeeds , accept whatever punishment is handed out and take steps to see it doesn’t happen again . Yet we see these schools think that they can do whatever they want in the pursuit of athletic success and when caught act as the injured party and fight to the end.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamza...her-schools-expected-to-be-next/#26498a4e4941
After Kansas Receives NCAA Notice Of Allegations, Louisville, Other Schools Expected To Be Next
Adam ZagoriaContributor
SportsMoney
Adam Zagoria
Now that Kansas has received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA, other schools including Louisville are expected to be up next –- potentially before the college basketball season is set to begin Nov. 5.
That, in turn, could cast another dark cloud over college basketball throughout the 2019-20 season.
“It’s probably in the NCAA’s best interest to get out the notices before the Nov. 5 season start,” one legal source familiar with the college basketball trials and NCAA decision-making told me.
A second legal source who has been involved in the college basketball bribery trials said he expected more schools to be hit with Notice of Allegations going into 2020.
“I would expect a slow roll out by the NCAA,” said the second legal source. That source said more schools will likely be named “over the next few weeks” and “then some time in early 2020 you’ll see [other schools] hit with charges.”
Stan Wilcox, vice president of regulatory affairs, told CBSSports.com in June that six schools would receive a Notice of Allegations for Level 1 violations. He said then that two schools would receive notices in July, with the other four later in the summer.
Only one school – N.C. State – ended up receiving its NOA in July, while Kansas was notified this month. The summer is now over.
“It’s just a matter of when the individual investigator can finish up,” an NCAA source told me.
Wilcox did not name the other schools involved, but Arizona and Louisville have been under NCAA investigation, according to reports and school statements.
“There’s even another group of cases that we’re still working on,” Wilcox said in June. “The main thing is that we’re up and ready. We’re moving forward and you’ll see consequences.”
The NCAA was investigating the Brian Bowen/Adidas pay-for-play scheme at Louisville in August, according to the Courier-Journal, and the first legal source referenced above said, “I can confirm reporting that the NCAA reached out for interviews regarding UofL.” The source said Louisville could be facing allegations related to the “failure of oversight regarding Adidas” as well as alleged payments made to players by former assistants Jordan Fair and Kenny Johnson.
Other schools that figured in the first college basketball bribery trial in the fall of 2018 include Auburn, USC, Oklahoma State, Creighton, LSU, Maryland and Oregon.
Arizona figured prominently in both the first trial and the second one this past spring. Because of Arizona’s involvement in the second trial, it’s possible the school wouldn’t receive a NOA until sometime in 2020.
“They are going to hammer Arizona,” said the second legal source referenced above.
Former Arizona assistant Book Richardsonand former Oklahoma State and South Carolina assistant Lamont Evanseach received three–month prison sentences for their roles in the bribery schemes.
Among head coaches, only former Louisville coachRick Pitino has lost his job in the wake of the arrests and scandals, and that was only after Pitino had two previous strikes at Louisville. He still hasn’t been directly linked to the Bowenpay-for-play scheme involving Adidas, and in fact evidence showed he wasn’t aware of it.
Meantime, the Notice of Allegations against Kansas included a lack of institutional control charge and a charge directed at Hall of Fame coach Bill Self, who led the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA title.
The notice includes three Level 1 violations linked primarily to recruiting and cites a lack of institutional control. Level 1 infractions often include postseason bans, forfeiture of wins and championships and the loss of scholarships.
As I reported from the trial for the Kansas City Star last October, former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola testified that he made payments of $90,000 to the family of Kansas recruit Billy Preston and a $20,000 payment to Silvio De Sousa’s guardian, Fenny Falmagne.
The school said in a statement Monday that it “strongly disagrees with the assertion that it ‘lacks of institutional control.’ In fact, the University believes that the record will demonstrate just the opposite.”
Chancellor Doug Girod said, “We stand firmly behind Coach Self and our men’s basketball program, and we will continue to work diligently to do what is right.”
Said Self: ““I have always taken pride in my commitment to rules compliance and led programs that operate with integrity, and I am proud of the success that we have achieved at each program along the way. Every student-athlete who has ever played for me and their families know we follow the rules.
“These allegations are serious and damaging to the university and to myself,” he added, “and I hate that KU has to go through this process. With our staff’s full cooperation, these allegations will be addressed within NCAA procedures with urgency and resolve.”
After Kansas Receives NCAA Notice Of Allegations, Louisville, Other Schools Expected To Be Next
Adam ZagoriaContributor
SportsMoney
Adam Zagoria
Now that Kansas has received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA, other schools including Louisville are expected to be up next –- potentially before the college basketball season is set to begin Nov. 5.
That, in turn, could cast another dark cloud over college basketball throughout the 2019-20 season.
“It’s probably in the NCAA’s best interest to get out the notices before the Nov. 5 season start,” one legal source familiar with the college basketball trials and NCAA decision-making told me.
A second legal source who has been involved in the college basketball bribery trials said he expected more schools to be hit with Notice of Allegations going into 2020.
“I would expect a slow roll out by the NCAA,” said the second legal source. That source said more schools will likely be named “over the next few weeks” and “then some time in early 2020 you’ll see [other schools] hit with charges.”
Stan Wilcox, vice president of regulatory affairs, told CBSSports.com in June that six schools would receive a Notice of Allegations for Level 1 violations. He said then that two schools would receive notices in July, with the other four later in the summer.
Only one school – N.C. State – ended up receiving its NOA in July, while Kansas was notified this month. The summer is now over.
“It’s just a matter of when the individual investigator can finish up,” an NCAA source told me.
Wilcox did not name the other schools involved, but Arizona and Louisville have been under NCAA investigation, according to reports and school statements.
“There’s even another group of cases that we’re still working on,” Wilcox said in June. “The main thing is that we’re up and ready. We’re moving forward and you’ll see consequences.”
The NCAA was investigating the Brian Bowen/Adidas pay-for-play scheme at Louisville in August, according to the Courier-Journal, and the first legal source referenced above said, “I can confirm reporting that the NCAA reached out for interviews regarding UofL.” The source said Louisville could be facing allegations related to the “failure of oversight regarding Adidas” as well as alleged payments made to players by former assistants Jordan Fair and Kenny Johnson.
Other schools that figured in the first college basketball bribery trial in the fall of 2018 include Auburn, USC, Oklahoma State, Creighton, LSU, Maryland and Oregon.
Arizona figured prominently in both the first trial and the second one this past spring. Because of Arizona’s involvement in the second trial, it’s possible the school wouldn’t receive a NOA until sometime in 2020.
“They are going to hammer Arizona,” said the second legal source referenced above.
Former Arizona assistant Book Richardsonand former Oklahoma State and South Carolina assistant Lamont Evanseach received three–month prison sentences for their roles in the bribery schemes.
Among head coaches, only former Louisville coachRick Pitino has lost his job in the wake of the arrests and scandals, and that was only after Pitino had two previous strikes at Louisville. He still hasn’t been directly linked to the Bowenpay-for-play scheme involving Adidas, and in fact evidence showed he wasn’t aware of it.
Meantime, the Notice of Allegations against Kansas included a lack of institutional control charge and a charge directed at Hall of Fame coach Bill Self, who led the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA title.
The notice includes three Level 1 violations linked primarily to recruiting and cites a lack of institutional control. Level 1 infractions often include postseason bans, forfeiture of wins and championships and the loss of scholarships.
As I reported from the trial for the Kansas City Star last October, former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola testified that he made payments of $90,000 to the family of Kansas recruit Billy Preston and a $20,000 payment to Silvio De Sousa’s guardian, Fenny Falmagne.
The school said in a statement Monday that it “strongly disagrees with the assertion that it ‘lacks of institutional control.’ In fact, the University believes that the record will demonstrate just the opposite.”
Chancellor Doug Girod said, “We stand firmly behind Coach Self and our men’s basketball program, and we will continue to work diligently to do what is right.”
Said Self: ““I have always taken pride in my commitment to rules compliance and led programs that operate with integrity, and I am proud of the success that we have achieved at each program along the way. Every student-athlete who has ever played for me and their families know we follow the rules.
“These allegations are serious and damaging to the university and to myself,” he added, “and I hate that KU has to go through this process. With our staff’s full cooperation, these allegations will be addressed within NCAA procedures with urgency and resolve.”
That’s why almost almost all of the time schools will “self impose” penalties that are often lame yet accepted by the NCAA as a way of getting the whole thing over with.
I don’t think that’s going to work anymore and the days of meaningless self imposed penalties being accepted by the NCAA are over as there is just too much spotlight on them to return to their past practices.
Inevitably, the paying-the-athletes argument will ALWAYS come up whenever a school is caught cheating and someone thinks paying high school—>>college kids will be the answer. Aye.
I don’t even want to get into why it’s such a bad, bad idea to pay college kids. I’ll just say that if someone thinks paying college kids will be a panacea instead of Pandora, I have about 13 bridges to sell you that were just build in my backyard. I’ll put it this way: if you think paying college kids will stop at that, you’ve never met a Wall Street player....and these kids are all well versed in the “Wall Street” of AAU/LSU (or insert many colleges here) way of getting pay for play.
If you also think that not penalizing schools for such egregious behavior is a better answer, then why follow any rules at all?
Well... undoubtedly you have the prerrogative to react whichever way you like. One of the good things about a Board like this which fosters open discussion, and certainly one of the benefits of living under the US flag.
The players should share in the money they raise in some manner.
Allowing money to enter the system would be madness and encourage bad guys to act even more badly.
The Ncaa version of string theory, put both in the same equation...
Allowing money to enter the system would be madness and encourage bad guys to act even more badly.
The Ncaa version of string theory, put both in the same equation...
If this ever happens, the only workable solution would be some type of equally distributed pension and healthcare fund based on how long a kid plays major D-I basketball and football. If it becomes an open bidding process and there is no some way to allocate distribution evenly, it will create a wider-gap of "haves" and "have nots", and you will still have "dirty" money flowing into the sports for any edge that can be had in securing talent.
If you are basing it on fairness, those are the only two sports that generate significant revenue. There are exceptions in women's hoops and certain baseball programs, but those are outliers. And then you need to figure out how you avoid massive Title IX problems.
If you are basing it on fairness, those are the only two sports that generate significant revenue. There are exceptions in women's hoops and certain baseball programs, but those are outliers. And then you need to figure out how you avoid massive Title IX problems.
I can’t imagine the NCAA crushing Kansas, which to me means Self will feel the brunt of this. The NCAA can’t do nothing, and the easiest way to spare (to some degree) the schools is to kill the coaches. I’m guessing Self, Miller, Wade and the others will all end up with long term show causes. The schools will be penalized also, but not enough to put them out of business.
For the NCAA to think that KU is the only is to be naive. The text the guys mentions the big 3 Duke, UNC and UK. Cal has been dirty since UMass and as a Pitt assistant, so that goes back decades.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...s-youre-cheater-and-wants-you-out/2426693001/
Their feigning surprise is beyond pale.
What ever happened to WorldWide Wes?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...s-youre-cheater-and-wants-you-out/2426693001/
Their feigning surprise is beyond pale.
What ever happened to WorldWide Wes?
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-b...latest-ncaa-allegations-mean-bill-self-kansas
What the latest NCAA allegations mean for Bill Self, Kansas
What does this all mean and what's next, for Kansas and the other schools involved in the FBI investigation? Let's break it down.
What does this mean for Kansas' 2019-20 season? Are any current players at risk?
Bill Self has one of the best teams in the country heading into the season. But aside from the potential off-court distractions, this might not impact this season's Jayhawks all that much. The school has 90 days to respond to the notice of allegations, and if it's going to fight the charges -- which it said it planned to do in a statement Monday night -- that brings us into late December. The NCAA then has 60 days to respond, and then there's another 45 days to schedule a hearing in front of the committee on infractions. By that point, we're already into the spring.
On the player side, there don't seem to be urgent ramifications. The only player on the current roster with a connection to the investigations is Silvio De Sousa, whose guardian received $2,500 from former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola and allegedly agreed to a deal for another $20,000, according to Gassnola's court testimony. De Sousa sat out all of last season in NCAA limbo -- before the NCAA ruled in February that he was ineligible for the rest of the season and all of the upcoming season. However, De Sousa won his appeal in May and is eligible to play this season.
Billy Preston was also mentioned, astestimony and evidence last fall alleged that Preston's mother, Nicole Player, received $90,000 from Gassnola for her son to attend Kansas. But after sitting out the first half of the 2017-18 season, Preston signed a professional contract in Bosnia and never suited up for the Jayhawks.
It remains to be seen if any pending off-court steps and/or other punishments will impact Kansas' program, on or off the court, but nothing appears imminent. -- Jeff Borzello
What does this mean for Bill Self and his staff?
Although there is unlikely to be a major short-term impact for Self, it's fair to wonder whether implicated assistant coach Kurtis Townsend has coached his final game at the school -- assistants are often treated as expendable by panicked universities in these situations.
As far as the long-term impact -- even while acknowledging that this investigation is without an exact precedent in college basketball -- it might be instructive to revisit Kevin Ollie's situation at UConn. Ollie received a three-year "show cause" penalty (which essentially barred him from the college game, and is similar to the penalty the NCAA says it "could seek" of Self) after he was accused of misleading the NCAA about the specifics of off-campus workouts with a trainer, as well as a FaceTime video between a recruit and former NBA and UConn star Ray Allen. Ollie was fired by the school for cause in the midst of the investigation. Although Kansas figures to support the winning Self more than UConn supported the struggling Ollie, if the penalties are that severe, Self might have to reconsider his future.
Having said that, Louisville, North Carolina and Syracuse have also been subjected to serious NCAA infractions cases in recent years, and only Louisville fired its coach. All three programs continue to thrive in college basketball as significant brands within the sport.
Self has vowed to fight the charges, though it's worth noting that two years ago he placed a timetable on his own longevity as a coach in an interview with ESPN.
"I've said all along that if I go to my late 50s, that'd be good for me," Self said then. He turns 57 in December. He'll be 59 in the final year of his current contract. -- Myron Medcalf
What the latest NCAA allegations mean for Bill Self, Kansas
- Jeff Borzello
- Myron Medcalf
What does this all mean and what's next, for Kansas and the other schools involved in the FBI investigation? Let's break it down.
What does this mean for Kansas' 2019-20 season? Are any current players at risk?
Bill Self has one of the best teams in the country heading into the season. But aside from the potential off-court distractions, this might not impact this season's Jayhawks all that much. The school has 90 days to respond to the notice of allegations, and if it's going to fight the charges -- which it said it planned to do in a statement Monday night -- that brings us into late December. The NCAA then has 60 days to respond, and then there's another 45 days to schedule a hearing in front of the committee on infractions. By that point, we're already into the spring.
On the player side, there don't seem to be urgent ramifications. The only player on the current roster with a connection to the investigations is Silvio De Sousa, whose guardian received $2,500 from former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola and allegedly agreed to a deal for another $20,000, according to Gassnola's court testimony. De Sousa sat out all of last season in NCAA limbo -- before the NCAA ruled in February that he was ineligible for the rest of the season and all of the upcoming season. However, De Sousa won his appeal in May and is eligible to play this season.
Billy Preston was also mentioned, astestimony and evidence last fall alleged that Preston's mother, Nicole Player, received $90,000 from Gassnola for her son to attend Kansas. But after sitting out the first half of the 2017-18 season, Preston signed a professional contract in Bosnia and never suited up for the Jayhawks.
It remains to be seen if any pending off-court steps and/or other punishments will impact Kansas' program, on or off the court, but nothing appears imminent. -- Jeff Borzello
What does this mean for Bill Self and his staff?
Although there is unlikely to be a major short-term impact for Self, it's fair to wonder whether implicated assistant coach Kurtis Townsend has coached his final game at the school -- assistants are often treated as expendable by panicked universities in these situations.
As far as the long-term impact -- even while acknowledging that this investigation is without an exact precedent in college basketball -- it might be instructive to revisit Kevin Ollie's situation at UConn. Ollie received a three-year "show cause" penalty (which essentially barred him from the college game, and is similar to the penalty the NCAA says it "could seek" of Self) after he was accused of misleading the NCAA about the specifics of off-campus workouts with a trainer, as well as a FaceTime video between a recruit and former NBA and UConn star Ray Allen. Ollie was fired by the school for cause in the midst of the investigation. Although Kansas figures to support the winning Self more than UConn supported the struggling Ollie, if the penalties are that severe, Self might have to reconsider his future.
Having said that, Louisville, North Carolina and Syracuse have also been subjected to serious NCAA infractions cases in recent years, and only Louisville fired its coach. All three programs continue to thrive in college basketball as significant brands within the sport.
Self has vowed to fight the charges, though it's worth noting that two years ago he placed a timetable on his own longevity as a coach in an interview with ESPN.
"I've said all along that if I go to my late 50s, that'd be good for me," Self said then. He turns 57 in December. He'll be 59 in the final year of his current contract. -- Myron Medcalf
What does this mean for Sean Miller, Bruce Pearl, Andy Enfield and others who had assistants implicated in the FBI scandal?
It suggests the NCAA might pursue similar routes in those cases, and it is not relying solely on the FBI to chase alleged wrongdoers. But "lack of coach control" is a broad standard.
Per NCAA bylaw 11.1.1.1: Division I head coaches are "presumed to be responsible for the actions of all staff members who report, directly or indirectly, to the head coach. The head coach will be held accountable for violations in the program unless he or she can rebut the presumption of responsibility."
Any presumption a coach should have known about the seedy details of a program anchored by young men in their late teens and early 20s is complicated -- just ask the FBI. Although Miller, Pearl and Enfield have all been connected to the FBI investigation via their programs, none of them have been charged. What makes anyone think the NCAA could do better?
Here's the fine print, though: The NCAA might choose to impose severe penalties on the coaches involved and possibly force the hand of their respective schools. What if the NCAA goes beyond suspensions and issues a show-cause penalty on every head coach with a program attached to the FBI probe?
Remember, Ollie is essentially banned from coaching at this level for three years because of allegations that don't even involve pay-for-play. The Commission on College Basketball initially sought lifetime bans on coaches found guilty of corruption. The NCAA can use the info uncovered in the FBI trials to initiate penalties against these coaches, but it's unclear how it would defend those decisions in the appeals process. This is a major test for the new NCAA, and how it responds to Kansas could represent the blueprint for future penalties in the wake of the FBI's investigation. -- Medcalf
Does Kansas' notice of allegations provide any insight as to how the NCAA is treating or using court testimony?
Earlier this month, an NCAA request to obtain redacted and unreleased material from the various criminal cases pertaining to the FBI investigation was denied by a U.S. District Court judge. The NCAA had requested access to 24 exhibits and the unredacted sentencing memorandum for James Gatto, a former Adidas executive convicted last October. In the opinion, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan acknowledged the "materials related to potential rules violations," but "the information in these documents consist of hearsay, speculation and rumors."
As a result, the NCAA has access to what was said or shown in court during the two trials: the testimony of witnesses and the exhibits submitted into evidence.
We don't know whom the NCAA independently interviewed or which information it independently confirmed, but it seems the NCAA is leaning heavily on witness testimony and wiretap transcripts. Gassnola spoke extensively about his and Adidas' dealings with Kansas, specifically De Sousa, while the Kurtis Townsend conversation referenced by the NCAA was caught on an FBI wiretap of Adidas consultant Merl Code's phone.
If the NCAA is going to use all the testimony and transcripts from both trials -- some of which it might not be able to independently investigate or corroborate -- this could be the tip of the iceberg for schools in NCAA trouble. -- Borzello
The NCAA has effectively identified Adidas as a booster for Kansas -- could that designation have implications for other Adidas schools? Could there be implications for other apparel companies that have business partnerships with schools?
Identifying an apparel company as a "representative of an institution's athletic interests," the definition of a booster per NCAA bylaws, is a tacit argument on the part of the NCAA that a shoe company is acting as a middle man between top players and the school that wears the brand. The argument fits alongside the Commission on College Basketball's efforts to eliminate the influence major apparel and shoe brands have over the grassroots circuit -- Adidas, Nike and Under Armour each control major AAU leagues which, when taken together, form the backbone of college basketball's player feeder system. The argument that shoe companies are boosters also sounds like a massive challenge for the NCAA to both define and enforce.
Kansas is one of 12 Power 5 schools that have contracts with Adidas (the others: Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Louisville, Miami, Mississippi State, Nebraska, North Carolina State, Rutgers, Texas A&M and Washington). If a prospect from the Adidas circuit signs with an Adidas school, is the NCAA going to come after the school? Is it going to claim Adidas, the booster, has been providing "material benefit" to the prospect who has been wearing the Adidas brand on the grassroots circuit?
Can the shoe company-run basketball circuits even exist, if that's the definition? And what of the existing contracts, most of them long-term deals, that schools have with apparel companies? There would be quite a bit to sort out here, and it's going to cost the NCAA (and its member institutions) a lot of money to go down this road. -- Medcalf
It suggests the NCAA might pursue similar routes in those cases, and it is not relying solely on the FBI to chase alleged wrongdoers. But "lack of coach control" is a broad standard.
Per NCAA bylaw 11.1.1.1: Division I head coaches are "presumed to be responsible for the actions of all staff members who report, directly or indirectly, to the head coach. The head coach will be held accountable for violations in the program unless he or she can rebut the presumption of responsibility."
Any presumption a coach should have known about the seedy details of a program anchored by young men in their late teens and early 20s is complicated -- just ask the FBI. Although Miller, Pearl and Enfield have all been connected to the FBI investigation via their programs, none of them have been charged. What makes anyone think the NCAA could do better?
Here's the fine print, though: The NCAA might choose to impose severe penalties on the coaches involved and possibly force the hand of their respective schools. What if the NCAA goes beyond suspensions and issues a show-cause penalty on every head coach with a program attached to the FBI probe?
Remember, Ollie is essentially banned from coaching at this level for three years because of allegations that don't even involve pay-for-play. The Commission on College Basketball initially sought lifetime bans on coaches found guilty of corruption. The NCAA can use the info uncovered in the FBI trials to initiate penalties against these coaches, but it's unclear how it would defend those decisions in the appeals process. This is a major test for the new NCAA, and how it responds to Kansas could represent the blueprint for future penalties in the wake of the FBI's investigation. -- Medcalf
Does Kansas' notice of allegations provide any insight as to how the NCAA is treating or using court testimony?
Earlier this month, an NCAA request to obtain redacted and unreleased material from the various criminal cases pertaining to the FBI investigation was denied by a U.S. District Court judge. The NCAA had requested access to 24 exhibits and the unredacted sentencing memorandum for James Gatto, a former Adidas executive convicted last October. In the opinion, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan acknowledged the "materials related to potential rules violations," but "the information in these documents consist of hearsay, speculation and rumors."
As a result, the NCAA has access to what was said or shown in court during the two trials: the testimony of witnesses and the exhibits submitted into evidence.
We don't know whom the NCAA independently interviewed or which information it independently confirmed, but it seems the NCAA is leaning heavily on witness testimony and wiretap transcripts. Gassnola spoke extensively about his and Adidas' dealings with Kansas, specifically De Sousa, while the Kurtis Townsend conversation referenced by the NCAA was caught on an FBI wiretap of Adidas consultant Merl Code's phone.
If the NCAA is going to use all the testimony and transcripts from both trials -- some of which it might not be able to independently investigate or corroborate -- this could be the tip of the iceberg for schools in NCAA trouble. -- Borzello
The NCAA has effectively identified Adidas as a booster for Kansas -- could that designation have implications for other Adidas schools? Could there be implications for other apparel companies that have business partnerships with schools?
Identifying an apparel company as a "representative of an institution's athletic interests," the definition of a booster per NCAA bylaws, is a tacit argument on the part of the NCAA that a shoe company is acting as a middle man between top players and the school that wears the brand. The argument fits alongside the Commission on College Basketball's efforts to eliminate the influence major apparel and shoe brands have over the grassroots circuit -- Adidas, Nike and Under Armour each control major AAU leagues which, when taken together, form the backbone of college basketball's player feeder system. The argument that shoe companies are boosters also sounds like a massive challenge for the NCAA to both define and enforce.
Kansas is one of 12 Power 5 schools that have contracts with Adidas (the others: Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Louisville, Miami, Mississippi State, Nebraska, North Carolina State, Rutgers, Texas A&M and Washington). If a prospect from the Adidas circuit signs with an Adidas school, is the NCAA going to come after the school? Is it going to claim Adidas, the booster, has been providing "material benefit" to the prospect who has been wearing the Adidas brand on the grassroots circuit?
Can the shoe company-run basketball circuits even exist, if that's the definition? And what of the existing contracts, most of them long-term deals, that schools have with apparel companies? There would be quite a bit to sort out here, and it's going to cost the NCAA (and its member institutions) a lot of money to go down this road. -- Medcalf
For as much as intrinsecally he would be a good addition to the program, I just don’t see enough minutes for Nelson, Long AND Mane.
North Carolina has set a precedent: Shamelessly deny wrongdoing; act as if you're being falsely accused; use every legal resource to fight the charges. This strategy paid off for the Tarheels. Kansas is doing the same. Their statement makes it clear that they are going to fight it tooth and nail.
Similar threads
