College Basketball -- Corruption, Deceipt, and Fraud

[chuck5815]

Sounds like Adidas has been funneling cash to the families of top recruits in exchange for the recruits signing with Adidas schools (think: Louisville, Kansas, etc.). And the FBI is also coming after one of Oklahoma State's basketball coaches for allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for steering star basketball players toward certain financial advisor/agent types.

I don't know if this will end up touching OSU's program, but it will certainly be interesting to see how it plays out. Lots of finger pointing and scapegoating to come in the next few months, I'd guess:

http://newsok.com/osu-basketball-ass...rticle/5565560

[Laramie]

Feds are experts when it comes to 'follow the money trail.' How will this affect the programs of the schools involved.

[chuck5815]

Feds are experts when it comes to 'follow the money trail.' How will this affect the programs of the schools involved.

I think Rick Pitino's days at Louisville are most likely numbered. He's presided over one too many of that programs's scandals at this point.

As for Oklahoma State, I'm not sure. It's probably a good thing that the program hasn't had all that many players drafted to the NBA in the past few years. You had Marcus Smart and Markel Brown drafted in 2014, but the investigation is looking into activities which occurred from 2015-2017. I take that as good news for OSU.

[Filthy]

As for Oklahoma State, I'm not sure. It's probably a good thing that the program hasn't had all that many players drafted to the NBA in the past few years. You had Marcus Smart and Markel Brown drafted in 2014, but the investigation is looking into activities which occurred from 2015-2017. I take that as good news for OSU.

From everything I am reading thus far, it looks pretty damning for OSU coach Lamont Evans. Mostly for his actions while at South Carolina, but he was front and center with his relationship with JuWan Evans at OSU, who was just drafted by Philadelphia. What will set this apart from your typical "College/NCAA" investigations, is that it is being conducted by the FBI. Typically with NCAA investigations, guilty parties can still lie/cheat/steal their way to the clear. If they get caught....they can move on, and find another job. With the FBI involved, however....there will be subpoenas involved, and you can guarantee that everyone will rat out everyone, to avoid spending time in prison. Were going to find out pretty quickly who the true offenders are, and how much involvement they had. Louisville very well could get the death penalty.

[Bunty]

Evans just beginning of potential nightmare for OSU: http://www.stwnewspress.com/sports/o...5361b316a.html

[trousers]

I think Rick Pitino's days at Louisville are most likely numbered. He's presided over one too many of that programs's scandals at this point.

It’s looking that way.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...pects-lose-job

[trousers]

And so is the Louisville AD.

[SoonerDave]

This is going to blow up college basketball as we know it, folks. And don't be surprised if, at some point, some of the shadows don't loom very large over ALL of college athletics in general. You don't think there's interest in Nike's relationships intertwined into Oregon??

We've all known the AAU and "camp" business has been shady and smelly and reeked of rottenness, but seemingly slithering just below the level at which anyone could touch it. Looks like someone pole vaulted over the line. I think there are a lot of coaches, trainers, "people of influence" at a lot of levels who are very, very nervous right now. And it's only the beginning.

[Eric]

Yeah, I still don't know a whole lot about what they have found, but I can imagine that this type of behavior is not limited to these 4 schools. College basketball needed to make some significant changes anyway. This ought to speed that process along quite a bit.

[Eric]

Makes you also wonder how concerned the NCAA truly is about its own rules. Seems to me they are happy to look the other way if it pads the bank account.

Maybe this is the undoing of collegiate athletics, or at least the unhitching from higher ed.

[HangryHippo]

Maybe this is the undoing of collegiate athletics, or at least the unhitching from higher ed.

Hardly.

[Urbanized]

Maybe not, but I will guarantee you every D1 athletic director is watching this story very carefully, and probably puckering more than a little bit.

[Eric]

I guess I just don't recall a situation like this where the FBI is digging into this stuff. The NCAA obviously has a checkered past when it comes to "monitoring" itself and is member schools, and now people are literally getting arrested, not just banned from getting a gig in the NCAA, but freedom taken from them (not that they didn't earn it). This is drastically more serious in my mind in terms of potential harm to the way things work in the NCAA than anything that happened at SMU or anything else in the 80's.

[HangryHippo]

I guess I just don't recall a situation like this where the FBI is digging into this stuff. The NCAA obviously has a checkered past when it comes to "monitoring" itself and is member schools, and now people are literally getting arrested, not just banned from getting a gig in the NCAA, but freedom taken from them (not that they didn't earn it). This is drastically more serious in my mind in terms of potential harm to the way things work in the NCAA than anything that happened at SMU or anything else in the 80's.

That's very true. It's certainly going to be interesting to follow.