Duke could be in big, big, big trouble

[Orangezoo]

Again, where did the 30K come from? That is all that matters.

If from legitimate means, it's all good. if not, it's not good.

at this point only his parents would be a legitimate means.. does he come from money?

 

[PoppyHart]

at this point only his parents would be a legitimate means.. does he come from money?

Not sure about the parents. But look at it like this. The litmus test is "would the average student get similar treatment"?

Ok, so the average Duke student is what? From a middle to upper class background. Like it or not.

If that hypothetical student, from a well to do background paid 30-33% down on a non depreciable asset, and was not a risk to flee the country, I'm pretty sure that student would get the loan.

 

[Orangezoo]

Not sure about the parents. But look at it like this. The litmus test is "would the average student get similar treatment"?

Ok, so the average Duke student is what? From a middle to upper class background. Like it or not.

If that hypothetical student, from a well to do background paid 30-33% down on a non depreciable asset, and was not a risk to flee the country, I'm pretty sure that student would get the loan.

i agree.. i wasnt really jumping at this one, thinking it could be legit.. i couldnt find anything about where he came from but as you said it just depends on where it came from .. personally im really sick of the non stop ncaa storylines.. yes nail down the slimeball cheaters but the more it becomes a witchhunt the more it just takes enjoyment out of following the sport.

 

[orangefan13]

Its one thing for a fan to make a mistake contact a recruit or some BS, its another for a recruit to receive stuff.
One is dumb and plain ignorance the other is common knowledge.

 

[tptcuse]

So presumably the jewelry is for himself. And no one at Duke sees him walking around says, "Hey Lance...where'd you get that nice black diamond necklace, diamond-encrusted watch, pair of diamond studs, diamond cross and black diamond pendant in the shape of Jesus' head?"

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=8802206

According to this article, he had to pay the balance in 15 days. $30,000 from savings/parents seems much more plausible than $100,000 in less than a month.

 

[Col. Bleep]

I keep reading that Duke's bio of Thomas says his mom is a head manager at a Ford plant (where she could could have made some good money).
But he came to Duke in 2006.
Ford's Edison, NJ plant (close to his hometown) closed in 2004.
There was no active Ford plant in NJ when Thomas went to Duke.

 

[SkanSU]

While the $30,000 is relevent to me that $70000 line of credit is equally important to consider ... whether he puts down 1/3 of the sum or not. As Gary Parrish points out relative to the NCAA rules:
"The other problem here is that the NCAA will want to know -- or at least the NCAA should want to know -- how Thomas received nearly $70,000 in credit from a jewelry firm when he was merely a student-athlete because NCAA rules prohibit student-athletes from receiving benefits not available to all students. In other words, could a normal Duke senior with no job get a New York firm to provide a nearly $70,000 line of credit? If not, Thomas received an improper benefit."
If a normal, run of the mill student, walks in to Tiffany's (as an example) and lays down $30,000 and then attempts to purchase $100,000 worth of jewelry I would guess, just as good business practice, the store would, at least, run a credit check as well as employment status, etc. While they have $30,000 in the hand and the student has nondepreciable assets the store still faces a $70,000 deficit with no credit or employment affirmation. I would assume that good business practices would dictate that Joe Student would not get a $70,000 line of credit unless the store had some other guarantee that the debt was backed up by other means. Therefore does that fit the NCAA guidelines?

Just my thought.

 

[Orangeyes]

"Part of Ohio State's football troubles, remember, stemmed from Terrelle Pryor and others receiving discounts from a tattoo parlor."

"The Tigers' Final Four run was vacated because of what the NCAA calls 'strict liability' after Derrick Rose was deemed ineligible due to an allegedly fraudulent SAT score."

"The BCS stripped USC of its national title in the wake of the Reggie Bush scandal, but the NCAA has never taken away a championship in men's or women's basketball."

"The process is far from over in Chapel Hill, but there are more than a few people who are convinced the NCAA will never go after its sacred cows."

Diamonds are a guys best friend?

"Thomas purchased a black diamond necklace, a diamond-encrusted watch, a pair of diamond studs, a diamond cross and a black diamond pendant in the shape of Jesus' head." (Click to see Jesus)

I love you man, I love you too coach but how about that over due balance at Rafaello's?
Will lawsuit set off a Duke firestorm?

Theme song for all of the above

They are having great fun with this Duke news over at Carolina Insider, as you could well imagine.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

NCAA has vacated championships, as we know. I


Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

 

[LPOrange]

It took Duke years to recover from the Corey Maggette violation.

[edit: I have since found out that Duke suffered no punishment for playing an ineligible player who had taken improper benefits]

 

[br801]

Its one thing for a fan to make a mistake contact a recruit or some BS, its another for a recruit to receive stuff.
One is dumb and plain ignorance the other is common knowledge.

I have no idea what that means. But I really like that image of Cooney rising up from the ocean to shoot as Jesus rotates over to defend.

 

[Knicks411]

According to this article, he had to pay the balance in 15 days. $30,000 from savings/parents seems much more plausible than $100,000 in less than a month.

Yeah that is the part I really don't get. Why a 2 week loan?

 

[RandygoCuse]

Everyone has raised good points. But there is a larger one that concerns me. My girlfriend went to Duke. Am I going to have pay this much for jewelry for her?

 

[reedny]

Yeah that is the part I really don't get. Why a 2 week loan?

Obviously contemplating a lot more cash rolling in soon!!

 

[Orangeyes]

"The Dallas attorney said the terms are confidential, and he reiterated his client's unwillingness to discuss the matter with the NCAA, which is seeking details of the transaction."

"Did Thomas get a special settlement due to his status as a former Duke student-athlete? Did a Duke booster help with the settlement?"

Lance Thomas settles with jeweler

 

[All4SU]

I've never purchased $100,000 in jewelry. But since the mark-up on the stuff is about 500%, maybe this store doesn't have a problem taking 30 grand with a balance due. But then again, probably not.

 

[Cowtown]

Geez, but this fairly reeks, doesn't it?

"The Dallas attorney said the terms are confidential, and he reiterated his client's unwillingness to discuss the matter with the NCAA, which is seeking details of the transaction." (tks, Orangeyes).

It's like Romney's taxes - if there's nothing untoward, compromising or illegal to hide, then what IS he hiding, and why?

As well, right now it's a private matter between the NCAA and the other named parties, and they have no legal means of compelling Thomas or the jeweler to cooperate, short of threatening to invalidate Duke's title to squeeze Thomas. Is there any grounds for the NCAA to file a civil suit? If they filed a suit against Duke, could Thomas then be compelled to testify? And if yes, you know he'll just plead the 5th, anyway ...

At the end of the day, I'll truly be surprised if this comes to anything. I'm not especially sanguine the NCAA is willing to slaughter their most sacred cow over this.

 

[Knicks411]

"The Dallas attorney said the terms are confidential, and he reiterated his client's unwillingness to discuss the matter with the NCAA, which is seeking details of the transaction." (tks, Orangeyes).

It's like Romney's taxes - if there's nothing untoward, compromising or illegal to hide, then what IS he hiding, and why?

I guess he could argue it's a private matter and he doesn't want to discuss it with the NCAA, which he is well within his rights to do.

But I agree, the whole thing is very shady.

 

[TheOrangeBuddha]

Again, where did the 30K come from? That is all that matters.

If from legitimate means, it's all good. if not, it's not good.

You keep saying this, but it is incorrect ... The $30K is part of the inquiry, but the $70K in credit is much bigger, especially if there wasn't a parent co-sign on it. If there was some other guarantee it makes it even worse. The rule (which was previously stated) that the student-athlete cannot receive anything that a normal student would receive is clearly in violation here.

There are several reasons that Duke will go unscathed in all of this: Namely, because the case was settled both parties will refuse all efforts by the NCAA to be interviewed. And finally, the NCAA will pursue this with all the same vigor that a dead cat has in chasing a mouse.

 

[TheOrangeBuddha]

Geez, but this fairly reeks, doesn't it?

"The Dallas attorney said the terms are confidential, and he reiterated his client's unwillingness to discuss the matter with the NCAA, which is seeking details of the transaction." (tks, Orangeyes).


As well, right now it's a private matter between the NCAA and the other named parties, and they have no legal means of compelling Thomas or the jeweler to cooperate, short of threatening to invalidate Duke's title to squeeze Thomas. Is there any grounds for the NCAA to file a civil suit? If they filed a suit against Duke, could Thomas then be compelled to testify? And if yes, you know he'll just plead the 5th, anyway ...

This is why EVERY USC fan should spit on Reggie Bush for not resolving the dispute between he and his "marketing agents" ... Had Bush done so, USC football likely would not have been in ANY trouble.

 

[RMH44]

Geez, but this fairly reeks, doesn't it?

"The Dallas attorney said the terms are confidential, and he reiterated his client's unwillingness to discuss the matter with the NCAA, which is seeking details of the transaction." (tks, Orangeyes).

It's like Romney's taxes - if there's nothing untoward, compromising or illegal to hide, then what IS he hiding, and why?

As well, right now it's a private matter between the NCAA and the other named parties, and they have no legal means of compelling Thomas or the jeweler to cooperate, short of threatening to invalidate Duke's title to squeeze Thomas. Is there any grounds for the NCAA to file a civil suit? If they filed a suit against Duke, could Thomas then be compelled to testify? And if yes, you know he'll just plead the 5th, anyway ...

At the end of the day, I'll truly be surprised if this comes to anything. I'm not especially sanguine the NCAA is willing to slaughter their most sacred cow over this.

Kind of like unwillingness to release college transcripts? Why would you go there?

 

[Cowtown]

Kind of like unwillingness to release college transcripts? Why would you go there?

That was hardly the point, but since you want to make an issue out of it: Did Obama campaign for president based on anything to do with college entrance requirements? Is Romney campaigning for President based on federal tax reform?

 

[reedny]

I guess he could argue it's a private matter and he doesn't want to discuss it with the NCAA, which he is well within his rights to do.

But I agree, the whole thing is very shady.

He can do that. But the AD can't.

 

[RMH44]

That was hardly the point, but since you want to make an issue out of it: Did Obama campaign for president based on anything to do with college entrance requirements? Is Romney campaigning for President based on federal tax reform?

My point is...wrong board.

Ftr, it has nothing to do with "entrance exams" but every thing to do with grades, courses of study, financial aid app's etc.

 

[Knicks411]

He can do that. But the AD can't.

Would the AD necessarily know anything about the story though? I'm not sure. It was essentially a matter between the business and Thomas, right?