FBI Hoops Trial starting

[Sherman20]

Lock him up! Just kidding

The feds case does seem a bit odd as the defendants are alleged to be harming the schools by funneling top players to their sports teams

Exactly. The NCAA is incredibly rotten, but this case is a total sham, just like the whole amateurism charade on which the NCAA is based. And the Feds are helping the NCAA and its members schools protect the amateurism status quo so they don’t have to pay the athletes.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[orange79]

Wetzel pwned Emmert in that article.

Good.

 

[StopCoolio]

Emmert listened to the trial and has decided that $500 payments to players who never played at the school is right in the NCAA’s wheelhouse.

 

[Hoo's That]

Lock him up! Just kidding

The feds case does seem a bit odd as the defendants are alleged to be harming the schools by funneling top players to their sports teams

Exactly. The NCAA is incredibly rotten, but this case is a total sham, just like the whole amateurism charade on which the NCAA is based. And the Feds are helping the NCAA and its members schools protect the amateurism status quo so they don’t have to pay the athletes.

OK, time to review how we got here.

The FBI was investigating someone for financial fraud (IIRC the stock market, but it's really immaterial) totally unrelated to college sports in any way, shape, or form. That person turned out to be involved with the Adidas people steering players to their schools. The FBI could then investigate it because the Adidas people, the families, and the coaches were perpetrating a fraud against an institution receiving Federal funds (such as Pell Grants). Making it worse, it involved wire fraud (because they used telephones and the Internet) and crossed state lines. They hit a Federal trifecta. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if there are some "Conspiracy" charges thrown in because that's the Feds all-time favorite. They don't have to prove you actually did it, only that you and someone else agreed to to it and took an affirmative step to try to do it. Once something or someone crosses a state line, it becomes a Federal offense. They didn't target Adidas or any of the schools, it was literally dumped in their laps by going after the original target. While you can drag your feet and obfuscate (for 20 years in UNC's case) with the NCAA, you can't do that with the FBI. It is also a crime to lie to the Agents regardless of whether you are under oath or not. The schools and the NCAA have no say in how, whether, or when the case proceeds. Because the case is on right now, none of the materials that the FBI collected (e.g. the wiretaps) has been turned over to the NCAA. So, calls for action against the schools by the NCAA are "jumping the gun" right now. Emmert doesn't need to be in the courtroom. He''ll get daily dumps from the news, etc. When all this is over the FBI will either give the materials to the NCAA or the NCAA will get them via FOIA since they become public records when they are entered into evidence.

I know SU fans have an axe to grind with the NCAA. I'm not a fan because they let UNC skate and I feel like I need to shower every time I have to defend them. But they do not have the investigative powers of the FBI and they will eventually get just about everything the FBI has.

 

[jgeorge322]

OK, time to review how we got here.

The FBI was investigating someone for financial fraud (IIRC the stock market, but it's really immaterial) totally unrelated to college sports in any way, shape, or form. That person turned out to be involved with the Adidas people steering players to their schools. The FBI could then investigate it because the Adidas people, the families, and the coaches were perpetrating a fraud against an institution receiving Federal funds (such as Pell Grants). Making it worse, it involved wire fraud (because they used telephones and the Internet) and crossed state lines. They hit a Federal trifecta. I wouldn't b e surprised in the slightest if there are some "Conspiracy" charges thrown in because that's the Feds all-time favorite. They don't have to prove you actually did it, only that you and someone else agreed to to it and took an affirmative step to try to do it. Once something or someone crosses a state line, it becomes a Federal offense. They didn't target Adidas or any of the schools, it was literally dumped in their laps by going after the original target. While you can drag your feet and obfuscate (for 20 years in UNC's case) with the NCAA, you can't do that with the FBI. It is also a crime to lie to the Agents regardless of whether you are under oath or not. The schools and the NCAA have no say in how, whether, or when the case proceeds. Because the case is on right now, none of the materials that the FBI collected (e.g. the wiretaps) has been turned over to the NCAA. So, call for action against the schools by the NCAA are "jumping the gun" right now. Emmert doesn't need to be in the courtroom. He''ll get daily dumps from the news, etc. When all this is over the FBI will either give the materials to the NCAA or the NCAA will get them via FOIA since they become public records when they are entered into evidence.

I know SU fans have an axe to grind with the NCAA. I'm not a fan because they let UNC skate and I feel like I need to shower every time I have to defend them. But they do not have the investigative powers of the FBI and they will eventually get just about everything the FBI has.

First, the fact that telephones were used during the commission of the crime alone is enough to give the feds jurisdiction,

Second, the feds bread and butter is wire and mail fraud, which is what is being charged here.

 

[jgeorge322]

Zagoria reporting bowens dad to take the stand today. Should be good. Wonder what he will say about where the alleged Oregon offer came from.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I remember when Bowen was unsigned late in the recruiting period and the board was angry we didn't get involved...Fun times.

 

[jgeorge322]

I remember when Bowen was unsigned late in the recruiting period and the board was angry we didn't get involved...Fun times.

I cant find anything but his dad must have taken a deal and has immunity. Otherwise, hed just be pleading the fifth.

 

[721Comstock]

I cant find anything but his dad must have taken a deal and has immunity. Otherwise, hed just be pleading the fifth.

He did, and he does.

 

[pearl31]

sounds like kentucky (among others) actually being referenced now in some of the testimony... could this finally be the spark that ignites the downfall?
espn

 

[Hoo's That]

I remember when Bowen was unsigned late in the recruiting period and the board was angry we didn't get involved...Fun times.

IIRC, The UVa board also was disappointed when Bowen passed us up. Thank goodness for small favors.

 

[realorange]

sounds like kentucky (among others) actually being referenced now in some of the testimony... could this finally be the spark that ignites the downfall?
espn

We'll know for sure when the word gets out that Cal is looking for a new landing place. He has a gift for slipping away before the axe falls.

 

[Fly Rodder]

I remember when Bowen was unsigned late in the recruiting period and the board was angry we didn't get involved...Fun times.

Billy Preston was another.

I'm not overly enamored with Boeheim, at times, preferring the SU body type over basketball ability, but the guy absolutely knows when not to get involved with a recruit.

 

[Trueblue25]

How many wins is boeheim losing? $500 = 500 wins sounds bout right

 

[Cheriehoop]

Billy Preston was another.

I'm not overly enamored with Boeheim, at times, preferring the SU body type over basketball ability, but the guy absolutely knows when not to get involved with a recruit.

Many times fans go nuts over lost or dropped recruits without recognizing that there could very well be ‘other’ reasons the decision was made.

 

[TinyManInside]

sounds like kentucky (among others) actually being referenced now in some of the testimony... could this finally be the spark that ignites the downfall?
espn

Reading about the testimony - kids being bought and sold like a piece of meat - pretty awful for a kid to have no say in where he's going to college... (although I do get that many of them sign up for this sort of treatment).

 

[TinyManInside]

Billy Preston was another.

I'm not overly enamored with Boeheim, at times, preferring the SU body type over basketball ability, but the guy absolutely knows when not to get involved with a recruit.

Boeheim was heavily involved with Preston up to a point.

Just because we didn't land some guys that look like they got paid doesn't automatically mean that there is a hard/fast $0 rule at SU. I mean, sometimes you really want that $75k Range Rover but you settle for the $44k Honda Pilot due to your budget constraints.

I'm not saying that SU pays for players, just pointing out that this game isn't black and white. Just from reading the court testimonies you can see that there are literal bidding wars over some of these kids.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Boeheim was heavily involved with Preston up to a point.

Between the time it dropped SU and Preston were circling each other and he committed to KU was about 50 days. I'd hardly call that heavy involvement. And Dean was on it from the beginning as nothing more than a side trip with USC and KU in the drivers seat. If a top-20 recruit calls up the staff and says they're interested, you absolutely get involved. But it didn't take long for JAB to realize that this kid wasn't smelling too good.

 

[Cusesky8214]

So these kids must not be too worried about NCAA giving any of these schools sanctions huh?

 

[Orangefan1]

So these kids must not be too worried about NCAA giving any of these schools sanctions huh?

I was thinking the same thing they obviously don’t care it seems like if it were us we would be getting grad transfers apparently not for zona and others

 

[cuseinseattle]

I was thinking the same thing they obviously don’t care it seems like if it were us we would be getting grad transfers apparently not for zona and others

These kids probably figure they will be 25 before the NCAA makes any decisions.

 

[Cusesky8214]

Oh boy...

 

[Cusesky8214]

This is getting good!

 

[Cusesky8214]