Labissiere & Briscoe

[The Governor]

You didn't ask for evidence--you said above that nobody could provide a specific allegation. I gave you two.

Its not my job to investigate UK's malfeasance. I'm confident that at some point down the road, they'll get busted for breaking the rules--because that's always what happens to programs coached by Calipari. Where there's smoke...

Yes, "smoke" will always get you.

 

[RF2044]

You need something to back up your allegation. You could say Cal employeed a child molester and covered for him for years or call him a murderer, but shouldn't they have some basis of truth behind it?

First of all, they're not "my" allegations--both of the situations I reference were widely reported shortly after Cal took over the kentucky program. Second, these stories apparently DO have some basis--otherwise, there wouldn't be investigative reporting digging into those stories and reporting on them.

Now, whether those allegations fulfill the second part of your critiera and are truthful as reported, not for me to say. But Cal's track record on such issues isn't very good.

 

[The Governor]

How about you answer the question?

Why am I here correcting your lies? Because I hate liars, I hate weak minded people who are unable to think for themselves, and I really hate character assassins who try to tear people down over basketball grudges. I can't stand that weak garbage. If you're going to try to bring another man down, have an actual reason and the goods to do it.

 

[pearl31]

Why am I here correcting your lies? Because I hate liars, I hate weak minded people who are unable to think for themselves, and I really hate character assassins who try to tear people down over basketball grudges. I can't stand that weak garbage. If you're going to try to bring another man down, have an actual reason and the goods to do it.

Why are you here?

 

[Oakland]

Looks like a prefect fit:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...es-guardian-asked-how-to-profit-from-prospect

Both going to Kentucky. It really doesn't seem like it was really that long ago when Kentucky was in decline from it's glory years and they didn't get much in the way of top flight talent. Or so it seemed. Now it's an embarrassment of riches. Everyone else is playing for 2nd when it comes to assembling ridiculously highly rated recruiting classes.

Usually I just shrug it off when someone lands kids that we were in the mix for at one time or another. But I guess in retrospect, Briscoe was never coming to Cuse. That's my opinion. Outside of losing to Kentucky in the title game there really should be no axe to grind against UK... but... and I hate to say it, I hate that program and the fact that they have been assembling teams comprised of pretty much exclusively 5 star Mickey D All Americans and future lottery picks for the NBA.

I couldn't have been happier when they tanked in the early going but as the season progressed the talent inevitably rounded out into form and they were pertinent by years end. So, I hate the UK program and all that they stand for with them being an icon of worship by ESPN and the media. I hate John Calapari and all the smarmy, sleazy odious stank that emanates from his used car lot persona. I hate the UK logo that boneheaded recruits shave into their scalps when making their announcement. I hate the never ending coverage and program a$$ smooching by the talking heads which drones on tirelessly throughout every season.

Briscoe's dad had stated that he wanted Isaiah to be focus of the offense on the team he would ultimately play for. Ya gotta wonder how that's going to shake out at Kentucky where there are an infinitesimally higher amount of wanted touches than touches available. Just another one of these young kids who thinks the sun rises and sets on their ambitions and theirs alone. Screw kids like that. That's not sporting. That's self promoting bizwaz and nothing more. Some people may say that's the way it is now and there is noting wrong with it. I disagree. These kids have no loyalty to the school they commit to beyond their ability to get them into the league. People can say whatever they want about Carmelo Anthony but Melo came back to his One and done U and gifted the program with something which will be a lasting legacy of his love of SU and the loyalty he feels for the program. Normally I don't have any propensity for wishing ill of anyone or any program... but that has now all changed on account of one thing called Kentucky Basketball. There has to be some rotten crap festering somewhere in the bowels of Rump Arena and that begs the question,"Why the hell isn't the NCAA poking around to see what the source of that stench is?" Or are they too busy thinking there must be some kind of improprieties going on around the Syracuse program. Gimmie a break!!!! Sometimes it's stuff like this that threatens to take out any semblance of the joy that used to be so abundant from following college basketball. Kentucky Basketball is like going out to the playground and picking all the best kids and then kicking the ever living crap out of the humble not so athletically endowed kids and then boasting about how great a game it was.

I have to go now... I just threw up in my mouth.

And for what it's worth.
LGO... and War Damn Otto
I await the day when we again face off against Kentucky for all the marbles... it will be different next time because sometimes the GOOD GUYS DO WIN.

 

[OburgCuse]

I would be surprised if Labissiere ever plays a minute of college basketball. His story is pretty crazy about his guardian basically selling him to highest bidder and switching AAU and High school teams every year. The guardian had to form his own team for him to play this year because he was ineligible in Tenn. If anybody can get him qualified and by the clearninghouse I guess it would be Calipari...but think he's going to go by way of Emmanuel Mudiay for 1 year before entering the draft.

 

[The Governor]

First of all, they're not "my" allegations--both of the situations I reference were widely reported shortly after Cal took over the kentucky program. Second, these stories apparently DO have some basis--otherwise, there wouldn't be investigative reporting digging into those stories and reporting on them.

Now, whether those allegations fulfill the second part of your critiera and are truthful as reported, not for me to say. But Cal's track record on such issues isn't very good.

I will go away forever if you can find and actual report saying a UK booster paid Anthony Davis $200K or Eric Bledoe's grades were changed so he could get into Kentucky. Anthony Davis' father was alleged to have asked for $200K by unamed sources in the 8th paragraph of an article by the Sun Times HS basketball beat writer. Thats it, unamed sources, no evidence, no witness willing to put their name to it or even contact the NCAA. Eric Bledsoe's grade was changed the summer between his JR and SR seasons in summer school before he was heavily recruited. Were his grades justified or was someone at that school trying to give a homeless kid a chance at a life? I don't know, what I do know is Kentucky had nothing to do with it and no one even alleges that they did. Eric Bledsoe's transcript was release by Pete Thamel after he got them from Richard Pitino to hurt Kentucky even though they clearly had nothing to do with it. Eric Bledsoe was just collateral damage. Funny how Michael Oher is homeless, adopted by rich white Ole Miss boosters, has his grades changed in summer school between his jr and sr years in HS goes to Ole Miss where his hs coach gets a job and its a Disney movie. Eric Bledsoe is homeless, gets his grades changed in summer school between his jr and sr years, has a coach pay $300 month rent in some slum, goes to Kentucky solo and it's something dirty.

 

[Madbiker]

UK cheats and cheats indiscriminantly. The FedEx'ed a package of money to Chris Mills around the time we were getting raked over the coals by the NCAA in 1992.

There is no doubt in my mind that they are crooked now, too--but they've got very good mechanisms for pushing the envelope to the limits while still maintaining plausible deniability.

But at some point, the devil is going to get his due. There is no doubt in my mind that just like at umass and memphis, Cal's willingness to bend the rules is going to catch up to UK, and they'll have to vacate a final four [again, just like umass / memphis]. Its inevitable.

Yet another example of how ineffectual a governing body the NCAA is.

Cal has perfected a very complex and ingenious mechanism for cheating using 3rd party agents that cannot be linked back to the school. He has learned not to make the stupid mistakes he did early on at U Mass. All these top 10 5 stars are not standing in line panting to go to UK because Cal is a good salesman nor for the nice athletic dorm or facilities. Something is very rotten in Denmark but the NCAA has little interest in disturbing its prime time glamour programs. (Despite what we think SU is not on that list). I'm just amazed that some other slick weasel at a big school hasn't yet copied what Cal is doing.

 

[RF2044]

I will go away forever if you can find and actual report saying a UK booster paid Anthony Davis $200K or Eric Bledoe's grades were changed so he could get into Kentucky. Anthony Davis' father was alleged to have asked for $200K by unamed sources in the 8th paragraph of an article by the Sun Times HS basketball beat writer. Thats it, unamed sources, no evidence, no witness willing to put their name to it or even contact the NCAA. Eric Bledsoe's grade was changed the summer between his JR and SR seasons in summer school before he was heavily recruited. Were his grades justified or was someone at that school trying to give a homeless kid a chance at a life? I don't know, what I do know is Kentucky had nothing to do with it and no one even alleges that they did. Eric Bledsoe's transcript was release by Pete Thamel after he got them from Richard Pitino to hurt Kentucky even though they clearly had nothing to do with it. Eric Bledsoe was just collateral damage. Funny how Michael Oher is homeless, adopted by rich white Ole Miss boosters, has his grades changed in summer school between his jr and sr years in HS goes to Ole Miss where his hs coach gets a job and its a Disney movie. Eric Bledsoe is homeless, gets his grades changed in summer school between his jr and sr years, has a coach pay $300 month rent in some slum, goes to Kentucky solo and it's something dirty.

There's this amazing new invention you should check out, called Google. Feel free to do your own search.

As for whether Bledsoe's grade changes were justified--yeah... I'm going to go with a "NO" on that:

This much is certain: The grades in question are from Algebra 3, a course Bledsoe took before Algebra 2 and purportedly aced with an A.

“It isn’t normal for a person to do that or be allowed to do that,’’ former Parker principal Joseph Martin told the Birmingham News. “Had I looked at the transcript, I wouldn’t have allowed him to do that. By the time he got to us, I guess what we had to do … Well I ain’t even going there with that. I’m going to my grave with that.’’

More important, the Birmingham school district, at the request of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, already is in the process of reviewing Bledsoe’s eligibility. According to the News, the school system report is being compiled by outside lawyers and is expected soon.

And that’s what really matters for Kentucky.

If the high school association deems Bledsoe ineligible, then the NCAA finds itself in the tricky situation of figuring out what to do with a player who played collegiately but never should have qualified.
​

 

[The Governor]

Cal has perfected a very complex and ingenious mechanism for cheating using 3rd party agents that cannot be linked back to the school. He has learned not to make the stupid mistakes he did early on at U Mass. All these top 10 5 stars are not standing in line panting to go to UK because Cal is a good salesman nor for the nice athletic dorm or facilities. Something is very rotten in Denmark but the NCAA has little interest in disturbing its prime time glamour programs. (Despite what we think SU is not on that list). I'm just amazed that some other slick weasel at a big school hasn't yet copied what Cal is doing.

Wait, so now Cal was paying a dirty agent to give money to his star player and try to convince him to go pro at UMass? Yeah, that souds reasonable. Good luck with your NCAA investigation.

 

[The Governor]

There's this amazing new invention you should check out, called Google. Feel free to do your own search.

As for whether Bledsoe's grade changes were justified--yeah... I'm going to go with a "NO" on that:

This much is certain: The grades in question are from Algebra 3, a course Bledsoe took before Algebra 2 and purportedly aced with an A.

“It isn’t normal for a person to do that or be allowed to do that,’’ former Parker principal Joseph Martin told the Birmingham News. “Had I looked at the transcript, I wouldn’t have allowed him to do that. By the time he got to us, I guess what we had to do … Well I ain’t even going there with that. I’m going to my grave with that.’’

More important, the Birmingham school district, at the request of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, already is in the process of reviewing Bledsoe’s eligibility. According to the News, the school system report is being compiled by outside lawyers and is expected soon.

And that’s what really matters for Kentucky.

If the high school association deems Bledsoe ineligible, then the NCAA finds itself in the tricky situation of figuring out what to do with a player who played collegiately but never should have qualified.
​

Like the teacher explained the 2 classes had nothing to do with each other. Its like taking sports 1 and it being basketball and sports 2 being football. Either way, UK had nothing to do with his grade change and he was cleared 3 times by the NCAA.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Something is very rotten in Denmark but the NCAA has little interest in disturbing its prime time glamour programs.

 

[RF2044]

Like the teacher explained the 2 classes had nothing to do with each other. Its like taking sports 1 and it being basketball and sports 2 being football. Either way, UK had nothing to do with his grade change and he was cleared 3 times by the NCAA.

Right--because a kid who's academically questionable can take Algebra 3, having never taken Algebra 2, and ace it with an A grade.

Rationalize away.

 

[Jack Hall]

Wait, so now Cal was paying a dirty agent to give money to his star player and try to convince him to go pro at UMass? Yeah, that souds reasonable. Good luck with your NCAA investigation.

as you well know, the ncaa already vacated a FF by umass which was coached by cal.

 

[Jack Hall]

Yes, "smoke" will always get you.

do you truly believe that uk runs a cleaner bball program and is a finer academic institution than SU? i dont. do you?:

 

[The Governor]

Nonsense--I'll give you two: a UK booster paid Anthony Davis's family 200K to steer him to Kentucky. And Eric Bledsoe's high school grades were doctored in order to make him qualified to play at Kentucky.--otherwise he never would have been eligible to play there.

It is one thing to say that they haven't been caught, and quite another to suggest that there is nothing going on. All you have to do is pay attention. And BTW, both of those things have been raised / investigated by the media, not "butt hurt" SU fans. Lastly, Cal's track record speaks for itself. He cheated blatantly at both Umass and Memphis, leaving both institutions before significant sanctions were handed down that required both to forfeit final four appearances. Plausible deniability doesn't mean that he isn't guility of rule breaking.

Cheated blatantly, how? A dirty agent was paying Camby at UMass because he wanted to represent him. Derrick Rose's SAT was invalidated after he didn't respond to a inquiry by NCAA questioning the validity of his test. It's not like boosters at the school were giving illegal benefits to players and recruits like under Boeheim in 92 or academic fraud, failed drugs tests and whatever else the NCAA is about to hit the holier than thou's with now.

 

[Jack Hall]

as you well know, the ncaa already vacated a FF by umass which was coached by cal.

and then one at memphis, but they were just coincidences right?

 

[Madbiker]

Wait, so now Cal was paying a dirty agent to give money to his star player and try to convince him to go pro at UMass? Yeah, that souds reasonable. Good luck with your NCAA investigation.

If you think Cal wasn't involved in that I have a nice bridge to sell you. The problem as Cal learned was giving the player money via the agent while the kid is still in school and playing. It's unlikely that any UK kids get anything while they are playing there for a year or two. The payoff is after they leave and it doesn't come from Cal or the school.

 

[The Governor]

do you truly believe that uk runs a cleaner bball program and is a finer academic institution than SU? i dont. do you?:

Syracuse is a better academic institution, yes. Are they cleaner, it doesn't look like it from the position the 2 schools are in now.

Maybe get DaJaun Coleman to spill the beans about how dirty is since he passed up all the whatever you get to play for SU.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Looks like a prefect fit:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...es-guardian-asked-how-to-profit-from-prospect

It could be a player and his family like Labissiere that takes Cal and UK down. He was at UMass for 8 seasons, Memphis for 9 seasons and this is his 7th at UK. Look for changes in the Calipari household in the next year or two.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Syracuse is a better academic institution, yes. Are they cleaner, it doesn't look like it from the position the 2 schools are in now.

Maybe get DaJaun Coleman to spill the beans about how dirty is since he passed up all the whatever you get to play for SU.

Dujuan Coleman was told during his visit to Kentucky that he would never have to take a test, they would be taken for him.

I know, because I know his HS guidance counselor, with whom he is very close.
He was insulted. It was a major factor in his decision.

 

[RF2044]

It could be a player and his family like Labissiere that takes Cal and UK down. He was at UMass for 8 seasons, Memphis for 9 seasons and this is his 7th at UK. Look for changes in the Calipari household in the next year or two.

So true. It is inevitable that it will happen. The only questions are when / what.

 

[Brooky03]

A national title lead by a one and done you never got to watch develop must have been difficult for you.

Thank you for taking what I said out of context and inferring, incorrectly, that I don't like having any one-and-done players.

To put this simply for you, I don't want a team that has a starting lineup that consists entirely of one-and-done players or sophmores who were supposed to be one-and-done. A.K.A. "a team like Kentucky." Teams like this turnover 80% of their roster every year. I don't want teams that are brand new year after year. And yes, I'm aware that Syracuse has had a lot of new faces recently, but not nearly to the level Kentucky has over the last few seasons.

The '03 team's starting lineup had a single one-and-done talent player, whom I loved. They also had a freshman guard who was expected to be their for 4 years, a good sophmore forward who wasn't expected to leave, a senior center, and a senior guard (one of my favorite players).

This is not a Kentucky-esque lineup.

 

[pearl31]

Syracuse is a better academic institution, yes. Are they cleaner, it doesn't look like it from the position the 2 schools are in now.

Maybe get DaJaun Coleman to spill the beans about how dirty is since he passed up all the whatever you get to play for SU.

Why are you here?

 

[The Governor]

If you think Cal wasn't involved in that I have a nice bridge to sell you. The problem as Cal learned was giving the player money via the agent while the kid is still in school and playing. It's unlikely that any UK kids get anything while they are playing there for a year or two. The payoff is after they leave and it doesn't come from Cal or the school.

Cal was paying the dirty agent to pay his own current player? OK. Who does the payoff come from after they leave school? Oh wait, you're not answer that since you just made it up.