The Scheme

[Cooper05]

So I jus watched “The Scheme” and all I can say is fu$& the NCAA. That’s what I got out of that. Are Sean Miller and Will Wade guilty? Of course, are other coaches? Of course! To me though, there is no question the NCAA is more dirty. They don’t pay taxes? They are a money making machine. It disgusts me that SU got penalized the way they did for the things they were accused for. Louisville had escorts be with recruits!! North Carolina had fake classes! Don’t even get me started on Kansas, Kentucky, and Duke.

 

[UpstateSM]

I was more disgusted by the FBI

 

[Cooper05]

I was more disgusted by the FBI

True, they promised a lot of stuff and never delivered. Like Dawkins said, no way Miller or Wade do a press conference with that much confidence unless they were assured nothing would happen to them.

 

[Carl]

I am about 3/4 through it. Very interesting. Can't wait to see how the courts nail the sleezy NCAA, the entrapping FBI and the Universities & head coaches who take advantage of the kids.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

True, they promised a lot of stuff and never delivered. Like Dawkins said, no way Miller or Wade do a press conference with that much confidence unless they were assured nothing would happen to them.

I watched it last night. Definitely only one story told and would love to know why and how the FBI screwed up and if that's why they decided to drop the investigation, if that's what happened. I think they needed to force the hand of the NCAA since no way the NCAA was going to carry on the investigation and possibly self implode. One thing, for sure, it just reinforces what people already knew about the sneaker companies and that Cuse never should have self reported violations. I wonder also how Dawkins makes out on his appeals. He is definitely a pawn in this, bult like I said, only one story got told which is unfortunate because this is a huge story which will never properly get told (with the real facts) and not just guys saying that cheating has been happening for 100 years. Someone needs to blow the roof off but I can't see that ever happening since it's a multi billion dollar business.

 

[ClamOtto]

Just watched it too. Lots of stuff that's kind of old news for people who are paying attention, but I didn't know a lot of the details of the botched FBI investigation, like the missing funds and the enormous amount spent to - ultimately - nail one low level guy who may have been entrapped. Some of my takeaways (again, not all new):

1) Every high level recruit is getting "improper benefits" from some combination of AAU coaches, sneaker companies, boosters, agents/runners and universities;
2) Everyone involved knows exactly what's going on (yet no one ever goes public, which is kind of amazing);
3) The NCAA willfully turns a blind eye because if they really start pulling that string, the whole multi-billion dollar enterprise might unravel;
4) The feds really wanted Pitino - though it's never explained why him, in particular;
5) Will Wade has some big ones - so big that even Sean Miller has to admire his brazenness.

Seems even more odd after watching this that the NCAA would choose to come down so hard on Syracuse. Cuse isn't Duke or UNC, but it's still a name-brand college program with a famous and well-respected coach. Probably part of the Bernie Fine fallout. Notable that none of the infractions involved recruiting, which could be because there's nothing there, or because the NCAA really doesn't want to go there.

 

[CousCuse]

Just watched it too. Lots of stuff that's kind of old news for people who are paying attention, but I didn't know a lot of the details of the botched FBI investigation, like the missing funds and the enormous amount spent to - ultimately - nail one low level guy who may have been entrapped. Some of my takeaways (again, not all new):

1) Every high level recruit is getting "improper benefits" from some combination of AAU coaches, sneaker companies, boosters, agents/runners and universities;
2) Everyone involved knows exactly what's going on (yet no one ever goes public, which is kind of amazing);
3) The NCAA willfully turns a blind eye because if they really start pulling that string, the whole multi-billion dollar enterprise might unravel;
4) The feds really wanted Pitino - though it's never explained why him, in particular;
5) Will Wade has some big ones - so big that even Sean Miller has to admire his brazenness.

Seems even more odd after watching this that the NCAA would choose to come down so hard on Syracuse. Cuse isn't Duke or UNC, but it's still a name-brand college program with a famous and well-respected coach. Probably part of the Bernie Fine fallout. Notable that none of the infractions involved recruiting, which could be because there's nothing there, or because the NCAA really doesn't want to go there.

Syracuse got smacked down because they were one of the only big name teams who didn't "play ball" in the corrupt system. It appears that the feds made a deal with the perpetrators that every thing would be dropped if they started paying the players." They're getting paid now, they were getting paid then, what's the difference",is their logic. If these are the real underlying facts, the wins should and must be restored to Coach Boeheim. In all of this.the damage to his reputation, and Syracuse University ended up being the only real injustice.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

just finished watching this as well.. take home point, it's a crime to pay a high school kid because it defraud's an NCAA school from that player being eligible to play NCAA basketball. in fact, it's a felony. think about how stupid that is. ncaa isn't the government. why should I have to abide by their stupid concepts?

The FBI wants us to believe the SCHOOLS are the victims here. ...yup...innocent ole Louisville...poor school lost the services of Ryan Bowen because by his family receiving money for him to be directed to Louisville, LOUISVILLE is victimized. what a crock of mierd.

as for why the FBI didnt go after the big names? well its obvious their star undercover agent did something so unscrupulous that they didnt want the chance of it being revealed by some big shot lawyer the head coaches would have been able to afford in their defense.