Yahoo Sports: Documents, text messages reveal impermissible benefits to five SEC players
Presenting without comment. Have a few blockquotes below with choice info. Click thru for the full scoop. Evidence against Fluker and Bray seems to be the most comprehensive and damning...
I will edit this post as I find additional information, etc.
Five Southeastern Conference football stars violated NCAA rules by receiving extra benefits prior to completing their collegiate careers, a Yahoo Sports investigation has found. The benefits – which in some cases came from multiple individuals – were conveyed to University of Alabama offensive tackle D.J. Fluker, University of Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray, Tennessee defensive end Maurice Couch, Mississippi State Universitydefensive tackle Fletcher Cox and Mississippi State wideout Chad Bumphis.
[Former Crimson Tide defensive end Luther] Davis declined to comment for this story. However, Yahoo Sports was able to authenticate text message records,Western Union fund transfers, banking statements, flight receipts and other financial material linking both Davis and the five college football players. Yahoo Sports also found that three NFL agents and three financial advisers engaged Davis in transactions totaling $45,550. The three agents were Andy Simms, Peter Schaffer and John Phillips. The financial advisers were Jason Jernigan, Mike Rowan andHodge Brahmbhatt.
Break down of the text messages:
Slideshow of documents: http://sports.yahoo.com/photos/sec-investigation-slideshow/
September 11th, 2013 at 9:15 PM ^
I kinda wish people would actually get enraged about this. But this will probably be the response from other media outlets. It's not like they were caught streching for too long.
September 12th, 2013 at 1:39 PM ^
I think the players deserve the money, but I don't like it when schools allow this kind of behavior and use it to gain an unfair recruiting advantage.
September 11th, 2013 at 10:38 PM ^
That no matter the contents I would have the same response. The NCAA knows that you so much as hurt the SEC and (at least they think) CFB couldn't survive. I know many schools like Bama, Auburn and such have been hit before but that was pre-ESS EEE CEE dominance like we have now. That was when you wouldn't be concerned if a 9 win UM team played one of their better teams. Now, shit, likely due to this at most schools *cough Ole Miss cough* you cannot overlook even lower end teams.
September 11th, 2013 at 5:18 PM ^
I wish I could get excited
September 11th, 2013 at 7:39 PM ^
September 11th, 2013 at 5:20 PM ^
Wow, seems pretty thorough. I suppose we wait and see for the next 5 years while the NCAA tries to not trip over itself.
September 11th, 2013 at 5:20 PM ^
Surely this will attract as much attention as PracticeGate. Maybe Michael Rosenberg should do an exposé to burnish his already sterling credentials.
September 11th, 2013 at 5:24 PM ^
Pandora's box is a few feet lower. Not that the NCAA would do anything about it, but at least then people would know what they already assume.
September 11th, 2013 at 6:55 PM ^
By Pandora's box, are you referring to the Ok. St. hostesses?
September 11th, 2013 at 8:20 PM ^
September 11th, 2013 at 9:20 PM ^
And amateur comedian. Two jobs he does a terrible job at while embarrasing the profession he's currently in.
September 11th, 2013 at 5:21 PM ^
September 11th, 2013 at 5:29 PM ^
They have banking statements for dozens of Miami football players, and here we are two years later. It is not good business for the NCAA to come down hard on programs, it does nothing for them financially. The ONLY reason PSU got hammered, is because what they did reached the everyday media, and the NCAA had no choice.
September 11th, 2013 at 5:34 PM ^
Well, lets be honest: Penn State got hammered because the crimes committed there were several orders of magnitude more atrocious and abhorrent than paying players. The visceral reaction prompted by Sandusky's actions forced the NCAA to come down hard, lest it risk losing whatever shred of credibility onto which it still clutched.
September 11th, 2013 at 5:49 PM ^
September 11th, 2013 at 7:11 PM ^
oh purview is irrelevant.
the ncaa slammed penn state hard because it was able to do so without backlash. because seriously, who the fuck is gonna call the ncaa on beating up on child rapists? you can't fight against it without looking like an enabler for pedofiles. the ncaa had a carte blanche to 'make an example' out of penn state, and took full advantage. too bad it hasn't had the desired deterrant effect.
September 11th, 2013 at 5:27 PM ^
This is the first thing that came to mind:
September 11th, 2013 at 9:25 PM ^
USC has to be pissed at how easy the NCAA has gone on everybody, sans PSU, since they were punished.
September 11th, 2013 at 11:50 PM ^
Compared to what some of these other schools (Ohio, Oregon, Miami) have gotten, USC's punishment seems like the death penalty.
September 11th, 2013 at 5:31 PM ^
Nothing to see here. Especially if it consists of Alabama. ~ NCAA
September 11th, 2013 at 5:37 PM ^
September 11th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
Only 5?
September 11th, 2013 at 5:41 PM ^
the SEC cheats?????????NO WAY!
September 11th, 2013 at 5:41 PM ^
I'm starting to wonder if college athletes, and SEC football players in particular, have ever received extra benefits, you guys.
September 11th, 2013 at 5:42 PM ^
September 11th, 2013 at 5:47 PM ^
September 11th, 2013 at 5:47 PM ^
Holy shit!!! The NCAA is gonna totally pull out the death penalties for this one!
September 11th, 2013 at 5:53 PM ^
September 11th, 2013 at 5:56 PM ^
If Yahoo Sports can get this much detailed info, how the heck does the NCAA have such problems digging into things?
September 11th, 2013 at 6:10 PM ^
Yahoo sports is actually trying and not just dragging their feet and pretending to investigate like the NCAA.
September 11th, 2013 at 8:37 PM ^
Like three people work for the NCAA, and they all have IQs in the mid 90s.
September 11th, 2013 at 6:07 PM ^
The reporting here stands in stark contrast to the SI piece, which has jack for proof.
Not that anything will happen, obviously.
September 11th, 2013 at 6:13 PM ^
Yeah, by this point in time it's clear Charles Robinson doesn't screw around. If you see him on campus, run and hide.
September 11th, 2013 at 6:07 PM ^
that you keep waiting to hear the thud of a collapse; each new revelation sounds like it SHOULD BE the straw that broke the camel's back.
The only POSSIBLE stance for the NCAA--as an institution that has long lost any credibility itself, desperately trying to survive in a climate of near-universal scandal-- at this stage may be to ignore all of it.
Since the American people are just as cynical as the major football programs, that should work out fine.
September 11th, 2013 at 6:11 PM ^
September 11th, 2013 at 7:57 PM ^
SC got hammered for this exact same thing taking place with Reggie Bush (which I think was total bullshit), but where do you draw the line and what do you want to see done? Michigan had a player on its last national title team busted for this exact same sort of thing (wannabe agent gives money to college kid, not because of his school choice but because he wants to get money out of the kid later on).
To me, punishing schools/programs for this sort of thing is ridiculously arbitrary (only the cases that get investigated/publicized, or where there is an axe to grind like in the Bush case, lead to sanctions). And the people paying the price are potentially guilty of zero wrongdoing.
Better policing of agents and/or letting kids accept some sort of compensation from outside the university structure seem like better solutions than punishing football programs across an entire conference because some dickhead wanted to make money of kids who are better than him at football and may go pro.
September 11th, 2013 at 8:49 PM ^
I mean Reggie's folks lived all of 2 hrs away from L.A., and you know damn well the coach knew where he was living while playing for him, and it wasn't in the slums near campus. I have no problem with much of what you are saying, especially when no member of the staff should reasonably believe illegal benefits are being doled out, and above all, participating in same, i.e., the alleged Okie St., incidents. What Reggie and family did was tantamount to that genius Pryor pulling up in another new car to see what the hoopla was about the supposed illegal benefits going on in Columbus. ^If booster, coaching staff or any representative of school has no ties, and above all, knowledge of these activities, then you are correct; nothing should be done to that particular school. If, on the other hand, like Fisher, where even former AD Don Canham could set in the seats and remark, "He (Fisher) is allowing people who have no ties to this school far too much access to these kids," then by all means school should be sanctioned. I'm not against players receiving benefits and wish they'd begin allowing it. Reminds me too much of America prior to unions evening the score somewhat. But until such time as it becomes legal, anyone who is obligated to report wrongdoing and does not, then sorry, school's AD made a bad hire and proper vetting wasn't done. Now schools like OSU, imo, that hire someone with a known track record of working outside the system should get hit harder than those who believe they conducted full investigation and were satisfied that the likelihood of wrongdoing was minimal, which is all you can ask.
September 11th, 2013 at 8:54 PM ^
I was thinking the same thing about USC but SC didn't cooperate with the NCAA investigation and they had a coach or coaches involved in the Bush fiasco.
There seems to be a lot of evidence here so I'm sure some teams are going to take a hit but it won't be anything program altering.
Speaking of evidence the OK. state story seems to be a joke and never should have been published as is.
September 12th, 2013 at 7:52 AM ^
September 12th, 2013 at 2:55 PM ^
The problem with Rosenberg wasn't his tactics. The problem is that he is an intellectually dishonest, arrogant piece of shit. His report wasn't factually incorrect, but he reported "violations" that weren't actually violations -- gray areas ("voluntary" workouts, etc etc) that are both legal and commonplace. Rosenberg's story didn't even acknowledge the concept of countable hours vs non-countable hours. His sources weren't lying.
This is different in that it would have to be entirely fabricated to not be a major case of LOIC.
September 11th, 2013 at 6:12 PM ^
Ya'll just a bunch of jealous Catholic and Jewish Yankees trying to get our conference in trouble. Just because ya'll can't beat the ESSSS EEEEE SEEEE, doesn't mean ya'll gotta go up and get your noses in other peoples purses!!!
ROW TIDE/WARRR EAGEL/HOTTIE-TOTTIE...
September 11th, 2013 at 6:31 PM ^
Sadly, this would qualify as a moderate and thoughtful response from the average SEC fan.
September 11th, 2013 at 6:13 PM ^
September 11th, 2013 at 6:24 PM ^
Every time the NCAA hires a new chief enforcement officer (or whatever the position is called), he always vows to be extra-strict with violating programs. And then the next program under investigation gets a slap on the wrist. What is keeping them from actually following through on their promise?
September 11th, 2013 at 6:40 PM ^
The NCAA permanently lost all credibility when they allowed Auburn to buy Cam Newton and a National Title for 6-figures. After that, why does any team really try to play by the rules, other than because they want to do things the right way? .
September 11th, 2013 at 6:47 PM ^
Alabama State is gonna get hammered!
September 11th, 2013 at 6:52 PM ^
BOOOOOOORRRRRRIIIIIIIING.
September 11th, 2013 at 7:05 PM ^
I'm so numb to all this kind of stuff -- it just furthers me thinking, it's time for a sea-change. Stop calling them student-athletes, just junk the mantra. Make them employees of the schools, let them get stipends, let them do their own thing on the side (autographs, speaking engagements, etc.), and -- srsly -- don't require them to attend classes, if they don't want to. Just drop the "student" thing. If a guy wants to get a degree, good for him, let him do it. If some booster wants to give them sham jobs or no-show jobs, or pay $1000 for a handshake, wtf, whatever. Who cares anymore -- it's so rampant, let's just admit, this is what goes on, and everyone compete on an 'equal' basis. It'll be like the NFL -- the rich will get the best players and win, and in a capitalist society, gee, that's what's supposed to happen.
And what will eventually come of this? Schools that want to compete by shelling out bucks, will end up creating (in fact or in structure) some kind of conference or division for the very top players (sort of the SEC + whomever wants to join them). Schools taht want to pretend academics are most important (Stanford, Vandy, NU, etc. -- even UM?) will maybe shy away from that "minor league" division, and compete ona lesser field. Schools that can't pay at all (Indiana State) will remain in an NCAA-like division. By choice.
Market economics should that this over, people (players) should make what they're worth -- an 18 yr old soccer player, or 18 yr old tennis player, or 18 yr old golfer, can do it, so why not football. Because the current system is leaking like the Titanic, and it's time to admit it doesn't work. And if it's so fraking important to Alabama and Auburn boosters to have the best minor league team in the country, well, let them -- why are we fighting for a system that rewards cheaters?
Tired of it.