NCAA Men's Basketball Corruption Case may involve up to 50 top teams

Submitted by Bo_Knows on

According to some reports (linked below), the corruption probe involving Louisville, Adidas and a few assistant coaches may expand greatly based on banks records of Andy Miller and Christian Dawkins currently in possession of the F.B.I. and wiretaps:

Multiple sources who’ve been briefed on the case and are familiar with the material obtained by feds told Yahoo Sports that the impact on the sport will be substantial and relentless. Sitting under protective order right now are the fruits of 330 days of monitoring activity by the feds, which one assistant US Attorney noted Thursday was “a voluminous amount of material.” That includes wiretaps from 4,000 intercepted calls and thousands of documents and bank records obtained from raids and confiscated computers, including those from notorious NBA agent Andy Miller.

“This goes a lot deeper in college basketball than four corrupt assistant coaches,” said a source who has been briefed on the details of the case. “When this all comes out, Hall of Fame coaches should be scared, lottery picks won’t be eligible to play and almost half of the 16 teams the NCAA showed on its initial NCAA tournament show this weekend should worry about their appearance being vacated.”

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/sources-college-hoops-corruption-case-poised-take-hall-fame-coaches-top-programs-lottery-picks-224417174.html

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2759734-report-top-college-basketball-coaches-players-programs-involved-in-corruption

I say blow it all up.

bronxblue

February 16th, 2018 at 10:34 AM ^

Don't sleep on NW.  Chris Collins seems like a massive POS, and if he's running guys off of the team to open up spots for better recruits, it's not crazy that he'd do other things.  And he's a Coach K guy, and that is one of the dirtiest "clean" programs around.

But yeah, Iowa and Wisconsin would be shockers.

Mr Miggle

February 16th, 2018 at 10:50 AM ^

of paying players. Do you think any of them were doing it with the knowledge that their head coach would fire them if he found out? I think it's obvious that most, if not all, were doing it under the direction of the HC. The difference to me would be how informed they wanted to be of the details.

I don't think that happens without the head coach finding out. He's going to have a lot of sources. Beilein in particular, does not strike me as a naive coach. He takes extra care to avoid questionable characters and runs a very tight ship.He's well aware of the type of cheating that goes on and doesn't take the first step in that direction, even if it's technically allowed.

 

M Ascending

February 16th, 2018 at 8:39 AM ^

Oh, come on.  Ralphie had many good points to his character (other than maybe beating a prostitute to death and killing a race horse for the insurance money).  Richie was the real douchebag.

superstringer

February 15th, 2018 at 9:41 PM ^

Can't wait -- not holding my breath, but would be great.  I mean, there is a chance we are swept up in this too. While Coach B isn't the type, all it takes is one rotten alum, assistant coach, parent, etc., and we're in the mess despite how clean our Coach is.  But if Dook and UNC and UK and MSU go down, then it's a pox on everyone's house.

(Haven't we all heard rumors for years Coach K is the dirtiest of all. Let's find out huh.)

But really, I feel like by "burning it down," it's not just for the fun of it -- it's that the new world order should result. Just pay the damn players.  We live in a capitalist society, you're supposed to get paid your market value.  If some future NBA'er is worth $1000's/$10,000's a year to some school or booster, why can't he get paid it.  Tennis players, baseball players, hockey players, soccer players, etc. all make it.  What's so sancrosanct about basketball or football?

So by "blow it up," I mean, BLOW IT ALL UP.  The whole damn system is Communist.  This is Murica, let's let capitalism reign on college sports too.

(Yes, I'm serious.)

trueblueintexas

February 15th, 2018 at 11:07 PM ^

I think the NCAA is more concerned about this than the schools. It’s going to be really hard to do nothing when you have the full output of an extensive FBI investigation swaying public opinion. It’s one thing when it is disputable hearsay. It’s very different with a mountain of evidence based on wiretaps, actual files and documentation legally seized available for public consumption. I hope this is the seminal moment to clean up college basketball. Another aspect, if it is as bad as it appears above, then it will be really hard to keep the focus of reform on basketball only. Emmert was already trying. I bet he has to step down to let someone else clean up this mess across both sports.

You Only Live Twice

February 16th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^

with Federal agencies involved, it isn't a One and done sort of situation.  As part of any conditions resulting from the prosecutions, there will usually be some type of monitoring program or similar.  They can't just go back to "business as usual."  Not NCAA.

Thank you Belien for ensuring we don't have to live under some type of Federal monitoring  BS for the next 2-4 years.

RoseInBlue

February 15th, 2018 at 9:51 PM ^

You know, I have zero confidence that any sort of real consequences will come out of all of this.  But I have to say I'm thoroughly enjoying the fact that I have absolutely nothing to worry about regarding Michigan.

bronxblue

February 15th, 2018 at 9:58 PM ^

One positive that might come from this, at least, would be a real discussion about compensation for players and it's feasability.  Because it's one thing for Louisville to get busted for hookers, but if a third of the top-20 teams in the country are busted, that might spark real discussion because you can only bury your head in the sand so deep.

Bah, who am I kidding?  Nothing will change.

LSAClassOf2000

February 15th, 2018 at 10:01 PM ^

If all of this indeed comes to fruition and the fallout is as bad as it is apparently estimated to be, I cannot wait for that year not too far in the future when I am taking Southeast Missouri to the Final Four in my bracket. It will be the same year we have a "Pre-Busted Bracket"show and the beat writers muse about how McNeese State could win it all. 

thespacepope

February 16th, 2018 at 9:40 AM ^

his point is that the NCAA won't do anything to the schools beyond what the feds are going to do to them. some coaches and administrators will be fired and the NCAA will say that the programs have been punished enough and it is time to heal, blah blah blah. UM was stupid for accepting the NCAA punishment for the Ed Martin case. other schools have pretty much just ignored the NCAA or openly defiedv(PSU UNC Baylor) them and gotten relative slaps on the wrist versus the basketball purgatory UM suffered through.

mbrummer

February 15th, 2018 at 10:47 PM ^

UCLA paid players during the Wooden era.  

If you think  teams are clean, you're naive.

By the way on Izzo, the Flintstones were bought.  I think he's been cleaner recently, or got uncomfortable with the amounts.

Duke, Kansas, UNC, UCLA, Gonzaga, MSU, Kentucky, Florida, Cuse are and more.

We point when Ole Miss starts pulling 5 stars, but don't bat an eyelash when Gonzaga starts pulling them too.  

The NCAA will clean hosue of coaches, give schools 1 year post season bans.  And the cash cow will go on.  UNC is bigger than Roy, Kansas bigger than Self, Kentucky bigger than Cal, Duke is now bigger than Coach K.

By the way, on a tangent.  I think this is part of Harbuagh's malady.  Imagine being hypercompetitive and knowing you are getting screwed behind the scenes.