OT(ish): SDSU Basketball under investigation by NCAA
So it looks like San Diego State's basketball program is under investigation by the NCAA for potential violations, including possible impermissible benefits to student athletes. As many know, their head coach is none other than Steve Fisher (YTSF). Obviously nothing has been proven at this point, but if this is true...come on, Fisher.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25…
September 15th, 2015 at 2:57 PM ^
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September 15th, 2015 at 3:05 PM ^
Fisher is Tressel-level dirty. I hope that they nail him, give him show-cause penalty ending his career and burn down SDSU's hoops program in the process.
If a school hires a known cheat like Fisher or Calipari, they deserve the worst.
September 15th, 2015 at 3:10 PM ^
According to the NCAA, Level 1 violations are violations "that seriously undermine or threaten the integrity of the NCAA collegiate model as set forth in the Constitution and bylaws, including any violation that provides or is intended to provide a substantial or extensive recruiting, competitive or other advantage, or a substantial or extensive impermissible benefit."
The NCAA gives examples of what it considers "Level 1 Violations" in its new tiered structure, so for instance:
Lack of institutional control
Academic fraud
Failure to cooperate in an NCAA enforcement investigation
Individual unethical or dishonest conduct
Head coach responsibility violation by a head coach resulting from an underlying Level I violation by an individual within the sport program.
Obviously not comprehensive, but that's the level of serious they might be looking at.
September 15th, 2015 at 3:31 PM ^
On the other hand, the source just says that "in theory" SDSU "could" be charged with Level 1 violations. Practically anything could be a level 1 violation if the right people (head coach, athletic department staff, etc.) knew about it. Without knowing specifics, it could also be something very minor that is on that bending/breaking the rule line that I'm sure nearly every NCAA D1 program walks. As I said above, based on this report, one really shouldn't jump to conclusions. I don't say this as a Fisher defender, by any means (he undoubtedly bore culpability for at the very least looking the other way). Rather, I just don't think that an NCAA investigation (or even sanctions such as our football sanctions) are an actual indication of cheating or "being dirty," as compared to the rest of the NCAA.
September 15th, 2015 at 3:10 PM ^
September 15th, 2015 at 3:16 PM ^
You mean "didn't get caught for this long."
September 15th, 2015 at 3:15 PM ^
Here at U of M, when a person whom I don't remember his name or affiliation stood up to the media refuting a question asked by the media about the looming investigations and penalties. I remember this guy finger wagging the media member questioning the ethics of a program in flames, which led to those standing by Fisher at the time to clap in support and a prelude to wrapping up the presser. The presser was an embodiment of what was going on for all that time. Plus the unidentified guy really bothered me.
September 15th, 2015 at 3:24 PM ^
If ever there were a time for deployment of "SMDH", this is such a time.
September 15th, 2015 at 3:54 PM ^
I always liked Fisher, but this would be an unremovable stain on his legacy. Really hope there is nothing to this. Just SMH, and sad.
September 15th, 2015 at 3:56 PM ^
September 15th, 2015 at 5:02 PM ^
September 15th, 2015 at 5:42 PM ^
don't forget that they put the hammer down on them in the late 80s. Rick Pitino was the right coach at the right time for them.
September 15th, 2015 at 5:54 PM ^
was paying players at a lot of schools beside Michigan too--no one seems to remember that. He was paying any kid that came out of Detroit. But Michigan had the Detroit pipeline at that point in time and had the most and biggest $$$ amounts of Martin's payouts. Martin never specified that the kids had to go to Michigan to get paid though--he was paying pretty much any kids from Detroit that played 1-A ball and looked like they might have a pro future in the hopes of getting in on the ground floor.
Michigan and Fisher's biggest crime was letting Ed Martin get too close to the program so that he was considered a booster. He was going to give that money to the kids anyway--Michigan needed to make sure Martin was in no way associated with the Michigan program, and they didn't do that.
September 18th, 2015 at 4:27 PM ^
How was Fisher supposed to know to keep Martin away? If it was known he was paying people then where were all of you, or anyone else who knew about Martin before it broke publicly?
If insiders knew then why didn't they write about or speak about it if they were in media, or why didn't any other insider blow the whistle on him at any point in time?
There are lots of boosters, lots of donors to a program, lots of friends and family and hangers on to player and recruits. How in the fuck is anybody or any program actually supposed to know all those people well enough to know whether they are "clean" or not unless something obvious is going on in front of them?
Albom maintains that if Chris was getting big money he sure was hiding it well and still was barowing 20 bucks to eat with from Albom etc.
I don't think a university or a coach should have any legal rights or authority to spy on or investigate people, and I don't know to what extent they do.
If no one in the program is actively cheating and is unaware of cheating and there weren't obvious suspicious goings on in the presence of program or department people then further expectations are absurd.
How many of you kept secrets from your parents without them ever finding out or knowing about it?
Did you have sex, smoke, drink, go out, break curfew, break grounding, take money from their purse or wallet, barrow the car when they were sleeping, beat up your little brother (nTlb) or anything else you weren't supposed to do but not get caught?
Anything you ever did on a continuous basis but never got caught? Did you ever just confess those things of your own volition for no reason?
If you were a player taking money from Martin do you run to tell Fish about it or do you try to keep it from him? If you are Martin do you run to tell Fish about it or do you keep it a secret?
Has anyone ever stolen money or embezzled or broke rules or cheated or committed a crime at a company you worked for without your knowing about it until it became public or they were caught? Was it ever somebody under you yet you still didn't know? Does that make you a cheater? Make you responsible for what they did?
There is an infinite difference between "You were in charge so you should've known because you're in charge" and "You were in charge and you should've known because of these actual reasons you should've known in particular cases A, B & C because of circumstances D, E & F."
Does anyone have any known facts of how and why Fisher actually had a way to know what was going on?
I saw Turner, The Judge, & Tarpley parading around in full length mink coats and fancy SUV's, those are visible potential red flags if that stuff was out of their price range, but nobody has anything to say about Frieder.
Leroy Hoard drove around in a brand new brown (why?) 280Z, lots of other football guys had questionable cars and jobs they didn't have to do and drug houses they frequented and did custom at, etc., all under Bo's "watch." By this measure he had as much or more lack of institutional control than Fisher did but nothing ever came out in a rollover accident about anything.
Ask yourself something else. When you were in college did you ever barrow money or get a gift from anyone? A friend or family member or a bank or a loan shark or a drug dealer? Or buy or sell drugs? Or do any motherfucking thing on your own time that none of your professors or TA's or deans or band directors or debate coaches knew about?
Should they have known? Was it their business? How should they have known? Should they have a mini CIA? Should they be out following all of their students on their own somehow? How does one person or a small staff do that? Should be planting gps trackers and bugs on your person, in your car and in your room/apartment?
If a coach isn't actually involved and whoever is involved isn't a total moron who makes it obvious to the coach or others then why do you blame them???????????
September 15th, 2015 at 6:33 PM ^
Maybe because this would make Fisher a repeat offender if allegations pan out. Other than losing his job at Michigan, Fisher got a pass from the NCAA as a result of the Michigan violations.
September 15th, 2015 at 10:43 PM ^
offender. The NCAA is going after SDSU because someone brought them allegations that appear to have some substance..
September 15th, 2015 at 8:14 PM ^
September 15th, 2015 at 10:09 PM ^
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September 15th, 2015 at 10:23 PM ^
September 16th, 2015 at 12:31 AM ^
There is NCAA precedent for the ignornace defense. The "I don't know anything" excuse worked well for Cam "Scam" Newton.
