FBI rounding up NCAA Coaches

[JustRalph]

Pitino gets fired

About time

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by Jess Hawsen Arown

I ran into politics in high school football. Turns out the high school basketball coach could not select the best players. First, he had to take the football players that the football coach wanted to play on the team.

I have a story. Our quarterback's dad was a wealthy business man who bought a lot of things for the team. This was the 70's we had the latest and greatest new equipment, we had water helmets, air helmets, all equipped with all variations of face masks, brand new uniforms and shoes. The rest of our league opponents were wearing two barred suspension helmets that were 10+ years old and had beat up uniforms that had been stitched and patched 100 times. We had a great running game and a great defensive front seven. Our secondary was leaky, we got knocked out in round 3 of the CIF playoffs all 3 years I played. By the way our QB who started for 3 years I think never even had a 100 passing game. Pretty sure there was no one better and his dad had nothing to do with him starting.

[barahona44]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Pitino gets fired

About time

Pitino can always get a job writing restaurant reviews.

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by barahona44

Pitino can always get a job writing restaurant reviews.

After hours reviews.......

[reckless]

Not sure how good a reviewer Pitino will be because he likes to conduct business under the table.

[PressThePace]

AAU basketball, specifically men's basketball, is one of the darkest places in all of sports. Once these college programs figured out that the AAU programs were exerting so much influence on kids, the money all moved in that direction. And, soon after, shoe and apparel companies took notice as well. We're not talking about a little pocket change. The dollar amounts will be staggering. If you take a look at the pool of assistant coaches in college basketball today, more and more of them started in the AAU ranks, which to me is a problem. I believe one of two things should happen: Either, (1) Let high school seniors declare for the draft, or (2) Make them go to college longer than a year. Neither suggestion would completely clean it up, but I think it would be a start.

[cj]

Originally Posted by PressThePace

AAU basketball, specifically men's basketball, is one of the darkest places in all of sports. Once these college programs figured out that the AAU programs were exerting so much influence on kids, the money all moved in that direction. And, soon after, shoe and apparel companies took notice as well. We're not talking about a little pocket change. The dollar amounts will be staggering. If you take a look at the pool of assistant coaches in college basketball today, more and more of them started in the AAU ranks, which to me is a problem. I believe one of two things should happen: Either, (1) Let high school seniors declare for the draft, or (2) Make them go to college longer than a year. Neither suggestion would completely clean it up, but I think it would be a start.

The D-League is the best alternative. Salaries have been increased to a decent level. Players can play there for a year or two and make a better living than your average Joe. It would be good for the NBA too. They'd draw more people to see these guys play than the current crop of fringe players and has beens. It would also be better for the players because they are facing much better competition than college basketball.

[PressThePace]

Originally Posted by cj

The D-League is the best alternative. Salaries have been increased to a decent level. Players can play there for a year or two and make a better living than your average Joe. It would be good for the NBA too. They'd draw more people to see these guys play than the current crop of fringe players and has beens. It would also be better for the players because they are facing much better competition than college basketball.

That's actually a very good idea. Sadly, I think whatever the situation, the NBA and the NCAA's motives clash. It's not an easy fix, that is for sure.

[Inner Dirt]

They need to eliminate the one and dones. That would eliminate a lot of the cheating. A lot of these colleges are nothing but NBA farm teams. There is no reason to have a college athlete who isn't interested in an education. In basketball you can't make the argument playing all 4 years is risking a traumatic injury like football.

[Robert Fischer]

1. BLUE CHIPS are hot commodities, and anyone who thinks 'rules' will keep the game clean, is naive
2. anytime the FBI (or gov't agency in general) does one of these investigations, it's hard to know how much was 'pure discovery' vs. 'orchestrated discovery'

[JustRalph]

Heard on the radio this morning that 24 more coaches are under investigation.

[MutuelClerk]

Dick Vitale is a laughable joke. Claiming all these guys are his friends. Yet he knows nothing and breaking into tears. PHONY!!!!

[PressThePace]

As a high school coach, I have repeatedly witnessed AAU coaches exploit kids for personal gain, both for money and gear. These college coaches know this too and have figured out ways to exploit the amateur coaches. All the while, the real victims are the kids. I heard Seth Greenburg's rant on ESPN the other day about the kids not being innocent in this deal...seriously? If you offer a kid free shoes and money, what do you expect them to do? It makes me sick.

[ElKabong]

Originally Posted by PressThePace

I heard Seth Greenburg's rant on ESPN the other day about the kids not being innocent in this deal...seriously? If you offer a kid free shoes and money, what do you expect them to do? It makes me sick.

Honest answer... Turn down money and shoes because my dad and brother would have set me straight on the subject when I was that age.

I know this is a widespread problem now, but it always has been. Just more money nowadays than in the early 70s. IN my Jr yr of high school we had eight seniors sign D1 football letters. All were offered cash and cars, some didn't accept. Big 8 schools were completely out of control at the time, esp Neb OU OSu Colorado and Missouri. The cash and cars offered was impressive

I agree and appreciate your comments on aau. Have heard about how it's jacking with HS basketball.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by ElKabong

Honest answer... Turn down money and shoes because my dad and brother would have set me straight on the subject when I was that age.

I know this is a widespread problem now, but it always has been. Just more money nowadays than in the early 70s. IN my Jr yr of high school we had eight seniors sign D1 football letters. All were offered cash and cars, some didn't accept. Big 8 schools were completely out of control at the time, esp Neb OU OSu Colorado and Missouri. The cash and cars offered was impressive

I agree and appreciate your comments on aau. Have heard about how it's jacking with HS basketball.

I played D3 ball in the late 70's early 80's. Even at that level we had jobs where we worked a couple hours a week and were paid better than an entry level worker for 40 hours. Got 3 meals a day at school, shoes, enough other clothes to get by on. Football player had better pay and benefits than the typical job an unskilled college age kid had back then.