Wojo Benefits From The Scandal

[Tugg Speedman]

How does Arizona reconcile this decision with the evidence? Did Miller pay some other player? Maybe they figure Ayton is going to be ruled ineligible anyway and they'll have to forfeit all their games so why not just ride it out. Strange.

agreed ... why is Miller not coaching tonight because he said to pay Ayton but Ayton still gets to play?  Bad decision

[Tugg Speedman]

Shaq's kid is bailing out and not going to AZ.  The rats jumping off the sinking ship.

Stick a fork in AZ, they are done and might take longer to return to the NCAA tourney than Bucky.

(less than 2 hours old)
Arizona commit Shareef O'Neal, Shaquille's son, opens recruitment amid probe
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22567755/shareef-oneal-decommits-arizona-wildcats-amid-fbi-probe

Shareef O’Neal
@SSJreef
At this time I'm am opening up my recruitment due to the current events with the UofA Bball team.I would like to thank all the coaches for recruiting me. At the time my family and I think it's in my best interest to look at other options to assure my play in the NCAA next year.
2:39 PM - Feb 24, 2018

[Tugg Speedman]

The news is coming fast ...

Miles Bridges, Chimezie Metu and Kevin Knox deemed eligible amid probe
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22566029/michigan-state-miles-bridges-usc-chimezie-metu-kentucky-kevin-knox-eligible-being-named-documents

They better hope they are still considered eligible in a week or 10 days because if they all used ineligible players, they might all be ineligible for the NCAA Tourney in two weeks.

MU might still make it in despite losing the Depaul after all!

[Dawson Rental]

The only benefit Wojo gets from the scandal is that he will be offered a position at Duke consummate with his skills: Ballboy/Floorslapper.

Try growing up, it's worth the effort, I swear.

[Dawson Rental]

How does Arizona reconcile this decision with the evidence? Did Miller pay some other player? Maybe they figure Ayton is going to be ruled ineligible anyway and they'll have to forfeit all their games so why not just ride it out. Strange.

I'm not surprised.  A recorded phone conversation is reliable proof.  There's nothing that definite implicating Ayton, yet.

[willie warrior]

Try growing up, it's worth the effort, I swear.

Already have. et us know when you have arrived.

[Herman Cain]

Shaq's kid is bailing out and not going to AZ.  The rats jumping off the sinking ship.

Stick a fork in AZ, they are done and might take longer to return to the NCAA tourney than Bucky.

(less than 2 hours old)
Arizona commit Shareef O'Neal, Shaquille's son, opens recruitment amid probe
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22567755/shareef-oneal-decommits-arizona-wildcats-amid-fbi-probe

Shareef O’Neal
@SSJreef
At this time I'm am opening up my recruitment due to the current events with the UofA Bball team.I would like to thank all the coaches for recruiting me. At the time my family and I think it's in my best interest to look at other options to assure my play in the NCAA next year.
2:39 PM - Feb 24, 2018

Lets get out name in the Que.

[Billy Hoyle]

agreed ... why is Miller not coaching tonight because he said to pay Ayton but Ayton still gets to play?  Bad decision

If there is nothing showing that Alton got paid then he hasn’t compromised his amateurism or eligibility. Miller, on the other hand, demonstrated an intent to break NCAA bylaws and federal laws.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

agreed ... why is Miller not coaching tonight because he said to pay Ayton but Ayton still gets to play?  Bad decision

Arizona might be looking at it from a due process lens. There's evidence that Miller did something against the rules. I may have missed it but I don't know that we have evidence that Ayton actually received the money yet.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Arizona might be looking at it from a due process lens. There's evidence that Miller did something against the rules. I may have missed it but I don't know that we have evidence that Ayton actually received the money yet.

Miller put out a statement that he will be vindicated. Posturing or does he have a defense?

[wadesworld]

Miller put out a statement that he will be vindicated. Posturing or does he have a defense?

He’s on a wire tap discussing making sure a $100K payment is made to guarantee a player that did end up at AZ ended up at AZ. I can’t see anything that would vindicate him.

[Dr. Blackheart]

He’s on a wire tap discussing making sure a $100K payment is made to guarantee a player that did end up at AZ ended up at AZ. I can’t see anything that would vindicate him.

Here is the article on his statement.  More to the story?  It seems odd that if the wiretap was as clear cut as it appears, that he would be better off shutting up instead of issuing this statement. If not, then I guess he is pulling the Pitino Defense expecting that to work.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.azcentral.com/amp/370085002

[Billy Hoyle]

Arizona might be looking at it from a due process lens. There's evidence that Miller did something against the rules. I may have missed it but I don't know that we have evidence that Ayton actually received the money yet.

That’s not quite how it works with NCAA bylaws. You have to show that a SA didn’t take money or commit a violation if alleged. Due Process does not apply here. It’s not a court of law. Same reason Cam Newton was suspended when it was alleged his dad was trying to sell his services to Mississippi State. The pretend knowledge here astounds....

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

That’s not quite how it works with NCAA bylaws. You have to show that a SA didn’t take money or commit a violation if alleged. Due Process does not apply here. It’s not a court of law. Same reason Cam Newton was suspended when it was alleged his dad was trying to sell his services to Mississippi State. The pretend knowledge here astounds....

Go back and read what I wrote. I said a due process lens, not actually due process. A school doesn't need due process to sit a player. They could tell a player not to sit because he farted in front of the provost if they felt like it. But the university may not feel right benching a player when there's only hearsay that he might have taken money he wasn't supposed to. Didn't say that was the right or wrong or approach, but might explain their thought process.

[Tugg Speedman]

Sound like Ayton is invoking the Cam Newton defense (Cam got off because it was his dad soliciting money for Cam without Cam’s knowledge.)

So Ayton did not discuss or solicit money.  Did he stay willfully ignorant while his parent(s) did?

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22573538/deandre-ayton-arizona-wildcats-play-questions-surround-future-coach-sean-miller

Prior to Saturday's game, a lawyer representing Ayton's family released a statement saying the family members were "outraged and disgusted by recent news stories which have falsely implied" any involvement in the matter.

"[Ayton] directly stated to the FBI, more than six months ago, that he never discussed or solicited payments from the University of Arizona, or any other university, or any shoe company or anyone on behalf of either -- period. This includes basketball and anything else," the statement said.

The Arizona Board of Regents met in an emergency executive session Saturday "to receive legal advice regarding the issue and plans to reconvene for updates and legal advice in the coming days."

"This is an emotionally charged issue but it is essential that we move forward decisively and based on facts. We must do everything we can to ensure that our programs are of the highest caliber as we must also protect the rights of all involved and respect due process for employees," regents chair Bill Ridenour said in a statement.

[Tugg Speedman]

Schools with active players implicated
Alabama (Collin Sexton),
Arizona (Dandre Ayton)
Duke (Wendell Carter),
Kentucky (Kevin Knox),
Michigan State (Miles Bridges),
South Carolina (Brian Bowen),
Texas (Eric Davis Jr.),
USC (Bennie Boatwright)

Note that Bowen transferred from Louisville and has not played or been cleared by the NCAA to play.

——-

Do they have a choice?  Hold them out and you admitting you used an ineligible player.  Might as well shut down the season as you will not get a Post season bid and might even have to skip your conference tournament.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22572170/kentucky-wildcats-freshman-kevin-knox-deflects-questions-fbi-investigation-reports

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22570709/duke-blue-devils-coach-mike-krzyzewski-very-comfortable-playing-wendell-carter-jr-wake-report

[Tugg Speedman]

SI's take on why no players have been deemed ineligible ... at this point, they have nothing to lose by playing them.

They implied that the NCAA will not blow apart their own tourney by banning what could be the elite eight.  It's like these elite teams are saying "yeah, we cheated, what are you going to do about it?"

http://amp.si.com/college-basketball/2018/02/25/sean-miller-deandre-ayton-arizona-ncaa-fbi-investigation

Given the well-established precedent for caution in matters of player eligibility, the speed at which high-profile stars like Ayton, Carter, Michigan State’s Miles Bridges and Kentucky’s Kevin Knox were cleared internally is not without significance. These decisions came down fast. Individual teams’ decisions to push through and allow them to take the court may be indicative of the fact that at this point, with the sport already on the precipice of widespread punishment, there’s little for programs to lose by letting them play, and little to gain for punishing kids who are already victims of a deep-rooted, flawed system. Many will head to the NBA draft in a matter of weeks regardless.

USC’s De’Anthony Melton and Auburn’s Austin Wiley were among players held out all season after the initial wave of FBI-related coach arrests. Neither was directly named in the first place. After stringing Melton out and ending his college career out of fear, the Trojans allowed Chimezie Metu to play on Saturday after being implicated in ASM’s payment records. What gives? Either the reported FBI evidence isn’t substantial enough for teams to warrant holding these players out, or programs are content to let them hoop knowing the house is burning down regardless. Perhaps some degree of lenience is coming from the NCAA given the breadth of parties involved. From a business standpoint, the thought of a March Madness without star players and coaches benefits nobody.

In reality, anyone who’s ever spent time with an ear to the ground in the world of college hoops has a base understanding of how business gets done under the table. At bare minimum, there’s a widespread awareness that it takes place. Any level of shock and awe at the proceedings or heavy-handed moral posturing coming from the basketball punditry at-large is more surprising than the news itself. NBA teams conduct thorough background checks into prospects, and given past precedent, are unlikely to frown heavily upon a player for taking cash. For better or worse, cheating has been standard practice in an intricate ecosystem, at least until someone gets caught.

[GGGG]

Which is exactly why the NCAA has to acknowledge that the concept is amateurism is failed and flawed.  Its beyond time to craft ways that appropriate compensation is given above board.  They aren't going to get the genie back in the bottle.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Which is exactly why the NCAA has to acknowledge that the concept is amateurism is failed and flawed.  Its beyond time to craft ways that appropriate compensation is given above board.  They aren't going to get the genie back in the bottle.

+1.  The basis for the NCAA rulings going back to Newton is that it was the family members who took money but not the athletes. 

[WhiteTrash]

Here is the article on his statement.  More to the story?  It seems odd that if the wiretap was as clear cut as it appears, that he would be better off shutting up instead of issuing this statement. If not, then I guess he is pulling the Pitino Defense expecting that to work.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.azcentral.com/amp/370085002

He is pulling the Pitino defense. He has to. He will go to his grave claiming he is innocent. He has $10 million and any possibility of ever coaching again at stake. Not only will he claim he is innocent he will start suing the university and everyone else involved within weeks. I guaranty it. 

[Newsdreams]

Don’t be so sure about that.  AZ has to self-sanction to reduce penalties, and given the Louisville/Bowen precedent, I would not be surprised if Ayton ALREADY played his last minute of college basketball the season (career).

When current NBA players are tweeting this, you’re in deep doo-doo

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22559284/sean-miller-arizona-christian-dawkins-discussed-payment-ensure-deandre-ayton-signing-according-fbi-investigation

Milwaukee Bucks guard Jason Terry, who played at Arizona under coach Lute Olson from 1995 to '99, tweeted that it's time to for the Wildcats to "clean house."

@APlayersProgram BearDown it's time to clean house and bring home our own bloodlines to carry on Lutes Legacy. We have too much pride, too much tradition to allow outsiders to tear down what we built.

— Jason Terry (@jasonterry31) February 24, 2018

Should have really said no one would want that job for a while I imagine they'll have to give up post season 2-3 years (including this year maybe)