Interesting Day Ahead...

[GGGG]

Fire Rick for cause.  Make him sue.  Negotiate from there after making him wait and go through legal maneuvers.

No organization is going to payout a coach whose program was just implicated in a DOJ investigation.  That is poor governance period.  PR is on your side as well. 

[wadesworld]

I'm going to wait to get up on my high horse until BigDaddyTarentino tells me I'm not going to be knocked off of it anytime soon...

[4everwarriors]

Maybe he can get some conjugal visits at Porcini's bye plea bargainin', hey?

[Bocephys]

And I actually think Crean just might get a call.  He's actually good at rebuilds and UL is going to be in tatters when this is done.

Somewhere, Brent is asking Goodman and Parrish to run some puff pieces about the time he stopped to let a family of ducks pass while volunteering to drive a Meals on Wheels truck.

[jsglow]

Somewhere, Brent is asking Goodman and Parrish to run some puff pieces about the time he stopped to let a family of ducks pass while volunteering to drive a Meals on Wheels truck.

LOL

[GGGG]

It depends entirely on the language of the agreement.  I'd be surprised if the language allowed Louisville off the hook for a rumored violation that has not even been cited by the NCAA yet (no matter how strong the alleged evidence behind the rumor might be).  I'd think that a decent buyout provision in a contract would require at the very least an formal charge by NCAA, if not an actual finding.  Louisville wants to get rid of him now without waiting for that process to even begin, much less run its course.  While I agree that Pitino's negotiating leverage would be poor in the long run, I suspect the urgency that Louisville is feeling today has significantly increased his leverage.  He's going to get paid.  Louisville looked the other way in the past, which greatly increases the urgency of their situation now.  They made a mess, and now it's going to cost them.

They will not voluntarily pay him anything.  You think the trustees of the university, and since it is a public university, the Kentucky legislature is going to pay him to go away when his program was implicated like this in a DOJ investigation?

Not a chance.  Rick may end up getting something, but it won't be without a fight.  UL has no reason to pay him off.

[cheebs09]

And I actually think Crean just might get a call.  He's actually good at rebuilds and UL is going to be in tatters when this is done.

Do we think Crean wants to go through that again? Maybe it's the only way he gets somewhere with Louisville's prestige though.

Also, the way that the NCAA took away some of Penn Stte's penalties, it may make things a little easier if that's a precedent, but still an uphill battle.

[GGGG]

And I actually think Crean just might get a call.  He's actually good at rebuilds and UL is going to be in tatters when this is done.

Even if it were for a one year interim gig, I think they could do a lot worse than TC.

[mu03eng]

I wonder how many recruits will be declared ineligible?

This only impacts "high value" recruits, basically the can't miss prospects so we're talking probably 20 or less current players. Where the chaos will reign will be in the number of programs this hits and where their unimpacted but talented recruits go.

[Dish]

Feds showed up to Yum Center with search warrants this morning, apparently confiscated some computers.

[GGGG]

Woj...LOL

Adrian Wojnarowski‏
Rick Pitino has probed NBA teams on return as a head coach in recent years, but there's been no interest in him. That's unlikely to change.

[Tugg Speedman]

They will not voluntarily pay him anything.  You think the trustees of the university, and since it is a public university, the Kentucky legislature is going to pay him to go away when his program was implicated like this in a DOJ investigation?

Not a chance.  Rick may end up getting something, but it won't be without a fight.  UL has no reason to pay him off.

It is not the first DoJ investigation of Louisville under Rick.  Porcini's was also a DoJ investigation.  As was paying hookers to entertain players and recruits.

[GGGG]

It is not the first DoJ investigation of Louisville under Rick.  Porcini's was also a DoJ investigation.  As was paying hookers to entertain players and recruits.

But those didn't result in charges like this one did.  And now with the Feds confiscating YUM Center computers?  Rick will be lucky if UL doesn't sue him.

[Tugg Speedman]

But those didn't result in charges like this one did.  And now with the Feds confiscating YUM Center computers?  Rick will be lucky if UL doesn't sue him.

Rick has not been charged here either (at least not yet).

[StillAWarrior]

Honest question for others following this:  is the payment of recruits illegal?  The people who were arrested yesterday were tied up in accepting bribes to steer NBA-bound athletes to certain agents/advisers/sponsors.  It's my understanding that the illegality is related to the fact that they are employed by institutions that receive federal funds, so the taking of bribes in connection with influencing students is illegal.  Frankly, I think that the press is doing a pretty crappy job of explaining the specifics surrounding the criminal allegations.

But is paying HS recruits illegal?  Is Louisville/Petino actually facing criminal charges?  Or are they just going to get hammered by NCAA?

[GGGG]

Paying him off is not just a legal question.  It is a PR and a political one as well.  Even if you think UL legally owes him the money, there are good reasons to make Rick fight for it. 

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I hope this is the end for the horrible Adidas Uni's for March Madness.

[StillAWarrior]

Paying him off is not just a legal question.  It is a PR and a political one as well.  Even if you think UL legally owes him the money, there are good reasons to make Rick fight for it.

Don't get me wrong.  I think they'll probably make him fight for it.  Both sides will file lawsuits and they'll take some depositions, and then they'll pay him.  Quietly.  And there will be a confidentiality agreement.  And both sides will quietly intimate that they "won", but will be careful to do it in a way that does not violate the confidentiality agreement.

[Dish]

Plot thickens...

Months before negotiating a 10 yr/$160 mil deal with Louisville, Adidas hired Jurich's daughter as a "NCAA Communication$ Brand Manager".

I'm $ure it'$ ju$t a coincidence.

[blikemike2]

Honest question for others following this:  is the payment of recruits illegal?  The people who were arrested yesterday were tied up in accepting bribes to steer NBA-bound athletes to certain agents/advisers/sponsors.  It's my understanding that the illegality is related to the fact that they are employed by institutions that receive federal funds, so the taking of bribes in connection with influencing students is illegal.  Frankly, I think that the press is doing a pretty crappy job of explaining the specifics surrounding the criminal allegations.

But is paying HS recruits illegal?  Is Louisville/Petino actually facing criminal charges?  Or are they just going to get hammered by NCAA?

Here's 2 words for you. TAX EVASION

[Da 'Lanche]

Paying him off is not just a legal question.  It is a PR and a political one as well.  Even if you think UL legally owes him the money, there are good reasons to make Rick fight for it.

Unless some of the higher ups from the AD in Administration were complicit/aware as well...then they may want to pay him for as much non-disclosure security they can get (of course, now that it is in the feds hands, that may not be possible).    Slick Rick could turn into a pretty powerful whistle-blower himself...

[StillAWarrior]

The Louisville Courier-Journal states that firing him for "just cause" has now become a more plausible option. Pitino's contract language reportedly includes:

"Employee is presumed to be responsible for the actions of all assistant coaches and administrators who report, directly or indirectly, to him. Employee shall promote an atmosphere of compliance, academic integrity, and ethical conduct within his program and shall monitor the activities of all assistant coaches and administrators involved with the program who report, directly or indirectly, to him."

He's not talking his way out of this one. Dealing with the FBI and federal charges is a big step up from dealing with NCAA guidelines. Slick Rick could see prison time.

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2017/09/26/louisville-basketball-coach-rick-pitino-adidas-scandal-college-basketball/704604001/

That is interesting language, and it might do the trick.  I'd really like to see the contract.  I'm looking for it.

The real question, from my perspective, is how does the contract define "for cause" (or whatever similar phrase used to identify that contact).  That will be very specific language.  The language the article quoted might be from that section.  I don't know.  But, it sounds kind of like "duties and responsibilities" language.  Until I see the contract -- or at least full sections of it -- I'm going to withhold judgment on whether his discharge under the current set of facts violates his contract.

Ultimately, that will be a key question in all of this.  I have absolutely no dispute with anyone who says that Pitino deserved to be fired.  Unquestionably, he was.  The question in my mind is whether the discharge was carried out in a manner that was in compliance with his contract.  I have absolutely no idea at this point because I haven't reviewed the contract.  And without doing that, all I'm really doing when I comment on their relative bargaining strength is speculating.

[mu03eng]

Honest question for others following this:  is the payment of recruits illegal?  The people who were arrested yesterday were tied up in accepting bribes to steer NBA-bound athletes to certain agents/advisers/sponsors.  It's my understanding that the illegality is related to the fact that they are employed by institutions that receive federal funds, so the taking of bribes in connection with influencing students is illegal.  Frankly, I think that the press is doing a pretty crappy job of explaining the specifics surrounding the criminal allegations.

But is paying HS recruits illegal?  Is Louisville/Petino actually facing criminal charges?  Or are they just going to get hammered by NCAA?

It is classic bribery, they are being paid to influence people through their role(and the kicker is they are in public roles if they worked a private institution it would like be a different lesser charge)

[Benny B]

Fire Rick for cause.  Make him sue.  Negotiate from there after making him wait and go through legal maneuvers.

This. 


So long, Rick.

[StillAWarrior]

I'd really like to see the contract.  I'm looking for it.

Here's an old version.