Louisville scandal impact on Big East

[asdfasdf]

If Louisville gets the death penalty, could the ACC kick Louisville out of the conference? And if so, who would the ACC look at to replace Louisville? I don't see a 1 for 1 replacement for Louisville coming from the Big East because of the importance of Football. However, I do think this could begin another round of conference realignment if the ACC plucks a team from the Big 12. West Va doesn't fit the academic profile of the ACC, but neither did Louisville and West Va would probably jump at the opportunity to switch. Not sure how the dominoes could fall from there, but I think it's something the Big East needs to keep an eye on.

[GGGG]

1.  I don't think the ACC kicks out Louisville.
2.  If they do, they may decide not to replace them.
3.  If they decide to replace them, they will go with a "safe" program.  West Virginia isn't a fit.  Perhaps a school like Temple.

But I don't think they kick out Louisville.

[Tugg Speedman]

1.  I don't think the ACC kicks out Louisville.
2.  If they do, they may decide not to replace them.
3. If they decide to replace them, they will go with a "safe" program.  West Virginia isn't a fit.  Perhaps a school like Temple.

But I don't think they kick out Louisville.

Uconn?

[MDMU04]

Uconn?

Yeah, I'd bet on either them or Cincinnati...but I don't think Louisville is going anywhere.

As far as the Big East goes, I don't think there would be any interest in the ACC poaching anyone due to lack of FBS football teams.

Isn't it nice not to have to drag that ball and chain around anymore?

[forgetful]

1.  I don't think the ACC kicks out Louisville.
2.  If they do, they may decide not to replace them.
3.  If they decide to replace them, they will go with a "safe" program.  West Virginia isn't a fit.  Perhaps a school like Temple.

But I don't think they kick out Louisville.

It violates their geographical principles, but if the unlikely scenario occurs, and they kick Louisville out....could the ACC try to get a foothold in Texas?

[asdfasdf]

UConn is a good shout. I think the University of Cincinnati would do anything to get into the ACC, but I don't see that happening at all.

I would love to see what legal options the ACC has to kick out Louisville if they get the death penalty, if any. The two programs I think of when it comes to the sort of penalties Louisville could be facing are SMU and Penn St. SMU was a long time ago when the landscape was different, but they never recovered. Penn St., on the other hand, seems to be doing alright. It will be interesting to see what happens at UL.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Reports are that both Jurich and Pitino are out today.

The ACC won't kick out Louisville.  They got their golden ticket into the P5.  Legally, there would be a ton of red tape to get through in order to make due on that threat.  Baylor should be kicked out of the Big 12 for the Briles/Starr/McCaw regime, but the Big 12 can't due to $$$ and legal maneuvering.

If anything, the ACC will want to stand pat and not add any schools because it would just spread out their pie to an additional member.  It's one less school they have to compete with athletically for the foreseeable future. 

However, if Louisville does get booted, or the ACC does want to add another team in order to cushion the bad PR, UConn will not be that member.  They have too many no-votes as it is: BC, FSU, Clemson, GT and the Tobacco Four.  Honestly, a sleeper would be Houston.  They have heavily invested in their program in recent years, bring a top market, and gets the ACC into Texas. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

The Big East will NOT admit the Red Pleathered Army.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Not sure if it was posted in other topic, but here are all the P5 FBS Adidas-affiliated programs (some of whom were not mentioned in yesterday's documents):

ACC
Louisville – Adidas
Miami – Adidas
N.C. State – Adidas

Big Ten
Indiana – Adidas
Michigan – Adidas
Nebraska – Adidas
Wisconsin – Adidas

Big 12
Kansas – Adidas

Pac-12
Arizona State – Adidas
UCLA – Adidas

SEC
Mississippi State – Adidas
Texas A&M – Adidas

[forgetful]

Not sure if it was posted in other topic, but here are all the P5 FBS Adidas-affiliated programs (some of whom were not mentioned in yesterday's documents):

ACC
Louisville – Adidas
Miami – Adidas
N.C. State – Adidas

Big Ten
Indiana – Adidas
Michigan – Adidas
Nebraska – Adidas
Wisconsin – Adidas

Big 12
Kansas – Adidas

Pac-12
Arizona State – Adidas
UCLA – Adidas

SEC
Mississippi State – Adidas
Texas A&M – Adidas

That could be a reason why the tanned one may not get a call.  Anyone certain he is squeaky clean on this?

[bilsu]

Louisville deserves the death penalty. However, the way I understand it the death penalty is only for one year. As far as ACC it does not hurt them to lose Louisville for a year. They do not have a round robin schedule.

[Pakuni]

Outside of men's basketball, Louisville has one of the most successful athletic programs in the ACC.
Their baseball team finished the season ranked 5th in the nation. Their football team is in the top 20 and has the reigning Heisman winner. Both their men's and women's swim team ranked 10th in the nation. Their men's soccer team is ranked 8th. Women's basketball finished the season ranked 13th.

The ACC isn't going to kick the entire athletic program out of the conference in the unlikely event of a 1-year ban for the men's basketball program.

[GGGG]

Not sure if it was posted in other topic, but here are all the P5 FBS Adidas-affiliated programs (some of whom were not mentioned in yesterday's documents):

ACC
Louisville – Adidas
Miami – Adidas
N.C. State – Adidas

Big Ten
Indiana – Adidas
Michigan – Adidas
Nebraska – Adidas
Wisconsin – Adidas

Big 12
Kansas – Adidas

Pac-12
Arizona State – Adidas
UCLA – Adidas

SEC
Mississippi State – Adidas
Texas A&M – Adidas

Wisconsin *was* with Adidas.  They are on their second year with Under Armour.

[Bocephys]

Wisconsin *was* with Adidas.  They are on their second year with Under Armour.

Ahh yes, the "We tried to cheat for Diamond Stone and it didn't work!" sponsorship.

[GGGG]

Ahh yes, the "We tried to cheat for Diamond Stone and it didn't work!" sponsorship.

Well that and it was UA's largest contract handed out at the time and brought in five times the revenue as the Adidas deal.

[AccredoJoe]

I live out here in Nebraska. As of now no authority has contacted them on anything yet. Their basketball team blows anyway. Doubt they be worth the effort.

[Benny B]

The ACC isn't going to kick the entire athletic program out of the conference in the unlikely event of a 1-year ban for the men's basketball program.

Who said it's just the basketball program?  The next shoe to drop may have cleats on it.

[Oldgym]

Who said it's just the basketball program?  The next shoe to drop may have cleats on it.

Been thinking the same since yesterday about this time.  Not UL specifically, but D1 football is not making a clean getaway from all this.

[Litehouse]

Been thinking the same since yesterday about this time.  Not UL specifically, but D1 football is not making a clean getaway from all this.

I don't know.  The shoe companies don't have the same level of influence on football.  Football doesn't have the AAU circuit, and NFL players don't get the same type of shoe deals that NBA players get.  The investigations may dig up some football related dirt, but this seems like a bigger issue for the basketball world due to the influence NBA players have on shoe sales.

[Pakuni]

Who said it's just the basketball program?  The next shoe to drop may have cleats on it.

Maybe.
One thing I know from experience is that when the feds make a high-profile bust of this nature, they typically like to do it in one fell swoop and get everybody they plan to charge in custody, rather than tip off other potential defendants who can then lawyer up and destroy evidence. If the FBI really thought the people arrested yesterday had information that would lead to more and bigger fish, chances are they'd have been brought in for an interview and squeezed rather than arrested in a very public way.

So while I'm not discounting the idea that there may be others out there who eventually get indicted, it would surprise me if there are many more dominoes to fall.
I could be wrong, but that's how these things typically happen.

[Benny B]

Maybe.
One thing I know from experience is that when the feds make a high-profile bust of this nature, they typically like to do it in one fell swoop and get everybody they plan to charge in custody, rather than tip off other potential defendants who can then lawyer up and destroy evidence. If the FBI really thought the people arrested yesterday had information that would lead to more and bigger fish, chances are they'd have been brought in for an interview and squeezed rather than arrested in a very public way.

So while I'm not discounting the idea that there may be others out there who eventually get indicted, it would surprise me if there are many more dominoes to fall.
I could be wrong, but that's how these things typically happen.

True... but what if there's no "evidence to be destroyed" or if not all of the evidence can be destroyed.  If we're talking 6-figure payments, there's going to be a paper trail somewhere.  If we're talking about multiple players being funneled by multiple shoe/apparel execs at the direction of multiple coaches, it's a lot to expect that everyone's going to stay silent forever.  In this case, I can see why the FBI did what they did even if they were on the front end of an investigation.  Then again, you may be right and this might be all they have...

...at least until one of the assistant coaches realizes* that his measly $150,000 salary (relative to the head coaches') wasn't enough to justify his having to fall on the sword leading to the epiphany that he might avoid jail time if he gives the FBI a bunch of information they never knew existed.

* (read: is advised by counsel)

It's still early... we can speculate all we want.  But we all know the rabbit hole goes much deeper, and personally, I think the FBI is trying to put the skinny on someone to widen the hole for them.

[wadesworld]

True... but what if there's no "evidence to be destroyed" or if not all of the evidence can be destroyed.  If we're talking 6-figure payments, there's going to be a paper trail somewhere.  If we're talking about multiple players being funneled by multiple shoe/apparel execs at the direction of multiple coaches, it's a lot to expect that everyone's going to stay silent forever.  In this case, I can see why the FBI did what they did even if they were on the front end of an investigation.  Then again, you may be right and this might be all they have...

...at least until one of the assistant coaches realizes* that his measly $150,000 salary (relative to the head coaches') wasn't enough to justify his having to fall on the sword leading to the epiphany that he might avoid jail time if he gives the FBI a bunch of information they never knew existed.

* (read: is advised by counsel)

It's still early... we can speculate all we want.  But we all know the rabbit hole goes much deeper, and personally, I think the FBI is trying to put the skinny on someone to widen the hole for them.

The assistant coaches that were arrested aren't what the FBI was after and/or what can lead to more arrests.  It's the shoe executives that can lead to more proof of bribery.  Anything the assistants will be able to give to the FBI will be hearsay, but the executives will have the paper trail if certain schools/coaches are working with them to get certain kids to certain schools with certain sponsors.

[forgetful]

The assistant coaches that were arrested aren't what the FBI was after and/or what can lead to more arrests.  It's the shoe executives that can lead to more proof of bribery.  Anything the assistants will be able to give to the FBI will be hearsay, but the executives will have the paper trail if certain schools/coaches are working with them to get certain kids to certain schools with certain sponsors.

Agreed, but arresting the assistants (who themselves may have a paper trail), says that assistant coaches and head coaches are going to face charges. 

Those assistants, if they legitimately think the FBI may arrest them, are very likely to take actions to avoid prosecution.  They have the least to gain from staying silent.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I thought with the FBI pimping an 800# hotline for more info yesterday made it likely this could expand considerably depending on how many call that number or flip to avoid a lengthy sentence.

[StillAWarrior]

Well, some of the Louisville faithful over on their message board seem to think Mack would leave Xavier to take the recently vacated job.     So, I guess that would have an impact on the Big East.