Bribery Scandal - FBI Probe - Book Richardson Involved

[EVCat]

This really isn't, as has been said, about paying players, though the extra money floating around in Book's pocket looks to have been passed to at least one player.

This is about getting the bench coach that is the most buddy-buddy with the players, the one who is the player's confidant, the "cool" coach that is down with the players, to steer them to agents that are friendly to the paying shoe company.

If that is the primary thing going on here, we are not in for nearly as bad a hit as many thought. If this is about getting kids to go to a particular agent after college, it is still illegal, but it isn't a competitive advantage violation. The players already have the talent...this is about getting them to make a decision that is favorable to the companies for an agent.

That is a totally different situation.

[97cats]

Good lord we are absolutely fucked.

no no no, expand.

No inside info, just me reading every thing. The Nassir Little recruitment implications, all of it, this is just a fucked situation that I don't know how we can recover from as a program in the near term.

love ya but dont agree -- the FBI is looking at this as a rogue mission for the benefit of the agent and said coach to steer players to financial advisors and sponsors (Adidas).

the universities and the employers are being categorized as the victims and the investigation is an outside the university operation.

Sean Miller wont be fired and the program is not absolutely fucked.

[Merkin]

[baycat93]

This season is already tainted, it'll get vacated by NCAA if we don't do a self imposed post season ban along w scholarship reduction.

Unfortunately there's at least one paid player on roster. Pretty much play, hope the team accomplishes something of note and the only thing the NCAA can't take away is the memories.

I don't know the timing on the statement, but the timing of talking to Book started in march... could the player be simmons? just signed with adidas

[dmjcat]

Rawle, Randolph, or Ayton

[YoDeFoe]

This season is already tainted, it'll get vacated by NCAA if we don't do a self imposed post season ban along w scholarship reduction.

Unfortunately there's at least one paid player on roster. Pretty much play, hope the team accomplishes something of note and the only thing the NCAA can't take away is the memories.

I don't know the timing on the statement, but the timing of talking to Book started in march... could the player be simmons? just signed with adidas

Timing of the statement was June 20th. Sounds like someone on the team currently.

[YoDeFoe]

Rawle, Randolph, or Ayton

Same guess here.

[gumby]

Let's calm down a bit

LOL

Love your sentiment. Zero chance.

The program isn't dying and this isn't the end of the world like some are making it out to be. Let shit play out

Hey, if commenting can prevent it from playing out, keeping posting people!

[Macho Grande]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... asketball/" target="_blank

Schools are not on the hook, according to United States Attorney Joon Kim. The assistants at USC, Arizona, Oklahoma State and Auburn are all implicated, but neither the schools themselves -- nor the head coaches at those schools -- have been levied with any allegations.

[splitsecond]

Good lord we are absolutely fucked.

no no no, expand.

No inside info, just me reading every thing. The Nassir Little recruitment implications, all of it, this is just a fucked situation that I don't know how we can recover from as a program in the near term.

love ya but dont agree -- the FBI is looking at this as a rogue mission for the benefit of the agent and said coach to steer players to financial advisors and sponsors (Adidas).

the universities and the employers are being categorized as the victims and the investigation is an outside the university operation.

Sean Miller wont be fired and the program is not absolutely fucked.

Thank you for this. People need to stop freaking out and actually look at the information that is out there. This is EXACTLY where Arizona falls in all of this.

Louisville on the other hand...

How long have some of the folks around here been on about Adidas being shady? I feel like we have all known this for so long.

[gumby]

Why do I fear what the NCAA will do more then the FBI in this situation?

Because the FBI is done, and called schools victims. They don't care about who is eligible going forward. NCAA will care. UA will care. Conference will care. Any long-term damage comes from those entities.

[ChooChooCat]

Good lord we are absolutely fucked.

no no no, expand.

No inside info, just me reading every thing. The Nassir Little recruitment implications, all of it, this is just a fucked situation that I don't know how we can recover from as a program in the near term.

love ya but dont agree -- the FBI is looking at this as a rogue mission for the benefit of the agent and said coach to steer players to financial advisors and sponsors (Adidas).

the universities and the employers are being categorized as the victims and the investigation is an outside the university operation.

Sean Miller wont be fired and the program is not absolutely fucked.

I hope you're right brother. I agree that Miller won't be fired and the program isn't fucked long term, my concern is obviously this year (what player currently on the roster was paid and can it be proven and what does this situation do to the psyche of the team) and of course recruiting over the next couple of years including the cycle we're currently in. Short term pain is gonna be rough from the looks of it.

[rgdeuce]

Miller is gone and should be.

zero chance

No chance. Maybe a suspension but thats it

doubt a suspension

im hearing the FBI is saying the employers and the universities are the victims.

Not sure that matters. The NCAA will have its own investigation, and if there is room to question how the program is run, it's oversight, etc. That's where Sean could be in trouble.

Right. For our purposes, the real hammer will come from NCAA. They probably won't agree that the school is a victim. Only hope is that they do.

Here's my hope: The NCAA leaves the involved schools alone with the excuse of, like 97Cats said, these were isolated idiots associating with scum for their own profit, and the FBI is already handling the "justice," so we now don't have to. I don't think this is outside of the realm of possibility, since this thing can blow up quick and the NCAA does not want that - they are just as crooked and have known this has gone on for years and even covered up for certain programs. They want this isolated to a few individuals, not the whole sport, and they certainly don't want it to blow up and have the Department of Justice poking around their offices and asking questions.

[Bosy Billups]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... asketball/

Schools are not on the hook, according to United States Attorney Joon Kim. The assistants at USC, Arizona, Oklahoma State and Auburn are all implicated, but neither the schools themselves -- nor the head coaches at those schools -- have been levied with any allegations.

Where all the chicken's who were running away from the enemy? Unite with Miller and Arizona against the actions of an assistant. Bear Down, Natty Year, Chip on Shoulder time!

[EVCat]

The naievety of some college basketball fans is what’s most upsetting.

I agree with a very large amount of your posts. But I wasn't naive completely. I was naive to this specifically. There can be a difference, right?

I’m just saying that youth club sports are corrupt as shit. I don’t expect it to be clean the further up it goes...

Hell yes they are.

It starts there. Rules are "bent" at the girls soccer club level. Cards are altered to play superior level/older players, clubs offer free play to superior players outside of the agreed-upon state rules to only offer need-based scholarships, and so on. At U14 club soccer.

The culture is fucked up. Cheating is cheating. Now, I would say I am not really all that moved by players getting paid. Or finding a way to get paid...if it is for their talents, it should be an open market. But it is not...and we have to abide by those rules.

It does not look like this is an "Arizona culture" thing specifically. A lot of people are making the assumption as fact that "it would be hard to believe that this could be going on and Miller didn't know". No...really, it isn't hard to imagine that at all, since it would be on Book to hide his participation in a federal crime from his boss with all focus on being successful. Getting money from an outside source...good money, but not enough to cause a major change in lifestyle. He is getting money to funnel players to agents, maybe getting money to entice players to certain schools, though it really looks like that happens at the AAU level. That is the biggest point here that isn't being made nearly enough...there is ZERO reason for college coaches to pay to entice players who are involved in the shoe game to come to their school, because that shit is done by runners at the AAU level who are hired by Nike or Adidas or Under Armour to steer a kid to a shoe-friendly program. If there are two Nike schools battling, Nike is not going to funnel money to the coach to give to the player on both ends...they aren't going to pay against themselves. That is when they have won, when a player is just down to their schools. But when you have that player who is looking at UCLA and Arizona, you don't need coaches paying players...that's what Compton Magic and Oakland Soldiers bag men are for. That's why you don't see scandals of teams paying players anymore...teams don't do that shit. They don't need to. It is taken care of.

So this either blows up the entire culture of the shoe company and college sports, or they exert enough influence to get people to back off (no idea what the shoe lobby is like. Does Trump have a stake in Adidas? ) But the association is going to be our biggest damage here, I think. I really don't think this is going to be an Arizona-centric focus, or that usual kind of NCAA vs school thing we know from the past. This is a separate transactional culture that happens to involve our buddy-buddy coach, and is way bigger than paying players...it is about steering to agents, and greasing the right hands to push kids to one way or the other. The shoe company just has their entire future in play...think about what Michael Jordan did for Nike? Do you think they are going to do anything less than everything they can to make sure the next MJ is in the swoosh? Even if it means pushing players who might fit that bill to certain agents through paying of the best friend coach to use their influence. That isn't all that is here, likely, but it is the part of this that is the most distasteful...using the influence they have built through what appears to be a friendship/mentorship relationship with an assistant coach that is just closer to the players than the head coach can possibly be with all their duties and their position of absolute boss (always has been that way) . That is manipulative and just mean, really. Those kids, if they weren't in on the game, and they likely weren't because it wouldn't be effective then, who trusted his advice are left to sort through losing someone they thought was a mentor.

Lots of clarity to come in the coming weeks. I get no one wants to wait to talk about it. So here we are. But I really do think this is going to point to a serious cultural flaw in hoops more than an Arizona flaw.

[CalStateTempe]

With friends like these...

Fuck off Larry Scott do t you have timeshares you need to fill in Cancun?

[gumby]

Many people thinking "this could be us." We'd say the same. But then we'd move on to roster discussions and which seed we're going to land.

Now we don't get to move on.

[Hank of sb]

This season is already tainted, it'll get vacated by NCAA if we don't do a self imposed post season ban along w scholarship reduction.

Unfortunately there's at least one paid player on roster. Pretty much play, hope the team accomplishes something of note and the only thing the NCAA can't take away is the memories.

I don't know the timing on the statement, but the timing of talking to Book started in march... could the player be simmons? just signed with adidas

One has to assume this might have started with the sudden recruitment of Simmons, which led to Alkins soon after, which led to Quinerly which led to.....

Let's face it, looking back it's easy to see how corrupt and weak a person Book is/has been.

Who knows how far the backstory goes?

As its all too late now, I hope Book sings his head off to get it all out there. And then I hope he is fairly punished.

[A1RZONA]

With friends like these...

Fuck off Larry Scott do t you have timeshares you need to fill in Cancun?

seriously cant stand this guy. such a hypocrite.

[NYCat]

This season is already tainted, it'll get vacated by NCAA if we don't do a self imposed post season ban along w scholarship reduction.

Unfortunately there's at least one paid player on roster. Pretty much play, hope the team accomplishes something of note and the only thing the NCAA can't take away is the memories.

I don't know the timing on the statement, but the timing of talking to Book started in march... could the player be simmons? just signed with adidas

Timing of the statement was June 20th. Sounds like someone on the team currently.

Yeah thought about Kobi since he's Adidas now and Book didn't care who he pushed kids to. But doesn't line up with the timeline.

We could possibly lose 2 or 3 seasons depending if it's Trier or Alkins, if it's Ayton or a Randolph just 1.

This of course depends if Book talks to the NCAA and not the FBI. The FBI doesn't really care about eligibility and NCAA records.

But that information could-years down the line-come back and make it's way to the NCAA and bite us in the ass

[wyo-cat]

With friends like these...

Fuck off Larry Scott do t you have timeshares you need to fill in Cancun?

seriously cant stand this guy. such a hypocrite.

WTF is he supposed to say? He's in damage control, just like the U of A is.

[NYCat]

See nothing wrong w the Larry Scott statement. Nothing except blind hate for the guy

[YoDeFoe]

Yeah thought about Kobi since he's Adidas now and Book didn't care who he pushed kids to. But doesn't line up with the timeline.

We could possibly lose 2 or 3 seasons depending if it's Trier or Alkins, if it's Ayton or a Randolph just 1.

This of course depends if Book talks to the NCAA and not the FBI. The FBI doesn't really care about eligibility and NCAA records.

But that information could-years down the line-come back and bit us in the ass

I'm not worried about losing previous wins.

I'm worried about:

* losing guys off of this year's team
* post-season ban, potentially a self imposed ban this year
* losing 2018 recruits, including the obvious Quinerly but also potential commits like Shittu and Bol as well as current commits like O'Neal, Williams.

I'm sure Miller will fight this like a dog.

[Merkin]

You know Scott is just rubbing his hands in glee in bringing down Sean Miller.

[Bosy Billups]

Wish one thing, that Greg Byrne was here, he'd navigate this well with Miller. Not sure with the new admin. Unfamiliar territory navigating crisis and the PR game with a new team.

[CalStateTempe]

I agree Wyo and NYcat, but I'd rather the uofa and USC have come out with their statements first before the PAC 12 piles on. Within the context of the ucla tourney game a few years back it just rings hollow to me. It's reads like the loser at the playground that heard a funny joke and races to the classroom to be first to tell it but still doesn't get the punch line right.

I just don't like Larry Scott and think he is a corrupt as they come and snickered a little when I read his lame disclosure. You know he's taking a bubble bath full of schadenfreude this morning with Miller's cats implicated.

Everyone here is saying that Arizona received no benefit? But will the NCAA see it this way? Probably not i fear.

[CalStateTempe]

You know Scott is just rubbing his hands in glee in bringing down Sean Miller.

Toallg merkin, this is what I'm alluding too. It's just worded too perfectly.

[Carcassdragger]

I absolutely despise the argument of "Well.... everyone does it...."

Have a spine, stand for something, and do what's right.

It's really not a hard way to live your life.

Thank you.

A great post for Bosy Billups to think about while he is supposedly in his foxhole.

Okay Chelsea Manning

Sure thing Donald Trump

[EVCat]

You know Scott is just rubbing his hands in glee in bringing down Sean Miller.

I doubt it. We give his conference another huge team. I am sure he still has some feelings about Miller, but that was a while ago, and we have proven to be a consistent source of conference pride and, frankly, income. His tournament move to Vegas is successful because of us...he gets to the be the one that takes credit for that. Every year, we have tournament money. We raise the ratings of his struggling mistake of a network well beyond what a smaller market should.

I think this is a fan thing. I think Miller doesn't like Scott and Scott doesn't like Miller, but Scott doesn't serve any of Miller's needs. Miller does provide Scott with a lot.

[NYCat]

Plz don't include Arizona in your further investigations thank you

Anyway, death penalty? Would have to be something severe

[Bosy Billups]

Too Soon Take:

Feel really bad for Book. He make a mistake, yes, broke some laws, but the consequences will be far more dire then the action. Not like he got someone hurt, or he was even malicious against a person. Thought he'd make a quick buck in a return favor, but that the kid would probably be in fine shape steering to that individual. Just lack of judgment. However, he has burned the bridge of his best friend and mentor Miller, probably won't coach for a long time, face jail and/or fines, huge lawyer fees, reputation hits, etc., all for the quick buck. Pray for Book.

[scumdevils86]

Too Soon Take:

Feel really bad for Book. He make a mistake, yes, broke some laws, but the consequences will be far more dire then the action. Not like he got someone hurt, or he was even malicious against a person. Thought he'd make a quick buck in a return favor, but that the kid would probably be in fine shape steering to that individual. Just lack of judgment. However, he has burned the bridge of his best friend and mentor Miller, probably won't coach for a long time, face jail and/or fines, huge lawyer fees, reputation hits, etc., all for the quick buck. Pray for Book.

uh what. fuck this.

[Dosia]

Penn St didnt even get the death penalty and their coach raped boys.

[Bosy Billups]

Too Soon Take:

Feel really bad for Book. He make a mistake, yes, broke some laws, but the consequences will be far more dire then the action. Not like he got someone hurt, or he was even malicious against a person. Thought he'd make a quick buck in a return favor, but that the kid would probably be in fine shape steering to that individual. Just lack of judgment. However, he has burned the bridge of his best friend and mentor Miller, probably won't coach for a long time, face jail and/or fines, huge lawyer fees, reputation hits, etc., all for the quick buck. Pray for Book.

uh what. fuck this.

Who did Book intentionally try to hurt? In fact, he probably thought he was helping.

[Jefe]

Who did Book intentionally try to hurt? In fact, he probably thought he was helping.

Quinnerly may never play D1 ball and we may not get a shot at a championship run this year

How many recruits do we lose over this?

[rgdeuce]

Too Soon Take:

Feel really bad for Book. He make a mistake, yes, broke some laws, but the consequences will be far more dire then the action. Not like he got someone hurt, or he was even malicious against a person. Thought he'd make a quick buck in a return favor, but that the kid would probably be in fine shape steering to that individual. Just lack of judgment. However, he has burned the bridge of his best friend and mentor Miller, probably won't coach for a long time, face jail and/or fines, huge lawyer fees, reputation hits, etc., all for the quick buck. Pray for Book.

Naw man, if the allegations are true, this seems to be a pattern, not a one-time judgment lapse. This is not a victimless crime. Taking advantage of the uniformed, weak, young, underprivileged, etc by illegal means for personal gain is appalling. This is no different than somebody taking advantage of senior citizens and stealing their money by means of fraud. If true, Book was trying to set our kids up with known criminals. Who knows how much $ these criminal agents could have stolen/swindled from our kids down the road - they have already (allegedly) proven they are not trustworthy. They also may not be getting the best, or even an adequate agent, which could put more money in jeopardy. It also puts their eligibility in jeopardy, and we all know what that can do to a kid and how many more millions they could lose. This is indefensible if true.

[A1RZONA]

Sounds like sour grapes now, but what about cuonzo martin paying ivan rabb's mom?? is that never going to get brought to light cus there wasnt an undercover fbi agent present?

[UAdevil]

Too Soon Take:

Feel really bad for Book. He make a mistake, yes, broke some laws, but the consequences will be far more dire then the action. Not like he got someone hurt, or he was even malicious against a person. Thought he'd make a quick buck in a return favor, but that the kid would probably be in fine shape steering to that individual. Just lack of judgment. However, he has burned the bridge of his best friend and mentor Miller, probably won't coach for a long time, face jail and/or fines, huge lawyer fees, reputation hits, etc., all for the quick buck. Pray for Book.

Pray for Book? Fuck Book. He should have been gone a few years ago.

[Hank of sb]

Too Soon Take:

Feel really bad for Book. He make a mistake, yes, broke some laws, but the consequences will be far more dire then the action. Not like he got someone hurt, or he was even malicious against a person. Thought he'd make a quick buck in a return favor, but that the kid would probably be in fine shape steering to that individual. Just lack of judgment. However, he has burned the bridge of his best friend and mentor Miller, probably won't coach for a long time, face jail and/or fines, huge lawyer fees, reputation hits, etc., all for the quick buck. Pray for Book.

Boy, first you say this is "all a 'dog & pony show' for the DOJ," then you say you wish Byrne were here to "navigate this" and now the above.

I feel bad for all of us........not so much for Book. Book might has well been firing a machine gun near Old Main.

And for the record, there is nothing to "navigate."

This matter will be handled ruthlessly--first by the FBI and then by the NCAA, and then by Larry Scott.

It's soon to be completely out of Arizona's hands.

The season effectively ended today.

BTW, Miller never got his FF.

[97cats]

so i was just told Book Richardson will be apart of media day tomorrow from his jail cell via FaceTime.

[97cats]

too soon???????

LOL

[threenumberones]

Too Soon Take:

Feel really bad for Book. He make a mistake, yes, broke some laws, but the consequences will be far more dire then the action. Not like he got someone hurt, or he was even malicious against a person. Thought he'd make a quick buck in a return favor, but that the kid would probably be in fine shape steering to that individual. Just lack of judgment. However, he has burned the bridge of his best friend and mentor Miller, probably won't coach for a long time, face jail and/or fines, huge lawyer fees, reputation hits, etc., all for the quick buck. Pray for Book.

uh what. fuck this.

Who did Book intentionally try to hurt? In fact, he probably thought he was helping.

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

[Main Event]

Too Soon Take:

Feel really bad for Book. He make a mistake, yes, broke some laws, but the consequences will be far more dire then the action. Not like he got someone hurt, or he was even malicious against a person. Thought he'd make a quick buck in a return favor, but that the kid would probably be in fine shape steering to that individual. Just lack of judgment. However, he has burned the bridge of his best friend and mentor Miller, probably won't coach for a long time, face jail and/or fines, huge lawyer fees, reputation hits, etc., all for the quick buck. Pray for Book.

[splitsecond]

Too Soon Take:

Feel really bad for Book. He make a mistake, yes, broke some laws, but the consequences will be far more dire then the action. Not like he got someone hurt, or he was even malicious against a person. Thought he'd make a quick buck in a return favor, but that the kid would probably be in fine shape steering to that individual. Just lack of judgment. However, he has burned the bridge of his best friend and mentor Miller, probably won't coach for a long time, face jail and/or fines, huge lawyer fees, reputation hits, etc., all for the quick buck. Pray for Book.

I suppose that depends on who Book steered to Dawkins. Anyone know who Dawkins worked with from Arizona before he got shitcanned from ASM?

[dan]

I just can't understand the optimism here.

Miller had an assistant caught on an FBI wiretap funneling multiple players to agents and discussing cash payments for commitments. That's textbook NCAA show cause stuff - in the past, a lot of schools can get "caught" and get off lightly because the NCAA has no recourse to coerce witnesses and there is very rarely a traceable paper trail.

He's done - it may not be this year, but it's just a matter of time.

Our only real hope is the net is cast wide enough to include the 25 or so schools recruiting at the top level.

[splitsecond]

so i was just told Book Richardson will be apart of media day tomorrow from his jail cell via FaceTime.

Do you think Ace showed him how to keister an iphone?

[EVCat]

Too Soon Take:

Feel really bad for Book. He make a mistake, yes, broke some laws, but the consequences will be far more dire then the action. Not like he got someone hurt, or he was even malicious against a person. Thought he'd make a quick buck in a return favor, but that the kid would probably be in fine shape steering to that individual. Just lack of judgment. However, he has burned the bridge of his best friend and mentor Miller, probably won't coach for a long time, face jail and/or fines, huge lawyer fees, reputation hits, etc., all for the quick buck. Pray for Book.

uh what. fuck this.

Who did Book intentionally try to hurt? In fact, he probably thought he was helping.

Helping by manipulating kids who trust his advice as a mentor to go to particular agents that may not be the best for them but are marks for the shoe companies? Putting your word in as a trusted mentor that Agent X is going to do his/her best for you, knowing that agent may not be a top level agent, and may very well be on the side of the shoe company as a paid employee that he is supposedly negotiating with on behalf of the player? Yeah...that will work well.

He gained the trust of players then steered them to agents based upon money he received from shoe companies. Not based upon the kids best interest. He manipulated people who trusted him.

Was that a joke?

[NYCat]

too soon???????

LOL

Someone wrote a reply to this tweet that said something like "Arizona finally made a final 4 list."

[splitsecond]

I just can't understand the optimism here.

Miller had an assistant caught on an FBI wiretap funneling multiple players to agents and discussing cash payments for commitments. That's textbook NCAA show cause stuff - in the past, a lot of schools can get "caught" and get off lightly because the NCAA has no recourse to coerce witnesses and there is very rarely a traceable paper trail.

He's done - it may not be this year, but it's just a matter of time.

Our only real hope is the net is cast wide enough to include the 25 or so schools recruiting at the top level.

No it isn't. Stop being an idiot.

[threenumberones]

I just can't understand the optimism here.

Miller had an assistant caught on an FBI wiretap funneling multiple players to agents and discussing cash payments for commitments. That's textbook NCAA show cause stuff - in the past, a lot of schools can get "caught" and get off lightly because the NCAA has no recourse to coerce witnesses and there is very rarely a traceable paper trail.

He's done - it may not be this year, but it's just a matter of time.

Our only real hope is the net is cast wide enough to include the 25 or so schools recruiting at the top level.

From what I read he said the player was already paid, but there was no indication of the timing of it. Who knows how complex this web is. It's inference at this point to assume he is talking about paying for a commitment.

But yea, holding on to some hope here.