Bribery Scandal - FBI Probe - Book Richardson Involved

[97cats]

ASM SPORTS

Andy Miller's ASM SPORTS provides exceptional representation to the worlds top professional athletes. We represent the NBA stars of tomorrow...Today!

[Sidewinder]

Wait. Colorado has basketball fans?

[AZCatGirl]

Will he be held without bail?

[Bosy Billups]

[Olsondogg]

[threenumberones]

Sheesh.

[CalStateTempe]

sure thing Trey.

This just keeps getting better...fml

[97cats]

look, the Mason thing is really not relevant here -- that whole family needs to move on.

[EVCat]

EV CAt, "Why the fuck would Miller look the other way?" You've got to be kidding right?

Book is Miller's guy and brought him into the program. You think with all these high level recruits rolling, Miller knew nothing just because it wasn't picked up on a wire tap? Wake up.

Either way, Book is Miller's guy and Miller is culpable. Shame on us if we don't fire him.

Book is Miller's guy.

If no more than 2 of all these recruits was paid, what is this about "all these high level recruits rolling"?

Sounds like Miller, and other coaches, got all those other players. So why would getting those other players not paid by anyone have anything to do with this?

I mean, I could see your point if our awesome recruiting classes were all paid for by Book money. That $20,000 must be like Jesus with the bread and fish, though, because I don't think you can pull 6 or 7 top 10 recruiting classes spreading $20,000 out among them.

So if my boss hires an employee who ends up, on his own, defrauding my company, my boss should be fired. OK. Considering I have to write a new policy and training virtually every year for employee fraud, I guess there are no more bosses. I am my own boss. Yay.

So what am I kidding about? I am rather logical here. Point by point. Not sweeping generality crap. Not the "c'mon...wake up...IT'S ALL CORRUPT" bullshit. I am looking at what we know. If more is discovered, then fine...we will deal with that. But based on what we know right now...what is that?

Book got $20,000 to steer players. There is a recruit and maybe a player on the team involved.

Wooo. And Sean Miller, who has recruited like 50 kids to the U of A basketball program, risked his $3MM job and ability to find equal employment in the future to "look the other way" to reap the benefits of what $20,000 will buy a school in players? Those whole two players "rolling" into the program.

Or do you know more? Or are you guessing? Or did you not read anything I actually wrote and any of the information we have? One of those three has to be true, because based on what we know, yes, there is no fucking way Sean Miller was just looking the other way while Book pulled in $20K to sprinkle on 2% of the recruits Miller has signed.

[ChooChooCat]

Jesus Christ Trey. You walked in on a teammate dicking down your sister and the university couldn't kick him out immediately otherwise they would've faced legal action. Get the fuck over it you pansy. Nobody likes you.

[EVCat]

And, as always...

this is based on what we know now. Tomorrow, we might learn the Russians were delivering recruits to Arizona in return for high end telescope mirrors, implicating NASA, JPL, and the entire science department (even the Geology people got a taste).

[A1RZONA]

Jesus Christ Trey. You walked in on a teammate dicking down your sister and the university couldn't kick him out immediately otherwise they would've faced legal action. Get the fuck over it you pansy. Nobody likes you.

best thing all day

[Longhorned]

too soon???

Right on time

[rgdeuce]

lol so we still can't recruit a top point guard. Smh

Quote of the year

[Jefe]

[rgdeuce]

Pascoe says Book faces a max of 60 years in prison. Sweet baby jesus, if he has any info on the higher ups he is definitely spilling the beans.

Those are the cumulative stat maxes, which rarely occur. He wont do more than 24 months, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got probation. That is without singing too.

[ChooChooCat]

Sounds like Gatto is absolutely singing right now. More schools will be coming out soon.

[EVCat]

and then, at the end of all of this...

I am supposed to care if players got...money...for their skills.

That's the real issue here. I mean, Book is committing a crime for getting kickbacks in a state position, but if he was just paid as an employee handling camps and the like, it would be fine. Book done screwed himself over chump change in his pocket.

But, taking Book out of it for a second...the horrible, terrible thing we are alleged to have done was pay a couple of players. I get it...there are rules. There is no excuse for not following rules. If they are there and you don't follow them, you have to take a punishment.

But people are getting up in arms and losing their mind over...a company with a vault of money sprinkling some on the seeds of their future ad campaigns, seeing what would grow.

The whole system is corrupt. The shoe companies own this entire process from cradle to draft. The camps, the advertising, the elite AAU tournaments, the teams in those AAU tournaments having to show loyalty to remain sponsored, the coaches of those AAU teams getting paid to "coach" their players (and give them badass socks and other gear), the schools buzzing off of shoe money, the best high schools playing national TV showcases covered in sponsor gear....

And now I am supposed to feel great shame because a couple of kids got paid by an assistant coach with money from the same shoe companies? Now it is cash instead of boxes of shoes to sell...umm, wear.

Again...it is not important here because...well, rules is rules. But damn.....

[97cats]

Sounds like Gatto is absolutely singing right now. More schools will be coming out soon.

the net cast is much wider than what transpired today, and in some cases its good for AZ that they were involved in the initial break, as when more schools (even ones more high profile than AZ) are connected it will shift the focus and attention off AZ more and more as time rolls.

this is going to be an ongoing developing story, one that the vast majority of top programs are going to have to deal with in their own individual way.

[Macho Grande]

[97cats]

pure love for Pitino

[EVCat]

Pascoe says Book faces a max of 60 years in prison. Sweet baby jesus, if he has any info on the higher ups he is definitely spilling the beans.

Those are the cumulative stat maxes, which rarely occur. He wont do more than 24 months, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got probation. That is without singing too.

Right. People get way too caught up in the NCAA part of this and need to apply it to the real world. This is what he did:

Received money from third party, a small amount compared to his salary, to recruit some contractors outside of the HR process. These contractors potentially might use this work experience to work for the third party that paid for them.

And for this, he is supposed to do 60 years? Or even 24 months?

Probation, fine, bracelet

[ChooChooCat]

Sounds like Gatto is absolutely singing right now. More schools will be coming out soon.

the net cast is much wider than what transpired today, and in some cases its good for AZ that they were involved in the initial break, as when more schools (even ones more high profile than AZ) are connected it will shift the focus and attention off AZ more and more as time rolls.

this is going to be an ongoing developing story, one that the vast majority of top programs are going to have to deal with in their own individual way.

Exactly.

[A1RZONA]

Sounds like Gatto is absolutely singing right now. More schools will be coming out soon.

[ChooChooCat]

Pascoe says Book faces a max of 60 years in prison. Sweet baby jesus, if he has any info on the higher ups he is definitely spilling the beans.

Those are the cumulative stat maxes, which rarely occur. He wont do more than 24 months, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got probation. That is without singing too.

Right. People get way too caught up in the NCAA part of this and need to apply it to the real world. This is what he did:

Received money from third party, a small amount compared to his salary, to recruit some contractors outside of the HR process. These contractors potentially might use this work experience to work for the third party that paid for them.

And for this, he is supposed to do 60 years? Or even 24 months?

Probation, fine, bracelet

Also exactly.

[Macho Grande]

pure love for Pitino

[CalStateTempe]

Please let UNC be involved, please let UNC be involved, pleas baby Jesus all sweet, fat, and happy let UNC be involved....

[HiCat]

uhhhhh, strange timing...

Arizona target Nassir Little tweets (and deletes) that he’s re-opened his recruitment

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/recruitin ... ribe-money" target="_blank

[Spaceman Spiff]

On the upside, at least we aren't going to be the big disaster in this. Pitino's denial should have that on lockdown.

[YoDeFoe]

Pascoe says Book faces a max of 60 years in prison. Sweet baby jesus, if he has any info on the higher ups he is definitely spilling the beans.

Those are the cumulative stat maxes, which rarely occur. He wont do more than 24 months, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got probation. That is without singing too.

Right. People get way too caught up in the NCAA part of this and need to apply it to the real world. This is what he did:

Received money from third party, a small amount compared to his salary, to recruit some contractors outside of the HR process. These contractors potentially might use this work experience to work for the third party that paid for them.

And for this, he is supposed to do 60 years? Or even 24 months?

Probation, fine, bracelet

Yep. Over $20K, if he does time it'll be less than a year in county.

[CalStateTempe]

Wow just read the gatto angle on this. More schools def have to be in play. This is going to get much more interesting. l-ville is gonna get screwed royally.

[ChooChooCat]

Wow just read the gatto angle on this. More schools def have to be in play. This is going to get much more interesting. l-ville is gonna get screwed royally.

Hi Enfuego.

[MountainCat]

Please let UNC be involved, please let UNC be involved, pleas baby Jesus all sweet, fat, and happy let UNC be involved....

No let Duke be involved! I want to see Mikey retire!

..........with Fame.

[LBdCactus]

UCLA was an adidas school. Kansas still is. And also, you know that if adidas did it, Nike probably did it first and better.

If you took adidas out of the mix, I could almost believe this was just third party actors or whatever the term used was. But one of the biggest players in the game is involved, and at the highest level within their corporate hierarchy? Nah.... This is going to be huge.

[Spaceman Spiff]

UCLA was an adidas school. Kansas still is. And also, you know that if adidas did it, Nike probably did it first and better.

If you took adidas out of the mix, I could almost believe this was just third party actors or whatever the term used was. But one of the biggest players in the game is involved, and at the highest level within their corporate hierarchy? Nah.... This is going to be huge.

Realistically, why do Nike, Adidas and Under Armour all funnel tons of money into the youth game?

[MrMeow]

Pascoe says Book faces a max of 60 years in prison. Sweet baby jesus, if he has any info on the higher ups he is definitely spilling the beans.

Those are the cumulative stat maxes, which rarely occur. He wont do more than 24 months, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got probation. That is without singing too.

Right. People get way too caught up in the NCAA part of this and need to apply it to the real world. This is what he did:

Received money from third party, a small amount compared to his salary, to recruit some contractors outside of the HR process. These contractors potentially might use this work experience to work for the third party that paid for them.

And for this, he is supposed to do 60 years? Or even 24 months?

Probation, fine, bracelet

Yep. Over $20K, if he does time it'll be less than a year in county.

Or less. No priors. Jail time? Unlikely. Probation is more likely. With all that is going on in the world today, the FBI has better ways to spend its time. Good luck to them in getting more than probation after spending untold time and resources (tax dollars) on this.

[billk78]

UCLA was an adidas school. Kansas still is. And also, you know that if adidas did it, Nike probably did it first and better.

If you took adidas out of the mix, I could almost believe this was just third party actors or whatever the term used was. But one of the biggest players in the game is involved, and at the highest level within their corporate hierarchy? Nah.... This is going to be huge.

Realistically, why do Nike, Adidas and Under Armour all funnel tons of money into the youth game?

They want the players to be sponsors when they reach the NBA. Basically recruiting in their own way. Get them while they need the money and hold something over their heads...they stay with your company when they go pro and become big.

I'd be surprised if the NCAA doesnt look at the one and done rule real hard after all of this. Honestly I think that contributes largely to this problem. A shoe company knows it can invest 40k or something into a player going into college (through bribes, funnels etc) and know that they will likely get them as a sponsor 7 months later? That's quite an investment. If you just let the one and dones go pro it would probably help eliminate some of the corruption.

[prh]

UCLA was an adidas school. Kansas still is. And also, you know that if adidas did it, Nike probably did it first and better.

If you took adidas out of the mix, I could almost believe this was just third party actors or whatever the term used was. But one of the biggest players in the game is involved, and at the highest level within their corporate hierarchy? Nah.... This is going to be huge.

Realistically, why do Nike, Adidas and Under Armour all funnel tons of money into the youth game?

Is this serious or rhetorical? I'll take a stab if serious.

All of those companies succeed by having everyone buy their gear, whether it's basketball shoes, school merchandise, doesn't matter. This means there are two separate but connected paths to revenue. Using Adidas for example, they get a huge boost by having UCLA (until UA took over), Kansas, Michigan (before Jordan Brand took over), Louisville, etc, be hugely successful teams. Those schools drive lots of gear purchase, both by school merchandise, and by improving brand awareness. Additionally, shoe companies want to sign the best (marketability wise) athletes, because in theory, those athletes will also drive sales of gear (the traditional model). By "investing" money into the game at all stages, they are building relationships with people instrumental in signing the best talent when the time is right. Additionally, if they can steer better players to their sponsored programs, they can improve those programs and the financial outcome for themselves.

[ASUHATER!]

Jason Scheer on 1290 said that this event and today will probably end up being remembered as what changed college basketball forever. Thinks it's everywhere at nearly every school.

[97cats]

Jason Scheer on 1290 said that this event and today will probably end up being remembered as what changed college basketball forever. Thinks it's everywhere at nearly every school.

we landed on the moon!!!

[ASUHATER!]

Jason Scheer on 1290 said that this event and today will probably end up being remembered as what changed college basketball forever. Thinks it's everywhere at nearly every school.

we landed on the moon!!!

Unfortunately I don't give a crap how this affects other schools. I care about how this will ruin something I truly care about

[rgdeuce]

Pascoe says Book faces a max of 60 years in prison. Sweet baby jesus, if he has any info on the higher ups he is definitely spilling the beans.

Those are the cumulative stat maxes, which rarely occur. He wont do more than 24 months, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got probation. That is without singing too.

Right. People get way too caught up in the NCAA part of this and need to apply it to the real world. This is what he did:

Received money from third party, a small amount compared to his salary, to recruit some contractors outside of the HR process. These contractors potentially might use this work experience to work for the third party that paid for them.

And for this, he is supposed to do 60 years? Or even 24 months?

Probation, fine, bracelet

Yep. Over $20K, if he does time it'll be less than a year in county.

Well, if he does custody time he will still do it in a federal prison facility since its a federal case. Most federal facilities beat the hell out of county jail or state prison though.

Regarding his sentencing though, he may not do major time, but there still is a good chance a federal judge still thinks he needs to do some custody time. You have to remember who the victims and contemplated victims are here - impressionable and vulnerable teens and young men, and universities. Add the fact that some of these young men are a brief pit stop from being to take care of their families and have a chane to be financially set for life.... A person of trust and someone who is entrusted to care for the young men of our future could be subjected to harsher punishment. And who knows, as they said in the complaint,"there is more than one way to skin a cat." Purely speculation, but there could be more than just one side hustle one could be involved in that law enforcement could stumble upon along the way.

[Merkin]

Yep. Over $20K, if he does time it'll be less than a year in county.

Wasn't even his $20K was it? I thought $15K of it was going to Quinerly's mom.

[Spaceman Spiff]

UCLA was an adidas school. Kansas still is. And also, you know that if adidas did it, Nike probably did it first and better.

If you took adidas out of the mix, I could almost believe this was just third party actors or whatever the term used was. But one of the biggest players in the game is involved, and at the highest level within their corporate hierarchy? Nah.... This is going to be huge.

Realistically, why do Nike, Adidas and Under Armour all funnel tons of money into the youth game?

Is this serious or rhetorical? I'll take a stab if serious.

All of those companies succeed by having everyone buy their gear, whether it's basketball shoes, school merchandise, doesn't matter. This means there are two separate but connected paths to revenue. Using Adidas for example, they get a huge boost by having UCLA (until UA took over), Kansas, Michigan (before Jordan Brand took over), Louisville, etc, be hugely successful teams. Those schools drive lots of gear purchase, both by school merchandise, and by improving brand awareness. Additionally, shoe companies want to sign the best (marketability wise) athletes, because in theory, those athletes will also drive sales of gear (the traditional model). By "investing" money into the game at all stages, they are building relationships with people instrumental in signing the best talent when the time is right. Additionally, if they can steer better players to their sponsored programs, they can improve those programs and the financial outcome for themselves.

It was rhetorical.

I'm not trying to defend Book, because he knew the rules and did what he did. However, the entire AAU/youth sports process in basketball is built around soft to hard influence over players in hopes of capitalizing in money down the line. What the FBI investigation is about is the harder edge of influence peddling. Whether you think that is widespread, softer influence peddling is everywhere.

Shoe companies want future stars. "Handlers" want cuts of pro contracts. Agencies want future clients.

I've said this before in my rants, but Phil Knight openly funnels money to Oregon for palatial practice facilities. The entire process is influence peddling. There is too much money in it.

[gumby]

This "Scandal" isn't even trending on Twitter anymore.

Thanks for referencing Around The Horn, this is the 2nd or 3rd story, and "Meh"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GUS5DSyOFw&t=927s" target="_blank

If this is contained to just Book, it's back to business in a week.

Whose pumped for the R/B Game?

There's a Baghdad Bob for every occasion.

[Hank of sb]

Well, if he does custody time he will still do it in a federal prison facility since its a federal case. Most federal facilities beat the hell out of county jail or state prison though.

Regarding his sentencing though, he may not do major time, but there still is a good chance a federal judge still thinks he needs to do some custody time. You have to remember who the victims and contemplated victims are here - impressionable and vulnerable teens and young men, and universities. Add the fact that some of these young men are a brief pit stop from being to take care of their families and have a chane to be financially set for life.... A person of trust and someone who is entrusted to care for the young men of our future could be subjected to harsher punishment. And who knows, as they said in the complaint,"there is more than one way to skin a cat." Purely speculation, but there could be more than just one side hustle one could be involved in that law enforcement could stumble upon along the way.

The worst sentence he could get, and I mean worst, is a deuce. Federal terms are strict on parole, meaning 75% must be served. Not sure I agree on federal facilities but since this a first offense and non-violent, you may have a point. Still 18 months and a fine will just about take Book to the cleaners. No job and still a mortgage to pay.

On another subject, Book may have a lot to spill. Arizona strikes me as the perfect universiy to "use" to clean up the sport. Big time but non-important at the same time, at least in the eyes of the Fed. If they could take Arizona down, that would send a message.

Got to remember, Book did mess up. Whatever his instructions were it wasn't to to pocket 20 grand on tape, it was (more logically) to get an agreement to have Sean Miller visit with the guy. Book fell for the trap because he was what he was--he was a bumbling screw-up who was bound to do what he did....sometime.

Boom: the Feds knock on SM's door at 5:30 AM.

[Hank of sb]

This "Scandal" isn't even trending on Twitter anymore.

Thanks for referencing Around The Horn, this is the 2nd or 3rd story, and "Meh"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GUS5DSyOFw&t=927s" target="_blank

If this is contained to just Book, it's back to business in a week.

Whose pumped for the R/B Game?

There's a Baghdad Bob for every occasion.

Perfectly put. I mean a troll of the worst kind.

[HiCat]

Book needs to man up. Do the right thing.

[LBdCactus]

UCLA was an adidas school. Kansas still is. And also, you know that if adidas did it, Nike probably did it first and better.

If you took adidas out of the mix, I could almost believe this was just third party actors or whatever the term used was. But one of the biggest players in the game is involved, and at the highest level within their corporate hierarchy? Nah.... This is going to be huge.

Realistically, why do Nike, Adidas and Under Armour all funnel tons of money into the youth game?

Is this serious or rhetorical? I'll take a stab if serious.

All of those companies succeed by having everyone buy their gear, whether it's basketball shoes, school merchandise, doesn't matter. This means there are two separate but connected paths to revenue. Using Adidas for example, they get a huge boost by having UCLA (until UA took over), Kansas, Michigan (before Jordan Brand took over), Louisville, etc, be hugely successful teams. Those schools drive lots of gear purchase, both by school merchandise, and by improving brand awareness. Additionally, shoe companies want to sign the best (marketability wise) athletes, because in theory, those athletes will also drive sales of gear (the traditional model). By "investing" money into the game at all stages, they are building relationships with people instrumental in signing the best talent when the time is right. Additionally, if they can steer better players to their sponsored programs, they can improve those programs and the financial outcome for themselves.

All of this. I would take it a step further... Everyone always freaks out about AAU and what brand sponsors what team and how that basically decides where a kid goes to college. That's only one facet and if anything this scandal shows that the companies have multiple ways of getting to a kid (or as they see them "future revenue"). Adidas can still win even if the kid wears a swoosh for a year at the college level. If anything, trying to steer a kid towards their sponsored school is more like trying to make up the millions they pay in licensing fees. You can get an offset on cost by creating buzz around a program (ie: sales of licensed gear), or get a return down the line on a breakout star selling shoes with your logo on them (even more profitable).

There is also the arms race factor here. They make enough money to throw money at every opportunity they can to keep their brand front and center. Ever think about how many schools Nike sponsors? Or how many athletes adidas pays to wear their shoes? The majority are no names, run of the mill filler players or schools that don't move the billion dollar needle in their grand corporate big picture. They do it because they can, not because they really need to. And if they don't, someone else who can will.

That's why I'd be surprised if this ends with adidas and 6 universities. Book probably knows who his counterpart is at every other Pac 12 school. So do the other 3 coaches involved. And the $20k is just what the FBI knows about or can prove.

Part of me thinks this type of stuff is so routine that good programs know how to manage it so it never comes out. Another part wants to believe these are isolated cases and schools really do try to keep things above board. Who knows. But if today they put the cuffs on a UK assistant we would all, I mean ALL, be saying we saw it coming a mile away.

Sorry, been hitting the hooch tonight. Of course.

[Macho Grande]

Yeah, sounds like Pitino may have used up the last of his favors at louiville.