Perhaps i'm naive, but I tend to think that for the vast majority of schools and players this isn't an issue. It's an issue for the top level kids, because why wouldn't it? They know they've got a good shot at a future career in the pros, all they're looking for is a place to play bball for a season or two, and when you're the queen at the ball being courted by a number of suitors, why wouldn't you ask for what you're worth?

 

I don't think there's anyway to combat this problem though. There's always going to be a need for this black market. Shoe companies and financial advisers and agents all want to be in a position to sign a guy the minute he declares.

 

And you have the other problem that for the NCAA to enact real change, the NBA basically has to play along, but why would they? They have a free minor league system set up for them.

If you are a star player in football or basketball at a school in a major conference, there is a pretty good chance someone is taking care of you.

 

A friend of mine was a QB at an SEC school. A couple of us went to visit him once and were waiting for him after a game. He first had to talk to someone. He had a great game, the guy gave him $2k in cash to have a "good time tonight". He said he was given money all the time, everyone was. It's a program that was coached by a HOFer, and never had a scandalous reputation.

Edited September 27, 20178 yr by Dick Allen

Perhaps i'm naive, but I tend to think that for the vast majority of schools and players this isn't an issue. It's an issue for the top level kids, because why wouldn't it? They know they've got a good shot at a future career in the pros, all they're looking for is a place to play bball for a season or two, and when you're the queen at the ball being courted by a number of suitors, why wouldn't you ask for what you're worth?

 

I don't think there's anyway to combat this problem though. There's always going to be a need for this black market. Shoe companies and financial advisers and agents all want to be in a position to sign a guy the minute he declares.

 

And you have the other problem that for the NCAA to enact real change, the NBA basically has to play along, but why would they? They have a free minor league system set up for them.

The AAU system and the top 50 players involved in it are extremely crooked. I would say thats a minimum amount of kids involved every year.

AAU system has always been corrupt

Take Bowen. Odds are he is getting kicked out of the NCAA. So he does something for a year (maybe Europe) and then declares for the NBA draft. No skin off of the NBA's back as they still get their guy in a year.

 

 

Bowen isn't like some superstar NBA talent though. He might be a 1st round pick.

One of Underwood's old assistants surrendered today.

One of Underwood's old assistants surrendered today.

So glad that he decided to stay at Ok st. Looks like a bullet was dodged there.

So glad that he decided to stay at Ok st. Looks like a bullet was dodged there.

He still did some bad things while working for the new Illini coach. But his charges were for breaking laws not NCAA rules. If I were an Illini fan, and really liked Underwood, I would be at least a little nervous. Like Pitino, these guys are going to be looking for a new line of work. Unlike Pitino, they could be headed to jail. The one thing that can help them is singing to the feds. But I think he was with Underwood for only 1 season so that's probably good.

I'm not really worried. His one recruiting class at ok state was poor. It's centered around jawun Evans recruitment who was before Underwood got there

I was reading an article earlier about the potential jail time, and really it won't be as bad as people are saying. The max is 80 years if you add up each charge collectively, but more than likely they will be served concurrently since they arise out of the same transaction. Also, the amount of money at issue is very low and is not very high stakes. According to a former prosecutor that was interviewed, he thinks a reasonable sentence would be 6 months. Kind of changes the formula here for guys wanted to talk.

 

link: https://sports.yahoo.com/former-aau-basketb...-034806204.html

Edited September 27, 20178 yr by JenksIsMyHero

All it takes is the assistant looking to make a deal to screw over Illinois.

All it takes is the assistant looking to make a deal to screw over Illinois.

Meh, it's just a matter of how long Illinois is at rock bottom. If it gets ugly for Underwood, Josh Whitman should lawyer up and fire him.

I'm pretty confused why people think the assistant directing Evans towards an agent would have anything to do with Underwood. The other stuff was at South Carolina, which was under Frank Martin. It's possible Underwood is connected, but I'm not worried.

All it takes is the assistant looking to make a deal to screw over Illinois.

 

Luckily Illinois has been so bad the last decade i'm not really worried about recruiting scandals. Their best recruits were probably Meyers Leonard and Jerome Richmond, both guys that were local and huge Illinois fans.

 

edit: and yeah, Illinois has no exposure with Evans. Keep in mind the universities are seen as the "victims" of these crimes for being duped and frauded by the assistant coaches into giving scholarships to ineligible players. I guess worse case Underwood gets implicated for his one year at OSU, but nothing at Illinois.

Edited September 27, 20178 yr by JenksIsMyHero

A good long read on how this evolved over time.

 

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketbal...ords-corruption

Luckily Illinois has been so bad the last decade i'm not really worried about recruiting scandals. Their best recruits were probably Meyers Leonard and Jerome Richmond, both guys that were local and huge Illinois fans.

 

edit: and yeah, Illinois has no exposure with Evans. Keep in mind the universities are seen as the "victims" of these crimes for being duped and frauded by the assistant coaches into giving scholarships to ineligible players. I guess worse case Underwood gets implicated for his one year at OSU, but nothing at Illinois.

Yeah, I dont think there is risk there but who knows. I'm expecting a few schools to pop up that seem a little strange, but mostly the ones we all suspect like Kentucky etc.

Luckily Illinois has been so bad the last decade i'm not really worried about recruiting scandals. Their best recruits were probably Meyers Leonard and Jerome Richmond, both guys that were local and huge Illinois fans.

 

edit: and yeah, Illinois has no exposure with Evans. Keep in mind the universities are seen as the "victims" of these crimes for being duped and frauded by the assistant coaches into giving scholarships to ineligible players. I guess worse case Underwood gets implicated for his one year at OSU, but nothing at Illinois.

 

All it takes is the assistant to connect Underwood to what went on. Then Illinois has to have a wasted year this year and start all over again next year.

Not worried about Underwood

I wonder if Steve Prohm would look towards a job like Louisville.

Not tooo worried about IU in all this. As mentioned every school is dirty to some degree, just depends whether that degree is out-and-out handing over duffel bags full of cash.

 

And Adidas may be the only shoe company implicated now, but I have to imagine they all will be.

Not directed at Illinois fans, but it's been comical to see so many fan bases claim their head coach had no clue what these tarnished assistant coaches were doing. No doubt in my mind Sean Miller should be fired immediately

Not directed at Illinois fans, but it's been comical to see so many fan bases claim their head coach had no clue what these tarnished assistant coaches were doing. No doubt in my mind Sean Miller should be fired immediately

 

Every high level college football and basketball program has players getting paid under the table. Some more than others, but it's part of the game. The players should be getting paid anyway.

Every high level college football and basketball program has players getting paid under the table. Some more than others, but it's part of the game. The players should be getting paid anyway.

Basketball at the higher levels is the worst though. The AAU, agents and shoe companies are far more advanced than any $100 handshake.

Not directed at Illinois fans, but it's been comical to see so many fan bases claim their head coach had no clue what these tarnished assistant coaches were doing. No doubt in my mind Sean Miller should be fired immediately

Yep. He should be gone very soon. He knew how they got the players, there were serious rumblings with Kobi Simmons and apparently they were true.

Not directed at Illinois fans, but it's been comical to see so many fan bases claim their head coach had no clue what these tarnished assistant coaches were doing. No doubt in my mind Sean Miller should be fired immediately

 

I tend to not care generally about schools paying kids on the recruiting trail. I know it's against the NCAA's rules, but the kids are unpaid labor (I know, I know, they get scholarships) whose likenesses and talents bring in loads of revenue for everybody other than themselves. Ergo, while I tend to agree that the head coach obviously knows how the assistant is operating, I can't really bring myself to care that much (and that includes Pitino, Calipari, Miller, etc.).

 

With that being said, the indictment against Evans is that he steered players toward a specific agency, and that he was paid around $22k for his influence. If that is the extent of the allegations against Evans, it's reasonable to believe that Underwood isn't caught up in that. Doesn't directly impact recruiting, the payments are really pretty small for a guy making north of $1M annually. Underwood would have to be dumb to be pulled into that.

 

BUT I think one of the allegations on Evans says that he said that he needed some cash to set up a recruit's mom. That gets into an area where the NCAA could have an issue with Underwood. Also don't know what Evans might say/know that might get Underwood in trouble with the feds.

 

 

I tend to not care generally about schools paying kids on the recruiting trail. I know it's against the NCAA's rules, but the kids are unpaid labor (I know, I know, they get scholarships) whose likenesses and talents bring in loads of revenue for everybody other than themselves. Ergo, while I tend to agree that the head coach obviously knows how the assistant is operating, I can't really bring myself to care that much (and that includes Pitino, Calipari, Miller, etc.).

 

With that being said, the indictment against Evans is that he steered players toward a specific agency, and that he was paid around $22k for his influence. If that is the extent of the allegations against Evans, it's reasonable to believe that Underwood isn't caught up in that. Doesn't directly impact recruiting, the payments are really pretty small for a guy making north of $1M annually. Underwood would have to be dumb to be pulled into that.

 

BUT I think one of the allegations on Evans says that he said that he needed some cash to set up a recruit's mom. That gets into an area where the NCAA could have an issue with Underwood. Also don't know what Evans might say/know that might get Underwood in trouble with the feds.

 

Right. The NCAA will try to use the criminal process toward its own investigations since criminal investigations have actual subpoena power. They famously had to throw out their punishment for frank haith after sitting in interview for criminal investigation they had no reason to be in.