Alabama looking into possible NCAA violation

[BGIF]

Saban: Alabama looking into possible NCAA violation - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com

... Nick Saban told ESPN.com that university compliance officials are trying to determine if defensive end Marcell Dareus violated NCAA rules by attending an agent's party in Florida.

...

Saban, a former Miami Dolphins coach, told ESPN.com it might be time to ban NFL teams from college campuses to get the league to crack down on rule-breaking agents and "take schools off the hook."

"What the NFL Players Association and the NFL need to do is if any agent breaks a rule and causes ineligibility for a player, they should suspend his [agent's] license for a year or two," Saban said. "I'm about ready for college football to say, 'Let's just throw the NFL out. Don't let them evaluate players. Don't let them talk to players. Let them do it at the combine.' If they are not going to help us, why should we help them?"

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive told the Associated Press this week that he wants the NCAA "to re-examine some of the NCAA rules that relate to agents."

...

 

[ACamp1900]

repeat offenders.

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

This is Very Bad news for the tide....

 

[NDinLA is a TROLL]

When was this party? Before or after the NC.

 

[BGIF]

This is Very Bad news for the tide....

Not so.

While the NCAA is investigating other schools for possibe ineligible players, Marcell Dareus supposedly attended the agent's party this summer and Bama is being proactive in bringing it to the NCAA's attention.

Further Bama has declared Dareus ineligible preventing him from playing in a game until the NCAA clears his status. Bama's put the ball in the NCAA's hands saying you decide.

Under Gene Stalling's Bama did their own investigation and cleared the player themselves. In that case the NCAA found they didn't do an adequate job and they had played an ineligible player and had to forfeit games, etc. That player also had a contract with an agent.

Bama is going by the NCAA book this time, something they didn't do before.

 

[BGIF]

Sources: Alabama's Marcell Dareus under scrutiny - ESPN

7/21

University of Alabama officials are investigating whether junior defensive lineman Marcell Dareus broke NCAA rules by attending an agent's party in Miami's South Beach earlier this summer, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

...

"Our [university] compliance people are looking into it," Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

Sources told ESPN last week that NCAA investigators have interviewed North Carolina players, including defensive end Marvin Austin, about attending the party. South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders also confirmed to ESPN on Sunday that he recently spoke with NCAA investigators about the same party.

The NCAA is trying to determine who paid for the players' transportation to Miami, and lodging, food and entertainment while they were there.

More at the link

 

[BGIF]

As Expected, Marcell Dareus Ineligible For Now - Roll 'Bama Roll

7/21

University of Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus has been declared ineligible and is believed to be the only UA player who attended a party in Miami hosted by a sports agent, a source close to the situation told The Tuscaloosa News.

UA will petition immediately for the reinstatement of Dareus' eligibility. The NCAA will make the ultimate ruling on when, or if, Dareus will be reinstated. It is standard procedure for a player to be declared ineligible immediately whenever a question of whether the player violated NCAA rules arises.

This isn't an acknowledgement of guilt on Bama's part but rather protection so they don't get in "lack of institutional control" again.

 

[Riddickulous]

Rumors from Bama fans are saying that linebacker Don'ta Hightower might have attended this agent's party, as well.

 

[mgriff]

Well I do have to say I like all these threads about investigations into the "Big Boys". Maybe the USC sanctions motivated the NCAA to start the massive, system wide clean up that is necessary.

 

[JDAtlanta]

Right on the money.

Right on the money.

Well I do have to say I like all these threads about investigations into the "Big Boys". Maybe the USC sanctions motivated the NCAA to start the massive, system wide clean up that is necessary.

Let's hope this comes to fruition. Maybe the NCAA can start looking like they know what they are doing.

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

Thanks BGIF- for educating me on the details.

 

[irishtrain]

Wouldnt it be nice to see college football become college football again. Throw the book at all of them who do these type of things, including us . Hope it never happens to Notre Dame. Doubt it will because of the guys Notre Dame recruits. When you recruit the guys who are in it only for themselves these thing are unavoidable. This is what Kelly means by the RKG. Saban will now have to pay just like southern cal and hopefully Fla if they are proved guilty. No more semi-pro football. Stop and think for all the stuff Charlie was accused of he was able to protect his alma mater. This will be great to see these teams pay for ignoring the rules, why do you think they get these players in the first place-cause they know the school looks at them as semi-pros. Education and a man of that school are the last thing on anyones mind.

 

[DaLastFarleyite]

Alabama has a bad track record with major violations and they know what just happened at USC. There was no way they were going to sweep this incident under the rug. One player is not worth the potential of the death penalty. They sniff anything foul and they'll be in touch with the NCAA enforcement boys.

 

[dshans]

As much as I loathe saying anything nice about Saban and the Crimson Tide, I think their handling of the situation is admirable – at least so far.

Agents stand to make a great deal of money representing pro football players. They will do what they can to court and sign potential NFL talent while they are in college. Skirting or breaking existing NCAA rules is in their financial interest. If not addressed and enforced universally, the practice will remain a problem and spread.

This is not just an issue with Alabama, USC, FL, etc. By requesting an investigation and suspending Dareus, 'Bama's actually "done good."

 

[jason_h537]

Reading ruors that Kiffen ratted on Florida and Bama because he doesn't wanna be punished alone. I hate Kiffen so much.

 

[ACamp1900]

yeah I guess I agree with dshans here... if what we know now is the whole truth... what do you want form them???

but still... give them the death pent. anyway... their stupidly innaccurate title count and the oversigning is reason enough imo..

 

[johnnykillz]

Well I do have to say I like all these threads about investigations into the "Big Boys". Maybe the USC sanctions motivated the NCAA to start the massive, system wide clean up that is necessary.

Or maybe this is the NCAA's way to lessen harsh penalties against their cash cow USC by evening up the load on other universities... I sure hope not.

If, indeed, the agents are held more accountable then the players, this would vanquish a certain amount of team accountability in the process. Essentially complete and total bullshit.

Of course, I am a natural conspiracy theorist. But I know Saban is the first to try to hold an agent accountable or at least from my knowledge. These "kids" are young men. 20 years old is certainly old enough to know better. Thats where the blame should reside as it does now.

 

[mgriff]

Or maybe this is the NCAA's way to lessen harsh penalties against their cash cow USC by evening up the load on other universities... I sure hope not.

If, indeed, the agents are held more accountable then the players, this would vanquish a certain amount of team accountability in the process. Essentially complete and total bullshit.

Of course, I am a natural conspiracy theorist. But I know Saban is the first to try to hold an agent accountable or at least from my knowledge. These "kids" are young men. 20 years old is certainly old enough to know better. Thats where the blame should reside as it does now.

You Negative Nancy you! I, also, am a conspiracy aficionado. It it plausible that what you propose could be fact, so I will keep your insight at the forefront of my mind if anything further develops.

I agree that the kids should be accountable, but remember, a lot of these kids came from nothing, so it is going to be incredibly hard for them to say no if they can help out their family who is still most likely in poverty. That is not the case with all of the kids, but for some it is. I'm not advocating breaking the rules, but I think the successful, and wealthy, agents should be bearing the brunt of this. The kids should bear responsibility for their actions, but removing the temptation altogether would be the best solution.

 

[johnnykillz]

You Negative Nancy you! I, also, am a conspiracy aficionado. It it plausible that what you propose could be fact, so I will keep your insight at the forefront of my mind if anything further develops.

I agree that the kids should be accountable, but remember, a lot of these kids came from nothing, so it is going to be incredibly hard for them to say no if they can help out their family who is still most likely in poverty. That is not the case with all of the kids, but for some it is. I'm not advocating breaking the rules, but I think the successful, and wealthy, agents should be bearing the brunt of this. The kids should bear responsibility for their actions, but removing the temptation altogether would be the best solution.

This is precisely the reason they should know better. Money didn't get them to where they are now. Time will validate gain. Punishment reinforces this...

I do understand you and Saban's train of tought though.

 

[dshans]

yeah I guess I agree with dshans here...

Sniff, sniff. This was the bestest birthday present I got!

 

[mgriff]

That is not necessarily true. Time does not always validate gain, just ask the market manipulators in the country. I know it is supposed to, being the strong Austrian that I am. Look I really can't comment on the specifics of this or any other case because I don't know them. I know that my own personal feeling is that if he was doing it for the right reasons I understand, but I don't condone it. He got busted, it's part of the game, now he has to deal with it.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Sniff, sniff. This was the bestest birthday present I got!

You didn't get the beer I mailed you? I poured it into the envelope all by myself.

 

[dshans]

You didn't get the beer I mailed you? I poured it into the envelope all by myself.

I guess I did. Which explains the nasty note from my mail carrier and the soggy, indecipherable envelope stuck to the bottom of my mail box.

 

[BGIF]

Or maybe this is the NCAA's way to lessen harsh penalties against their cash cow USC by evening up the load on other universities... I sure hope not.

No, they just got the NCAA just got the idea of busting parties from the Indiana Excise Police. Actually the NCAA got wind of the party and one or two players. Their intial inquiries at UNC, "By the way, who'd ya run into at the party?" led to a growing list of ACC/SEC talent led other coaches in the Old South scrambling to find out who was "vacationing" in Florida that week.

If, indeed, the agents are held more accountable then the players, this would vanquish a certain amount of team accountability in the process. Essentially complete and total bullshit.

Of course, I am a natural conspiracy theorist. But I know Saban is the first to try to hold an agent accountable or at least from my knowledge. These "kids" are young men. 20 years old is certainly old enough to know better. Thats where the blame should reside as it does now.

Saban is far from the first. The Alabama state legislature was so outraged 17 years ago that the NCAA nailed Bama with forfeits (before the days of vacating games) and probation over the Antonio Langham illegal contract with an agent while a player making him ineligible, and Gene Stallings "forgetting" to inform the SEC and NCAA about it (see the NCAA ruling), they passed a law requiring athletic agents to file for a license with the state. Now if any agent signs a Bama or Auburn player illegally they'll revoke his license in the state and hit 'em with criminal penalties. Meanwhile they'll do nothing to the player that signed the illegal contract. Alabama calculated that the Langham Affair cost the University between $4 - 5 millon on lost revenues, administrative expense, and legal fees. If they had sued Langahm for that loss of revenue as a result of his illegal action and subsequent fraud and gotten a judgement against his NFL signing bonus and earnings, it would have sent a message to athletes not to sign illegal contracts or you'll pay down the road. Bama was afraid if they sued a player it would hurt recruiting. They also had another problem the NCAA said Stalling was duplicitous which was the basis for lack of institutional control.

USC could sue Reggie Bush but it's difficult when they're appealing that he/they wasn't guilty.


Saban's getting the credit for "stepping up" and "self reporting" but it was the Compliance folks at Bama that came running when they heard the news about the UNC investigation remembering Antonio Langham and Bama's probation. Interesting part is the Compliance folks at Bama spoke to Stalling back in '93 and were stifled. When the NCAA came down on Bama the Compliance folks took the hit not the coach. Stalling retired a campus hero.

Sidebar: The Alabama Legislature also adopted a statute about the same time revelant to another NCAA Probation. That statute prohibited one party from recording a conversation unless both parties were aware of the recording being made. Seems for 3 years Auburn DB Eric Ramsey had recorded conversations with head coach Pat Dye about his player payments and a loan through a bank Dye had connections with. The Alabama Legislature felt the practice of recording conversations about illegal payments was a dangerous precedent that needed to stop immediately. That Legislature also passed a State Ethic Law requiring all public employees to report the amounts and sources of all income. In their infinite wisdom and not wishing to give Florida or Tennessee an unfair advantage, the head football coaches at Alabama (Tuscaloosa) and Auburn are specifically exempted from having to report their income and the sources of income.

And how did Auburn respond to the their 6th NCAA ("We're #1) probation? Dye was required to be removed by the NCAA, so Auburn's President gave him a new job as Special Assistant to the President where he has made life miserable for every Auburn coach that followed him. Auburn also named the playing field in his honor.

East Carolina where Dye started out coaching put him in their Hall of Fame.

 

[Riddickulous]

Good Lord, you are an encyclopedia, my friend.

 

[BGIF]

Good Lord, you are an encyclopedia, my friend.

Just a misspent youth, coupled with a sales job taking me to 47 states. If you knew who the freshman punter was it generally didn't matter what state you came from. (Except South Carolina, they think North Carolinians and Georgians are far'ners.

 

[johnnykillz]

At least a few SEC'ers have some common sense:Tennessee Volunteers coach Derek Dooley and Auburn Tigers coach Gene Chizik say players also responsible for agent probe - ESPN

You're dad gum right.