Expected to wrap up this week,
https://sports.yahoo.com/10-things-...on-heads-crucial-final-stretch-034307130.html
1. No coaches are going to testify, and so far we haven’t heard a single voice of a coach on any of the wiretaps played in court. That’s sucked the star power out of the trial.
...
2. Does that mean the NCAA doesn’t have anything to work with here?
Everyone wants to know if the NCAA will start investigating and punishing all of these schools that have been mentioned. Make no mistake, despite no big bombshell, there are endless allegations and evidence of violations.
The NCAA now employs a system where it can take third-party evidence and apply it to infractions cases. So, when Brian Bowen Sr., for example, details something under oath at a federal trial, the NCAA can use it and doesn’t need to actually speak to Bowen Sr.
Now, will the association actually move on the myriad violations uncovered? Who knows? Conference commissioners and coaches have felt emboldened enough to claim this isn’t that big of a deal. No one of significance from college sports has bothered to show up and listen to the testimony. It’s quite possible the NCAA just throws its hands up and lets it all slide. We’ll see.
One thing worth noting, though, is that what is presented and said at trial is not all of the evidence. It’s a fraction of it. There are damning tapes out there, according to sources. And someone like Gassnola sat for hours of interviews with prosecutors and the FBI under the penalty of perjury. He may have detailed violations that don’t fit into the government’s case here, but would be of great interest to the NCAA.
3. So far, no big-name coach has been proven to be in violation of NCAA rules." data-reactid="57">3. So far, no big-name coach has been proven to be in violation of NCAA rules.
On wiretap, Dawkins and Code make it clear they don’t believe Pitino knew directly about the $100,000 scheme to pay Brian Bowen Sr. for his son to play at Louisville. It is fair in the court of public opinion to believe he should have known. “Plausible deniability,” as Code put it. There is no direct evidence, though, and it doesn’t appear any of the key participants in the deal thought he knew. Score one for Pitino.
Gassnola did tell the FBI he believed Pitino knew, but Gassnola has also proven to be a braggart. He acknowledged on the stand that he’s told others he spoke to Pitino when he hadn’t in order to seem more influential than he actually was. And on the Bowen deal, Gassnola was not intimately involved.
Gassnola has said Bill Self didn’t know what he was doing with Kansas recruits, either, namely his payments to the families of future Jayhawks Billy Preston ($89,000), Silvio De Sousa ($2,500) and target Deandre Ayton ($15,000). Again, is it fair to assume Self knew, or should have known, that when someone like Gassnola said he was going to “help,” he meant more than just talking up the program? Sure. But so far, no proof of that.
There is also no evidence Larranaga knew what was up with Adidas’ plan to steer Nassir Little to Miami via a payout that might approach $150,000. Likewise, while Arizona gets mentioned about every 15 minutes and the characters in this case believe the Wildcats are willing to pay for pretty much any available recruit out there, there are no direct ties to Sean Miller at this time.
Some assistant coaches are in trouble, though. Gassnola testified he gave former North Carolina State assistant Orlando Early $40,000, upon request from Early, to give to the family of then-recruit Dennis Smith Jr. Bowen Sr. said former Louisville assistant Kenny Johnson personally gave him $1,300. Johnson is now at La Salle. A number of other coaches at DePaul, Creighton and elsewhere were directly named also.
So far, that’s about it.
4. That doesn’t mean they should get comfortable." data-reactid="64">4. That doesn’t mean they should get comfortable.
Again, there is more evidence and wiretap conversations than are being presented. Also, this is just one trial. If the other two are conducted, some major coaches are expected to be summoned to testify by defense attorneys.
5. Louisville remains in the most precarious position." data-reactid="66">5. Louisville remains in the most precarious position.
Just nine weeks later, Bowen Sr. testified under oath, was the payment from Johnson, the associate head coach and thus second in command of the program. That would be another major violation and falls under the repeat offender clause, which can trigger huge penalties.
https://sports.yahoo.com/10-things-...on-heads-crucial-final-stretch-034307130.html
1. No coaches are going to testify, and so far we haven’t heard a single voice of a coach on any of the wiretaps played in court. That’s sucked the star power out of the trial.
...
2. Does that mean the NCAA doesn’t have anything to work with here?
Everyone wants to know if the NCAA will start investigating and punishing all of these schools that have been mentioned. Make no mistake, despite no big bombshell, there are endless allegations and evidence of violations.
The NCAA now employs a system where it can take third-party evidence and apply it to infractions cases. So, when Brian Bowen Sr., for example, details something under oath at a federal trial, the NCAA can use it and doesn’t need to actually speak to Bowen Sr.
Now, will the association actually move on the myriad violations uncovered? Who knows? Conference commissioners and coaches have felt emboldened enough to claim this isn’t that big of a deal. No one of significance from college sports has bothered to show up and listen to the testimony. It’s quite possible the NCAA just throws its hands up and lets it all slide. We’ll see.
One thing worth noting, though, is that what is presented and said at trial is not all of the evidence. It’s a fraction of it. There are damning tapes out there, according to sources. And someone like Gassnola sat for hours of interviews with prosecutors and the FBI under the penalty of perjury. He may have detailed violations that don’t fit into the government’s case here, but would be of great interest to the NCAA.
3. So far, no big-name coach has been proven to be in violation of NCAA rules." data-reactid="57">3. So far, no big-name coach has been proven to be in violation of NCAA rules.
On wiretap, Dawkins and Code make it clear they don’t believe Pitino knew directly about the $100,000 scheme to pay Brian Bowen Sr. for his son to play at Louisville. It is fair in the court of public opinion to believe he should have known. “Plausible deniability,” as Code put it. There is no direct evidence, though, and it doesn’t appear any of the key participants in the deal thought he knew. Score one for Pitino.
Gassnola did tell the FBI he believed Pitino knew, but Gassnola has also proven to be a braggart. He acknowledged on the stand that he’s told others he spoke to Pitino when he hadn’t in order to seem more influential than he actually was. And on the Bowen deal, Gassnola was not intimately involved.
Gassnola has said Bill Self didn’t know what he was doing with Kansas recruits, either, namely his payments to the families of future Jayhawks Billy Preston ($89,000), Silvio De Sousa ($2,500) and target Deandre Ayton ($15,000). Again, is it fair to assume Self knew, or should have known, that when someone like Gassnola said he was going to “help,” he meant more than just talking up the program? Sure. But so far, no proof of that.
There is also no evidence Larranaga knew what was up with Adidas’ plan to steer Nassir Little to Miami via a payout that might approach $150,000. Likewise, while Arizona gets mentioned about every 15 minutes and the characters in this case believe the Wildcats are willing to pay for pretty much any available recruit out there, there are no direct ties to Sean Miller at this time.
Some assistant coaches are in trouble, though. Gassnola testified he gave former North Carolina State assistant Orlando Early $40,000, upon request from Early, to give to the family of then-recruit Dennis Smith Jr. Bowen Sr. said former Louisville assistant Kenny Johnson personally gave him $1,300. Johnson is now at La Salle. A number of other coaches at DePaul, Creighton and elsewhere were directly named also.
So far, that’s about it.
4. That doesn’t mean they should get comfortable." data-reactid="64">4. That doesn’t mean they should get comfortable.
Again, there is more evidence and wiretap conversations than are being presented. Also, this is just one trial. If the other two are conducted, some major coaches are expected to be summoned to testify by defense attorneys.
5. Louisville remains in the most precarious position." data-reactid="66">5. Louisville remains in the most precarious position.
Just nine weeks later, Bowen Sr. testified under oath, was the payment from Johnson, the associate head coach and thus second in command of the program. That would be another major violation and falls under the repeat offender clause, which can trigger huge penalties.
