For those who remember the Sutton scandel in the 80's

[katwest]

Eric Manual got the worst, I saw him play at Rupp in an all star game and he was so looking forward to being a wildcat. It ruined his career no doubt, I remember the jokes after Kemp stole that necklace saying he would be going to Eddyville. All of that and the next few years was the lowest time in my life as a Kentucky fan.

 

[JC CATS]

The biggest set-up job in college basketball history. Has anyone ever seen the $1000? Has anyone ever seen the package itself? I'm not convinced it ever existed. Some school/coach/whatever on the west coast was pissed that Mills committed to UK and set it up.

How many packages like that has ever opened? $1000.00, dude would have kept it

 

[Pelosigalore]

So true, post season bans for 2 seasons. 3 years probation, 1 year ban from TV. Wow!!

Very harsh penalty. Too much money involved now, so that would not happen today.

 

[katwest]

How many packages like that has ever opened? $1000.00, dude would have kept it

I'm sure some UCLA alumni worked at Emory and fixed it up, they knew the money was in it and tore it open and alerted the NCAA. I have talked to people that worked at UPS and Fed Ex and they say you couldn't dynamite those packages open. You are right it was never proven money was never recovered because it was never put there.

 

[thepip]

Yes. No one reported Kemp stealing the necklace, it was just reported that the necklace was stolen. Then Kemp showed up trying to sell it in a pawn shop.

As for Manuel, there will always be a question about whether HE cheated, but there's overwhelming evidence that someone did. 211 of 219 answers exactly the same as Chris Shearer. Still, the penalty he received from the NCAA was totally out of whack with anything that's happened before or since, except in cases of point-shaving.

You know as well as I know that the NCAA does not put up with cheating, Rev Emmert has has upheld high standards that all colleges abide by.

 

[Blueaz]

He was on the team and Sutton claimed Kemp had stolen Sean Suttons necklace and kicked him off the team.

iirc it was not a claim...he was IDed bt the pawn shop...maybe even video

 

[preacherfan]

Very true on the last part, which is a big part of why Emery settled with Dwane Casey.

However, you're assuming the envelope was sealed properly.

I'm of the camp that whatever the specifics of what happened to UK in 88/89, it ended up working out pretty well. The house was really, really, really in need of cleaning by that point.

Agree 100%. If Eddie Sutton was the one who tried to seal the envelope, it might explain it popping open!

 

[KeepingItReal74]

To me it was Eric Manuel. Like with D Rose it was never proven he cheated on his ACT but he was banned from ever playing D1 ball and had to transfer to a NAIA school Oklahoma City University. He was drafted but didn't stick in the NBA. If he had been able to play at a D1 school and develop I think he could have had a career in the NBA.

I was just a teenager when it happened but how in the world did the NCAA make the Emery thing stick when Casey was the one who supposedly mailed the package and he wasn't even in Lexington the day it was mailed? Seems like I read later that Casey settled a liable lawsuit with Emery because there was not proof he mailed it like they alleged.

The fans got the rawest deal. Had to listen to Kansas demolish us by 50. But our resurrection was essential. Thank you Jamal Mashburn and others.

 

[KeepingItReal74]

Refreshing my memory on all of this just pisses me off again. And just to think all the crap UNC has gotten away with by these bastards (NCAA) just makes my blood boil.

Do as I do. Without it, we may not of had those 2 natties in the 90’s.

 

[FactCheckerUSA]

Scandel is not a word.

 

[akers65]

I thought it was $10,000 which would make the envelope bursting open more plausible but still not believable. Even though I dislike him very much, Bobby Knight said something to the effect that it looked very suspicious that it would do that. As much as Knight seemed to dislike Kentucky, why would he defend them?

He also said Kentucky was straightening things up by switching to Fed Ex. He got a big laugh out of IU fans. He’s a turd

 

[preacherfan]

Scandel is not a word.

It is at UNC!

 

[true blue1]

iirc it was not a claim...he was IDed bt the pawn shop...maybe even video

If I had been Eddie, I would have bought Sean another Neglace.

 

[Blueaz]

If I had been Eddie, I would have bought Sean another Neglace.

and one for Kemp

 

[Elliott Tim]

That team was loaded with Manuel, Mills and Ellis. Was Kemp going to be on that team as well?

No. He blew it by stealing something and then bolted for the NBA.

 

[blubo]

Very true on the last part, which is a big part of why Emery settled with Dwane Casey.

However, you're assuming the envelope was sealed properly.

I'm of the camp that whatever the specifics of what happened to UK in 88/89, it ended up working out pretty well. The house was really, really, really in need of cleaning by that point.

Please refresh my memory of what “housecleaning” was needed?

 

[FactCheckerUSA]

It is at UNC!

So you are saying the OP is a UNC graduate?

 

[docholiday51]

Agree 100%. If Eddie Sutton was the one who tried to seal the envelope, it might explain it popping open!

He spilled some VOB on it and it melted the tape.

 

[mj2k10]

Please refresh my memory of what “housecleaning” was needed?

Good Lord, please don't act like UK was some innocent victim getting targeted by the NCAA purely out of spite.

There was smoke all around Joe B and recruiting from the mid 70's until the time he retired. Right after he retired, the Herald Leader got 31 former UK players on tape admitting that they either directly received, or knew of players receiving, cash at UK. The NCAA investigated, and UK completely stonewalled it, to an absurd degree.

When the Emery incident happened, it was followed by a slow and steady drip of bad news coming out. Stuff like Shawn Kemp's mother buying him a car, paying cash, right around the time he committed to UK. Chris Mills getting a parking ticket while driving a very expensive sports car. Eric Manuel's ACT fiasco.

UK in the 80's was the classic example of boosters run completely amok. Not as bad as SMU, where you had the frickin' Board of Regents authorizing payouts to players, but not a healthy situation at all.

 

[wildcatdonf]

I thought it was $10,000 which would make the envelope bursting open more plausible but still not believable. Even though I dislike him very much, Bobby Knight said something to the effect that it looked very suspicious that it would do that. As much as Knight seemed to dislike Kentucky, why would he defend them?

I've always heard the $1,000.00 number no matter who was telling it.

 

[wildcatdonf]

Myth.

Ask anyone who works at UPS, FedX, or the USPS. Envelopes come open all the time.

No.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

It was a setup by someone associated with UCLA. I will go to my grave believing that.

Me too. No doubt in my mind.

 

[59coop]

NCAA was totally out of whack with anything that's happened before or since, except in cases of point-shaving

I would bet dirty bird fans would say hold my beer. Lol!

 

[Bluegrassking]

and one for Kemp

Yeah, sucking it up, letting the water roll under the old bridge, and having a keep it inside learning opportunity seems like the best thing and always did.

Not that I think Kemp was any kind of Rhodes Scholar but he never struck me as the weapons grade dumb to think he could get away with such a thing.
Just being 6'10 means automatic radar status.

You can't be that tall and get away with crap, everyone is going to remember you for weeks or maybe even forever with any memory jog.

You add being Kemp in Lexington and it would seem crazy to think you could get away with pawning Sean Sutton's property.

 

[jbubb98]

I've always heard the $1,000.00 number no matter who was telling it.

That amount makes more sense for it to be a setup, whoever did it wouldn't lose too much money.

 

[ruppcat]

To me it was Eric Manuel. Like with D Rose it was never proven he cheated on his ACT but he was banned from ever playing D1 ball and had to transfer to a NAIA school Oklahoma City University. He was drafted but didn't stick in the NBA. If he had been able to play at a D1 school and develop I think he could have had a career in the NBA.

I was just a teenager when it happened but how in the world did the NCAA make the Emery thing stick when Casey was the one who supposedly mailed the package and he wasn't even in Lexington the day it was mailed? Seems like I read later that Casey settled a liable lawsuit with Emery because there was not proof he mailed it like they alleged.

The kid had a lot of upside. I think he was just caught up by the system.

 

[Xception]

Myth.

Ask anyone who works at UPS, FedX, or the USPS. Envelopes come open all the time.

True but the accidental comes into question when employees go to the media with it instead of fixing the package and sending it on.

 

[ruppcat]

The biggest set-up job in college basketball history. Has anyone ever seen the $1000? Has anyone ever seen the package itself? I'm not convinced it ever existed. Some school/coach/whatever on the west coast was pissed that Mills committed to UK and set it up.

The packages I've received from FedX, Amazon, etc, don't "come open" without some effort.

IIRC, the package in question was found by a person who happened to be a UCLA fan. Guess who we were in competition against to get Mills? UCLA.

The whole thing was a setup.

 

[ruppcat]

If I shipped $1000 cash, I can guarantee it would not just pop open. I would use an entire roll of tape to make sure that did not happen.

Especially if you were engaged in something slightly in question. Not saying Casey was doing that. Just saying if you were involved in something that might be questioned....that envelope isn't randomly coming open.

 

[ruppcat]

I firmly believe UK was set up for messing with west coast recruiting by UNLV or UCLA.

Tarkanien comes to mind.

 

[Xception]

He also said Kentucky was straightening things up by switching to Fed Ex. He got a big laugh out of IU fans. He’s a turd

Little did they know we’d be laughing at them for decades to come

 

[Wildcats1st]

To me it was Eric Manuel. Like with D Rose it was never proven he cheated on his ACT but he was banned from ever playing D1 ball and had to transfer to a NAIA school Oklahoma City University. He was drafted but didn't stick in the NBA. If he had been able to play at a D1 school and develop I think he could have had a career in the NBA.

I was just a teenager when it happened but how in the world did the NCAA make the Emery thing stick when Casey was the one who supposedly mailed the package and he wasn't even in Lexington the day it was mailed? Seems like I read later that Casey settled a liable lawsuit with Emery because there was not proof he mailed it like they alleged.

Ask Donnie Harvell

 

[TBCat]

I firmly believe UK was set up for messing with west coast recruiting by UNLV or UCLA.

That was the rumor at the time. We do have to acknowledge that in reality UK was cheating it's ass off back then. But I don't think there is any doubt that UK had external help in making sure we got caught. Supposedly this was UNLV who I understood at the time had deep times with organized crime and in particular gambling. And those guys could arrange for UK to get caught.

 

[TBCat]

Did Kemp have any kids while he was at UK?

I'd be willing to bet on it.

 

[BankerCat12]

Good Lord, please don't act like UK was some innocent victim getting targeted by the NCAA purely out of spite.

There was smoke all around Joe B and recruiting from the mid 70's until the time he retired. Right after he retired, the Herald Leader got 31 former UK players on tape admitting that they either directly received, or knew of players receiving, cash at UK. The NCAA investigated, and UK completely stonewalled it, to an absurd degree.

When the Emery incident happened, it was followed by a slow and steady drip of bad news coming out. Stuff like Shawn Kemp's mother buying him a car, paying cash, right around the time he committed to UK. Chris Mills getting a parking ticket while driving a very expensive sports car. Eric Manuel's ACT fiasco.

UK in the 80's was the classic example of boosters run completely amok. Not as bad as SMU, where you had the frickin' Board of Regents authorizing payouts to players, but not a healthy situation at all.

Read Raw Recruits. Tark said he would never recruit against UK again once he saw how we recruited Bowie. Truthfully, can't blame him.

 

[wildcat_bigd]

If I had been Eddie, I would have bought Sean another Neglace.

Damn straight

 

[BankerCat12]

Eric Manual got the worst, I saw him play at Rupp in an all star game and he was so looking forward to being a wildcat. It ruined his career no doubt, I remember the jokes after Kemp stole that necklace saying he would be going to Eddyville. All of that and the next few years was the lowest time in my life as a Kentucky fan.

Logging onto this site the next morning was my lowest time as a UK fan.....

 

[Swimcat76]

What all that exposed was not the $1,000 that magically popped out of an envelope, but the fact that players had been getting paid major bucks for years. I like Joe Hall, but he knew good and well it was going to be exposed sooner or later and that's why he retired from the game entirely at age 56, after the 1985 season. He wanted to be long gone when that $***storm hit the fan.

 

[preacherfan]

What all that exposed was not the $1,000 that magically popped out of an envelope, but the fact that players had been getting paid major bucks for years. I like Joe Hall, but he knew good and well it was going to be exposed sooner or later and that's why he retired from the game entirely at age 56, after the 1985 season. He wanted to be long gone when that $***storm hit the fan.

Interesting. I always thought the same thing about Dean Smyth. He suddenly retired and that seemingly had no explanation. I think the cheating had become so rampant and he was recruiting kids who had no business in college and I think it was starting to unravel.

As for Joe B, it seems that his retirement may well have been more because of the pressure and criticism.

 

[docholiday51]

I have a friend who at that time was a college player at a small Kentucky school.He was introduced thru a friend to LeRon Ellis. They(4 including Ellis) were at Ellis' dorm room and about to go out to eat,Ellis told them to hold on a second,he moved some article in his room and got some money that was hidden behind whatever it was.My friend said he saw what appeared to be several hundred dollars hidden there.Ellis got enough to cover the cost of their meal.He told not to worry about it there was more where that came from.

I have no doubt there were things going on that weren't supposed to go on.The old stories of the $50 and $100 handshakes were more than rumors.

Sutton was on the verge of building a monster team,had it not been stopped when it was we might have had a 3 or 4 year run of championships that would have all been taken away at some point and UK might not have played basketball for a period of years.We were close to being what UL could be or worse