I don’t think the defense will be convicted fwiw. I think they created much more than reasonable doubt. I’m not sure how a jury could come back with a guilty verdict but we will see.
@HighEliteMajor Lately some high profile guys like Shaq, Jay Williams etc… have come out and said they were paid. Maybe they didn’t want to before so that the school wouldn’t be punished but with everything out there now, they felt like saying it. I don’t know their thought process, of course.
JayHawkFanToo said:
Two K-Staters in the first team; I can’t think of 2 Kansas State player being named to the first team in a long time. In their one year together Beasley made first team and was the conference POY but Walker only made All- Big 12 third team.
With this stable of horses Bruce will surely win the league!
@HighEliteMajor The NCAA doesn’t even actually care when schools break the “rules”, as long as it’s done in the dark. They have shown this repeatedly with their actions. Duke has been caught with their hand in the cookie jar more than once, and approximately nothing happened each time. At the end of the day, they are going to protect their money makers.
The sham of “amateur athletics” and “non-profit” is only there to trick people. I’d say it doesn’t work, but you seem to subscribe to it based on your words here. You are right we have had these conversations before. Would you still try to argue that these players don’t have value beyond a scholarship?
Also nothing to do with paying players is illegal. It has nothing to do with the law. It’s just against NCAA rules, which, again are not really enforced to begin with.
I would agree with you that Self is paid by Adidas. So obviously, Adidas is going to want to get good players sent his way so that he can continue winning, which sells Adidas apparel.
In your theoretical situation, Self doesn’t get enough good players to compete, imo. I think you might be surprised that all KU players are paid. It’s not just players like Wiggins, Josh, Diallo, Selby, Cliff, Silvio etc… It’s Frank, Devonte, Perry, Cole, TRob, Releford, Reed, Taylor etc… Basically any player that has been on scholarship at KU in the last 30+ years. Roy and Larry weren’t clean either. Hell, Wilt didn’t turn down pro money to play in Lawrence for free. It’s been pay for play for a long time. Maybe not as widespread, and the shoecos are relatively new (90s) but the money has always been there for those that want it.
An interesting question would be, what IF the money wasn’t there? I think you would actually see these kids take a year in Europe, Australia etc… but since the money is there they prefer staying in the country.
Someone on the Phog actually put it quite well. I know some here don’t check there, so I am going to copypaste it. I would generally agree with all of this.
"Take the Zion conversation. There are three parts to that. The occupation part. Well, that’s on KU’s staff and boosters. We’ve been doing that for years (Angel Morris immediately comes to mind). The same Lawrence townie takes care of the housing too. That’s an open secret and not news—I’m sure there’s a paper trail of an application, interview, etc. If it’s news to you, you just haven’t been paying attention.
It’s the paying them cash thing that’s really the issue here. I would be shocked if there’s a single bit of evidence of KU staff member talking logistics or amounts of cash, from an apparel company or any other source. In fact, I’m confident there’s not because if there was, the FBI would have indicted that coach too. Do they know it happens? Sure, again, in a general sense. Do they have a specific knowledge of how much or when or even who? No. And, if they do come across that knowledge (i.e. Preston), they bite the bullet and sit the player.
Some people may say that’s all dirty and they should be fired. And maybe it is. But I’m totally okay with that level of cleanliness. I haven’t seen anything yet to lead me to believe it’s any different. So, while I would prefer that this stuff had never seen the light of day, it doesn’t really change my opinion about the whole ordeal…yet."
As a follow-up on the walk-on thing. The walk-ons are part of the team, and live in the same area as the rest of the players. Elijah Elliott’s dad has a ton of money, and his kid, a walk-on, took visits to KU, Arizona and UK. It certainly never hurts to have walk-ons with wealthy parents. Those kids are going to have lots of money, and, you know, probably spend it with their friends.
mayjay said:
Question: If everyone does it, and if everyone knows it, why hasn’t the NCAA changed its rules to simply allow more compensation and level the playing field? The periodic scandals do not do the sport any good.
I would say they want it in the dark to maintain the facade of amateur athletics. More people stay happy this way and the players still get paid if they want to.
Hopefully Dedric wins the POTY award that matters. I get why they won’t vote for a guy that hasn’t played a single league game though.
Woodrow said:
Yes, there is going to be a season this year and I think KU might be pretty good.
The Big 12 announced its preseason awards today.
POY: Dean Wade
Newcomer : Dedric Lawson
FR of the year " Quentin Grimes
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Name, School Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/Previous School(s)
Lindell Wigginton, Iowa State G 6-2 188 So. Dartmouth, Novia Scotia/Oak Hill Academy
Dedric Lawson, Kansas F 6-9 235 Jr. Memphis, Tenn./Hamilton/Memphis
Barry Brown, Jr., K-State G 6-3 195 Sr. St. Petersburg, Fla./Gibbs
Dean Wade, K-State* F 6-10 228 Sr. St. John, Kan./St. John
Sagaba Konate, West Virginia F 6-8 250 Jr. Bamako, Mali/Kennedy Catholic
Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically by school)
Cameron Lard (Iowa State)
Udoka Azubuike (Kansas)
Quentin Grimes (Kansas)
Alex Robinson (TCU)
Kerwin Roach II (Texas)
Jericho Sims (Texas)
Jarrett Culver (Texas Tech)
@HighEliteMajor Well before this trial, I’ve said that KU has creatively paid players. When it’s a topic of course, and it frequently wasn’t. But I have brought up Sherron, Julian etc… before the trial. I was often met with scorn but the reactions here were mostly pretty tame from what I remember, compared to other KU boards.
@Woodrow Makes sense with MPJ and Trae. Good info, thanks.