Good grief, the Captain Renault's of the college basketball world ("I am shocked there is gambling going on--Casablanca film reference) are out in force. However, the most egregious proposition they have is to just allow it to continue. They seem to feel that since some people are cheating and the NCAA makes a lot of money why can't everyone get on the take. Kinda like the scene in the Godfather where Don Barzini complains to Don Corleone that he should share the judges he has in his back pocket, so that the other families can draw from the same well and wet their beaks a little too!

90+% of college athletes will never play a professional sport. With the cost of college these days, I am sure most college students especially at expensive private schools would love to have no debt when they graduate. However, every time we have one of these scandals emerge a group of folks come forward saying paying players-- that will solve the problem they say. Kinda like the folks that advocate for legalized prostitution, and then when it leads to human sex trafficking, they like Captain Renault are shocked!

I would strongly encourage these naive folks not to take telemarketers up on their once in a lifetime cruises, buy any bridges for sale--especially in Brooklyn. Finally for heaven's sake, never reply to e-mails supposedly from Aunt Fanny or sweet cousin Meldahide asking money be sent to a Nigerian bank account, because their safari tour has been held ransom by a bunch of elephant poachers.

The simple solution to this problem is to put the hammer down on these sleazy coaches, agents, shoe company reps etc. If we don't, we can kiss college sports goodbye as we know it. I love the traditions of March Madness and the college football bowl season, it will all be gone if these sleazy agents, coaches, shoe company reps etc aren't given time in the Big House to help them see the error of their ways!

\ but without big enough salaries apparently to be competitive with what college players are now being payed under the table. ($100,000 payment to secure a young prospect?!?!) [/QUOTE]Curious. Do you think the athlete actually saw any or much of that 100K? If it is the current frosh I have heard from 8 to 36K being discussed as a loan.

Interesting take. The BIGGEST casualty would be the thousands of athlete who are enjoying playing for a school and getting financial aid in trade for their efforts IMO.

Interesting that the schools making the most money through shares for tournament appearances are the ones who have largely created the recruiting mess and supported getting athletes through intermediaries. Aside from Rob up at EMU I do not think the MAC coaching ranks have a thing to worry about from the FBI

[QUOTE=Maddog13]
If the NCAA does, in fact, remain intact, I would like to see big penalties leveled against schools when a player fails to stick around for the their full eligibility, especially if they go "pro." Perhaps, this would put pressure on coaches to recruit student athletes instead of athletes pretending to be students.

THis certainly sums it up. College coaches come into your living room and become part of the family. John Rhodes and Kevin Kuwick are always welcome here. Ku (and a couple of good BA friends) showed up in my hospital room when I woke up from an 8 day Coma. Groce, Holtmann and Ford are family as well. Those guys make promises. If you are around the NCAA much you will find coaches take those promises and relationships very seriously. Players have that bond and mentorship for life.

By skipping school to go pro an 18 year old is now living out on his own and making his way without much support, traveling with grown men/NBA vets. If he is lucky he can assimilate and find mentors in that group. (I say this as I was living on my own 8 blocks from Wrigley Feild at age 17). It is tough for a kid who, for the most part, has been raised every step of the way without responsibilities except to play hoops (mah baby gonna be a star!).

Most kids in hoops playing at that elite level have grown up as a star with everyone around them getting them places, taking care of everything. Big shock for most just going to college but still having folks/staff tell you when and where to be, folks doing your laundry, making sure you get to class and telling you what books, clothes and gear to bring every day. It is a MUCH Bigger shock skipping that and going to the Chicago Stadium on your own, finding a place to stay in the city, getting to the airports, meals and shopping on your own, finding and paying lawyers, accountants and figuring out what to do when your cable bill comes or the Xbox breaks down. Most 19 year olds are not going to do that well on their own. Fortunately for most, Mom can quit her job and come take care of her neal ticket....unless he is on a D league salary.

THis certainly sums it up. College coaches come into your living room and become part of the family. John Rhodes and Kevin Kuwick are always welcome here. Ku (and a couple of good BA friends) showed up in my hospital room when I woke up from an 8 day Coma. Groce, Holtmann and Ford are family as well. Those guys make promises. If you are around the NCAA much you will find coaches take those promises and relationships very seriously. Players have that bond and mentorship for life.

I'm not following the details of the muck. But what occurred to me is the witch hunt is a once a decade mop up of corruption before we get back to business as usual most likely. Its like the periodic mop up of terrorists in the middle east the U.S. is now doing every once in a while once the problem gets bad enough. Cheating will never go away in basketball entirely because of the pressure to compete on coaching staffs.

Why don't more of the top recruits go to Europe for a year of legitimate pro ball before going to the NBA?

(I ask that question as someone who has no knowledge of how the Euro leagues work other than DJ Cooper tried to become a Bosnian citizen.)

I will say this: I am all for these kids getting paid. Honestly, why does Mark Zuckerburg get to keep all his money from Harvard when Harvard gave him a place to study along with space to utilize their bandwidths. If a kid invents the cure to cancer, does he have to give all his money to the university? Precisely.

However, they better be taxed on it like there's no tomorrow. The pay rates for these kids will be awfully high to say the least. These brats want to open pandora's box they can have at it. That and they better bring back letting kids going straight to the pros out of high school. That's why this whole problem began. Anyone with a pulse could have seen this coming when the one-and-done rule was put into effect.