NCAA Bringing the Hammer down on Georgia Tech

[Harry0569]

Based on sources that I know that are close to the situation, former GT football players received gifts from agents and boosters. Yeah, it's nothing new, but it just proves that players EVERYWHERE are getting paid.


The NCAA will announce the results of an investigation into alleged violations committed by Georgia Tech’s football program at 3 p.m. today.

The alleged violations occurred within the football program within the past several years. An NCAA spokesman declined to say whether the nature of the violations are serious or minor because the NCAA doesn’t comment until investigatory finds are released. A phone conference is scheduled with Dennis Thomas, the chair of the NCAA’s infractions committee, at 3 p.m. Georgia Tech President Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson and Athletic Director Dan Radakovich will hold a press conference at 4:30 p.m.

If there are immediate penalties, it would be the second time within five years the Jackets have been punished.

Tech learned in 2003 that it had been misapplying an NCAA eligibility rule and worked with the NCAA to investigate the nature and results of the error. They learned that 17 athletes, including 11 football players, who were academically ineligible were allowed to compete during the 1998 and ‘99 seasons.

As a result, Georgia Tech was on a two-year probation that resulted in self-imposed scholarship cuts (from 85 to 79) and a reduction in signing classes (from 25 to no more than 19) in 2005 and 2006. In addition to those penalties, the NCAA infractions committee added a limit of 79 total football scholarships for the 2006 and 2007 teams, six below the normal maximum.

The infractions committee also recommended that Tech vacate wins from seasons, 1998-2002, plus 2004, which were all winning seasons that ended in bowl trips. Tech appealed and the NCAA appeals committee agreed, allowing the results of those seasons to stand.

The NCAA has been in what appears to be a testy mood regarding alleged violations in wake of scandals at Ohio State, Southern California and North Carolina, among other places. The Trojans were forced by the NCAA to forfeit its 2004 national championship and the Buckeyes voluntarily forfeited 12 wins and their 2010 Sugar Bowl victory in an attempt to appease the infractions committee. Penalties against North Carolina’s program haven’t been announced. However, numerous players were suspended for all or parts of last season.

[EastStang]

Wow, the ACC is catching up with the SEC and PAC 12 in the cesspool ethics category. Now if another school besides Ohio State gets under the microscope in the Big Ten, they can join the parade. Perhaps this will turn into the same sort of pay for play race that happened in the SWC in the 1980's. The question is which SEC team takes the fall if that happens? My guess is that since Vandy barely fields a team and doesn't seem to cheat, its safe. So that leaves the next weak link of Ole Miss, South Carolina or MSU. My guess, Ole Miss or South Carolina takes the hit for the sins of the conference if caught. For the ACC,my guess is that since Duke and UVA are doormats, they don't cheat, so that leaves other programs vulnerable. They won't touch U, UNC, GT,VT, FSU or Clemson. So that leaves, UMD, NC State, Boston College, Wake Forest as the possible teams to get whacked. My money is on Wake Forest. Got good really fast and beat a few big boys. Has some dirt on their record from the old basketball days and a private school. Perfect candidate. In the PAC-12, I think Oregon is the team to get whacked. They are not UW, UCLA, UA, ASU, USC or Stanford, the sacred cows of the conference. They kicked in the door and have awful uniforms. They are the perfect candidate for the PAC-12. In the Big Ten, Minnesota seems to be the team picked to take the fall whenever a fall is needed. Plenty of past violations to use since again, they are the team picked to take the hit. UM needs one good season to lock up the DP in the Big Ten.

[Harry0569]

Georgia Tech was fined $100,000 by the NCAA, stripped of its 2009 ACC championship in football and placed on four years of probation on Thursday for failure to cooperate with its investigation into the football and men’s basketball programs.

Those weren’t the only penalties, which stemmed from what the NCAA described as an isolated instance of an unnamed student-athlete receiving $312 in impermissible gifts.

In addition, and some were self-imposed and accepted by the NCAA:

Public reprimand and censure.
Four years of probation from July 14, 2011 through July 13, 2015. The public report further details the conditions of this probation.
A reduction of two men’s basketball recruiting days during the 2011 summer evaluation period (self-imposed by the university).
A limit of 10 official visits for men’s basketball for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
A vacation of all contests won by the football team during the 2009 season after November 24.

The committee stated in its report, “This case provides a cautionary tale of conduct that member institutions should avoid while under investigation for violations of NCAA rules.” It said Tech’s previous history of violations factored into its punishment decisions. After receiving penalties for the 2005 and ‘06 seasons for infractions that occurred in the 1990s, the NCAA said that if Tech committed another major infraction before Nov. 17, 2010, it would be subject to added penalties as a repeat violator.

Georgia Tech President Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson and Athletic Director Dan Radakovich will hold a press conference at 4:30 p.m.

The case started when Tech learned that an unidentified football player, along with a teammate, received clothing from a friend of someone who worked for an sports agent. Radakovich told Paul Johnson about the investigation, but didn’t inform him that he shouldn’t talk to the second player about the investigation. The NCAA said that conversation hindered its investigation.

The NCAA noted that Tech continued to allow the second player to compete in the final three games of the 2009-10 football season, in which Tech won the ACC and played in the Orange Bowl, despite the NCAA notifying the school that it had questions about the player’s eligibility. Dennis Thomas, the head of the Infractions Committee, said Tech had enough information to warrant not using the player until it could investigate the player’s eligibility.

“It appeared to the committee that the institution attempted to manipulate the information surrounding potential violations involving (the student-athlete) so there would be enough doubt about its validity to justify the decision not to declare him ineligible,” the NCAA said in its report.

The committee also noted “the university took these actions despite information reported by the student-athlete, another football student-athlete and an assistant football coach regarding the potential agent involvement in preferential treatment benefits.” Tech barred the agency employee, a former student-athlete, from the university’s training facilities and denied him access to complimentary tickets to athletic contests. However, it did not follow up on the information regarding the involvement of the agency employee with the football student-athlete.

Demaryius Thomas, a wide receiver and first-round pick in the 2010 draft, denied a blog report that he is one of the reasons for the investigation. In a text message, Thomas said he was offered things by people not affiliated with Tech, but never accepted. Morgan Burnett, a safety and third-round pick, also denied the report, texting that he “did not knowingly or unknowingly receive any gifts from any agents … These reports are baseless and false.”

Thomas and Burnett signed with Tech when Chan Gailey was the coach. Paul Johnson, who led Tech to the ACC title in 2009, was hired after Gailey was fired by Radakovich after the 2007 season after five years at the helm.

It is the second time in six years that Tech has been penalized by the NCAA. It learned in 2003 that it had been misapplying an NCAA eligibility rule and worked with the NCAA to investigate the nature and results of the error. They learned that 17 athletes, including 11 football players, who were academically ineligible were allowed to compete during the 1998 and ‘99 seasons.

As a result, Georgia Tech was on a two-year probation that resulted in self-imposed scholarship cuts (from 85 to 79) and a reduction in signing classes (from 25 to no more than 19) in 2005 and 2006. In addition to those penalties, the NCAA infractions committee added a limit of 79 total football scholarships for the 2006 and 2007 teams, six below the normal maximum.

The infractions committee also recommended that Tech vacate wins from seasons, 1998-2002, plus 2004, which were all winning seasons that ended in bowl trips. Tech appealed and the NCAA appeals committee agreed, allowing the results of those seasons to stand.

The NCAA has been in what appears to be a testy mood regarding alleged violations and lack of cooperation in wake of scandals at Ohio State, Southern California and North Carolina, among other places. The Trojans were forced by the NCAA to forfeit their 2004 national championship and the Buckeyes voluntarily forfeited 12 wins and their 2010 Sugar Bowl victory in an attempt to appease the infractions committee. Penalties against North Carolina’s program haven’t been announced. However, numerous players were suspended for all or parts of last season.

[Stallion]

First, if you going to post an article list the link or at least source
Second, your conclusions such as "everyone is getting paid" and "boosters and agents" is a big leap from what this story really says. Its says an agent (who was a former student athlete) reportedly gave a player and a teamate extra benefits and the school covered it up with regard to a particular player in what the NCAA found was an isolated incident

[ponyte]

Probably just me but this doesn't look like that big a penalty.

[Stallion]

One thing is obvious-the NCAA is really increasing the pressure on Coaches who attempt to "lay behind the log" Great development. They've got a tough job I'll admit but there should be consequences for dishonesty

[Harry0569]

http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-tech-sport ... e-by-ncaa/

I apologize for being misinformed by my source. He made it out to be a lot worse than what it really was...my bad for getting crappy info.

[Ponymon]

No loss of scholarships, post season games, or TV. Sounds like they can pretty much continue business as usual at Georgia Tech!

[Charleston Pony]

Probably just me but this doesn't look like that big a penalty.

brutal having to vacate those wins!

[Roach]

Based on this precedent, Ohio State and Oregon should be closed down.