ESPN: NCAA investigating UCF ties with booster

[RGV Pony]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=6453617

Caldwell was the subject of a story that ran on The New York Times website on Friday night detailing his relationship with a UCF recruit named Kevin Ware. Ware rescinded his commitment on Thursday after The Times said he learned of Caldwell's background. The Times said Caldwell arranged conversations between Ware and UCF coach Donnie Jones, which is prohibited by the NCAA.

Caldwell's name is on the NCAA enforcement radar because of his involvement in the controversial recruitments of several basketball players, and at least one football player, because of his name-dropping of prominent agent Andy Miller, and saying he works for Nike. And because of his multifaceted connections with the University of Central Florida, which has enjoyed some notable recruiting successes this year.

[hoopmanx]

they're about to get bent over.

[CalallenStang]

They got one too many recruits that they shouldn't have. Now they will pay the price.

[mrydel]

Wonder how this affects the Big East rumors?

[harry callahan]

Andy Miller is a beauty! Not! Thank you for sharing. Rivals had UCF ranked #16 in the nation recruiting. Donnie learned the trade well. Get them NCAA! They also signed a 6'9" inch All-State player from Indiana that Louisville was after - Indy Star reported that Michael Chandler had signed with UCF. That first got me interested in what was going on. You don't usually pass on Louisville for UCF.

[Stallion]

boy talk about bad timing. All these coaches keep saying they didn't do anything wrong using "street agents" (because that's what they are)-but I've read the applicable NCAA provisions and it seems pretty clear to me that only designated off campus coaches can recruit a player on behalf of a school. No other representative of the university as broadly defined by the NCAA can have any role in recruiting. Guess they are going to have to S-P-E-L-L this out for some of these Coaches.

[The PonyGrad]

Yeah, and we get a major violation for some texts to parents of players we did not even get.

[hoopmanx]

Hate to be that guy, but UCF had a promising future in hoops. This doesn't help the league any

[harry callahan]

Andy Miller represents Kevin Garnett as well as numerous other NBA players. He will have his runners talk other agent's clients to change and go with him. Google his name and you see the articles. A friend of mine who was an agent back in the 1990's had a bad experience with Miller and lost his client to him. This particular player ( Native Texan) got $%$%^^ in the end by Miller and should have stayed with the original agent. Miller will throw his "chump change" to the second round draft picks and gamble on them making it while keeping his superstars. If they produce and make it then he profits from them in a big way.

[CalallenStang]

It's twitter...but some interesting tweets from Brandon Bender (if it's really even him):
http://twitter.com/#!/BrandonDaBender

(WARNING: Some language...not sure if it's against the rules or not...Mods, feel free to edit/remove if necessary)

These are before the story broke

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
Jus cashed my first #UCF payday.
17 Apr

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
#UCF Who Loves You Boiii $$$$$
17 Apr

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
Thanks Knights. Can't wait for the bank to open 2morow. #UCF
17 Apr

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
Shoutout to my #UCF Boosters makin me Large yea Boiii
18 Apr

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
#UCF Zeke. Chex in da mail.
19 Apr

After the story came out

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
KWare #fuckschool. Go Pro.
29 Apr

And some about Kentucky...just because:

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
Did all that runnin for Kentucky. Now they gon try act like dey don't no me. Fixin 2 tell everthang. We all go down 2gether.
27 Apr

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
@
@UKCoachCaIipari sorry. I don told evathang.
23 hours ago

[hoopmanx]

It's twitter...but some interesting tweets from Brandon Bender (if it's really even him):
http://twitter.com/#!/BrandonDaBender

(WARNING: Some language...not sure if it's against the rules or not...Mods, feel free to edit/remove if necessary)

These are before the story broke

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
Jus cashed my first #UCF payday.
17 Apr

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
#UCF Who Loves You Boiii $$$$$
17 Apr

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
Thanks Knights. Can't wait for the bank to open 2morow. #UCF
17 Apr

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
Shoutout to my #UCF Boosters makin me Large yea Boiii
18 Apr

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
#UCF Zeke. Chex in da mail.
19 Apr

After the story came out

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
KWare #[deleted]. Go Pro.
29 Apr

And some about Kentucky...just because:

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
Did all that runnin for Kentucky. Now they gon try act like dey don't no me. Fixin 2 tell everthang. We all go down 2gether.
27 Apr

BrandonDaBender Brandon Bender
@
@UKCoachCaIipari sorry. I don told evathang.
23 hours ago

That's serious right there. I'm not sure I've ever seen stupidity on this level. Runners getting run

[ponyscott]

No way someone could be that stupid?...

[One Trick Pony]

wonder what it would be like if you could just pay them a little

[mrydel]

wonder what it would be like if you could just pay them a little

Some booster would always pay the good ones a little more.

[hoopmanx]

The NCAA should hire Pete Thamel, cause he has a vendetta against this type of stuff, while raising his own star. Its embarrassing that he spent that sort of time on lowly UCF when he could have put a dagger in a blue blood, but the NCAA doesn't want that