Shipp Investigation

[Pony in SA]

It may be good to just let this die in a few weeks, but if we respond at all, I like school taking the position KF is good kid who worked hard in summer school, made the appropriate SAT score, etc. and even if grade changed he worked hard enough to pass college classes. Also, play up good daddy angle and being there for his son. Back the kid and look good to other recruits unless we had some hand in it, and paint us against this Shipp guy. If KF has demonstrated he can do the college work, and passes summer classes and had good enough SAT, I really think this is nada.

As far as Shipp, I would be proactive and quietly lawyer up to potentially go after him and also hire some PI types right now to check his background, financials, etc. to see if anything can be used as to his credibility, bias towards DISD athletes, etc. Good to have file on him if that information is needed in future. We had case involving high profile reporter years back and you'd be surprised and had skeletons these guys have in their closets, who they pay money to for information, etc.

And if one doesn't think grade issues are done at other schools, or other schools do worse, please. There are lists of attys. who "assist" athletes when they do worse (like the UT linebacker who drove thru apartment few years ago) because I have worked with them.

[StallionsModelT]

I think the worst thing we can do is abandon Keith Frazier by suspending him before we know what actually is going on. Based on the report, I do not think SMU had anything to do with the grade change. This is strictly a DISD issue. However, we better make DAMN SURE we have our bases covered. If we feel like we are in good shape then yes I agree. Play dirty against Shipp. I'm sure he's no saint. Let him and WFAA know that SMU has some pretty powerful people that won't stand for their university being attacked by some two bit hack.

[SMU 86]

Too bad KF does have the money to lawyer up himself like Manziel did.

[Pony in SA]

I think the worst thing we can do is abandon Keith Frazier by suspending him before we know what actually is going on. Based on the report, I do not think SMU had anything to do with the grade change. This is strictly a DISD issue. However, we better make DAMN SURE we have our bases covered. If we feel like we are in good shape then yes I agree. Play dirty against Shipp. I'm sure he's no saint. Let him and WFAA know that SMU has some pretty powerful people that won't stand for their university being attacked by some two bit hack.

Agree, make sure we have our bases covered and like I mentioned that we did not have some hand in anything. However, I'd just stockpile information on the guy now as quietly as possible to use later only if needed. Different guy, but case we had years ago the reporter had drug problem he was trying to pay for, had to pay for his information from people and bribe them to give him information, and liked women's clothing. Don't know at all about this guy, but he may have something that shows why he is so bent on going after DISD kids.

But your right, need to make sure are hands clean first...

[lwjr]

Too bad KF does have the money to lawyer up himself like Manziel did.

If KF had to seek counsel, does anyone know if someone other than his family would be allowed to pay for the legal fees as long as they have no attachment to SMU? My initial thought would be, no.
Just curious.

[Longtime]

"lawyer up" "Hire a PI" "play dirty" with Shipp? What for? All he's done is report the results of a DISD investigation. The guy goes after the likes of John Wiley Price. He doesn't scare easily and there's no need to even think along those lines.

Shipp doesn't need to pay anyone off because DISD athletics is low-hanging fruit for an investigative reporter. Particularly basketball. DISD doesn't enforce transfer rules and looks the other way on all sorts of issues, especially if it benefits sacred cows like Kimball, Carter, Lincoln, SOC and now Skyline. THAT's the reason Shipp "goes after" DISD kids (actually administrators) - it's easy.

He's also "gone after" Southlake Carroll (twice) and Euless Trinity. He's not obsessed with the DISD, the DISD just keeps screwing up.

There are SO many scandals in high school athletics. The majority of the media doesn't waste their time on them, but it makes a big splash when it's put on TV.

[Tbuck12]

I heard he woke up this morning with a horse head in his sheets.

[Donnell88]

As for the cost of legal fees, I am hopeful someone would do what I would do (as an SMU grad and a former barrister). Simply charge the client a nominal fee (ie, one dollar) and tell the press (when they inevitably ask) that you have been retained by Mr. Frazier and the issue of the amount of your fee is a strictly confidential matter.
It is a completely honest answer; personally I believe telling the media you are acting pro bono is asking for trouble.

[Alaric]

I think the worst thing we can do is abandon Keith Frazier by suspending him before we know what actually is going on.

"Don't go after Keith Frazier, he's a kid. Come after me, I'm a man. I'm 74"

[Pony in SA]

Point I was trying to make was simply I think we should be pro-active and have our ducks in a row if we do have clean hands and nothing really here, other than a reporter stirring the pot for ratings. I do not think it hurts to have all available information to use if we want to if it is determined our bases all covered. Like I said I would gather things and be preparing things quietly for use later, but only if needed. Again, I would try to just let story die on its own as best course of action.

If its determined his reporting for some other motive or reasons, and he unfairly went after KF or school, then I think it will eventually come out. It does seem like regardless if grade changed, that KF still did summer school and took SAT, and otherwise has performed as asked but his name kinda soiled by all this. I'm assuming KF didn't have power to change his own high school grade, some other adult did, so kinda going after the kid who by all accounts has done what was asked of him even if grade changed seems a bad to me. Fair to go after DISD and adults there who changed grade, but instead he is posturing story with the KF and SMU angle.

[BigT3x]

WTF is wrong with you people? Do you really see us using thug tactics against a big Dallas media outlet going in our favor?

[sacklunch]

If there is anything SMU is good at - it's navigating these complex legal / PR issues.

[RE Tycoon]

I think the worst thing we can do is abandon Keith Frazier by suspending him before we know what actually is going on. Based on the report, I do not think SMU had anything to do with the grade change. This is strictly a DISD issue. However, we better make DAMN SURE we have our bases covered. If we feel like we are in good shape then yes I agree. Play dirty against Shipp. I'm sure he's no saint. Let him and WFAA know that SMU has some pretty powerful people that won't stand for their university being attacked by some two bit hack.

I disagree with not suspending Frazier, have to protect the integrity of the season. I'm not saying we abandon him, you suspend and if SMU is clean, ask for immediate re-instatement per Cam Newton and numerous other players who have had issues.

Suspending is not admitting any wrongdoing on SMU or Keith's behalf, but it's covering bases and a part of due process. Now that we have "knowledge" of this issue, we could be punished for playing an ineligible player going forward, if in fact that is the case.

I still believe this a non issue and the ineligible class was made of after the fact, but we have to go through the motions and protect the integrity of the season while fighting to have Keith reinstated.

[Nacho]

winning is the best revenge.

[gostangs]

Tycoon is right. Chances of us playing Keith until this is at least somewhat blown over is zero. We are understandably skiddish on these issues and will take the cautious route. Hopefully Larry will be able to explain to Keith - and hopefully we can make this an ultra fast investigation.

That said - unless there is all kinds of new info here I don't know how we would end up with a finding that all of this is old and NCAA cleared him after this occurred.