UPDATE: Arizona Charged w/ FIVE Level I Violations. 2 Yrs Ago was thought that Sean Miller Was Likely Done where He Would Have Walked w/ $10.3M
- Thread starter Franisdaman
- Start date
Sean Elliot was a star player for Lute Olson at Arizona
The reason that Eliot went to Arizona was because of
his mother. She liked the moral character and discipline
of Lute Olson. She told Sean that he should play for
a great coach like Lute Olson.
The reason that Eliot went to Arizona was because of
his mother. She liked the moral character and discipline
of Lute Olson. She told Sean that he should play for
a great coach like Lute Olson.
He looks out for the best interest of the university not the best interest of Sean Miller. Regardless of how you feel, everything he stated was fact, not speculation and not suspicion.
As far as your second question there are a few out there that have defended Miller’s right to due process. Really that’s the only issue I have with this whole deal, if there’s concrete proof of wrongdoing you absolutely won’t hear me defend him.
So far arguments in his defense have been quotes from him. Not very convincing.
I agree that he deserves due process but when it is known that he was in contact with this type of agent, the trail is there. Pretty easy to add 1+1, especially when the results are what the agent proposed.
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Here's the deal. No one knew they were being wire tapped by the FBI yet Sean Miller's name continually was being brought up when it came to payments made to players/the player's families.
Sean Miller may have been smart to make sure there was no paper or electronic trail that connects him to payments.
However, he was not so smart when it came to keeping his name out of everything, including others getting recorded by the FBI, where they state how Sean Miller was involved in the corruption.
Sean Miller has been and is currently doing just what Rick Pitino did. Deny, deny, deny and hope for the best.
Arizona Assistant Coach: Sean Miller paid $10,000 per month to Deandre Ayton
May 1, 2019
4:18 PM CT
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26647372/miller-paid-10k-per-month-ayton
Prosecutors played the call, which was intercepted by wiretaps on June 20, 2017, to the jury near the end of their case involving college basketball corruption.
Dawkins and Richardson were discussing how to recruit Ayton as a client to Dawkins' fledgling sports management company.
While talking about Ayton, Arizona Asst Coach Richardson told Dawkins, "Sean's got to get the [expletive] out of the way and let us work."
"We'll see how Sean plays it out," Dawkins said.
"You know what he bought per month?" Richardson asked.
"What he do?" Dawkins asked.
"I told you -- 10," Richardson replied.
"He's putting up some real money for them [expletive]," Dawkins responded. "He told me he's getting killed."
"But that's his fault," Richardson said.
During the same call, Richardson and Dawkins discussed how much Richardson would be paid each month by Dawkins' new sports management agency.
"You already know Sean is taking care of Rawle [Alkins] and them," Dawkins said.
Later Wednesday, Dawkins was called to testify and said that he didn't see anything wrong with paying college athletes.
"They are the only kids in college who can't get paid legally," Dawkins said. "There is a need for them to get paid. ... I don't think anything that's been discussed in either case is a crime."
Dawkins testified that he believed his company was already getting Alkins as a client, and that Ayton was already being paid through other parties.
"Deandre Ayton is going to get way more than 5,000," Dawkins said. "That's not even in the ballpark of what he's going to get."
It is unclear whether co-defendant Merl Code will testify.
Federal prosecutors have charged Dawkins and Code, a former Adidas consultant, with bribing three former assistants -- Richardson, Lamont Evans (South Carolina and Oklahoma State) and Tony Bland (USC) -- to influence their players to sign with Dawkins' company and certain financial advisors once they turned pro.
Dawkins testified Wednesday that he didn't want to pay assistant coaches because he didn't think they had much influence over players' choices in agents.
"By the time those kids get to college, the deals are usually already done," Dawkins testified. "There's no need to pay a college coach because these players are coming to college with agents. This idea that it's an amateur world is not real."
"I could be wrong here, but I'm pretty sure that no one is signing players who isn't paying."
Dawkins said Jeff D'Angelo -- the pseudonym for an undercover FBI agent posing as an investor -- wanted to bribe the coaches, despite his objections.
During a telephone call with D'Angelo on June 28, 2017, Dawkins told him, "If you just wanna be Santa Claus and just give people money, well [expletive], let's take the money and let's just go to the strip club and buy hookers."
"Just to pay guys just for the sake of paying the guy, because he's at a school, that doesn't make sense," Dawkins testified. "[D'Angelo] is basically saying, 'You're going to introduce me to coaches that I can pay, or I'm not going to fund you.'"
Dawkins testified that he took the money given to him for college coaches and instead deposited it into the company bank account.
"Everything I deposited was given to me by the government (the undercover agent)," he said.
In one instance, Dawkins and Creighton assistant coach Preston Murphy invented a player -- "Marcus Phillips" -- in order to get $6,000 in a meeting from D'Angelo. Dawkins testified that immediately following the meeting, he and Murphy went into a bathroom and Murphy gave the $6,000 back to Dawkins, who later deposited $5,000 of it into the company account.
"I never paid a coach with the intent of bribing or influencing them to do anything for me," Dawkins testified.
ESPN reported in February 2018 that FBI wiretaps intercepted a call between Dawkins and Miller in which the Arizona coach discussed a $100,000 payment that secured Ayton's commitment to the Wildcats. At the time, Miller disputed the report and denied ever paying a recruit to sign with Arizona.
Last week, federal prosecutors played a surveillance recording of a meeting June 6, 2017, in which Dawkins talks about Ayton and says Miller told him, "I'm taking care of everything myself. I wanna bring you in. I'll turn everything over to you."
Former financial adviser Marty Blazer, a cooperating witness for the government, was present at the June 2017 meeting and testified last week that the reference was about Miller "taking care" of payments for Ayton.
Ayton, a 7-foot-1 center from the Bahamas, spent one season at Arizona before the Phoenix Suns selected him No. 1 overall in the 2018 NBA draft.
Munish Sood, a business partner of Dawkins, pleaded guilty to three felony counts related to the case and testified that Richardson accepted a $5,000 bribe during an initial meeting in New York on June 20, 2017. In return, Richardson promised to steer current and future Arizona players, including Ayton, Alkins and Allonzo Trier, to Dawkins' company.
"You're going to get Rawle Alkins, he's going to be a first-rounder," Richardson told Sood and others during the meeting at a New York hotel. "Allonzo Trier, you should get him. Deandre Ayton, we're working on him."
At one point during the recording, Richardson told Sood and the undercover FBI agents that Dawkins told him, "I wish I was a pimp and you were a prostitute. You'd make millions for me." Richardson said Dawkins also ridiculed him for using his own money to pay recruits.
"You make a quarter of a million dollars a year and you're broke," Dawkins told Richardson.
In July 2017, Richardson asked for an additional $15,000 from Dawkins and Sood to give to the mother of 2018 recruit Jahvon Quinerly of Hackensack, New Jersey. Richardson said he planned to make three payments of $5,000 each and would also pay her $10,000 of his own money.
"So Mom is like, 'How's this gonna work? I wanna move to Tucson,'" Richardson told Sood and an undercover FBI agent during a July 20, 2017, meeting at Sood's office in Princeton, New Jersey. "So I said, 'Look, you don't want to move to Tucson. It's a nice vacation spot. It's hot.
"'This is what I'll do. This is what I can do for you to put you in a situation to move to Tucson. ... I don't want the NCAA [expletive] with us. You should take two or three more visits and then shut it down. And then as soon as you do that, you commit.'"
Quinerly, the No. 7 point guard prospect in the Class of 2018 according to ESPN Recruiting, committed to Arizona over Villanova in August 2017.
After Richardson was among 10 men arrested by the FBI in September 2017, Quinerly decommitted and played at Villanova this past season. He announced in April that he is transferring to another school.
Richardson also said during the recording that he was making $2,000 monthly payments to Rodney Labossiere, Alkins' cousin, who was living with him in Tucson.
"His cousin moved to Tucson, which I'm highly against," Richardson said. "I never want the parents or anyone to move there. I'll give you two grand a month to make sure it works. But he brought him, his wife and his child. Wrong move."
During one of the recordings, Richardson also told the undercover FBI agents that LSU coach Will Wade attempted to hire him. At the time, Arizona and LSU were involved in a recruiting war for forward Nazreon Reid of Asbury Park, New Jersey.
According to Richardson, Wade told him, "Look, there's a deal in place. I got $300,000 for him."
Richardson said he responded, "S---, give me half and I'll make sure the kid goes there."
May 1, 2019
4:18 PM CT
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26647372/miller-paid-10k-per-month-ayton
- Mark Schlabach
- Jeff Borzello
Prosecutors played the call, which was intercepted by wiretaps on June 20, 2017, to the jury near the end of their case involving college basketball corruption.
Dawkins and Richardson were discussing how to recruit Ayton as a client to Dawkins' fledgling sports management company.
While talking about Ayton, Arizona Asst Coach Richardson told Dawkins, "Sean's got to get the [expletive] out of the way and let us work."
"We'll see how Sean plays it out," Dawkins said.
"You know what he bought per month?" Richardson asked.
"What he do?" Dawkins asked.
"I told you -- 10," Richardson replied.
"He's putting up some real money for them [expletive]," Dawkins responded. "He told me he's getting killed."
"But that's his fault," Richardson said.
During the same call, Richardson and Dawkins discussed how much Richardson would be paid each month by Dawkins' new sports management agency.
"You already know Sean is taking care of Rawle [Alkins] and them," Dawkins said.
Later Wednesday, Dawkins was called to testify and said that he didn't see anything wrong with paying college athletes.
"They are the only kids in college who can't get paid legally," Dawkins said. "There is a need for them to get paid. ... I don't think anything that's been discussed in either case is a crime."
Dawkins testified that he believed his company was already getting Alkins as a client, and that Ayton was already being paid through other parties.
"Deandre Ayton is going to get way more than 5,000," Dawkins said. "That's not even in the ballpark of what he's going to get."
It is unclear whether co-defendant Merl Code will testify.
Federal prosecutors have charged Dawkins and Code, a former Adidas consultant, with bribing three former assistants -- Richardson, Lamont Evans (South Carolina and Oklahoma State) and Tony Bland (USC) -- to influence their players to sign with Dawkins' company and certain financial advisors once they turned pro.
Dawkins testified Wednesday that he didn't want to pay assistant coaches because he didn't think they had much influence over players' choices in agents.
"By the time those kids get to college, the deals are usually already done," Dawkins testified. "There's no need to pay a college coach because these players are coming to college with agents. This idea that it's an amateur world is not real."
"I could be wrong here, but I'm pretty sure that no one is signing players who isn't paying."
Dawkins said Jeff D'Angelo -- the pseudonym for an undercover FBI agent posing as an investor -- wanted to bribe the coaches, despite his objections.
During a telephone call with D'Angelo on June 28, 2017, Dawkins told him, "If you just wanna be Santa Claus and just give people money, well [expletive], let's take the money and let's just go to the strip club and buy hookers."
"Just to pay guys just for the sake of paying the guy, because he's at a school, that doesn't make sense," Dawkins testified. "[D'Angelo] is basically saying, 'You're going to introduce me to coaches that I can pay, or I'm not going to fund you.'"
Dawkins testified that he took the money given to him for college coaches and instead deposited it into the company bank account.
"Everything I deposited was given to me by the government (the undercover agent)," he said.
In one instance, Dawkins and Creighton assistant coach Preston Murphy invented a player -- "Marcus Phillips" -- in order to get $6,000 in a meeting from D'Angelo. Dawkins testified that immediately following the meeting, he and Murphy went into a bathroom and Murphy gave the $6,000 back to Dawkins, who later deposited $5,000 of it into the company account.
"I never paid a coach with the intent of bribing or influencing them to do anything for me," Dawkins testified.
ESPN reported in February 2018 that FBI wiretaps intercepted a call between Dawkins and Miller in which the Arizona coach discussed a $100,000 payment that secured Ayton's commitment to the Wildcats. At the time, Miller disputed the report and denied ever paying a recruit to sign with Arizona.
Last week, federal prosecutors played a surveillance recording of a meeting June 6, 2017, in which Dawkins talks about Ayton and says Miller told him, "I'm taking care of everything myself. I wanna bring you in. I'll turn everything over to you."
Former financial adviser Marty Blazer, a cooperating witness for the government, was present at the June 2017 meeting and testified last week that the reference was about Miller "taking care" of payments for Ayton.
Ayton, a 7-foot-1 center from the Bahamas, spent one season at Arizona before the Phoenix Suns selected him No. 1 overall in the 2018 NBA draft.
Munish Sood, a business partner of Dawkins, pleaded guilty to three felony counts related to the case and testified that Richardson accepted a $5,000 bribe during an initial meeting in New York on June 20, 2017. In return, Richardson promised to steer current and future Arizona players, including Ayton, Alkins and Allonzo Trier, to Dawkins' company.
"You're going to get Rawle Alkins, he's going to be a first-rounder," Richardson told Sood and others during the meeting at a New York hotel. "Allonzo Trier, you should get him. Deandre Ayton, we're working on him."
At one point during the recording, Richardson told Sood and the undercover FBI agents that Dawkins told him, "I wish I was a pimp and you were a prostitute. You'd make millions for me." Richardson said Dawkins also ridiculed him for using his own money to pay recruits.
"You make a quarter of a million dollars a year and you're broke," Dawkins told Richardson.
In July 2017, Richardson asked for an additional $15,000 from Dawkins and Sood to give to the mother of 2018 recruit Jahvon Quinerly of Hackensack, New Jersey. Richardson said he planned to make three payments of $5,000 each and would also pay her $10,000 of his own money.
"So Mom is like, 'How's this gonna work? I wanna move to Tucson,'" Richardson told Sood and an undercover FBI agent during a July 20, 2017, meeting at Sood's office in Princeton, New Jersey. "So I said, 'Look, you don't want to move to Tucson. It's a nice vacation spot. It's hot.
"'This is what I'll do. This is what I can do for you to put you in a situation to move to Tucson. ... I don't want the NCAA [expletive] with us. You should take two or three more visits and then shut it down. And then as soon as you do that, you commit.'"
Quinerly, the No. 7 point guard prospect in the Class of 2018 according to ESPN Recruiting, committed to Arizona over Villanova in August 2017.
After Richardson was among 10 men arrested by the FBI in September 2017, Quinerly decommitted and played at Villanova this past season. He announced in April that he is transferring to another school.
Richardson also said during the recording that he was making $2,000 monthly payments to Rodney Labossiere, Alkins' cousin, who was living with him in Tucson.
"His cousin moved to Tucson, which I'm highly against," Richardson said. "I never want the parents or anyone to move there. I'll give you two grand a month to make sure it works. But he brought him, his wife and his child. Wrong move."
During one of the recordings, Richardson also told the undercover FBI agents that LSU coach Will Wade attempted to hire him. At the time, Arizona and LSU were involved in a recruiting war for forward Nazreon Reid of Asbury Park, New Jersey.
According to Richardson, Wade told him, "Look, there's a deal in place. I got $300,000 for him."
Richardson said he responded, "S---, give me half and I'll make sure the kid goes there."
Bearing in mind the massive corruption endemic to federal law enforcement, it is still very hard to prove the kind of bribery that is being discussed without a solid money trail.
I did some public integrity cases a few years ago. Unsurprisingly, governments make it very hard to prove a case against a public employee, which includes employees at public universities.
The guys that do get caught are typical victims of ignoring a wise old Iowa axiom: Pigs get fed and hogs get slaughtered.
I did some public integrity cases a few years ago. Unsurprisingly, governments make it very hard to prove a case against a public employee, which includes employees at public universities.
The guys that do get caught are typical victims of ignoring a wise old Iowa axiom: Pigs get fed and hogs get slaughtered.
While bribing players to go to a specific college is slimy as hell is it really criminal? If so, should it be?
The public employees (coaches) are neither receiving nor paying bribes. If the players are getting the money then they are ineligible, but its not criminal, or at least shouldn't be.
Think about what that article above actually says. You have federal law enforcement agents that are generally committed to the proposition that their lofty and patriotic goals justify any means necessary to achieve them. You have co conspirators that are being paid, in time if not in money (and sometimes paid money) to both sing and compose testimony.
You have some shit bag bag men organizing and delivering bribes for the purpose of evading NCAA regulations being recorded by coppers that are quite capable and frequently alter recordings to benefit their case.
There are no good guys in this scenario. Sickening.
The public employees (coaches) are neither receiving nor paying bribes. If the players are getting the money then they are ineligible, but its not criminal, or at least shouldn't be.
Think about what that article above actually says. You have federal law enforcement agents that are generally committed to the proposition that their lofty and patriotic goals justify any means necessary to achieve them. You have co conspirators that are being paid, in time if not in money (and sometimes paid money) to both sing and compose testimony.
You have some shit bag bag men organizing and delivering bribes for the purpose of evading NCAA regulations being recorded by coppers that are quite capable and frequently alter recordings to benefit their case.
There are no good guys in this scenario. Sickening.
Considering that you are so easily spoon fed the espn narrative and believe the testimony and recordings of a bunch of con men I’ll take that as a compliment.
I’ll say it again, if real evidence proving Miller’s involvement ever materializes I’ll be convinced. But all I have seen thus far is a bunch of grade A slime balls ripping each other off in a complex web of cons and counter cons. Miller really screwed himself allowing Richardson around him, but the guy was very connected in the NY AAU scene. Dawkins was a runner for Andy Miller, there’s not a coach in the nation who’s had a player drafted in the lottery who didn’t have dialogue with him.
In the world of agents and financial advisers guys like Dawkins are prevalent, it’s funny so many people are shocked by this.
I’ll also say this again. Christian Dawkins attorney Haney, is ESPN’s source, he has been deliberately leaking carefully selected information to various “journalists” ( I’ll use that term reluctantly) in order to attempt to create a narrative that might open a window to blame a culture of corruption that existed outside his clients activities. The prosecution has been able to destroy him in court thus far, but the “media” continues to publish this garbage as fact when it is actually just a bunch of hearsay and bluffing on tape.
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So you honestly believe that Sean Miller lied to the FBI and successfully hid tens of thousands of dollars in illicit payments over a coaching gig? And you also believe he was able to fool them when the damn mafia, al-Qaeda, and North Korea couldn’t? The FBI financial wizards want to find something.. it gets found ... period.
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Sorry I’m not defending Miller because I am a fervent follower of his cult. I just call it like I see it. The damage has already been done to Arizona, so defending him doesn’t do fans much good.
I mean Dawkin’s freely admitted to making up a freaking recruit... a whole fake person.. to steal money from the undercover agent. Yet you believe the guy is gospel truth on his wiretaps ( which aren’t under oath).
I mean Dawkin’s freely admitted to making up a freaking recruit... a whole fake person.. to steal money from the undercover agent. Yet you believe the guy is gospel truth on his wiretaps ( which aren’t under oath).
Its gotta be. Or it could be an Arizona fan who simply REFUSES to accept what's being reported by not only ESPN but Arizona newspapers.Sean...is that you?
I’m an Arizona alum, who was born/raised a Hawkeye fan in Iowa. I have some modest connections at my alma mater. I’m not just schilling for Miller, it’s obvious what shady things went down concerning Richardson but less apparent what happened with Miller. But of course you know this because not one of you has argued my logic or information, just made snide remarks. I thought you might appreciate some different information and insight beside what you can spam from the “worldwide leader”.
If you truly consider what’s been provided by espn and the banter of Richardson and Dawkins as PROOF of wrongdoing by Miler then I bet you were big Blasey-Ford believers too.
Tomorrow will be the deciding day. We might very well hear exactly what was said on the taps with MILLER speaking ( up to Judge). The deciding factor will be wether there is anything on these tapes that incriminates him directly, and the general feeling is that there isn’t. I have heard it might even be the tap of Miller telling Dawkins to get bent.
If there is even a hint of incrimination however, my guess is they can him.
If you truly consider what’s been provided by espn and the banter of Richardson and Dawkins as PROOF of wrongdoing by Miler then I bet you were big Blasey-Ford believers too.
Tomorrow will be the deciding day. We might very well hear exactly what was said on the taps with MILLER speaking ( up to Judge). The deciding factor will be wether there is anything on these tapes that incriminates him directly, and the general feeling is that there isn’t. I have heard it might even be the tap of Miller telling Dawkins to get bent.
If there is even a hint of incrimination however, my guess is they can him.
Btw, AZ media burned bridges with Miller years ago. Linking them as some damning thing is not going to impress any Arizona fan. A couple life long UofA columnists got their asses terminated for making stuff up about him on a radio show, the relationship with those entities is not what you would call credible.
From the Yahoo report:
"Seemingly, at this point, the only collegiate Board of Regents who could look at all this evidence and think Miller’s dramatic denial about paying players had a seed of truth would be one that consists of the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus."
"Seemingly, at this point, the only collegiate Board of Regents who could look at all this evidence and think Miller’s dramatic denial about paying players had a seed of truth would be one that consists of the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus."
"All this evidence."
Nevertheless, WildIowacat will be back here, continuing to ignore "all this evidence" and continuing to defend Sean Miller. Hopefully there are not too many of him. We saw that same cult mentality and the same ignoring "all this evidence" with Penn State fans.
This sports columnist makes good points regarding former Arizona Assistant Coach Richardson.
* Arizona Asst Coach Book Richardson said on tape that Sean Miller was paying the player $10,000 per month.
* Arizona Asst Coach Book Richardson sounded quite believable given that it was casual conversation
* Arizona Asst Coach Book Richardson didn't know he was being taped by the FBI, so there was no holding back.
The tweets:
* Arizona Asst Coach Book Richardson said on tape that Sean Miller was paying the player $10,000 per month.
* Arizona Asst Coach Book Richardson sounded quite believable given that it was casual conversation
* Arizona Asst Coach Book Richardson didn't know he was being taped by the FBI, so there was no holding back.
The tweets:
From the Yahoo column:
“Coach Miller has got to either walk to the center of this stage and start speaking clearly, or get off it altogether. An innocent man would have a forceful and convincing response.”
The noise is mounting for Arizona regarding Sean Miller’s future, and the question remains how long they’ll end up keeping their hands over their ears wishing their problems away.
Some more excerpts:
How much longer can Arizona employ Sean Miller?
Pete Thamel
Yahoo Sports
May 1, 2019, 6:46 PM
Amid a flurry of information in what could be remembered as one the most significant days of college basketball’s corruption cases, Arizona administrators likely find themselves at a self-induced awkward crossroads about Miller’s future.
Former Arizona associate head coach Emanuel “Book” Richardson said to agent-runner Christian Dawkins that Miller was paying Ayton $10,000 per month, using the word “bought” to describe the transaction. Dawkins said: “He’s putting up some real money for them [racial slur]. He told me he’s getting killed.”
That was soon followed by a casual acknowledgement by Dawkins that Miller was paying former guard Rawle Alkins as well, basically saying that Miller’s payment helped Dawkins’ business expenses: “You already know, Sean’s taking care of Rawle and them,” Dawkins said. “So it ain’t no expense to Rawle. So that’s easy.”
To most around college athletics, the decision on what to do with Miller’s future should be easy. There have been two days of wiretap testimony here painting Miller’s program on the forefront of the market of paying players, as Tuesday brought allegations that Miller “fronted” the deal for Ayton. Dawkins also claimed on a wiretap played last week that Miller told him: “I’m taking care of everything myself. I want to bring you in.”
Since coming out in support of Miller late last season, the school has publicly handled the situation with the equivalent of administrators holding their hands over their ears to block out the noise. School officials persistently ignore requests for comment and have essentially dared the NCAA to come and find information that their coach was in control of the program.
As the allegations have piled up and recruits have rolled in, Arizona has dueled with LSU as the country’s most outlandish bandit basketball program, the one that ADs whisper about on the phone and prompts coaches to wonder why there’s never any consequences.
To folks in and around Tucson, the past two days have felt like a tipping point. One source with deep ties to the university told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday night: “Coach Miller has got to either walk to the center of this stage and start speaking clearly, or get off it altogether. An innocent man would have a forceful and convincing response.”
Miller hasn’t said a whole lot about the case since his denial in the wake of the ESPN report last season.
“I have never knowingly violated NCAA rules while serving as head coach of this great program,” he said in a statement.
Miller has long since lawyered up, circled the wagons and, wisely, managed to last 15 more months and make about $4 million more dollars.
Without having to show up, Sean Miller managed to have his day in court on Wednesday. It didn’t go well, and the thorny questions Arizona punted down the road 15 months ago are staring them back in the face again. The noise is mounting for Arizona regarding Sean Miller’s future, and the question remains how long they’ll end up keeping their hands over their ears wishing their problems away.
“Coach Miller has got to either walk to the center of this stage and start speaking clearly, or get off it altogether. An innocent man would have a forceful and convincing response.”
The noise is mounting for Arizona regarding Sean Miller’s future, and the question remains how long they’ll end up keeping their hands over their ears wishing their problems away.
Some more excerpts:
How much longer can Arizona employ Sean Miller?
Pete Thamel
Yahoo Sports
May 1, 2019, 6:46 PM
Amid a flurry of information in what could be remembered as one the most significant days of college basketball’s corruption cases, Arizona administrators likely find themselves at a self-induced awkward crossroads about Miller’s future.
Former Arizona associate head coach Emanuel “Book” Richardson said to agent-runner Christian Dawkins that Miller was paying Ayton $10,000 per month, using the word “bought” to describe the transaction. Dawkins said: “He’s putting up some real money for them [racial slur]. He told me he’s getting killed.”
That was soon followed by a casual acknowledgement by Dawkins that Miller was paying former guard Rawle Alkins as well, basically saying that Miller’s payment helped Dawkins’ business expenses: “You already know, Sean’s taking care of Rawle and them,” Dawkins said. “So it ain’t no expense to Rawle. So that’s easy.”
To most around college athletics, the decision on what to do with Miller’s future should be easy. There have been two days of wiretap testimony here painting Miller’s program on the forefront of the market of paying players, as Tuesday brought allegations that Miller “fronted” the deal for Ayton. Dawkins also claimed on a wiretap played last week that Miller told him: “I’m taking care of everything myself. I want to bring you in.”
Since coming out in support of Miller late last season, the school has publicly handled the situation with the equivalent of administrators holding their hands over their ears to block out the noise. School officials persistently ignore requests for comment and have essentially dared the NCAA to come and find information that their coach was in control of the program.
As the allegations have piled up and recruits have rolled in, Arizona has dueled with LSU as the country’s most outlandish bandit basketball program, the one that ADs whisper about on the phone and prompts coaches to wonder why there’s never any consequences.
To folks in and around Tucson, the past two days have felt like a tipping point. One source with deep ties to the university told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday night: “Coach Miller has got to either walk to the center of this stage and start speaking clearly, or get off it altogether. An innocent man would have a forceful and convincing response.”
Miller hasn’t said a whole lot about the case since his denial in the wake of the ESPN report last season.
“I have never knowingly violated NCAA rules while serving as head coach of this great program,” he said in a statement.
Miller has long since lawyered up, circled the wagons and, wisely, managed to last 15 more months and make about $4 million more dollars.
Without having to show up, Sean Miller managed to have his day in court on Wednesday. It didn’t go well, and the thorny questions Arizona punted down the road 15 months ago are staring them back in the face again. The noise is mounting for Arizona regarding Sean Miller’s future, and the question remains how long they’ll end up keeping their hands over their ears wishing their problems away.
Latest Sean Miller federal trial developments prompt response from University of Arizona
Bruce Pascoe,
Arizona Daily Star
Published 9:58 a.m. MT
May 2, 2019
SCOTTSDALE — Arizona says it is taking “very seriously” what was presented in federal court Wednesday, when former assistant basketball coach Emanuel "Book" Richardson was heard on a wiretapped phone call played for jurors saying Arizona coach Sean Miller had agreed to pay former Wildcat star Deandre Ayton.
“The University of Arizona takes the information presented in court today very seriously and remains committed to the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct which includes competing within the rules of the NCAA and the Pac-12 Conference," Arizona said in a statement in response to the Daily Star's request for comment. "We will continue to cooperate fully with the NCAA and with other ongoing investigations into this matter in the best interest of the university and the men’s basketball program.”
Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke could not be reached during Pac-12 meetings at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, where athletic directors later attended an offsite Tournament of Roses dinner. Arizona president Robert C. Robbins tweeted Wednesday night that he was at Old Main celebrating the sponsors, volunteers and community partners involved with the Tucson Festival of Books.
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, meanwhile, said he couldn’t comment yet on Richardson's allegation because it surfaced during the conference’s meetings, and said he didn't know exactly what UA's own investigation has revealed.
Scott said he has not discussed the issue with Heeke this week, and has not been in touch with UA’s legal team, which has had a representative sitting in on every day of the trial. But he said the Pac-12 has been in regular contact with Arizona officials and is “very concerned” about the issues that have been brought up.
MORE: Should Arizona Wildcats fire or continue to stand by Sean Miller?
The optics
National media reaction to Wednesday’s proceedings included a CBS podcast entitled “The federal trial has been worse for Arizona than maybe everyone was expecting,” and a Yahoo Sports story with a headline reading “How much longer can Arizona employ Sean Miller?”
During a roundtable interview Wednesday with national and local reporters, Scott was asked if retaining coaches alleged to have broken rules during the proceedings would send a message that nothing will change about the underbelly of college basketball.
“There are a lot of people in college sports, including myself, that hope that there are some definitive findings or a conclusion one way or another as a result of this trial,” Scott said. “I think, in a strange way, it's potentially a very positive development for college basketball. The FBI has had tools and the ability to look into things that would be difficult for the NCAA, given their subpoena power, wiretaps, etc.
“The conversations I’ve had with our basketball coaches and our administration is that we’re really hopeful that there are some conclusions that come out of it one way or another and not just open-ended questions that don’t have concrete conclusions.”
Still, Scott acknowledged that the frequent references to cash payments in allegations that have surfaced during the trial indicate that proving violations is difficult.
“If it’s possible, this process may have created some sympathy for the challenges that NCAA enforcement has,” Scott said.
Bruce Pascoe,
Arizona Daily Star
Published 9:58 a.m. MT
May 2, 2019
SCOTTSDALE — Arizona says it is taking “very seriously” what was presented in federal court Wednesday, when former assistant basketball coach Emanuel "Book" Richardson was heard on a wiretapped phone call played for jurors saying Arizona coach Sean Miller had agreed to pay former Wildcat star Deandre Ayton.
“The University of Arizona takes the information presented in court today very seriously and remains committed to the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct which includes competing within the rules of the NCAA and the Pac-12 Conference," Arizona said in a statement in response to the Daily Star's request for comment. "We will continue to cooperate fully with the NCAA and with other ongoing investigations into this matter in the best interest of the university and the men’s basketball program.”
Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke could not be reached during Pac-12 meetings at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, where athletic directors later attended an offsite Tournament of Roses dinner. Arizona president Robert C. Robbins tweeted Wednesday night that he was at Old Main celebrating the sponsors, volunteers and community partners involved with the Tucson Festival of Books.
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, meanwhile, said he couldn’t comment yet on Richardson's allegation because it surfaced during the conference’s meetings, and said he didn't know exactly what UA's own investigation has revealed.
Scott said he has not discussed the issue with Heeke this week, and has not been in touch with UA’s legal team, which has had a representative sitting in on every day of the trial. But he said the Pac-12 has been in regular contact with Arizona officials and is “very concerned” about the issues that have been brought up.
MORE: Should Arizona Wildcats fire or continue to stand by Sean Miller?
The optics
National media reaction to Wednesday’s proceedings included a CBS podcast entitled “The federal trial has been worse for Arizona than maybe everyone was expecting,” and a Yahoo Sports story with a headline reading “How much longer can Arizona employ Sean Miller?”
During a roundtable interview Wednesday with national and local reporters, Scott was asked if retaining coaches alleged to have broken rules during the proceedings would send a message that nothing will change about the underbelly of college basketball.
“There are a lot of people in college sports, including myself, that hope that there are some definitive findings or a conclusion one way or another as a result of this trial,” Scott said. “I think, in a strange way, it's potentially a very positive development for college basketball. The FBI has had tools and the ability to look into things that would be difficult for the NCAA, given their subpoena power, wiretaps, etc.
“The conversations I’ve had with our basketball coaches and our administration is that we’re really hopeful that there are some conclusions that come out of it one way or another and not just open-ended questions that don’t have concrete conclusions.”
Still, Scott acknowledged that the frequent references to cash payments in allegations that have surfaced during the trial indicate that proving violations is difficult.
“If it’s possible, this process may have created some sympathy for the challenges that NCAA enforcement has,” Scott said.
You have zero idea what constitutes evidence my friend. Keep hurling insults and linking the three sources with biased material gleaned from attorneys trying to manipulate the trial and zero factual tangible items that fit the definition of evidence. FACT: thus far there is ZERO proof of wrongdoing concerning Miller released to anyone. Every player you have listed has been cleared by the NCAA and the FBI.
What if I told you there is a tape out there that will probably never be released that significantly helps Miller because it is less than helpful to the prosecutions case?
The other issue I have with your post is when you try to make my overtures to listen to different information equivalent to defending pedophilia, and the testimony of victims of pedophilia to the testimony and wiretaps of convicted fraudsters. While initially I got pissed, I now figure I have confirmation you are just a pissant not worth my time.
So anyways, enjoy watching Miller continue to coach, I know it will keep you up at night. Doubtful he get fired unless anything comes out in the closing arguments tomorrow.
Sweet dreams.
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You guys can try to make me out to be some obsessed fan I get it. But none of you can refute what I’ve said, you just keep on linking articles from the guys getting mad bonuses for cuckbait.
Btw the recent Norlander article backs up many of my points, while never claiming Miller is innocent... get this... JUST NOT PROVEN GUILTY OF ANYTHING.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...cutors-highlights-college-hoops-federal-case/
Btw the recent Norlander article backs up many of my points, while never claiming Miller is innocent... get this... JUST NOT PROVEN GUILTY OF ANYTHING.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...cutors-highlights-college-hoops-federal-case/
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You got another thing wrong. We are not friends.
To everyone else reading this thread:
I am simply posting what journalists are reporting. Simple as that.
It's pretty sad when cult-like fans and Arizona administrators want to bury their heads in the sand & hope this all goes away.
And Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports agrees. See post #62, where he wrote this: "the noise is mounting for Arizona regarding Sean Miller’s future, and the question remains how long they’ll end up keeping their hands over their ears wishing their problems away."
Are Arizona fans any better than Penn State fans when it comes to defending their head coach? Probably. But barely.
Getting all bent out of shape and going on and on about me personally because I offered an alternative viewpoint seems a bit more unbalanced if you ask me. Especially the part where some conveniently forget I’ve been posting here for years as a Hawkeye fan.
I could definitely point at the willingness of some to unconditionally believe outlets that publish uncorroborated and factually inconsistent/false information that is clearly supplied by the DEFENDANTS of the trial and consider them the real sycophants.
I’ve clearly stated I have good sources from the school offering a different take. I’ve been attacked for offering to share by some dicks, who read some articles.
No worries I’m now putting them on ignore and I can just stop sharing anything, since it’s clearly not wanted.
The last thing I’ll say is, my sources say that barring new damning information that Miller directly paid for recruits, he will be the coach at Arizona.
I could definitely point at the willingness of some to unconditionally believe outlets that publish uncorroborated and factually inconsistent/false information that is clearly supplied by the DEFENDANTS of the trial and consider them the real sycophants.
I’ve clearly stated I have good sources from the school offering a different take. I’ve been attacked for offering to share by some dicks, who read some articles.
No worries I’m now putting them on ignore and I can just stop sharing anything, since it’s clearly not wanted.
The last thing I’ll say is, my sources say that barring new damning information that Miller directly paid for recruits, he will be the coach at Arizona.
I agree with most of your points, especially the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Your comparison to the Kavanaugh proceedings was spot-on in that people should not be railroaded off of accusations.
HOWEVER...
Sean Miller had one assistant plead guilty to a federal crime, and another (Mark Phelps) is going to be let go over an alleged transcript issue.
Do you think Sean Miller is a paragon of moral character who simply had bad fortune with assistants?
Lute probably never had two rogue assistants in nearly 25 years in Tucson, and Miller had two (allegedly) at the same time.
Also, on a different note, how doomed is the PAC 12 Conference? They continue to be left in the dust by the other four power conferences. The money simply isn't there for the PAC 12, while the other side get rich off of TV deals.
There is a reason Sean Miller underperforms his seed every year in the NCAA's and it is largely because they rack up wins in that terrible conference.
I have lived in Scottsdale for the last 12 years, and have listened to UA alums tell me their basketball program should be mentioned along with Duke, UNC, UK, and Kansas. The resume does not back it up.
No I don’t think he is a paragon of morality, I doubt there is a coach in the nation that is. The decisions on assistant coaches are troubling. But comparatively these issues kind of pale in when you look at some of the other situations that are largely being ignored at other programs. 30 other programs have had assistants linked to this mess. Pitino is still adamantly defended by his friends at espn, the Duke scandals and the MSU scandals largely glossed over during all of this. I mean Bruce Pearl has an effing show cause from the NCAA, and had an assistant named in this mess on top of that, and he’s being celebrated on espn and yahoo for his recent final four. Kind of a weird double standard don’t ya think? Yet, guys like the two yahoos above question MY motives?
I totally agree Miller has underperformed for three to four straight seasons in the tourney and yet still has a winning percentage over 700. Yes, the Pac-12 has been down recently, but none of the other coaches in the league can claim that. If the league was truly that terrible then there would be at least one other beneficiary wouldn’t you think?
The UofA fans you know are delusional, Arizona can compete with those programs for recruits... but it’s clear they aren’t in that first tier.. second maybe if they get another final four.
The issues the Pac-12 have are largely due to the incompetence of the leadership. Larry Scott needs to go as soon as possible. As long as he is around they are as you say.. doomed.
The Phelps situation is unique because that situation wouldn’t even be news if it had been handled properly. Phelps was in trouble in the past for helping ( loaned then money for a plane ticket) a player get home to Australia to visit, he had a zero strikes situation after that considering Arizona couldn’t suffer any more PR hits. However his contract should have been let to lapse, instead Arizona makes a big scene about it because they were so worried about perception. The whole thing was kind of silly because Shareef O’Neal was still deemed eligible at UCLA.
I think its agreed that the days of this type of thing happening at Arizona need to be over and there will be zero tolerance from here on.
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Your take on the dishonesty and corruption of other coaches in college ball does not excuse Miller. It only points out the failure of the NCAA to police their own sport, especially when it come to the so-called elite programs. They've always been willing to turn a blind eye to the antics of the big boys.
Who’s excusing him. I’ve stated there are troubling trends in personnel decisions and public relations. Other than that I’ve only pointed out a lack of tangible evidence of a crime let alone a ncaa violation. This is a standard we all should agree is paramount to proving guilt. Hearsay is not an acceptable form of evidence to deem someone guilty of a crime unless we all want chaos, with kangaroo courts being the norm and hood justice being handed down on every street corner.
And the double standard applied by our esteemed media IS relevant when considering the overall implications of the favoritisms that you yourself complained about.
Here is an excellent article from an actual journalist at Sports Illustrated who...GASP...has a similar take to mine. They must also be an apologist cult member homer fan with no scruples.
https://amp.si.com/college-basketba...s-merl-code-arizona-university-legal-takeways
https://amp.si.com/college-basketba...s-merl-code-arizona-university-legal-takeways
As you can see from the tweet that follows, the list continues to grow of the people wondering how Sean Miller still has a job.
But remember, if he is fired, even with cause, he walks with a $10.3 million severance.
But remember, if he is fired, even with cause, he walks with a $10.3 million severance.
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Arizona confirms the NCAA is investigating its men's basketball program
Sam Cooper
1 hr ago / May 4, 2019
The NCAA has indeed began an investigation into the University of Arizona basketball program.
Yahoo Sports reported in February that Arizona was one of several schools facing a formal inquiry from the NCAA as a result of the federal investigation into the world of college basketball. In a Friday response to the Arizona Daily Star, UA for the first time confirmed the presence of an active investigation.
UA responded to the Star following multiple public records requests. In doing so, the school said it would not release records because “investigations” into the basketball program are “ongoing at this time.” In a request for clarification from the Star, a UA spokesman later acknowledged that “an NCAA investigation is underway.”
Arizona’s involvement in the federal corruption case began in September 2017 when Wildcats assistant Emanuel “Book” Richardson was arrested and subsequently plead guilty to accepting $20,000 in bribes to direct Arizona basketball players to aspiring sports agent Christian Dawkins, who previously worked as a runner for NBA agent Andy Miller.
During the recent trial, which involved Dawkins and former Adidas consultant Merl Code, multiple people alleged — in FBI-recorded conversations and on the witness stand — that Arizona head coach Sean Miller was involved in the paying of players.
In a wiretapped phone call between Richardson and Dawkins, Richardson alleged that Miller was paying or promised to pay $10,000 per month to Deandre Ayton, the star center who ended up being the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft. In a call with a business partner, Dawkins alleged that Miller “fronted” a deal to get Ayton to sign with Arizona. In another call between the two, Dawkins tells Richardson that Miller was “taking care of” another UA player, Rawle Alkins.
In another FBI wiretap, Richardson asks for $15,000 from Dawkins and Sood to give to the mother of recruit Jahvon Quinerly so Quinerly’s mother could move to Arizona from New Jersey. Quinerly backed out of his Arizona commitment after Dawkins, Code and others were arrested in September 2017. He subsequently signed with Villanova, but is set to transfer after just one season.
Though he was subpoenaed to appear in court, the presiding judge later ruled that Miller (along with LSU head coach Will Wade) would not have to testify. Miller has long denied any wrongdoing.
Two other Miller assistants, Joe Pasternack and Mark Phelps, have also been involved in alleged improprieties.
Documents viewed by Yahoo Sports show that Pasternack and Dawkins spoke frequently. In the October trial that convicted Code and Dawkins on bribery charges, Brian Bowen Sr., the father of star recruit Brian Bowen Jr., testified that Dawkins told him Pasternack offered $50,000 for Bowen to sign with Arizona. Pasternack is now the head coach at UC Santa Barbara.
In February, Arizona “initiated the process to terminate” Phelps after he was accused of a violation relating to the academic work of former Arizona recruit Shareef O’Neal, the son of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal. The younger O’Neal was committed to Arizona but changed his mind amid the FBI probe. He signed with UCLA. Phelps’ contract is set to expire at the end of June.
Miller has been Arizona’s head coach since 2009 and has led the Wildcats to seven NCAA tournament appearances, advancing as far as the Elite Eight three times. The team went 17-15 in 2018-19, the program’s worst record since his first season on campus.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nc...rogram/ar-AAATFBF?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout
Sam Cooper
1 hr ago / May 4, 2019
The NCAA has indeed began an investigation into the University of Arizona basketball program.
Yahoo Sports reported in February that Arizona was one of several schools facing a formal inquiry from the NCAA as a result of the federal investigation into the world of college basketball. In a Friday response to the Arizona Daily Star, UA for the first time confirmed the presence of an active investigation.
UA responded to the Star following multiple public records requests. In doing so, the school said it would not release records because “investigations” into the basketball program are “ongoing at this time.” In a request for clarification from the Star, a UA spokesman later acknowledged that “an NCAA investigation is underway.”
Arizona’s involvement in the federal corruption case began in September 2017 when Wildcats assistant Emanuel “Book” Richardson was arrested and subsequently plead guilty to accepting $20,000 in bribes to direct Arizona basketball players to aspiring sports agent Christian Dawkins, who previously worked as a runner for NBA agent Andy Miller.
During the recent trial, which involved Dawkins and former Adidas consultant Merl Code, multiple people alleged — in FBI-recorded conversations and on the witness stand — that Arizona head coach Sean Miller was involved in the paying of players.
In a wiretapped phone call between Richardson and Dawkins, Richardson alleged that Miller was paying or promised to pay $10,000 per month to Deandre Ayton, the star center who ended up being the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft. In a call with a business partner, Dawkins alleged that Miller “fronted” a deal to get Ayton to sign with Arizona. In another call between the two, Dawkins tells Richardson that Miller was “taking care of” another UA player, Rawle Alkins.
In another FBI wiretap, Richardson asks for $15,000 from Dawkins and Sood to give to the mother of recruit Jahvon Quinerly so Quinerly’s mother could move to Arizona from New Jersey. Quinerly backed out of his Arizona commitment after Dawkins, Code and others were arrested in September 2017. He subsequently signed with Villanova, but is set to transfer after just one season.
Though he was subpoenaed to appear in court, the presiding judge later ruled that Miller (along with LSU head coach Will Wade) would not have to testify. Miller has long denied any wrongdoing.
Two other Miller assistants, Joe Pasternack and Mark Phelps, have also been involved in alleged improprieties.
Documents viewed by Yahoo Sports show that Pasternack and Dawkins spoke frequently. In the October trial that convicted Code and Dawkins on bribery charges, Brian Bowen Sr., the father of star recruit Brian Bowen Jr., testified that Dawkins told him Pasternack offered $50,000 for Bowen to sign with Arizona. Pasternack is now the head coach at UC Santa Barbara.
In February, Arizona “initiated the process to terminate” Phelps after he was accused of a violation relating to the academic work of former Arizona recruit Shareef O’Neal, the son of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal. The younger O’Neal was committed to Arizona but changed his mind amid the FBI probe. He signed with UCLA. Phelps’ contract is set to expire at the end of June.
Miller has been Arizona’s head coach since 2009 and has led the Wildcats to seven NCAA tournament appearances, advancing as far as the Elite Eight three times. The team went 17-15 in 2018-19, the program’s worst record since his first season on campus.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nc...rogram/ar-AAATFBF?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout
He's about the only one besides you and the AZ faithful who thinks Miller might be clean...
Shocking, Arizona is investigating Arizona and they haven’t found anything that makes Arizona look bad. That is difficult to comprehend. Maybe the Arizona law team trained with the crack Iowa law team that has done well with Barta firing and Stead.
Not true.
However I will add that I never claimed to know if he was “clean”. In fact I’ve gone to great lengths to explain that there just isn’t enough evidence to prove anything. It’s just a bunch of he said-they said.
I understand the feeling of smoke=fire, but I have always had issues with lynch mob attitudes and am a firm believer in due process.. even outside a courtroom,
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