Day 30 - THE 3 D's / INCOMING!!!

“How can it be? Not at my school. We are so above that. It’s just the Bammers trying to ruin us. Those players have an axe to grind. Those players got paid by HBO to smear us. I don’t understand why Brooks (www.sportsbybrooks.com) is after us. Didn’t an Alabama fan try to kill our trees? Everyone does it. Nothing to see here, just more Bama wishful thinking. There is no proof. The statute of limitations has run out. Hey look, its Superman. “ Ok, Ok… I just made the last one up, but can anyone tell me where all of the above statements came from? Yep…AUBURN UNIVERSITY FANS. Remember from a few posts back the Three D’s, “Deflect, Deny & Deter?” Well, if you have checked the comment section of most any media site since Sports by Brooks posted his transcripts from tonight’s HBO Real Sports Special on his web site; you can plainly see that my Three D’s are in overdrive.

This is not the end of all of it by any means. As a matter of fact, I suspect this to really just be the beginning. With the allegations made by Stanley McClover, Troy Reddick, Raven Gray and Chaz Ramsey, the Au faithful have had to kick it up notch. I must admit, they have stayed true to the cause with their chants of “We are innocent, but Alabama is up to something” for a long time. Sadly (for them) it just wasn’t enough deflection to keep the truth under wraps. It’s out now and the smoke we have seen billowing from the plains is now accompanied by the tips of flames starting to flicker above the roof line of the Beard–Eaves–Memorial Coliseum. I would love to be a fly on the wall in those athletic offices this morning. Don’t you know that there are very few normal day to day duties being performed in the football offices today? 

I’ve read the transcripts of Andrea Kremer’s interview with the Au players and no matter what kind of spin one might try to put on this, there is no doubt that the interviews demand action from the NCAA. If the NCAA does not follow through on this, I suspect the backlash from fans nationwide to be painful. There is no way that this does not open up a side to the Au saga that has only been touched on to this point. I have been following the whole thing since a day or two after www.tigerdroppings.com ‘s Blue Tuna Tiger started his epic “As the Plains Burn” thread. In all honesty, knowing what I have heard from a few of my friends who are closely connected to the Alabama program and what I have learned from exchanges on Blue Tuna Tiger’s thread, nothing said in these interviews really surprised me. I have been hearing of pay for play being rampant at Au since Pat Dye strolled the sidelines as head coach of the Auburn Tigers. Those claims have never subsided and never subdued. Those claims have always been something I hear from one year to the next regarding certain recruits. I guess if I find anything surprising about the transcripts it is the fact that the players claimed a systematic way of earning more money based on their play on the field (IE: $1000.00 per sack against Alabama). When Brooks made his post yesterday, he opened up much more than a can of worms, he put a bull’s-eye on the back of everyone associated with Auburn University’s athletic program. His willingness to stay after the topic will surely force more mainstream media to stay the course as well. The final result? I suspect we will hear screams of “INCOMING!” from those on the plains week in and week out until the most hefty penalties given to an institution since SMU are handed down. 

I’m hearing that there is more and more coming out Arkansas relating to the recruitment of a certain blue chipper from that neck of the woods. His association with a 7 on 7 camp and that camp’s street agent ties are another missile I expect to be barreling in on Au in the near future. Add to that the scuttlebutt floating around concerning the former Au player turned getaway driver from that neck of woods and how he may be willing to talk about a lot of different things to save his own skin and we could have two separate projectiles being fired from Arkansas at the plains. 

Speaking of getaway drivers, a couple of the other three felons have seemingly been tied to an Atlanta, GA based gang. Was the hit on the trailer in Auburn a gang related task? Who knows, but it’s a valid question that bears investigating. Were the two players not linked to the Atlanta area being actively recruited for the gang? Who knows, but it’s a valid question that bears investigating. Are there other players on the Auburn football team that are associated with this Atlanta area gang? Who knows, but it’s a valid question that bears investigating. Have there been other incidents involving Au football players that have not made the mainstream media? I’ve heard that there are. Just another of many questions that bears investigating.  

Since I seem to be in question mode…let’s continue with the questions I think need to be answered. Feel free to add to my list via the comments section and we will see if we can make any headway towards resolve.

1.)  Is Bobby LOUDER going to have his spot on the Au Board of Trustees reappointed quickly after his time is up next month?

BamaSon25's Speculative Answer: I do not think it will happen quickly. If it does, then that means that there is someone in a higher administrative position who is actually making moves to right the sinking ship that is Auburn University. I’m not ready to concede that such a person exists at that institution.

2.)  Will Bobby LOUDER ever be indicted? 

 Bamason25's Speculative Answer: Yes, he will be indicted, but not before the Department of Justice has everything they need to insure the outcome they are after. I expect Mr. LOUDER to serve major time when this is all said and done. I do not expect this to happen quickly, but rather a few years from now.

3.)  Will the wiretap tapes made by the FBI during the “BingoGate” investigation be admissible in court?

Bamason25's Speculative Answer: Yes, I think the wiretaps will be deemed admissible. The FBI wrote the book on these types of investigations. While the defense attorneys are doing their best to keep them out of court, in the end I think their efforts will be futile.

4.)  Will the NCAA be allowed access to the Federal Government’s evidence gathered during their investigation(s)?

BamaSon25's Speculative Answer: Yes, the NCAA will be allowed to know of the indiscretions that pertain to infringement of NCAA bylaws. The FEDS have worked with the NCAA on numerous occasions before, why would this case be any different?

5.)  Will the NCAA act on the mountains of evidence they have had thrown in their lap pertaining to improprieties committed by Auburn University?

BamaSon25's Speculative Answer: I think so. A few months ago, I think we might have seen this all go quietly into the night, but not now. With people like Blue Tuna Tiger making sure that all of the allegations stay at the forefront of the average fan’s thoughts, I do not see how they cannot address the Au situations. I think that the penalties that will be handed down to the University of Tennessee may be a good indicator of what the NCAA’s intent is with Au. Most think UT will be hammered, but I think they end up with less than thought. Why? I’ve been told that UT has given the NCAA a lot of information pertaining to Au’s recruiting habits in effort to lessen their own penalties. If what I was told holds true, UT has given them some very strong evidence. Add to that the fact that LSU, Alabama, Mississippi State, Georgia, Florida and Florida State have all directly voiced their unhappiness with Au’s recruiting habits to the NCAA and there is just too much to ignore. As a bonus, you have prominent boosters from many colleges that may have information that they will go public with if the NCAA drops the ball on this. The NCAA already takes a daily beating from the general public; I just don’t think they can afford to take a lackadaisical stance in this regard.

6.)   Is SACS going to get involved?

BamaSon25's Speculative Answer: I don’t see how they cannot. With statements being made that players were asked to change their major because it was “infringing on football”; SACS has to be perking up. Add to that the fact that the same player said he never went to class after changing his major and SACS definitely has to jump on board. I’ve said all along that I suspect SACS may be the downfall of Au long before the NCAA has to do anything. They seem to work at a much faster pace than does the NCAA. I still hold true to that belief.

7.)  What was the biggest bombshell in the HBO transcripts?

BamaSon25's Speculative Answer: I really wasn’t floored by any of it, but I think there were several things said that will ultimately force the NCAA’s hand. Probably the biggest thing to come out of that is the “You’ve got mail” being given to a player by a coach. That is much different than an anonymous booster giving a $100.00 handshake. If true, that proves complacency by the Au administration in the whole pay for play scenario. It proves that Au coaches were not only aware of it, but were involved (thus condoning) in it.

I don’t think that Au will get hit with the dreaded “Lack of Institutional Control” by the NCAA. I think the NCAA will have to come up with a new catch phrase when this one is said and done. Something along the lines of “Perpetuation of Illegal Practices by the Institution” perhaps? It can’t be “Lack of Institutional Control” if the Institution itself is controlling it all now can it?

RTR

BamaSon25