College Basketball Random Chatter

• cats gone wild

  No talk about the UNC scandal and maybe having to vacate 05 title?
• Azubuike24

  

  It's pretty slow around here. However, this story is starting to get some legs nationally. It's really crappy too. The information has been out there for months...why is it being reported NOW? I hate the selective reporting of stuff...
• cats gone wild

  NBC sports is covering it, but I guess ESPN has alot of UNC alums so you do the math. I know the kentuckyrivals site has hundreds of posts about this situation
• SportsAndLady

  

  Explain por favor..
• reclegend22

  

  Say what? I frequent Duke boards and I don't recall seeing anything about this UNC story there. This would be pretty awesome if true, I must say.
• cats gone wild

  http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/26/the-latest-on-unc-basketballs-connection-to-the-academic-scandal/related/
  
  [URL="http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2012/07/26/north-carolina-academic-scandal-why-did-basketball-players-stop-majoring-in-african-and-afro-american-studies-in-2009/"]http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2012/07/26/north-carolina-academic-scandal-why-did-basketball-players-stop-majoring-in-african-and-afro-american-studies-in-2009/
  
  [URL="http://www.wral.com/news/education/story/11361189/"]http://www.wral.com/news/education/story/11361189/
  
  [URL]http://kentucky.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=1383&tid=173690562&mid=173690562&sid=888&style=2[/URL][/URL][/URL]
• ironman02

  The NCAA has been aware of this information ever since the football investigation, at least that's the way I understand it. Now that the football program has been punished, people are out there looking for a reason to bring the basketball program down too.
  
  I don't think it's the least bit surprising that several african american students took those classes, or even majored in African American Studies. That happens at every school in the country, I would say. Everything I have read states that the basketball players completed all their assignments and took all the necessary steps to pass the classes. If it's proven that they were "guided" to these classes by academic support staff and also given preferential treatment, then there could be a problem. I don't think that has been proven, at least not from a basketball standpoint.
• Azubuike24

  

  While I do think it's funny when those who cast stones fail to "guard their own yards", as ironman said, this is NOT a unique situation. While there could be legitimate violations that could land the UNC bball program in serious trouble, it's only becoming a story because it's North Carolina basketball...
• ironman02

  I've done a little more research the last day or so, but there's so much information (and misinformation) on this deal, that I still don't know what to think. When the NCAA punished the UNC football program, I don't think they necessarily punished them for the fraud that was uncovered in the AFAM department. It seems as though they deemed that to be an academic issue, rather than an athletic issue. They did punish UNC for contact with agents, improper benefits, etc. The fact that regular students, in addition to athletes, benefitted from the issues in the AFAM department may be what is saving the athletic program from punishment regarding this issue.
  
  It's going to be hard to prove that the academic support staff was directing athletes to these classes solely to benefit the athletic program because these advisors were doing the same thing for other students as well. Just like at any school, there are always easy classes or GPA boosters that all students know about. And it's no secret that the majority of athletes in D1 programs aren't usually taking a rigorous course load or majoring in difficult fields.
  
  There had been a steady decline in Carolina basketball players majoring in the AFAM department well before this Walden guy left UNC, so I don't really think any conclusions can necessarily be drawn from that alone. The quote from Sean May, also, is taken out of context. I believe May switched from a communications major to an AFAM major only AFTER he had already left for the NBA. The fact that the AFAM major had less requirements and several opportunities for independent study classes made it easier for May to complete his degree while playing professional ball.
  
  In the end, I hope that the Carolina basketball program isn't forced to vacate wins, or even worse, a national championship because of this mess. It appears that there was definitely some shady stuff going on in this department, and there were Carolina basketball players who took some of the classes, but I don't know that the circumstances around that necessarily point to any deliberate impropriety within the basketball program itself.
• ironman02

  Azubuike24;1236965 wrote:While I do think it's funny when those who cast stones fail to "guard their own yards"

  UK fans jump on anything negative about Carolina, and Carolina fans jump on anything negative about UK. It's the nature of a rivalry between two of the top programs. Same goes for UK-UL and Carolina-Duke. I think a perfect example of what you're referring to is the fact that UK, NCSU, and Duke fans are all mass e-mailing the NCAA and media outlets trying to draw attention to this issue. The NCAA is already aware of the situation, but now these fanbases are aiding in the campaign to start digging around the Carolina basketball program. Just goes to show that there are crazy people that support each and every school.
• ironman02

  And finally, what the hell is this?
  
  http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger-college-basketball-blog/rapper-drake-shows-off-personalized-kentucky-championship-ring-151713194--ncaab.html
  
  This should be a recruiting violation. :laugh:
• Azubuike24

  

  Not sure about violation, but I think it's stupid. I'm a Drake fan. I'll admit I even watched Degrassi back in the day and thought Aubrey Graham was pretty cool back then. For him to get a ring though...over the top.
  
  As for the casting of stones, I tend to think UK has gotten a ton of negative press over the last few years. Some deserved, most not. It's not even about UNC fans. It's everyone. It's the broad reporting by the media which feeds into sweeping accusations and a reputation that becomes all about what people WANT IT to be. UNC has gotten their fair share too, I'm not doubting that.
  
  I guess what upsets me the most is a program like UConn, who has legitimately been more guilty than anyone else (also is a big name program and residing on the east coast) has been largely undisturbed. The last 5 years have been worse for UConn both with criminal offenses/off-the-court stuff and academic/on-the-court stuff than UNC, UK and many other programs combined.
• ironman02

  Azubuike24;1237269 wrote: As for the casting of stones, I tend to think UK has gotten a ton of negative press over the last few years. Some deserved, most not. It's not even about UNC fans. It's everyone. It's the broad reporting by the media which feeds into sweeping accusations and a reputation that becomes all about what people WANT IT to be. UNC has gotten their fair share too, I'm not doubting that.
  
  I guess what upsets me the most is a program like UConn, who has legitimately been more guilty than anyone else (also is a big name program and residing on the east coast) has been largely undisturbed. The last 5 years have been worse for UConn both with criminal offenses/off-the-court stuff and academic/on-the-court stuff than UNC, UK and many other programs combined.

  Calipari's problems at UMass and Memphis will probably follow him forever. Things like giving Drake a ring or hanging around Jay-Z will also increase negative publicity from those who aren't UK fans, or supporters of Calipari. That said, I agree with you. Kentucky takes a lot of heat for things that either aren't happening at all, or haven't been proven in the least. It does seem as though the media favors certain programs, while actively looking for flaws within others. Carolina has been pretty fortunate over the years since their program has been pretty clean, but I definitely see what you mean with regard to UConn.
• Azubuike24

  

  Name the only program with 3 legitimate NCAA violations (2 APR penalties/loss of scholarships and a "failure to maintain control" resulting in probation), 3 or more players arrested and 3 or more players suspended by the NCAA for breaking NCAA rules over the past 5 years? It's UConn. I'm not sure if any program, over the course of history, has had the cumulative problems they have had.
  
  The average Joe on the street wouldn't have a clue...yet I'd bet you he names Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina in the same group or ahead of them in-terms of "shadiness" (along with some others). It's like the casual MLB fan who hates on the Red Sox and Yankees but won't mention the Cubs, Angels, Cardinals and others for overspending.
• centralbucksfan

  SportsAndLady;1225048 wrote:I wanna find the exchange between me and my best friend cbf where he said ku won't do anything this year

  Ur mancrush on me is past the point of scarey. Sorry, I don't swing that way pal. Move on.
• SportsAndLady

  

  centralbucksfan;1239698 wrote:Ur mancrush on me is past the point of scarey. Sorry, I don't swing that way pal. Move on.

  I don't have a "mancrush" on you cbf...you were just blatantly wrong and I called you out on it.
• Azubuike24

  

  Seriousley?
• Big Gain

  CBS Sports asked 100 college coaches what college player would they most want on their team. #1 was Cody Zeller, #3 was AAron Craft.
• Laley23

  

  Big Gain;1243473 wrote:CBS Sports asked 100 college coaches what college player would they most want on their team. #1 was Cody Zeller, #3 was AAron Craft.

  http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/19738540/critical-coaches-whos-the-most-coveted-player-in-college-hoops
• Azubuike24

  

  On Craft/Noel: "I'd rather go to four Elite Eights with Aaron Craft than one title game with Nerlens Noel, because the headaches that come with the top players isn't worth it."
  
  Love this quote because whoever said it is an absolute moron. If not for the "top players", you know, top 10, 5-star players like Jared Sullinger, DeShaun Thomas and William Buford, Aaron Craft never sniffs an Elite 8.
• ironman02

  http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8265076/north-carolina-tar-heels-probe-online-posting-possible-julius-peppers-transcript
  
  This is getting ridiculous. I see NO WAY that a student's actual transcript ends up being posted on the school's website for the public to see. There's a lot of discussion going on, but here are the possibilities for how this happened.
  
  1) Someone at UNC actually posted Peppers' real transcript online.
  
  2) Someone hacked into the UNC network and posted this transcript on the school website.
  
  3) Someone used a "test transcript" that is supposed to be used for figuring out graduation criteria and fabricated the coursework and all of Peppers' information.
  
  Whatever the case may be, I don't know what the hell is going on with this stuff.
  
  Edit: Multiple sources are attributing this to someone affiliated with NC State. Again, not really sure what's true or false with this whole ordeal. UNC is investigating the possibility that someone working at the school is releasing or fabricating information in an effort to harm the university, or attempting to urge the NCAA to get involved again.
• Azubuike24

  

  Some crazy stuff going on.
  
  Imagine if this was UK and not UNC? Even UCLA?
• ironman02

  The latest story on the Peppers incident goes like this:
  
  Back in 2007, a "test transcript" was randomly (yeah right) selected to be placed on the UNC website as a template for grade tabulation/graduation requirements. The student's personal information was to have been deleted, so that the transcript could not be identified. Someone in the IT department didn't do their job correctly, and somehow left a portal open that would allow someone with decent IT knowledge to trace the image placed on the website back to the orginal document. Some NC State fan, journalist, or whoever somehow did all the legwork for the N&O's Dan Kane and he ran with the story, claiming that it was definitely Peppers' transcript.
  
  From what I can tell, it seems as though it IS his transcript. He did better in many of the AFAM department classes than others, which basically maintained his eligibility for athletics. These are some of the same classes that were found to be "fraudulent". Again, it seems as though ALL students were taking these classes, not just the athletes. That fact obviously doesn't make it right, but apparently the NCAA was aware of this when they punished UNC football before, and decided this was an academic issue at the university and not an athletic issue.
  
  Anyway, the digging has begun and the entire UNC athletic program will probably be destroyed once this is all finished.
• ironman02

  Azubuike24;1247024 wrote:Some crazy stuff going on.
  
  Imagine if this was UK and not UNC? Even UCLA?

  That's the thing. There are "easy" classes at every school. There are classes where you can do very little work, never show up, and do well. Like I said, what happened in the AFAM department at UNC is clearly wrong, but if Carolina athletics gets punished for this, then the NCAA better start checking this out at every school in the country. They won't, though, because then collegiate athletics would no longer exist.
• swamisez

  

  UNC is going to get hammered on this soon enough. Dick Baddour got canned months ago and now they can trace all the shenanigans to his watch.
  
  Ironman02, yes easy classes do exist. The problem with this case is that the Afro American studies independent course didn't actually exist. It was a class that had no professor, no course work, and had no guidance by a academic counselor. UNC athletics dept just passed this off as a course to give players academic credits. Degree audits will likely be done for all persons who have taken this class from players like Sean May and Hakeem Nix to Marcus Ginyard and Justin Watts.
  
  They will likely lose scholarships in all sports and get some kind of extended probation in football and maybe even some kind of limit in basketball.