NCAAbbs

[/align]Blog from Orlando Sentinel:

"The latest grumbling surrounding the Marshall football program shows the taint of NCAA rules violation can linger for years. The NCAA has the option of re-opening its investigation into academic fraud Marshall football program during the tenure of ex-coach Bob Pruett, who led the Thundering Herd for nine years. Marshall already was slapped with NCAA sanctions in 2001 tied to the academic fraud case, including the loss of 15 scholarships over a three-year span and placed on probation for three years.

The case flared up again when two former players and a former assistant coach said in sworn affidavits Pruett played a central role in the academic fraud. The affidavits were collected by attorneys representing former Marshall compliance director David Ridpath, who is suing Pruett and other former or current Marshall officials for unfairly blaming him for the academic fraud scandal. Pruett, the winningest coach in Marshall history, was never named in the original infractions report."

Pruett legacy haunting Marshall. The more that comes out the the more recruits stay away from the program. Marshall coach Snyder has a real difficult job of living up to the high expectations of winning that Pruett had, while restoring the intregity of the program.

Blow it out your ass.... the sMAC board is that way >>>>>>

We were punished justly. As much as I think of Bob Pruett as a head coach, this should become about him, not Marshall. No one that was part of that regime is still even employeed by MU except Mark Gale. All the coaches have changed, as has the AD.

And BTW, isn't a compliance director's JOB to catch this stuff? I'm not condoning the act whatsoever, but he failed at what the university paid him to do.

Has the Ohio team that showed up at the Mobile Bowl gotten any better? Honestly, that was the most pitiful bunch of athletes on a 1A football team I have ever seen. They were also slow beyond belief. It was sad.

Ridpath's case has already been dismissed at least once. The only reason this is in the news now is because he has refiled. There is nothing new here. Marshall has already served five years of pretty harsh probation. The players involved have already served suspensions and graduated from the program. The coach has retired. The AD is gone. The compliance director who is bringing the lawsuit was not fired. He quit. Even the booster involved has served a suspension. Nothing these players are saying is new. This news is 10 years old.

Ridpath and his attorneys keep trumpeting all of this old news to pressure a settlement and to stir up publicity for his book. He claims he has been damaged by the university because he can't find employment. I would suggest that prospective employers aren't interested in hiring somebody who is suing their last employer, writing a book about it, and publicly smearing them.

The problem with Marshall is it is not in a BCS conference. Do Herd fans ever wonder how in the world Pac Man Jones & Chris Henry were able to play all those games at West Virginia, when they get suspended in the pros? Wasn't there an issue concerning the Devine kid coming out of high school that kept several programs from offering? When's the last time that a BCS program got slapped with a real penalty?

Brick City, I'm suprised you would write a statment like that. I would love to read the article about Jones and Henry getting cash/benefits from Rodriguez. If you don't have such an article/information, then how about keeping the slander to yourself.

-- Chris Henry didn't get into any legal trouble off of the field at WVU, although he did act like a jerk on it. One incident at Rutgers really comes to mind. Jones got into a bar fight his freshman year and was put on probation, but seemed to turn into a solid leader by the time he left. I was very suprsied to see Adam degress the way he did once he got into the NFL. IMO, Jones and Henry are more examples of poor kids who become rich over night and don't have the maturity or life experience to handle their quick fiancial success.

Some schools backed off of Devine because of his grades, but Florida St stayed with him till the end just like West Virginia did. Of course Devine had a unique background given that both of his parents were killed while he was a teenage and he was living with various family members, friends and mentors inculding Deion Sanders



As for BCS programs...it doesn't get much more high profle then Alabama
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/f...ations.htm


As for Marshall, I have to agree with the posters above. There really isn't a new story here. MU payed its price and I'm sure it cost the University a ton of money because of the resulting struggles of Herd football. I would be interested to know how this effects Pruett's standing at UVA. Based on my experience with the Hoos, they really like to present themeselves as being above this kind of win at all costs attitude that Pruit seems(ed) to have had

Jackson

Jackson, I never said that PacMan & Henry received benefits. I picked out West Virginia since you guys are in the same state as Marshall, have plenty of off the field issues with your players, yet Marshall gets investigated & punished. Don't forget the unearned degree that was handed out at West Virginia. I know it wasn't a football player, but it certainly tells me that some funny stuff could be or have happened with the football players academics. I could have easily picked out Georgia, USC, Ohio State, etc. as an example.

Here's a little link to a poll that will give you an idea of what's going on at BCS programs.
http://www.sportsargumentwiki.com/index....Fulmer_Cup

P.S.The statement you made about Devine also getting recruited by Free Shoes U, doesn't help your argument. FSU is the same school that just got into trouble with several of their players cheating on online courses. The bottom line is BCS programs get away with a lot more than Non-BCS programs.

Most ALL schools backed off. Most never jumped on. Here in Florida he was known for his skill and the baggage. He is a good one for sure. If he'd had the grades and fewer issues, he'd be at a Florida school.

The MACsters love to pile on. BTW, Ridpath is at Ohio U. now, serves them right, a match made in heaven.

-- If your acknowledging that Henry and Jones didn't recieve benefits then why make the comparison? Marshall wasn't in trouble because of Amhed Bradsaw's legal history, its about payments, grades etc to players. That's why there being investigated. Chris Henry flipping of RU fans on his way off the filed doesn't require an NCAA prob. As for the unearned degrees, yes they were given and two deans and the president lost their postions over it. I would hope that would serve as a clear message that that type of behavior isn't tolerated

-- I think the NCAA has gotten a lot better about being more fair about sanctions. I mentioned Bama football earlier. Indiana bball is on probabtion. I think times have changed for the better since the Eddied Sutton/Kentucky basketball days

Jackson

You beat me to it GB....

O.K. Jackson, I do think your current football coach is a no nonsense kind of coach. I certainly have no proof as to any wrong doings that have gone on at West Virginia. I just know that West Virginia has two alums that can't behave themselves in the NFL. I also know that West Virginia has a kid that very few would take a chance on due to poor academics. I'm definitely not excusing what Marshall did to break the rules. Only someone looking through rose colored glasses would think that rules aren't broken more often at BCS programs, that have all that money at stake, than at non BCS programs. Most of the time the reason BCS schools get in trouble is because other BCS schools turn them into the NCAA. Why didn't Ohio State get into trouble over Clarette? I haven't heard anything in a long time concerning Reggie Bush at USC? What kind of trouble that FlaState get into with all those football players cheating?

--Sad isn't? Both of those guys could have been 10 year NFL guys and set their family's up for life. Now? Maybe not. At least it sounds like Jones is making some progress. It sounds wierd but I think a little thing like dropping the "Pac Man' is a good start

Jackson

Jackson, Did you go to the Fulmer Cup link I provided? The top 14 schools with multiple players in trouble off the field, were all BCS schools.

I did look at. Was shocked that UVA was that high. Again, the Hoos usually try to portray themeselves as being above all that kind of stuff. Thankfully, most of the players that got WVU on that list have been kicked off the team

How are ticket sales going for the WVU/ECU game? When you get a chance, you'll have to come over to the BE board and give us WVU fans a preview of which Pirate players to look for etc. IMO, you guys are going to beat Tech soundly

Jackson

Jackson, Last year the VaTech fans were predicting 60-0 type blowout. This year they have cut it in half to 30-0 type win. I think we have a legit 50/50 shot against VaTech this year. I have no idea how we will do against West Virginia. You guys destroyed us last year. I would like to think we will keep it a good bit closer at home this year. I'm sure the game will be sold out. By the way, VaTech fans have took notice of West Virginia's recruiting of the state of Virginia. You guys are pulling in some fine talent from Virginia.

P.S. I will be taking a Marshall grad & his son to the West Virginia & Marshall games.

Hrmmm, so ECU could be the Virginia and West Virginia football champs this year. Interesting.

So you're basically saying that West Virginia is a dirty program because they're in a BCS conference and two of their former players are in trouble in the NFL!? That's what you're saying because you're accusing West Virginia of covering up wrongdoings with Henry and Jones, without proof, then you took a shot at Devine. WVU isn't the only program with a number of alums in trouble. The entire NFL has been in trouble almost, I'm sure C-USA and every other program has had a number of players in trouble.

Kent State and Miami-OH aren't part of the BCS. And I don't see what is proven pointing out BCS programs. So you're saying those players only got into trouble because they're in BCS programs? I doubt it. I'm pretty sure they would have gotten in trouble at any program. Heck, if you don't stop at the Top 14 and actually look at the Top 20 (a good, round number) a huge number of non-BCS programs are also on the list. Trouble is trouble, whether you're in a BCS conference or not.

Anyone that says that bcs programs don't get special treatment aren't being realistic. As status goes, I don't think that violations at WVU or Cincy would get ignored like those at Ohio State or Tennessee but it is relative and I beleive that they would get a "fairer" shake than FAU or Marshall. Miami had a similar infraction in the early 90's and got HALF the penalities that were assessed on Marshall. You remember that Jackson - those were the only years Miami didn't win the Big East.

That said, this is old news and already the player has recanted his story.

The bottom line at Marshall was that a work program that was once acceptable by the NCAA (in the mid 90's) became unacceptable and was not caught (by Ridpath). Marshall was also gigged for having too much interaction with the props, but in the same breath, gigged because they didn't verify if the props were going to work or not.

So basically, a change in NCAA policy and players stealing work hours is what landed us on probation.

As for players not wanting to come to Marshall, that ought to translate into an easy win for you in 2010, huh bobkitty?

CatsClaw, If your Cincy program wasn't in a BCS conference you wouldn't utter a word about what I said. Only a fool would think that PACMan & Henry were angels while at West Virginia. What did Coach Rod do to contain those two? As far as Devine is concerned, he was one of the players on that list that has already gotten into trouble. There are no perfect programs, but if you haven't noticed, there's a theme in college football. The more successful the program, the more off the field problems. If these guys can't behave in public, how do they make the grades in the classroom? As we all know the BCS is BS. Schools in BCS conferences have the power and they protect their own. When there is a sniff of an NCAA investigation, all of a sudden the school in question does an internal investigation and punishes themselves. It's all BS and you know it. If I would have picked out Florida State to make my point, you would not have said a word about my post.

Blade, Half of Florida State's team gets caught cheating and from what I have read, they only had to miss a minor bowl game & the first 3 games of the 2008 season. Look at FSU's schedule and tell me if missing the first 3 games this year is a big deal.

See Link on FSU cheating.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/f...ting_N.htm

This Fing Ship is RIDICULOUS!!!!!!

Overpaid a couple players in summer jobs

Handed out a study guide that had some test answers on it to an ENTIRE class that had a few athletes in it. A study guide with test answers???? Holy FREAKING CRAP!!!! That must be a first!!!!

Marshall turned ourself in and we were slapped with the loss of scholarships, no prop players etc.

It obviously has hurt our program and we served the punishment.

The little douche Ridpath is a whiner and cant get over it. All of this is old news and is just being brought up again.

We get nailed to the wall over this, yet USC is giving out million homes to Reggie Bush, and Ohio State gets away with all kinds of stuff due to clerical errors...

And the beat goes on....