N.C.A.A. Inquiry of Auburn Isn’t Over, Exchange Reveals (N.Y. Times)

[The Six]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/sports/ncaafootball/ncaas-investigation-of-auburn-isnt-over-yet.html?_r=2

Is this the prelude to "the bomb"?

By PETE THAMEL

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Last month, when athletic officials from the Southeastern Conference met in Destin, Fla., the annual gathering had an eye-popping moment.

Julie Roe Lach, the N.C.A.A.’s vice president for enforcement, made a presentation to the group, which included every men’s basketball coach, football coach and athletic director in the conference. When she opened up the room for discussion, Auburn’s football coach, Gene Chizik, raised his hand first.

He peppered Roe Lach with a flurry of questions about the N.C.A.A.’s investigation into Cam Newton and why the N.C.A.A. had not publicly announced that the investigation was over. Chizik complained that the inquiry’s open-ended nature had hurt Auburn’s recruiting and he followed up at least three times, leading to a testy exchange.

“You’ll know when we’re finished,” Roe Lach told Chizik, according to several coaches who were at the meeting. “And we’re not finished.”

The N.C.A.A. has a consistent policy of not commenting on investigations, and the tense back and forth between Roe Lach and Chizik offered rare insight into one of the most contentious cases in recent N.C.A.A. history.

Both the N.C.A.A. and Auburn acknowledged last year that Newton’s father, Cecil, had offered his son to Mississippi State for $180,000. Cam Newton told the N.C.A.A. that he had no knowledge of the proposed transaction. Soon after, in a controversial decision, the N.C.A.A. declared him eligible to play the rest of the season. He went on to lead Auburn to the national title and win the Heisman Trophy. He now awaits his new role as quarterback for the Carolina Panthers.

Auburn, the N.C.A.A. and the SEC declined comment on the exchange at the SEC gathering.

While Chizik has said that he and Auburn did not break any rules in recruiting Newton, Roe Lach made it clear that the N.C.A.A. is not done investigating.

“Obviously, I think that she was serious, and I obviously thought it was a good message, because you could tell that she and they are serious about what they’re doing and trying to do what they have to do to clean up some of the bad elements in college athletics,” said Vanderbilt Coach Kevin Stallings, one of four SEC basketball coaches who confirmed the exchange.

The exchange between Chizik and Roe Lach provided another example of the N.C.A.A.’s more vigorous emphasis on enforcement. The N.C.A.A. has increased and restructured its enforcement staff recently in an attempt to better handle its caseload.

“It was obvious they were trying to be thorough,” said Stallings, who was with other basketball coaches at a recruiting event. “It was obvious they wanted everyone to know that there’s a more diligent pursuit than there’s been in the past. The staff is bigger and more aggressive. I thought that her message was a good one.”

Arkansas’s basketball coach, Mike Anderson, said there was a visceral reaction in the room to Chizik’s questioning, with coaches shrugging their shoulders and looking perplexed.

Mississippi’s basketball coach, Andy Kennedy, said that he believed Chizik “was trying to get some finality to when the process was over, and it was an interesting debate, to say the least. I think the format of the meeting was set up to be generally about the lay of the land going forward. When he got into specific questions regarding their situation, I think we were all sitting back saying, ‘I didn’t know that we were going here.’ ”

Kennedy said Roe Lach gave general answers at first, but Chizik’s persistence forced her into a bigger statement — that the N.C.A.A. was still investigating Auburn.

“I’m not sure she wanted it to be that way,” Kennedy said. “I’m speculating, but it seemed like a situation where she was like, ‘Do I go left or do I go right here?’ ”

Scandals have defined college sports in the last calendar year, from the North Carolina agent investigation to the Newton saga and recent problems at Ohio State and Oregon.

Coaches say they see a tangible push from the N.C.A.A. to fight back. “The message that the N.C.A.A. is sending is, ‘Enough already,’ ” L.S.U.’s basketball coach, Trent Johnson, said.

[Kaos]

At least Thamel hasn't lost his knack for hyperbole. 

Testy exchange? 

Another non story. 

 

[The Prowler]

AAAHAHA...BOMB...AAAHAHAHA

[AWK]

FUCKING HAMMER!!! WE ARE SCREWED.

[Godfather]

[JR4AU]

[The Prowler]

My question is...why are we hearing about this "heated, eye popping, violent" exchange now?  I'm calling complete bullshit on Pete Thamel's story.  The meetings were a Month and a half ago, finedung would've spent the rest of the month of June talking about it...and this is the first we've heard of this exchange?? Pssshhh, go fuck yourself Petey.

[The Six]

My question is...why are we hearing about this "heated, eye popping, violent" exchange now?  I'm calling complete bullpoop on Pete Thamel's story.  The meetings were a Month and a half ago, finedung would've spent the rest of the month of June talking about it...and this is the first we've heard of this exchange?? Pssshhh, go eff yourself Petey.

http://madvertiserblogs.com/HABOTN/

[The Prowler]

http://madvertiserblogs.com/HABOTN/

And???  Jay Tate is quoting Petey's article....an article that's been chopped and screwed to make it look like Coach Chizik was the only one asking questions (Derek Dooley was the first one to ask a question).

Two things...I applaud Coach Chizik asking her point blank about the Cam Newton investigation. When she took the postion, she stated that they're going to be transparent with the Universities and people involved in investigations.  So, Coach Chizik asked her about the investigations and she said "it's ongoing." The other thing, just because it's the "Cam Newton Investigation" doesn't necessarily mean that Auburn is being investigated (that's what some aren't seeing), there was another school involved.  That school was the one that was in discussions about $180,000...they also had a certain coach there back in '03, by the name of John Blake.  If you don't know who that is, look up the UNC NCAA Investigations.

I'm sure you'll post Evan Woodbammer's next article regarding the "eye popping, violent, vicious Coach Chizik vs the little NCAA woman" article.

[djsimp]

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Report-Auburn-still-under-NCAA-investigation-over-Cam-Newton-071311

Report: NCAA still investigating Auburn
--Updated Jul 13, 2011 11:30 PM ET

An NCAA official told Auburn coach Gene Chizik that it is not done investigating the Tigers' football program and the recruitment of Cam Newton, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

Chizik asked NCAA vice president for enforcement Julie Roe Lach several questions, including why the NCAA had not announced that the Newton investigation was finished, during a presentation at the Southeastern Conference meetings in Destin, Fla., last month.

''You'll know when we're finished,'' Roe Lach told Chizik, according to several coaches who were at the meeting, the Times reported. ''And we're not finished.''

Vanderbilt basketball coach Kevin Stallings, LSU basketball coach Trent Johnson, Mississippi basketball coach Andy Kennedy and Arkansas basketball coach Mike Anderson all confirmed the exchange to the newspaper.

Kennedy told the Times he believed Chizik ''was trying to get some finality to when the process was over, and it was an interesting debate, to say the least. I think the format of the meeting was set up to be generally about the lay of the land going forward. When he got into specific questions regarding their situation, I think we were all sitting back saying, 'I didn't know that we were going here.'''

Newton won the Heisman Trophy and led Auburn to a perfect season and national championship last season, his only one with the Tigers.

Late in the season, the NCAA ruled that Newton's father, Cecil, had tried to get Mississippi State to pay $180,000 for his son to play for the Bulldogs. Cam Newton ended up choosing Auburn instead of Mississippi State when he was being recruited out of junior college.

The NCAA also ruled there was no evidence Cam Newton or Auburn knew about Cecil Newton's pay-for-play scheme, so neither was punished.

[GH2001]

Funny they are "still investigating Auburn" but no LOI has been delivered. They are more than likely still investigating the entire situation which Miss State and Rogers are at the heart of. Not Auburn.

Just more BS and wordplay here to get page hits. When they can show proof, provide evidence, photo copy of LOI, anything of AUBURN being investigated - then I will listen. Other than that, its crap. Emmert and Kramer said so. I would listen to them over a FS article.

[Godfather]

Please don't delete whole threads. 

[djsimp]

Now I am just gonna have to be butthurt.

[Kaos]

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Report-Auburn-still-under-NCAA-investigation-over-Cam-Newton-071311

This is nothing but a rehash of a rehash of what was already said? 

I've seen people posting panicked links saying "ESPN REPORTS!!  and FOX NEWS SAYS!! and AL.COM CONFIRMS!!!" 

FOR FUCK'S SAKE PEOPLE....

Every one of these GODDAM links is just one more fuckstick saying "Pete Thamel of the New York Times says..." 

Christ in a one horse sleigh...

 

[Townhallsavoy]

It's a sad world of media. 

Wake me up when Pete Thamel reports on the evidence that links Auburn to buying Cam Newton. 

Or anything concrete concerning the following:

Auburn's role in the bingo scandal
Auburn's tax evasion
Trooper Taylor purchasing prostitutes for high school recruits
Chette Williams funneling money to families through his ministry
$100 handshakes being given to players as they randomly walk down the street (HBO 4)
Sean Nelson's role as a street agent
Auburn's connection to Willie Lyles
Chizik's inappropriate behavior with Cyrus K's family
Gang mentality amongst the players
The Felony 4 using Michael Dyer's guns

[djsimp]

Slow your roll there K. As for me, I'm not stressing this article but that doesn't stop it from being out there. First of all, when I think of Thamel, I think of a dry crusty dingleberry hanging of the ass of a donkey. Secondly, fuck Pete Thamel.

What I find interesting about this is that a whole month later, this same article resurfaces for no real reason. Just as you mentioned, re-stating what had already been said. Maybe in effort to rebuttal the newly released book "All In"?

Also, why in the hell is it only BB coaches reporting this. Minor thing, just a thought.

[Kaos]

Slow your roll there K. As for me, I'm not stressing this article but that doesn't stop it from being out there. First of all, when I think of Thamel, I think of a dry crusty dingleberry hanging of the ass of a donkey. Secondly, fuck Pete Thamel.

What I find interesting about this is that a whole month later, this same article resurfaces for no real reason. Just as you mentioned, re-stating what had already been said. Maybe in effort to rebuttal the newly released book "All In"?

Also, why in the hell is it only BB coaches reporting this. Minor thing, just a thought.

Not really directed at you.  I've just seen a couple of dozen "THIS IS NOT GOOD!" type of chicken little threads pop up all over the little tiny corner of the world I check on. 

[Godfather]

Now I am just gonna have to be butthurt.

That wasn't directed at you...I just merged your thread with this one.

Newcastle deleted the whole thread over being butthurt by Jumbo, I think Jumbo forget to use the lube...this is what happens to people when they don't present their dog fast enough.

[djsimp]

Not really directed at you.  I've just seen a couple of dozen "THIS IS NOT GOOD!" type of chicken little threads pop up all over the little tiny corner of the world I check on.

Gotchya.

I'm tired of hearing that as well. I call bs and move on. Besides, the hammer is inevitable; we just have to wait till the NCAA gets done with OSU, Oregon, MSU and NC first. Did I miss anyone?

[War Eagle!!!]

That wasn't directed at you...I just merged your thread with this one.

Newcastle deleted the whole thread over being butthurt by Jumbo, I think Jumbo forget to use the lube...this is what happens to people when they don't present their dog fast enough.

No reason that his dog should go through a fisting everytime he changes persona's...