I wonder why they were paying him so much?

[Buzz Killington]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/08/how_will_alabama_handle_implic.html

How will Alabama handle implicated staffers in Miami scandal?
Published: Thursday, August 18, 2011, 5:30 AM
By Jon Solomon -- The Birmingham News al.com

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Alabama has a lot invested in first-year offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. That goes beyond a two-year contract paying him $395,000 annually, more than any Alabama assistant other than coordinators Kirby Smart and Jim McElwain.

Stoutland was hired to improve an offensive line for a team with national championship aspirations every year. That team also remains on NCAA probation from the textbook case until next June.

So if you disassociate yourself from a clothing store owner despite saying you found no NCAA violations, how do you handle two staff members accused of recruiting violations at their old school in the most explosive college sports scandal in years?

Alabama could have to weigh that question after Stoutland and director of football operations Joe Pannunzio were implicated by Yahoo! Sports from their time at Miami.

To be perfectly clear, the Yahoo! claims are just allegations now, and they wouldn't lead to penalties for Alabama. But on the surface, the accusations don't look good for Stoutland and Pannunzio personally.

Yahoo! alleges Stoutland and Pannunzio, along with other Miami staffers, delivered high-profile recruits to booster Nevin Shapiro's mansion for recruiting pitches from a man who now says from prison he provided thousands of benefits to 72 players. The NCAA doesn't allow the involvement of boosters in recruiting.

"If I was Alabama, I would conduct my own internal inquiry in conjunction with the enforcement staff," said Michael Buckner, a Florida attorney who counsels schools about compliance and has represented several in NCAA cases. "If there are alleged activities going on with current staff members at other schools, are they continuing those activities at Alabama? Alabama can't afford any significant allegations at this point since they're on probation."

Louisville confirmed Wednesday the NCAA wants to speak with assistant Clint Hurtt, who was named in the Miami scandal. Alabama isn't commenting. The NCAA will also want to interview Stoutland and Pannunzio, if that hasn't happened already.

Lying and getting caught means worse damage. If Stoutland and/or Pannunzio deny wrongdoing, years could pass before the NCAA makes findings on the case that show whether or not they committed violations.

Shapiro identified Stoutland as being at a recruiting pitch in 2007 and said he met the offensive line coach "a couple times." For whatever reason, Shapiro wouldn't rat out Pannunzio, who also once coached at Auburn. Yahoo! used two unnamed sources to identify Pannunzio's presence at the mansion and found 422 calls or texts between Shapiro and Pannunzio from 2006 to 2010.

"If what was in the report was true, then I think (Stoutland and Pannunzio) would be prominent in any notice of allegations," Buckner said. "Whether that rises to a major for them, that's the question. Normally, that would just be a secondary, although the enforcement staff can use patterns of secondaries to be a major. It's what's not in the story that the enforcement staff is going to have to uncover." ¶

What type of relationship did Stoutland and Pannunzio have with Shapiro? Did they introduce recruits to the booster? What did they observe Shapiro say or provide? Did they know of violations and not report them? Did Shapiro pay them anything on the side?

Pannunzio has a two-year contract worth $170,000 annually with Alabama. Among the duties he oversees: team budget; team travel; high school summer camp; housing and food service; comp tickets for current players, recruits and VIPs; and the player development, player personnel, football operations and football administrative staffs.

The contracts for Pannunzio and Stoutland spell out how they can be fired for cause. Among the ways: "conduct constituting a major violation, or a pattern of conduct which may constitute or lead to a major violation," or Alabama's interpretation that the conduct "negatively and significantly" impacts the university.

A finding or determination by the NCAA or SEC of a major violation is another reason they could be fired for cause, subject to any permitted appeal. Both contracts also allow for a suspension up to 90 days with or without pay.

Stoutland was on the practice field as usual Wednesday. There's a lot riding on his work with Alabama's offensive line.

Now there's a lot riding off the field, too.

Write Jon at jsolomon@bhamnews.com. Follow him at twitter.com/jonsol

[Townhallsavoy]

How much more than any other assistant?

[Snaggletiger]

That damn Barnerham News is at it again.

[Kaos]

Hammer's coming.

[No Huddle]

Not a lawyer so my question is could Alabama fire those coaches without due process?

[Saniflush]

Not a lawyer so my question is could Alabama fire those coaches without due process?

Not one either but I would say yes they could since Alabama is a right to work state.  Now they would still be on the hook for their buyout salary unless they were found guilty though I would think.

[Snaggletiger]

Not one either but I would say yes they could since Alabama is a right to work state.  Now they would still be on the hook for their buyout salary unless they were found guilty though I would think.

Right to work with exceptions, one of which you just named.  If you are under contract, both sides have to abide by it's terms.

[AWK]

Right to work with exceptions, one of which you just named.  If you are under contract, both sides have to abide by it's terms.

Yes and yes.  Alabama is an "at will" State, meaning you can be fired anytime...unless contract.  See Snaggle above.

[No Huddle]

I mean you ask and you shall receive. Thanks fellas.

[RWS]

From the interview TideSports did with Charles Robinson, I feel OK with Stoutland's involvement in this whole Miami thing. According to the booster, the only thing Stoutland ever did that he was aware of was dropping a recruit off at a booster's house. While I'm not thrilled with that in itself, because the last thing Alabama needs is recruits having anything to do with boosters, that's not too bad relative to all of the shit that happened. I'm hoping that it was just a product of the environment at the U. Pannunzio? Not so much. The writer's source wouldn't really say anything about Pannunzio for "personal reasons", but the writer got the feeling there was alot there with this guy. While that's not all that solid, Robinson seems like a fairly decent writer who wouldn't bullshit, imo. If he believed it, I would probably believe it. Not thrilled at all about these two guys being mentioned at all.

[Buzz Killington]

From the interview TideSports did with Charles Robinson, I feel OK with Stoutland's involvement in this whole Miami thing. According to the booster, the only thing Stoutland ever did that he was aware of was dropping a recruit off at a booster's house. While I'm not thrilled with that in itself, because the last thing Alabama needs is recruits having anything to do with boosters, that's not too bad relative to all of the shit that happened. I'm hoping that it was just a product of the environment at the U. Pannunzio? Not so much. The writer's source wouldn't really say anything about Pannunzio for "personal reasons", but the writer got the feeling there was alot there with this guy. While that's not all that solid, Robinson seems like a fairly decent writer who wouldn't bullshit, imo. If he believed it, I would probably believe it. Not thrilled at all about these two guys being mentioned at all.

And Pannunzio is the Director of Foosball Activities, right?  If the shoe were on the other foot, that would scare the hell out of me.

[Token]

I'd be shocked if there isn't a clause in the contract that allows termination without buyout if the coaches do anything to bring the University under scrutiny.  I'd prefer that Pannunzio be terminated immediately.  Not sure about Stoutland yet, but I'd lean towards terminating him also.

[Vandy Vol]

Not one either but I would say yes they could since Alabama is a right to work state.  Now they would still be on the hook for their buyout salary unless they were found guilty though I would think.

I'm relatively sure that most of the college coaches' employment contracts have a clause which allows the university to fire the coach without buying out their salary and/or bonuses if NCAA violations occur.  Les Miles' contract, for example, states:

University may terminate this agreement for cause.  Cause for this purpose shall mean a finding or determination by the NCAA of one or more major, significant or repetitive violations by Coach.  All compensation, including salary benefits and other renumeration set forth in this contract incidental to Coach’s employment cease upon termination, other than the compensation owed Coach for services performed by Coach prior to termination.

When asked about the buyout, LSU chancellor Michael Martin said, “NCAA violations would negate the buyout.”  This was in light of recent findings about LSU's program under Miles.

[AU_Tiger_2000]

They could be fired without compensation if it could be shown that they misrepresented themselves during the hiring process; i.e., if asked if they had broken an NCAA rules at prior jobs in an interview and denying it.

[Snaggletiger]

They could be fired without compensation if it could be shown that they misrepresented themselves during the hiring process; i.e., if asked if they had broken an NCAA rules at prior jobs in an interview and denying it.

This man, he do have a point.

[Tiger Wench]

They could be fired without compensation if it could be shown that they misrepresented themselves during the hiring process; i.e., if asked if they had broken an NCAA rules at prior jobs in an interview and denying it.

Don't they also have to sign a certification letter every year saying they didn't break any NCAA rules?  Seems like I remember this being one of the issues with Tressel.