The gossip web site TMZ is reporting that Kentucky basketball is the subject of an NCAA probe.
TMZ claims that four players, two former and two current, are being investigated for their relationships with agents.
Excerpt:
In the case of one former Wildcat, we’re told the NCAA wants to know about his relationship with his current agent. We’re told the investigator asked about multiple meetings the agent allegedly had with the player … dating back to the player’s senior year in high school.
More to come.
John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky and a 1981 graduate of the University of Kentucky, he covered UK football for 13 seasons before being promoted to columnist in 2000. Born in Paris, he graduated from George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester in 1977. He lives in Lexington with his wife and two sons. In 2010, his Sidelines blog was one of four Editor and Publisher's EPpy Award finalists for best sports blog. You can e-mail him at jclay@herald-leader.com.
Can a sports reporter actually look into this and either verify or debunk this instead of just giving their website hits. I’d rather know the truth from someone I trust.
Lies, all lies. The key here is that TMZ is a “gossip” website and posts stuff without actually having a credible source. This will hopefully go away soon like everything else so far.
Well - At least it’s a reliable and trusted news source like TMZ! HL reporting a story on a “news source” that quotes an unnamed source about a possible rumor about something that might or might not have happened! That’s the kind of integrity I like to see in my news sources!!!!! Geeze
The good thing is that since UK didn’t make the Final 4 this year then it cannot be vacated.
TMZ is just jealous of all UK’s success. Typical bunch of miserables. They are just sour grapes.
Did anyone NOT see this coming? Will teflon cal trash another program and get away with it?
Hello Marquis Teague. Welcome back to the Cards.
Let’s take a guess. I’d say it’s Wall and Cousins. DA-DAAAAAAA!
This is probably routine stuff. The NCAA looks at high profile, high draft choice players each year for agent improprieties. My guess is it’s just not these two. I’ll bet they are looking at Evan Turner as well.
I can see it now. Photographers camping outside Cal’s house 24×7 trying to get an upshirt shot.
Of course it’s the sleaziest program in the land. It’s as if they know they have herpes, but don’t want to go to the doctor to verify it.
I didn’t like it when UK hired Cal, don’t like having a bunch of one and done players, and I think this type of atmosphere will eventually be the downfall of UK basketball. I no longer support this program, which I had for over 30 years. Big time college sports are a sham these days. All about money. That is all.
Thanks Mitch Barnhart!
You hired a two time (now three time) cheater.
Your new coach turned the once proud Kentucky basketball program into a farm team for the NBA.
We will have to vacate all our wins under Calipari like UMASS and Memphis. This will be third school Calipari has put on probation.
Please get rid of him and all his one and done players. Restore some integrity to UK basketball. The bad image Calipari has cast over UK is not worth it.
Hahhaha.
DUKE 2010 Champs
Hey want you pick on Louisville, Duke or maybe NC sometime they cheat to just like any other college!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks UK!
It sure hurt when you stole our coach and our recruits, but man it feels good now!!
We got a great recruiting class coming in and the best young coach out there!
Don’t worry, after Cal leaves your program Napalmed like he did ours, it hurts for a while but the sting gets better with time.
It is all unfounded rumor. I can not believe everyone here throwing Coach Cal under the bus. If there was a story here Alan Cutler would be chasing Coach Cal across Mitch Barnyard’s Lawn. I am Glad we will not here more from Jeff.
According to a source who was interviewed by an NCAA investigator, the agency is interested in at least four players — two current and two who were just drafted by NBA teams.
In the case of one former Wildcat, we’re told the NCAA wants to know about his relationship with his current agent. We’re told the investigator asked about multiple meetings the agent allegedly had with the player … dating back to the player’s senior year in high school.
The insinuation is the agent had an arrangement with the player before he went to Kentucky.
It is a violation of NCAA rules for a student athlete to receive anything of value from an agent — or
to have any agreements, verbally or in writing, with an agent. Just ask USC, Reggie Bush or OJ Mayo.
Kentucky “declined comment” — and a rep for the NCAA tells us, “The NCAA does not comment on current, pending or potential investigations.”
I find it fascinating that some “fans” (generally of other programs… nudge, nudge, wink, wink, SAY no more!) are apparently willing to take as “fact” a report from a “source” that is best known for reporting things that have nothing to do with sports in the first place.
Pretty credible report eh?
Please.
And with all due respect to John, how can a reputable reporter / nerwspaper publish this garbage in the first place?
Not saying it shouldn’t be looked into or checked, but it should be done by people who actually know what they are doing in the first place before anything is said.
Mark Liptak
TMZ might not be as reputable as ESPN, et.al., but they did break the Tiger Woods’ story, so don’t completely discount their reporting.
I find it funny how people jump to blaming a coach with a players dealings. If there was an agent talking to a player, how is any coach to know unless he is on top of the player at all times, night and day, tapping their phone calls and messages, all while the person is in grade school through the time they are drafted. Ridiculous to blame any coach.
The story is definitely true. It was just a matter of time. If I had to guess it is probably Orton. He didn’t even want to be there. He already had planned on leaving after his freshman year. Ha has already said he wished he had went to Kansas. He figured what better place to leave this baggage.
I agree with Jeff. I have followed the basketball Cats for 55 years. No more. We threw integrity out when we hired Calapari. I now follow Duke. They win with four years players who stay in school and came to school for the right reasons. I’ll be back when Calapari is gone. For the faithful Cal fans, stay with him as the ship goes down.
TMZ is a reputable site that has broken many stories in the past couple of years, including Tiger Woods, that all turned out to be true. They do pay for their info, but that’s how they get the stories.
A New Low for John Clay-
Reporting a website like TMZ as a legitable news source. Why not also report that their are alien from Mars that were also reported by TMZ.
Let see Rupp hung out with known gamblers in the 50s and they rode on the team train to New York. Dave H. I guess you stopped following Ky basketball then correct. I think one of the guys that Rupp was associated Lewis Boogey made the point spread form of betting popular.
Good riddance DavidH. We don’t want nor need you back as a fan.
People give me a break! As recently as ten minutes ago, espn.com has not reported even the hint of a violation and I have not found it on any other major news feed. John Clay is obviously bored, has it out for Coach Cal for some reason, or just likes to stir the pot. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty. For your fairweather fans please don’t ever come back. The truth is that no one wants UK relevant again and we are! Go Cats, for you John Clay, please move to another country and stop spreading b.s. without factual information.
It is unfortunate that TMZ actually reports a LOT of true stuff and gets the scoop on many things before other news sources do. Hope this isn’t one of those true stories.
OK -
A verbal agreement regarding representation is a violation.
(Otherwise if they agreed about what to eat, it would be a violation.)
But suppose an agent claims that a player made a verbal agreement, and the player says he didn’t?
If you say I owe you money and I say I don’t, and there’s nothing written, and no pattern of similar cooperation, then the only thing the NCAA has to “investigate” is my brain waves.
On top of that - an agent can’t really produce a purported written agreement predating separation from the program, unless he is ready to get banned himself…and that’s not a very good position to be in going into a lawsuit.
Bottom line - somebody is asking questions. As Matt Jones noted, TMZ talked about “an investigator” but NOT “an investigation”. It may seem a slender point, but considering how difficult it would be to prove anything in such a case, it’s important.
This is just Round 1000 in the NCAA’s war on the AAU. In order to protect the sanctity of the morning line, “student-athletes” are not allowed to have normal human friendships.
Either that, or some people just want to keep beating the anti-Cal drum. Look at the paid haters on this comment thread.
I’m not the same Jeff as above, and I don’t agree with him or with Dave H. The story on Orton was that he didn’t know who to sign with. Patrick signed with a guy who had never represented anybody. Everybody was waiting for John or Cuz to sign with somebody connected to LeBron/Wes and it didn’t happen. So this is what was left - try to investigate who they eventually did sign with, and try to work backward to a connection with someone while at UK.
There’s a bounty on UK’s head. Probably it does have to do with Cal. At any rate the usual suspects can come on and say “We told you so” for the 1000th time.
BTW, Memphis Tigers, your great coach, who is a big UK fan, was a gift from Cal, as were several of your recruits. So you stay classy.
The NCAA needs to get off of Coach Cal & Kentucky Wilcat backs and after other colleges they break rules to!!!!
What the flip is TMZ??? A spin-off of the National Enquirer. The sad part about TMZ being a web site is that you can’t use it as a birdcage liner like the National Enquirer.
Where there’s smoke theres FIRE….Welcome TO CAL BALL….
There’s no doubt this is true, ( the Probe ) … has UK done wrong maybe maybe not…But we have hired a known cheater….these PROBES will be here til we get busted…And we will get busted…just a matter of time.
Where there is smoke there is fire. Last time a California story broke on recruiting we ended up on probation. (Eddie was hung out by Cliff Hagan) IF this turns out to be true, then the AD as well as Cal need to go. That would be 2 bad hires with questionable “due dilligence”. Will lose 35 victories, first to 2000 and all time wins lead. Glad to know all the increased ticket costs and “voluntary” contributions have gone to a good cause.
I don’t guess any that say Cal is a cheater ever cheated.It is like the pot calling the kettle black.Lay off or just keep your mouth closed till the truth comes out.then speak out
Has there been a release from the NCAA or the University of Kentucky? Why don’t all of you anti Kentucky haters wait until something official is released and then you won’t have to eat your words.
This is why we did not hire Cal two years ago.
TMZ broke the Oklahoma recruiting violations. They are owned by Time Warner. They are a credible source. UK is busted and will have to pay the price.
I can’t deal with all of these allegations, true or not, that surround Cal wherever he goes. It certainly doesn’t look good for our program to have constant negative attention,eventually the NCAA will find “something” that they will pin on us.
David H- No so called fan of any team switches to a team rival like Duke because he doesn’t like the coach, your no true fan, and Coach K won a title with an inelegible player. We know the NCAA plays favorites with Duke, just look at their bracket. The purpose of being the top number 1’s in the Big Dance is an easier road, we all know who got that. A ten year drought was too tempting for the committee. So keep your a@@ a Duke fan.
Bob:
TMZ also reported a few weeks ago that Texas and Oklahoma would be in the Big Ten.
How did that work out?
Please….this is a garbage “report” from a garbage web site looking to make news over the 4th of July.
Hey if Calipari is guilty, I’ll be the first to hang him but until or unless he’s found to have actually done something by the NCAA, I’m getting tired of this dung.
TMZ should name names, disclose their source (there are unconfimed reports the author of this garbage is from Louisville) and let the chips fall where they may.
If they aren’t willing to do this or can’t because they have none they (and other media outlets) need to shut the hell up.
And just to clarify I’ve been in the sports media for 32 years and I’m sick of what my profession has become.
Mark Liptak
DaveH, you’re so full of BS its coming out of your ears. You honestly expect anyone to believe that you’ve been a loyal UK fan for 55 years & now, because they hired Cal (who coincidentally had the best record of any Div I team last season) you’ve decided to become a DUKE fan?? DUKE?…really? No one’s buying it bub.
Even if you were inclined to place your loyalties elsewhere for such a reason, no self-respecting member of the Big Blue Nation would suddenly become a DUKE fan. Seriously, are you also pulling for Louisville?…how ’bout FLA or UNC or UT?
I could understand a shift to a large number of teams if you truly jumped ship like a massive loser (& poser IMHO), but not DUKE. If you were truly the fan you said you were then you’d still be feeling the pain from the Laettner shot. Everyone else reading this does. douche.
Because TMZ’s batting average is .038, we’re supposed to believe this one? That’s unassailable logic.
Actually, there’s no doubt somebody sold this story to them. The question is who. Who would an NCAA investigator be talking to besides the player or the agent (let’s say John Wall and Brian Clifton)? Think. Who else would know whether the two had reached an agreement?
And before you say a parent or other family member, it has to be someone who would sell the story to TMZ.
But let’s assume the NCAA is looking to see if there is any “reasonably reliable information” of a violation (their standard to start an investigation and notify the involved NCAA member institution.)
An inquiry does not insinuate guilt. Unless you want it to. And it seems a lot of people want it to.