Is this not improper benefits?(bama related)

[ShocksMyBrain 10,240]

Amari Cooper, graduated star WR, gave the whole team Beats headphones as a gift for the championship game.

https://www.seccountry.com/alabama/former-alabama-star-amari-cooper-gives-team-expensive-gifts-to-help-beat-clemson

[lionheartkc 6,150]

Yea, it is... but I'm sure they will spin it, some way, to make it out as part of their championship game swag bags that they all get.

(update) Apparently Ohio State figured out the loophole last year...

http://espn.go.com/college-football/bowls14/story/_/id/12148392/lebron-james-beats-dre-headphones-gift-ohio-state-buckeyes-not-ncaa-violation

Auburn's players apparently got a nice return for their trip to Birmingham (pardon the AL.com link... the article just talks about the swag they scored)

http://www.al.com/au...ampionship.html

[trout54 55]

there is a difference between this and swag. All bowl games are allowed to give all participating players swag bags to a designated $ value (I believe it is $550,regardlessof what bowl). This, however, is a gift given by an individual. not the same at all. The only thing I can think that would make it "Okay" is that he gave them to ALL of the players on the team. If he had given it to just Ridley, or another individual, it would be a pretty big concern. Please, if I am off track here, correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks. WDE

[Weegle777 78]

Improper benefits is a term that doesn't apply to bammer. Move along...

[around4ever 4,140]

Ohio State found a loophole and had Lebron donate them to the school. If students other than football players received them then everything is OK. According to the article, this was not done that way. If no other students received the 'beats' then it is an improper benefit.

[InfernoOrangeSS 324]

I thought the rule was that an athlete couldn't receive anything that any normal student wouldn't receive. (Though that may be an old rule.)

[around4ever 4,140]

It doesn't matter, the NCAA already has the broom out to sweep it under the rug with all the other improper benefits cases and accusations.

[Elephant Tipper 431]

Ohio State found a loophole and had Lebron donate them to the school. If students other than football players received them then everything is OK. According to the article, this was not done that way. If no other students received the 'beats' then it is an improper benefit.

The swag bag provision to student players is supposed to be limited to bowl sponsors with a total dollar limit of $500 per student. Somehow it's the "sponsorship" definition that is circumvented by LJames and others. Had this discussion with a former player for Charles Kelly this past weekend. tifwiw

[AUTUmike 79]

FWIW I'm pretty sure the conference can also add something like $800 to the players' haul. Although some of that goes towards championship rings.

[keesler 6,037]

Good Lord, why don't yall just turn them in to the NCAA?

[JoeBags7277 760]

Leaked photo of the gift

[triangletiger 1,599]

Does this mean Auburn is about to go on probation? Isn't that how it worked back during the Bryant era? Bama would get caught breaking the rules and Auburn would end up on probation.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

there is a difference between this and swag. All bowl games are allowed to give all participating players swag bags to a designated $ value (I believe it is $550,regardlessof what bowl). This, however, is a gift given by an individual. not the same at all. The only thing I can think that would make it "Okay" is that he gave them to ALL of the players on the team. If he had given it to just Ridley, or another individual, it would be a pretty big concern. Please, if I am off track here, correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks. WDE

Look at the link I provided about Ohio State. They figured out that they could be given as a gift to the University and then the University could include them in the swag... Standard loophole for untouchable programs like bama, or when the NCAA doesn't want to piss off Lebron.

[quietfan 233]

Look at the link I provided about Ohio State. They figured out that they could be given as a gift to the University and then the University could include them in the swag... Standard loophole for untouchable programs like bama, or when the NCAA doesn't want to piss off Lebron.

Yeah, I think the OSU article probably answers the question. Thanks for providing the link.

http://espn.go.com/n...eland-cavaliers

The gift was not a violation of NCAA rules.

"The headphones were donated to Ohio State and were distributed within permissible NCAA limitations on awards," the spokesperson said.

Beats By Dre also gave Oregon players Beats headphones on Saturday, a member of the team's traveling party told ESPN's Darren Rovell. The Ducks also had received them from the Pac-12 for playing in the conference championship game last month.

Schools are allowed to give their players gifts worth $400 for the national championship game, and the winning team can give an additional $415 in gifts to its players. The value of the Beats By Dre headphones will be deducted from that amount.

The amount deducted is normally the wholesale price of the item, not what it sells for at retail. The headphones given by Beats By Dre to the players cost close to $300 at retail, which would put the gift at a wholesale price of about $175.

The hosting bowl can give players 'swag' or a gift bag. AUTUmike suggests the conference can do so also...I don't know anything about that, but I have no reason to question him. And obviously according to this OSU story, the school can. I don't know why the source or costs of such gifts--whether provided by a booster, Amari or otherwise, a corporate sponsor, or the school's own athletic budget--should matter as long as the gift is funneled through the school and value of the gift is included in the NCAA limits on value. So I wouldn't call any such swag a 'loophole' in NCAA regulations if it's NCAA approved.

If Cooper's gift is counted in such NCAA-approved swag, I see no problem here. Now if Cooper's gift is above and beyond, or in addition to, the normal swag package and restrictions, of course it's a violation. LeBron apparently didn't pay for the OSU gift, but merely arranged for the gift through his professional ties to Beats. I don't know if Amari's situation was similar or if he footed the cost personally, but then I don't know if that makes any difference in the NCAA guidelines on post-season swag. The attached "Finish Strong" card seems to have been packaged with the headphones, includes the Beats' corporate emblem, and seems customized for the package, so it would seem there had to be a corporate connection of some sort.

Personally, there is no doubt in my mind that Bama has a long, ongoing history of illegal benefits. However, if the OSU story accurately describes NCAA regulations, I can't conclude that this particular gift falls into that category.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

The irony of the whole thing is the whole to-do is based around Beats... massively overpriced, average headphones. For the same $ or less, there are several FAR superior options. Beats test out to be around the same quality as headphones that cost about half what they charge for them.

Amazing what marketing can do...

[Elephant Tipper 431]

I say "petition Tim Cook."

Somebody with the time can create the petition for us to sign: https://www.change.org/

[ShocksMyBrain 10,240]

I say "petition Tim Cook."

Somebody with the time can create the petition for us to sign: https://www.change.org/

Has that site ever actually worked?

[Elephant Tipper 431]

I say "petition Tim Cook."

Somebody with the time can create the petition for us to sign: https://www.change.org/

Has that site ever actually worked?

Beats me. Never signed it out of principle....but this would be an exception. I just hate the UpDykes.

Maybe change.org needs to be changed to AmericaHatesUpDykes.org.

[quietfan 233]

The irony of the whole thing is the whole to-do is based around Beats... massively overpriced, average headphones. For the same $ or less, there are several FAR superior options. Beats test out to be around the same quality as headphones that cost about half what they charge for them.

Amazing what marketing can do...

I haven't looked into the specs of various headphones on the market lately, but I suspect you're absolutely right.

Like so many other things on the market today--designer jeans, MP3 players, athletic foot ware, even automobiles to some degree, etc., etc.--the popularity & price of Beats probably has more to do with brand name and name recognition than the actual quality of the product. Image trumps function.

[Weegle777 78]

The irony of the whole thing is the whole to-do is based around Beats... massively overpriced, average headphones. For the same $ or less, there are several FAR superior options. Beats test out to be around the same quality as headphones that cost about half what they charge for them.

Amazing what marketing can do...

I saw an article where a tech bought some $10 Sony headphones and some Beats. Took both pair apart and saw that both pair had the EXACT same components in them. Hey, but you look cool.