LSU coach paid recruit to come to LSU (updated)

[SouthLink02 8]

http://www.lsureveille.com/mobile/news/source-mccarthy-paid-akiem-hicks-to-come-to-lsu-1.2112267

Source: McCarthy paid Akiem Hicks to come to LSU

By Rachel Whittaker

Chief Sports Writer

Published: Friday, December 4, 2009

Updated: Friday, December 4, 2009

LSU junior defensive lineman Akiem Hicks allegedly received money from wide receivers coach D.J. McCarthy to transfer to LSU from Sacramento City Community College in California, The Daily Reveille learned on Thursday.

This transaction led to an NCAA violation that a source familiar with the situation said became known to the team following the Arkansas game last Saturday.

“It was one of those things they try to avoid bringing up, but everybody knows who’s involved,” said the source, who is a former member of the LSU football team. “That right there is a big deal. Minor violations don’t even break the news.”

LSU would not stand to forfeit any wins as a result of the violations because Hicks did not play in any games for the Tigers this season, but Hicks’ eligibility remains would remain unclear as a result of the investigation.

“Taking money turns you into a professional, and that affects your amateurism,” the source said. “If you’re not an amateur, you can’t play in the NCAA.”

McCarthy is apparently planning to leave LSU with running backs coach Larry Porter to be on the coaching staff at Porter’s alma mater, Memphis, the source said.

Tennessee wide receivers coach Frank Wilson has been offered a job on the LSU coaching staff, according to GoVolsXtra.com, the Tennessee sports Web site of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Wilson, who would reportedly fill Porter’s role, has worked with both wide receivers and running backs during his coaching career.

“They don’t really talk about that either,” the source said. “We kind of knew who was going to leave with [former LSU defensive coordinator Bo] Pelini. McCarthy is probably leaving with [Porter]. If he does, he’s going to probably get a higher offensive position.”

While LSU coach Les Miles’ contract states he has “an obligation personally to comply with and to exercise due care that all personnel and students subject to his direct control or authority comply with governing athletic rules,” LSU Chancellor Michael Martin released a statement Tuesday saying Miles’ job will not be affected by the alleged violations.

“This situation has absolutely zero impact on the employment contract of coach Les Miles,” Martin said in the statement. “He has been highly cooperative in this matter and from the earliest stages has actively participated in the process of resolving this situation.

[AUtiger98 24]

This sounds serious. I would like to know if he got more than Albert Mean.

[Bottomfeeder 244]

[au2004ece 30]

Why does this article act like this is not a big deal?

Seems like LSU should be investigated and penalized, more than we were for merely leaking the visits of recruits on Big Cat Weekend. THEY PAID A PLAYER!

[Bottomfeeder 244]

Because it's an LSU paper/website. Let out just enough but don't write as if it's big deal, then hopefully the kid will transfer and that will be it.

[OldNewby 27]

Each Bengal Tiger has its own pattern of stripes. Such a pattern helps these animals hide in tall grass and trees.

[cehuff21 0]

So whatever happened to USC again? I mean didn't they buy a house? And whatever happened with that whole thing? I guess they just decided to stop talking about it and let bye gones be bye gones.

[OldNewby 27]

So whatever happened to USC again? I mean didn't they buy a house? And whatever happened with that whole thing? I guess they just decided to stop talking about it and let bye gones be bye gones.

With Trojans, it feels like nothing's there.

[cehuff21 0]

So whatever happened to USC again? I mean didn't they buy a house? And whatever happened with that whole thing? I guess they just decided to stop talking about it and let bye gones be bye gones.

With Trojans, it feels like nothing's there.

[vatz22au 142]

If this is true this is pretty serious..... Probation and scholarship reduction type serious.

[cehuff21 0]

It'll never happen. They'll just sweep this under the rug just like they did with the USC situation. The NCAA is a joke.

[bigsixfive 336]

Our Big Cat punishment will be stiffer than whatever they get.

[TigerHeat 9]

It'll never happen. They'll just sweep this under the rug just like they did with the USC situation. The NCAA is a joke.

They will start an investigation. Once it looks serious da Tigahs lawyahs will claim it was Katrina stimulus money. NCAA will breathe a sigh of relief and go away.

[Geauxtigahs11 1]

The article just got whacked because it IS bogus, and I'm not sure why some of you guys find this humorous. Isn't Auburn one of the more penalized teams in NCAA history?

If it was true, do you really think our chancellor would tell the NCAA the violations were minor? Wait. Don't answer that.

[badfish 3]

Article was pulled earlier. LSU will try to bury this and castrate the reporter.

Buying players is a very serious offense and it almost got Bama the death penalty. I'll be interested to see what the NCAA does.

[SouthLink02 8]

The article just got whacked because it IS bogus

Looks like LSU pulled some strings to get it down

[SouthLink02 8]

Listen I can guarantee you with about 90 percent assurance that this story is accurate. I worked at The Reveille for 4 years during college as a writer, sports editor and managing editor. While I'm not familiar with this particular instance, I don't think the editor of the paper would print this on the top of the front page unless the unnamed source provided substantial evidence to back up their claim. It's not all going to be printed, but trust me it's there.

As for the reason the story got pulled from the web site, this happened a few times while I worked for the paper and it's always a case of the administration (Student Media and/or Athletic Department) bullying a bunch of students because something got out before their PR departments could spin it the way they wanted. It's just the nature of student media and faculty relations.

http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/MessageTopic.asp?p=16709163&Pg=3

[Geauxtigahs11 1]

Listen I can guarantee you with about 90 percent assurance that this story is accurate. I worked at The Reveille for 4 years during college as a writer, sports editor and managing editor. While I'm not familiar with this particular instance, I don't think the editor of the paper would print this on the top of the front page unless the unnamed source provided substantial evidence to back up their claim. It's not all going to be printed, but trust me it's there.

As for the reason the story got pulled from the web site, this happened a few times while I worked for the paper and it's always a case of the administration (Student Media and/or Athletic Department) bullying a bunch of students because something got out before their PR departments could spin it the way they wanted. It's just the nature of student media and faculty relations.

http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/MessageTopic.asp?p=16709163&Pg=3

Since a poster from tigerdroppings can verify the source, it must be true, right? :roflol:btw, I'm going to UGA for pharmacy after I go pre-pharmacy at LSU for three years. I guess that we are "friends" now.

[SouthLink02 8]

Since a poster from tigerdroppings can verify the source, it must be true, right?

Laugh all you want, what the guy said is pretty much spot on.

The LSU AD wanted it gone and got it gone.

Having spent time at the Red & Black for a short, short time....I agree with him....the editor and other Admin do NOT let her run this story unless they have something substantial as everyone knows the reaction that would occur.

They had something and I suspect most LSU fans know that....though they won't admit it

[TitanTiger 20,708]

The coach linked to this NCAA violation has been relieved of his duties:

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/78926672.html

[OldNewby 27]

McCarthy said in a prepared statement, “My family and I would like to thank the tiger nation for three great years.”

LSU Football Coach Les Miles said in a prepared statement, “I wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Well, well, well …………………

[johnwegl 11]

I'm sure self imposed sanctions are next to come.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

I guess he outbid Rodney Garner.

[RunInRed 16,991]

This is not new ... so maybe I missed it ... where's the other thread on this topic?

University, media at odds over records requests

By JORDAN BLUM

Advocate Capitol News Bureau

LSU officials are staying mum on the nature of possible NCAA football recruiting violations, and the university has not made public documents involving the investigation.

Wide receivers coach D.J. McCarthy — the assistant coach implicated in the possible violations — resigned Wednesday effective immediately with a promise to cooperate in the investigation. He will be paid through February.

McCarthy may be replaced at the end of the NFL season by Buffalo Bills assistant coach Tyke Tolbert, who played receiver at LSU, according to published reports.

LSU Senior Associate Athletic Director Herb Vincent said Thursday, “There are no new developments in the investigation at this time.”

LSU eventually will submit an investigative report to the Southeastern Conference, Vincent said, but the publicly funded university has no timeline.

In an e-mailed response, he said all SEC and NCAA communications, thus far, have been “by conference call or in-person conversation.”

On Nov. 30, The Advocate first formally asked to see correspondence, reports, rules and other documents created from what LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva has described as LSU “researching possible violations.” LSU deemed the request “unreasonably burdensome.”

LSU, in responding to a similar request made by The Daily Reveille student newspaper, released a handful of e-mails that did not address the investigation in detail.

The Advocate revised its request Dec. 4 to documents pertaining to the allegation surrounding McCarthy that were created by head football coach Les Miles, Athletic Director Joe Alleva, LSU Chancellor Michael Martin, or associate athletic directors Bo Bahnsen and Miriam Segar over a six-month period.

LSU responded by offering to charge the newspaper $287 to print about 1,150 potentially relevant e-mails and documents, then have its lawyers decide what should be made publicly available.

Carl Redman, The Advocate’s executive editor, said Wednesday the newspaper has not agreed to such terms out of a “matter of principle, not money.”

State public records law allows the public to review documents in person before deciding what to copy, but LSU has refused that option.

“The public records law makes no provision that allows the custodian to charge a fee for redaction,” Redman said. “It’s up to them to make the redactions.

“It seems they’re trying to delay the whole thing or place it into court,” Redman said.

Complying with LSU’s request could set a dangerous legal precedent, Redman said. There would be nothing stopping LSU from claiming there are 100,000 potentially relevant e-mails and then charging the $25,000 “up front” before the university even decides what is public record, he said.

In an e-mailed statement on Thursday, LSU lawyer Bob Barton wrote: “LSU has only required that it be paid the reasonable costs for making copies, as the law authorizes. Hard copies of e-mails must be made for the legal review necessary to separate exempt and privileged documents. Legal counsel cannot do this by scrolling online without the taxpayers incurring unreasonable expense. Nor can LSU … allow the press to sit in front of an LSU employee’s computer and scroll through everything, exempt or not.”

Redman reiterated the public has the legal right to review public records for free before deciding what copies to purchase.

LSU athletics is a major multimillion-dollar enterprise that often serves as the face of the state’s flagship university, he said. The university and athletic department should be accountable for their actions, public records and taxpayer funds, Redman said.

Alleva and Martin did not respond to messages Thursday to their offices, cell phones and e-mail addresses.

Vincent said Miles refused comment.

An LSU source close to the investigation has confirmed that lineman Akiem Hicks, who was a McCarthy recruit from California, is the LSU player at the center of the investigation.

Alleva previously said game forfeitures are not expected because the player in question did not play in any games this season.

In September, Miles said Hicks stopped practicing with the team because of an undisclosed injury.

When asked if Hicks is expected to remain with the team, Vincent said Thursday, “I haven’t seen the roster for next season.”

Though there are certain exceptions, such as documents created during a criminal investigation by a law enforcement agency, state law requires government agencies to immediately release documents when requested by a member of the public.

The handful of e-mails that LSU released make only vague references. A Sept. 13 e-mail from Bahnsen to Alleva stating, “DJ e-mailed me asking for an update for Les … I also think we need to update the Chancellor before we sit and talk with Les.”

And on Sept. 28, Martin e-mailed Alleva asking, “Where do we stand with the inquiry?” Alleva responded that day, “Still interviewing. We will update you when complete and commissioner has evaluated.”

The commissioner is presumably SEC Commissioner Mike Slive.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/79028457.html?showAll=y&c=y

[SouthLink02 8]

But, But....Geaux said the student newspaper made it all up!