Two More UofL Scandals...

Nov 15, 2008
38,645
57,515
0
 

EvilMD

All-Conference
Dec 29, 2003
7,327
2,419
0
Look at the other schools listed with U of L in the foreign trips article. Minnesota, Seton Hall.
 

WACB

All-Conference
Nov 16, 2009
9,316
1,250
0
Rick Pitino had a similar CBA-Promosport connection at Louisville. On Nov. 19, 2013, the Cardinals signed 7-foot Norwegian center Matz Stockman out of CBA in what multiple news outlets called a “surprise” addition to Louisville’s 2014 recruiting class. Five months later, on April 25, 2014, the school signed a $167,850 contract with Promosport for a minimum 30-person trip to Madrid, Zaragoza and Barcelona that was scheduled for August 2015—the first summer the Cardinals were eligible for a foreign tour after traveling to the Bahamas in ‘11.

SI obtained emails between Promosport and Louisville indicating that in 2014, the school paid two installments on the tour totaling $75,000. According to Louisville spokesman Kenny Klein, the school then canceled the Spain tour on Feb. 24, 2015, in favor of internally arranging an August 2015 trip to Puerto Rico for exhibitions against the island’s junior and senior national teams—the latter of which Rick Pitino had agreed to coach in that summer’s Pan American Games and Olympic qualifying.

As a result of canceling the Promosport trip, Louisville lost a $25,000 deposit and half of a $50,000 payment, thus forfeiting a total of $50,000 to Promosport. Klein said that the Cardinals worked with Promosport on a recommendation from another school, and that “there were no connections on signing Matz Stockman and our plans to use the company.”

Stockman appeared in 23 games as a sophomore reserve for Louisville this season. In December, Pitino called Stockman the most improved Cardinal and said, “We’re going to need him down the road in this program. He’s going to develop into an outstanding basketball player.”
 

BigBlueCatNation

All-Conference
Jan 31, 2006
77,489
4,424
113
At this point, I'd have to think the ACC is rethinking the Louisville addition. Honestly, at what point would it take for them to get kicked out of the conference?

They've got more scandals currently ongoing than years they've been in that conference. That's amazing! I'm not even including the pre-ACC days, either.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dirk2Bowie

Sithlyone

All-Conference
Apr 12, 2012
2,086
1,501
0
In other words UL got wind of this investigation and cancelled the trip to try and weasel out of trouble

Actually the way I read it is that cancelling was always part of the plan. Basically by cancelling the trip they "act" as if they were buying a legitimate trip and then they changed their mind about it and decided to go another route. In the process though, they have to give up the "down payments" because they were always non refundable.

It's a dirty deal that is thinly veiled as a good faith payment. But in reality that 50k was the payment for the kids services. They were never intending on using them for that trip.
 

Shawn (uk7spd)

Heisman
Nov 1, 2006
218,681
78,566
113
Actually the way I read it is that cancelling was always part of the plan. Basically by cancelling the trip they "act" as if they were buying a legitimate trip and then they changed their mind about it and decided to go another route. In the process though, they have to give up the "down payments" because they were always non refundable.

It's a dirty deal that is thinly veiled as a good faith payment. But in reality that 50k was the payment for the kids services. They were never intending on using them for that trip.
I agree, that is how the article portrays it, and it could have happened that way. But that is a lot of effort to sign one kid, and not much money. If you are going to pay for a kid's services, especially a foreign kid, it would seem much simpler to just pay someone off under the table. It would be very difficult to ever prove anything if you did it right. Creating a paper trail is asking for trouble, even if you were trying to make it look legal.
 

blugrazz

Sophomore
Feb 5, 2003
1,075
180
0
Actually the way I read it is that cancelling was always part of the plan. Basically by cancelling the trip they "act" as if they were buying a legitimate trip and then they changed their mind about it and decided to go another route. In the process though, they have to give up the "down payments" because they were always non refundable.

It's a dirty deal that is thinly veiled as a good faith payment. But in reality that 50k was the payment for the kids services. They were never intending on using them for that trip.

Exactly, they would have been better off taking the trip and having something else in return for their money than payment for a player.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sithlyone and kat57

Shawn (uk7spd)

Heisman
Nov 1, 2006
218,681
78,566
113
Article from when Stockman committed...hmmmm:

I mean…..you talk about out of nowhere. When Rick Pitino finally announced his 2014 recruiting class last Thursday (after the late addition of Ballard star Quentin Snider) he hinted that perhaps the class wasn’t finished and that it was possible to see the team bring in one last piece to the puzzle. Most people around the situation thought that player was going to be 6’11, Wichita (KS) center, Bakary Konate, who visited Louisville two weeks ago. However, in a complete stunner, the Norwegian-based Canarias Basketball Academy sent out a press release this morning stating that one of its players, 7’2 big man Matz Stockman, has signed a letter of intent to play with the Cards. I believe credit should go to Cardinal Authority’s Jody Demling, who first broke the story.

The Canarias Basketball Academy (CBA) is pleased to announce that Matz Stockman has signed a National Letter of Intent with the reigning NCAA National Champions, the University of Louisville Cardinals. The 18 year old, 7’2 Norwegian center averaged 7.7 points and 5.3 rebounds a game during the U18 European Championships in 2013 and joined CBA last September.

¨First and foremost, we think this is a tremendous opportunity for Matz. Getting the opportunity to train under Hall of Fame Coach, Rick Pitino is a chance of a lifetime. In Matz, Louisville is getting a big man with unlimitted potential. He’s every inch 7’02, has a 7’06 wing span and is extremly agile. He has the potential to be elite, it’s just a matter of time¨, said Rob Orellana, Director of CBA.

The Canarias Basketball Academy is the Top Basketball Academy in Europe having produced over 50 NCAA Division I players in 6 years.

The craziest part of the whole thing is that, in this day of digital media and instant access, there was literally no mention or rumor about this kid up until this morning (or late last night). No recruiting gurus with the scoop and certainly no insight into his background. All we know is that he played for a highly successful program that appears to have churned out several D-1 prospects over the last few years. We’ll post more as we learn new information, but for now check out the youtube video included in the press release. Kid seems to be fairly agile for his size, but he’s gonna need to gain about 60-70 lbs in order to play with the big dogs next year. This is Louisville’s 5th commitment for the 2014 class as Matz will join Shaqquan Aaron, Jaylen Johnson, Chinanu Onuaku and Snider.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jarms24

EvilMD

All-Conference
Dec 29, 2003
7,327
2,419
0
How many players on this year's team were NOT mentioned or pictured in Katina's book, part of this new scandal or fifth year transfers? The white kid from Oldham County? Is he safe?
 

corypedia

Junior
Apr 24, 2014
256
277
0
Valpo is also mentioned in the article. Oddly enough, their strength coach Derek Bol, is the former strength coach of the UL football team.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LadyCaytIL

Blueaz

Heisman
Jul 7, 2009
28,072
30,262
113
I agree, that is how the article portrays it, and it could have happened that way. But that is a lot of effort to sign one kid, and not much money. If you are going to pay for a kid's services, especially a foreign kid, it would seem much simpler to just pay someone off under the table. It would be very difficult to ever prove anything if you did it right. Creating a paper trail is asking for trouble, even if you were trying to make it look legal.
50,000.00 per kid...10 kids or so...1/2 million still goes a long way
 

kat57

Junior
Mar 3, 2003
3,206
334
0
Louisville used to call itself the "Greatest Athletic Program" in the nation. Actually they can now call themselves "The Most Corrupt Athletic Program" in the nation.


They can't be corrupt, they are the most compliant, that has to be true because Pitino said so and he wouldn't lie. [roll][roll][roll]
 
  • Like
Reactions: bouncebackcats