The NCAA is all in on the church charity bag man.
The NCAA scrutiny of LSU has expanded to include the football program, as the school confirmed on Friday afternoon that it has been working with the NCAA about an “ongoing inquiry” into a six-figure payment to the father of a former player.
An LSU booster named John Paul Funes, who pleaded guilty to stealing more than a half-million dollars from a foundation where he worked as a fundraiser, paid $180,000 to a man that Yahoo Sports confirmed on Friday is the father of former Tigers star lineman Vadal Alexander…
An LSU spokesman said in a statement that LSU has been engaged with the NCAA about the “ongoing inquiry” regarding the scheme. LSU has known about the alleged payment since 2018, but the NCAA has been limited in its investigative ability as to not interfere with Funes’ case. (This is similar to why the NCAA has been slow to react in the wake of the federal basketball corruption scandals.)
The emergence of this information from a federal case comes at a vexing time for LSU, which was already under significant NCAA scrutiny for activity within its men’s basketball program.
Yes, I’m guessing LSU is sorely vexed about now. Yahoo may have to come up with a stronger verb if the NCAA hammer comes down. Hey, maybe LSU can use “it just means more” as a defense.
Get The Picture 
I remember Vadal. Played high school ball here in Georgia. Dawgs wanted him bad. Tigahs got him. Now we know.
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Alexander’s family came to Buford after Katrina. We may have wanted him bad, but there was no way he was coming to UGA.
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So he was a lock to go to LSU and they still paid him $180K?
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I don’t know he was a lock to go to LSU, but I don’t think anyone was surprised he went to LSU. I imagine LSU was fighting off the proposals from other West schools. It’s not like we’re talking Laremy Tunsil from Lake City, Florida who was considered to be a UGA lean until the very end when he made a last minute visit to Ole Miss.
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“I don’t know…”
“I imagine…”
Yet you also say “there was no way he was coming to UGA”.
Yeah, this is internet recruiting talk alright.
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Alexander played at Buford University? That was before the GHSA brought them closer to a high school program. I remember he was one of the top OL in the country and was kinda surprised we didn’t get him. Then again, that staff never seemed to put a priority on OL recruiting. The titles we’d have if Richt had anyone anything like Pittman.
Anyway, if it was truly between UGA and LSU, I’m surprised it took a Cam Newton check.
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If the hammer comes down on LSU, it only hurts those players and coaches who had nothing to do with it unless they can prove it’s going on with players currently on the team.
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Yeah right, players and coaches are the only ones hurt by sanctions. Good one.
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Huh? Of course, they aren’t, but in this case, there are probably very few players in the program that were there when this allegedly took place.
Sanctions hurt the school and, if they’re bad enough, the fans.
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What do you mean huh? You said it only hurts players and coaches that had nothing to do with it. Those were your exact words.
And so what if “there are probably very few players in the program that were there when this allegedly took place”? Are you not going to punish the program/school? That’s a weak defense usually thrown out by desperate fans.
It also seems that your use of the word “probably” is not based on much of anything. FWIW, Alexander was at LSU as recently as 3 years ago. Not saying whether or not anyone on the current team got paid. Just saying this definitely isn’t ancient history.
You’re on the right path by saying sanctions hurt the school. They do. They hurt school administrators, the Board of Regents/Trustees (or whatever the equivalent is for the school in question), the athletic board, the people and businesses who do business with the program, the people who make money off the program, etc. But the financial interests are what really matter. If those aren’t impacted, nobody gives much of a shit. And sanctions do that…at least to an extent.
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I know the only way to discourage this is to punish the school after it happens. The real question is why is the NCAA so bad at compliance and investigations (among other things) that it takes a federal criminal investigation to do anything. They had Cecil Newton on tape selling his son’s services, but Auburn skates free.
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I have thoughts and opinions on the matter but it might be better for you to ask your favorite NCAA representative – UGA – why their organization sucks so bad.
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Where have all the truly “good bagmen” gone…
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Most of them are dead and gone! Clemson’s bag man who wanted Herschel never got over Walker going to UGA! I know our bag was bigger than their’s, plus we threw in a new Trans Am with a Blaupunkt Stereo to boot!
I personally never knew UGA’s bag man, but I knew Frank Gibbs very well, and he suffered over Walker’s loss the rest of his life! Clemson eventually cut ties with Gibbs due to too many bags showing up around the state😎
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Interesting article about Gibs here, including an appearance by Tracy Rocker: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1987-12-16-0170010169-story.html
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How bout them apples!
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This POS was stealing money from the local Children’s Hospital here in Baton Rouge to pay the players too.
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You can be sure the Tigers will not cooperate like UGA would.
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Pay the players and this isn’t a problem.
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