coppertop
Member
Posted 7 months ago
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I sent the story as well to WRAL, N&O and ESPN, I'll be holding my breath in the mean time.
As likely it is that something happened, we will never know the truth cause too many people don't want to see UNC embrassed.
doomsday2008
Member
Posted 7 months ago
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Just like StateFans stated, it will die before it grows legs in the media. If it makes anyone feel better, I can call Jesse Ventura and see if this ties into what he is investigating.
You know while I was reading all of your post I was thinking with our luck, I hope like hell this doesn't backfire on us. You know what they say! You go looking for trouble, you might just find it. You might not like what you find.
Bullshit on ^that. No one else got burned for our downfalls!
doomsday2008
Member
Posted 7 months ago
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^^^ Why would anyone BUT us get burned for our downfalls? Hey man! go get em. I'm not going get in your way. I hope you shut the program down over there personally!!!
The Grinch
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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This discussion reminds me of this story I read recently, the one time I actually pick up an N&O. Am I crazy to think that an editor (for some Raleigh sections, nonetheless) shouldn't be referencing the local University with a slur, even if it is an opinion column?
I knew there was a reason I stopped reading that publication.
Trust me, having worked at the N&O several years back, I can attest that Matthew Eisley is a grade "A" prick.
leroy corso
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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A couple points about this story.
1) There is no allegations of "free rent". What I'd like to know is how much was the rent and if Wayne Sr. was realistically able to afford the rent. He went from living in a $170K home to this one in about 4 years (since Wayne Jr. became a hot prospect during his frosh year of HS). While it's not out of the realm of possibility that Wayne Sr. could have upgraded the family lifestyle above board, I don't believe it's likely. Especially since he gave up his job (presumably)and moved his entire family to Durham. It would be interesting to know where he was working while he was in NC. I've heard he worked for a bank, but I don't know in what capacity.
2) There is a connection to the Rams Club, but not a direct one that I know of. James Mason rented the house to the Ellingtons. Mason is a founder of Parish Capital Advisors, LLP.
One of his founding partners Wendell McCain also founded World Wide Distribution. The CEO of WWD is William Fuller, former unc fball player. Fuller is also on the Board of Directors of the Rams Club. You know these guys are all close.
It would be nice to know if Mason is a Rams Club contributor. We know he donates to unc in other areas.
There's a lot of smoke here. There's probably fire if someone with better resources would pick up this story in earnest.
choppack1
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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It would also help if someone was able to cite the specific rule/rules that were broken.
sautz
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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I pulled this from Minnesota's handbook. I'm sure the NCAA rule book is much more detailed (and boring).
Who is a "booster?" How long do I retain my "booster" status?
An individual is a booster if he/she meets any of the following conditions:
* Have ever been a member of any organization that promotes University of Minnesota athletics (e.g., 10.0 Club, Goal line Club, Fast Break Club, etc.)
* Have made a financial contribution to the University of Minnesota athletics department or one of its booster organizations.
* Former University of Minnesota coach or student-athlete.
* Have provided benefits (e.g., summer jobs or occasional family meals) to enrolled student-athletes.
* Have ever, in any way, promoted the athletics program at the University of Minnesota.
* A University of Minnesota Season Ticket holder.
A booster can be an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization who is known to have met the above conditions.
Once an individual or any other entity has been identified as a booster, they retain that identity indefinitely.
Can 10.0 Club members offer a student-athlete a gift?
No. Booster club members are forbidden from offering extra benefits (including greeting cards, food, cash, or even rides in your car) to student-athletes.
An extra benefit is any item or service not available to the general public or general student body provided to a student-athlete, or his/her friends or relatives. Some examples include, but are not limited to:
* cash, special discount or payment arrangements;
* free or reduced price on any item (e.g., clothing, etc.) or service (e.g., laundry, dry cleaning, etc.);
* use of a telephone, pager or credit card for personal reasons without charge or at a reduced rate;
* entertainment services (movie tickets, dinners, use of car) from commercial agencies (theaters, restaurants, car dealers) without charge or at reduced rates, or free or reduced-cost;
* signing or co-signing a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan;
* preferential treatment, benefits or services based on his/her athletics reputation or skill or pay-back potential as a future professional;
* free or reduced-cost athletics equipment, supplies or clothing directly from a manufacturer or commercial enterprise;
* free or reduced cost of tuition, room and/or board;
* payment or other compensation for work not performed or limited work performed;
* employment arrangements for a student-athlete or prospect's relatives or friends;
* use of personal property (boats, summer homes, cars, computers, stereos);
* holiday or birthday presents;
* promise of employment after college graduation;
* purchase of items or services from a prospect/student-athlete or their relatives at inflated prices;
* payment or arrangements for payment of transportation costs incurred by a student-athlete or prospect's relatives or friends; or
* anything given because an individual is a student-athlete.
TheAliasTroll
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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Could you imagine the hell we'd have to endure if it were found out that JJ Hickson's folks stayed at Wendell Murphy's mansion? It would be a field day for the local media.
^ Seriously though sounds like we'd need to know what kind of rent payment (if any) was paid to Mr. Mason by the Ellingtons. It might be a non-story if he was paying rent comparable to other houses in the area.
GoldenChain
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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choppack, giving a prospect or their family free or reduced rent in return for them playing ball is a violation.
Taking money from an agent, even by your family, while you are in college is a MAJOR violation (think Reggie Bush).
I suspect this is more the 1st supplied a sharply reduced rental for the family while the son was in school.
(and an assistant coach playing a pick-up game was enough to rob us of a NC chance)
Bottom line is this: (1) how does a working man just pull up stakes from the area he's lived all his life to move to where his son is going to play ball, ESPECIALLY renting a house that is over twice as nice as the one he has been living in. I had a son who played college ball and I didn't quit my job and move 5 states away. (2) why would ANYONE rent you an executive home at a cheap or reduced rate unless there was something up? Mike Sleasly got a $100k discount on a beach lot, did he just get it because he was a nice guy? No he got it so he could do favors for the developer who gave the favor. Would Wayne Sr still have remained in this house if Jr had transerred to NCCU?
leroy corso
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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The Ellington's moved to Cary after they lived in the Stockton Way home. Here are the two homes they lived in. They upgraded.
http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy293/c...nhousecary1.jpg
http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy293/c...nhousecary2.jpg?
Just curious.... Where did this story first come about? Here?
wolfonthehill
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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^ I actually saw it on CarolinaSucks.com last week. I hadn't visited that site in a year or two, but I ran across it via a link... when I started browsing, this one was there. As far as I know, they were first.
Yeah. Carolinasucks brought it up first, then frumpzilla added some stuff with that article.
leroy corso
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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This has been known and discussed between members on a Duke board (premium) for nearly 1 year. Carolinasucks caught wind and was the fist to publish after much hesitation. Their journalistic credibility sucks despite only posting facts/links.
Frumpzilla picking it up made it blow up. Kudos to them.
There's actually more to the story which will be made public after a little fact finding.
choppack1
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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GC - then you have to demonstrate that the Ellington's were paying below a reasonable amount for rent. Anyone know what the rent was?
sautz
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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choppack, I don't think Mr. Mason or the Ellingtons would be out advertising what the rent was, especially if it were low or none. The point is that if this had happened here you know the N&O would have gotten hold of every receipt, tax record, and interviewed 30 people about this by now. Just look at their little smoke, absolutely no fire story about College Inn. The media has much more power than your average citizen to get this information and if they are going to investigate every tiny thing they hear about us they should give equal treatment to unx.
leroy corso
Member
Posted 6 months ago
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Exactly sautz.
Thank you for your note about the Ellingtons. It was forwarded to me, and we are looking into several things, including whether the owner can be classified as a UNC booster (and if so, whether the house was rented at the same rate it would have been rented to the family of a non-athlete), whether the school's compliance department looking into/approved this, etc.
I apologize for taking so long to get back to you, but I have been in and out of town because of the holidays.
Have a great new year,
Robbi Pickeral
College Basketball Reporter/UNC beat writer
The (Raleigh) News & Observer
BTTT
Noah
Member
Posted 5 months ago
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Could you imagine the hell we'd have to endure if it were found out that JJ Hickson's folks stayed at Wendell Murphy's mansion?
Or that we got his guardian a job?
Yes, UNC's basketball program provides illegal benefits. Yes, that has been going on for DECADES. Yes, there is a booster with an Isuzu dealership who makes cars available for star players. No, this is not a secret and the football players who don't get the same treatment bitch about this frequently.
^ Yes it has been sitting there for YEARS and the media continues to ignore it.
Maybe they were all too busy tracking down the John Edwards saga.
Nah. That isn't it.
Or, pinning the tail on Mike Easley and Ruffin Poole while the SOB was actually in office for eight years.
Nah. That isn't it, either.
Noah
Member
Posted 5 months ago
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You want the N&O to cover it? With their excess glut of reporters? Ohhh wait, they fired all of them. How about television? They're always pretty good about covering stuff -- provided they read about it in the newspaper first.
Hmm...
Plz2BStateFan
Member
Posted 5 months ago
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I know who can do this....HEATHER DINCH!
LKNpackfan
Member
Posted 5 months ago
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Granted its been awhile, but last I checked, McClatchy was still printing papers in Charlotte and the Triangle so obviously they have some sort of resources still available. If coverage is so difficult with their remaining staff then maybe journalists could be deployed on topics that, you know, are actually important. They dug Jim Black's grave (thankfully) and you'd think Easley's shenanigans were just as low hanging.
packbackr04
Member
Posted 5 months ago
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i cant believe that if there is even a small amount of validity to this that it hasnt been picked up yet by the N&O... i mean Sid watering his yard on the wrong day was front page material and this is a non-story? give me a break
highstick
Member
Posted 5 months ago
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McClatchy owns most of the major newSpapers in the Carolinas and that is a PROBLEM!
fullmoon1
Member
Posted 5 months ago
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Maybe the picturesque pines at Keenan are blocking the view.
I never got anything else from the N&O after my initial email saying they were going to look into it. Just another day.
