Report: Auburn bribed players, changed grades

[tk13]

Auburn's football program changed players' grades to secure eligibility, offered money to potential NFL draft picks so they would return for their senior seasons, and violated NCAA recruiting rules under former coach Gene Chizik, according to a report by former New York Times and Sports Illustrated writer Selena Roberts.

The report appears on Roberts' website, Roopstigo.com. According to three former Auburn players, as many as nine players' grades were changed before Auburn's win in the 2011 BCS national championship game.

"We thought we would be without (running back) Mike Dyer because he said he was one of them, but Auburn found a way to make those dudes eligible," former Auburn defensive lineman Mike Blanc told Roberts.

According to the report, Auburn coaches offered money to players for any number of reasons, including as a means to convince players to bypass the NFL draft.

Darvin Adams, a former Auburn wide receiver, told Roberts that coaches offered him cash to keep him at the school.

Blanc and Mike McNeil, another former Auburn player, told Roberts the money amounts reached "several thousand dollars."

"Coaches would say, 'Don't tell anyone where you got it from,'" Blanc told Roberts.

McNeil told Roberts he had a meeting with then-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, now Florida's coach, in 2007.

"I had no clue what it was about because I'd never directly asked him for anything," McNeil told Roberts. "He slid about $400 over to me. He went into a drawer and gave me money and said, 'Is this enough? Is this good?' And I said, 'Yeah, I'm good.'"

McNeil is awaiting trial for armed robbery stemming from a March 2011 arrest. In June, his former teammate Antonio Goodwin was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his part in the incident. Ben Hand, McNeil's former attorney, maintained McNeil's innocence to Roberts.

Former Auburn defensive back Nieko Thorpe told Roberts that Auburn, in a team meeting, threatened players' scholarships if they contacted McNeil, Goodwin or the two other players arrested.

McNeil told Roberts he felt Auburn used him as a scapegoat at a time when the Tigers faced negative publicity from allegations that it had paid the father of star quarterback Cam Newton. An NCAA investigation found Auburn committed no major rules violations in Newton's recruitment.

"Maybe there is a fear in Auburn's mind that Michael knows too much," McNeil's father, Clifton, told Roberts. "Their fear is that Michael will expose the family secret. It's a way to silence him."

Thorpe also told Roberts the coaching staff far exceeded its NCAA-allotted per diem for entertaining recruits. Thorpe said coaches gave players $500 to entertain current Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, even though the NCAA reportedly limits expenses to less than $50 per day.

All of these allegations happened under Chizik, who guided Auburn to its first national title since 1957 after the 2010 season.

Chizik was fired after a 3-9 season last year.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...cording-report

[Garcia Bronco]

South Eastern Cheaters.

[gblowfish]

The thing that gets me about the culture in the SEC is, the schools never seem remorseful about the act of cheating, they only seem to be remorseful about getting caught. It's like they say "we need to find better ways at cheating."

[Saul Good]

Ask any fan, and they'll tell you that every other school cheats.

[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

The thing that gets me about the culture in the SEC is, the schools never seem remorseful about the act of cheating, they only seem to be remorseful about getting caught. It's like they say "we need to find better ways at cheating."

don't they say in nascar (another southern tradition) that "if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying?"

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Says the dude whose team in his avatar is among the most heavily penalized in all of sports and the only team in CBB history to be banned from defending a title due to violations.

Hilarious seeing Beakers throw stones about this

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by Ebolapox

don't they say in nascar (another southern tradition) that "if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying?"

Maybe...it's supposedly a Raider quote

[Dayze]

guy at work just told me about this. was saying the SEC was the "$EC" etc.

like, dude....you're a moron if you think all the other major programs don't have some stink buried down somewhere.

like the Big 12 is made of up lolipops and unicorns.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by Peyton's Princess

I think any Mizzou fan would gladly switch spots if it meant they were perennial contenders rather than easy 1st round outs...

That's fine. Just don't act like UK and others are doing something you guys aren't.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Ebolapox

don't they say in nascar (another southern tradition) that "if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying?"

Back in the 60s, when every car was in a class, that was one of the parts of drag racing that was a lot of fun. The sport was immature, and figuring out some new way to cheat was a unique challenge.

Then they came up with "bracket racing" for the masses, and it eliminated cheating for the most part.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Dayze

guy at work just told me about this. was saying the SEC was the "$EC" etc.

like, dude....you're a moron if you think all the other major programs don't have some stink buried down somewhere.

like the Big 12 is made of up lolipops and unicorns.

Yep. Call me when an SEC school ends up on major probation. Penn State, Ohio State, USC, Baylor, FSU, UCF...every BCS conference has been nailed recently for major violations except one.

[mr. tegu]

Is it really cheating if every school is doing it...

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Yep. Call me when an SEC school ends up on major probation. Penn State, Ohio State, USC, Baylor, FSU, UCF...every BCS conference has been nailed recently for major violations except one.

$$$$$

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Ebolapox

don't they say in nascar (another southern tradition) that "if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying?"

They also say that about ****ing their sister-niece.

[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

They also say that about ****ing their sister-niece.

no accounting for southerners. don't they also eat whole sticks of butter?

[Skyy God]

In light of this development, I say a free Harvey Updyke campagin is in order....