MONEY MATTERS
Patrick Creighton: What Is the FBI really looking for in NCAA probe?
Feb 27, 2018, 6:04 am
Sean Miller's name has come up in FBI probe. Wikipedia
This is something that has been bothering me since the first reports of the FBI investigating college basketball began to surface: Why does the FBI care about the NCAA?
The FBI, normally completely tight lipped in an investigation, has suddenly sprung more leaks than the Titanic. We continue to get more and more leaked information regarding coaches, players, universities, shoe company execs, etc. The common thread: Andy Miller, Christian Dawkins, and ASM Sports.
As more stories leak about athletes being paid money to A) become a future client of ASM B) become a future client of Adidas C) align with a particular financial planner D) attend a particular university or E) all of the above, one thing remains clear here. None of these actions are illegal, so why is the FBI involved?
An agent can pay an athlete, advance an athlete, loan money to an athlete, whatever language you want to use, whatever money they want. It’s not illegal. In fact, today on Nate & Creight we had longtime agent Carl Poston on the show, and he confirmed as much. So if these actions are not illegal, they are just NCAA violations, why is the FBI wasting taxpayer dollars acting as the NCAA’s watchdog?
Poston said he believed the FBI was gathering information. What potential one-and-done kid is getting a payday to attend what school hardly seems like something that should be the FBI’s concern. Then he raised a point that at first didn’t seem to matter but the more I thought about it, the more it did. There’s a lot of kids, a lot of coaches, and A LOT of money.
Poston then gave the example of if you falsify documents on a loan, you break laws. If the money gets wired interstate, its federal law being broken. Again, my first reaction was “Adidas doesn’t need to take out a loan to pay anyone,” but what if all the money wasn’t coming straight from Adidas?
What if the money was coming from ASM? Where did they get the money? Did they take out short term loans that were obtained using falsified information? Did they skim off the top? Did they use money that belonged to other clients or to investors without their consent? Did they employ a host of other illicit or illegal maneuvers to obtain those funds?
The most recent bombshell news involved University of Arizona head coach Sean Miller allegedly discussing making a $100K payment to an athlete who eventually came to play ball for Miller at Arizona on a wiretap. The wiretap was ordered on Dawkins’ phone. Therefore, it’s Dawkins, Andy Miller, and ASM Sports that are the real targets in the probe, and the NCAA guys are collateral damage.
There are some people already facing wire fraud charges by the FBI, and based on what we know right now, there’s probably very little chance those charges really stick, because again, the show company or the agency transferring money to these athletes is only an NCAA violation, it isn’t breaking a law. How that payment money has been obtained has been the quiet part of the case.
While realistically we can only speculate on what the FBI is really doing with this NCAA probe, peeling the onion back shows this isn’t really an NCAA probe, but an ASM Sports probe. The only real legal issue seems to be the money trail.
We have all been looking at NCAA coaches and athletes and trying to see where the money trail ends. Maybe the FBI is looking at where that money trail begins?
Patrick Creighton is the host of Nate & Creight heard weekdays 1-3p on SportsMap 94.1 FM & Sports & Shenanigans Sundays 12-5p CT nationwide on SB Nation Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @pcreighton1
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
___________________________
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!