HBO--Scheme

[John C.]

For those of you with access to HBO you will likely find this very interesting as it debuts tonight at 9PM EDT (I believe).

Scheme--On September 26, 2017, an extensive two-year undercover FBI investigation into a basketball corruption scandal led to the arrest of executives at Adidas and assistant coaches at major college programs.

At the center of it all was Christian Dawkins, an unassuming and unknown 25-year-old who was allegedly part of a criminal enterprise that infiltrated college basketball teams and funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to steer recruits to prominent athletic programs. For the first time ever, Dawkins explains how a kid from Saginaw, Michigan wound up in a hotel suite surrounded by FBI agents with a warrant for his arrest.

HBO Sports presents The Scheme, a Bat Bridge Entertainment production in association with MASTRY. Pat Kondelis directs; executive producers Michael H. Rockafellow, Stephen L. Germer, Jody M. Wingrove, Rudy Cline-Thomas and Pat Kondelis. Executive producers for HBO, Peter Nelson and Rick Bernstein; supervising producer for Bat Bridge, Lauren Barker; supervising producers for HBO, Bentley Weiner and Jonathan Crystal. Produced by Lynsey Tamsen Jones. Edited by Sean McQueeney. Original Music by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans.

[Ready Action]

https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-scheme

[ClaytonFlyerFan]

Would love to see this, but no HBO

Thought I would share this. We discovered this last night, for those of you with Spectrum they are giving everyone FREE Showtime and one other movie channel that I currently forget the name of through the end of April.

EDIT- EPIX is the other free channel

[Jeff]

Interesting to listen to the wire tapped phone calls. Not a good look.

[Long Island FLYER]

Watched it last night. Excellent documentary. Dawkins comes off as an intelligent, well-spoken, but unrepentant investor in basketball recruits in the hopes of representing them when they turn professional. I don't agree with his argument that the kids should be payed, but I do agree that giving kids or their families money is an NCAA violation, but it isn't a crime. He never bribed coaches, despite the FBI trying to push him to do so.

Regardless of how Dawkins comes off, Will Wade and Sean Miller come off as lying scum. How any university could still employ them after these tapes are public is beyond me. FYI - Show was a huge black-eye for Louisville as well.

[Medford]

Originally Posted by ClaytonFlyerFan Would love to see this, but no HBO Thought I would share this. We discovered this last night, for those of you with Spectrum they are giving everyone FREE Showtime and one other movie channel that I currently forget the name of through the end of April.

Flix? Seems like that is one of the channels they pimp, not sure if they own it or not. We had it on trial for a bit, but scan past it and it seems like there are usually good movies on.


Starz would be the other possibility, similar story...we got it years ago to watch the Pillars of the Earth mini-series, one of my favorite books, but haven't watched it in years. Usually a decent amount of good movies on.

[ClaytonFlyerFan]

Originally Posted by Medford Flix? Seems like that is one of the channels they pimp, not sure if they own it or not. We had it on trial for a bit, but scan past it and it seems like there are usually good movies on. Starz would be the other possibility, similar story...we got it years ago to watch the Pillars of the Earth mini-series, one of my favorite books, but haven't watched it in years. Usually a decent amount of good movies on.

Epix, or at least that is the name that just popped into my head. think I am right. Rarely watch movies, probably because I am lucky if I do not fall asleep halfway through.

[Medford]

Epix, that is what I meant, thanks Clayton. W/o looking I'd venture that you are 100% right, every once in a while that make Epix free to spectrum users, so that is likely the other channel.

[flyer016]

I really enjoyed it. Exposes the "seedy underside" of college basketball. It's a pretty sympathetic take for Dawkins, who is a really complicated character. My take-away--and please don't make this political--is how questionable the FBI's efforts were. That's clearly the intent of the documentary, to show Dawkins was in the middle of lots of shady characters with less-than-honest motives, and it appears used a dude running a Ponzi scheme in an effort to take-down college basketball coaches. It was all super tenuous and poorly done, and when Dawkins refused to roll over, the investigation (despite some press conference bluster) fell in on itself.

I thought it also did a really good job of providing another take on the pay-for-play situation. We've heard the primary argument--everybody's making money, the players should too--but Dawkins provides a different angle to it.

Highly recommended for basketball fans that are aware that the sport is a mess (and that Dayton is involved).

[ud2]

Is Dawkins in jail now?

Does anybody have any thoughts on solutions to all these problems after having watched the show?

[flyer016]

Originally Posted by ud2 Does anybody have any thoughts on solutions to all these problems after having watched the show?

Let the players accept endorsement money.

In an effort to preempt this becoming a "fix the NCAA" thread, could we stay on the subject of Christian Dawkins and the documentary? There are lots of threads for discussing the problems of the NCAA.

[ud2]

Originally Posted by flyer016 Let the players accept endorsement money. In an effort to preempt this becoming a "fix the NCAA" thread, could we stay on the subject of Christian Hawkins and the documentary? There are lots of threads for discussing the problems of the NCAA.

Dawkins was sentenced to 1.5 years in jail. The charges are being appealed. I wonder how many other programs were not caught cheating?

Person was an Auburn assistant, not the hc. Bruce Pearl is the Auburn hc.

https://nypost.com/2019/10/04/disgra...-ncaa-scandal/:

The federal investigation found coaches at some of the country’s top college basketball programs accepted bribes to steer their players toward Adidas-sponsored universities, authorities said.

Former NBA star Chuck Person, the head coach at Auburn University, was busted along with coaches at the University of Arizona and the University of Southern California, as well as two top reps for Adidas.

[TA111]

Originally Posted by ud2 Is Dawkins in jail now? Does anybody have any thoughts on solutions to all these problems after having watched the show?

He’s out. Believe he served around 12 months. Only pure solution would be to allow payments to recruits, which I believe would absolutely ruin the sport. Otherwise you’re stuck trying to police it and there a lot of shady characters involved. Just listen to Wade bragging about offering thousands to recruits.

[CE80]

Originally Posted by TA111 He’s out. Believe he served around 12 months. Only pure solution would be to allow payments to recruits, which I believe would absolutely ruin the sport. Otherwise you’re stuck trying to police it and there a lot of shady characters involved. Just listen to Wade bragging about offering thousands to recruits.

They need to quit allowing apparel manufacturers to sponsor teams or coaches.

[Columbia Blue]

Will Wade is grosser than some politicians, which is saying a lot. I'd rather close our program than win titles w a coach like him. And enduring thanks to Gerry Faust for refusing to help Bob Huggins in the late 80's before we disastrously hired Jim O'Brien, ironically. A game of inches but we always had our integrity.

[OSU Flyer]

time to drop the hammer on Cleveland State

[Monster Man]

Originally Posted by Columbia Blue Will Wade is Trump-gross. I'd rather close our program than win titles w a coach like him. And enduring thanks to Gerry Faust for refusing to help Bob Huggins in the late 80's before we disastrously hired Jim O'Brien, ironically. A game of inches but we always had our integrity.

Please keep your stupid political references off of the basketball thread.

[flyer016]

Originally Posted by Columbia Blue Will Wade is Trump-gross. I'd rather close our program than win titles w a coach like him. And enduring thanks to Gerry Faust for refusing to help Bob Huggins in the late 80's before we disastrously hired Jim O'Brien, ironically. A game of inches but we always had our integrity.

I agree. Will Wade and Sean Miller holding press conferences to lie to the public, while everybody was well aware of their lying felt surreal. Sometimes, I think we've entered a new phase of society where there is no such thing as shame and accepting responsibility. You see it in politicians as well, just a willingness to say and do whatever is necessary to further their agenda.

LSU's AD came out yesterday and said Wade would remain the head coach. On one hand, I suppose nothing new was learned with the broadcast, but, on the other hand, it is exceptionally clear that Wade was paying players. LSU and Wade know you know he paid players. They know you know they're lying. They just don't care. They're winning, and nobody gives a **** whether it's built on dishonesty and corruption.

There's an element in play with the NCAA being a corrupt and wholly reprehensible organization. So, disregarding the NCAA isn't entirely blameworthy.

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by Long Island FLYER Regardless of how Dawkins comes off, Will Wade and Sean Miller come off as lying scum. How any university could still employ them after these tapes are public is beyond me. FYI - Show was a huge black-eye for Louisville as well.

This, and there’s more like them.

[Sea Bass]

Originally Posted by flyer016 LSU and Wade know you know he paid players. They know you know they're lying. They just don't care. They're winning, and nobody gives a **** whether it's built on dishonesty and corruption.

That pretty much sums it up

[bigudfan]

Per Vitale:

https://twitter.com/DickieV/status/1245709480844759040

[TA111]

Originally Posted by bigudfan Per Vitale: https://twitter.com/DickieV/status/1245709480844759040

Hope this is accurate, because if they allow this then it’s open season on cheating.