Monday, Oct. 9, 2017
College basketball has been hit by a bribery scandal exposing "the dark underbelly" of the game. Mike Collins talks with hoops observers about what's at stake for college athletics.
A wide-ranging bribery and corruption scandal has revealed what one federal prosecutor called “the dark underbelly of college basketball.”
The FBI in September accused four assistant coaches, including a former University of South Carolina assistant, of pocketing bribes for access to players. The “pay-to-play” scandal also led to the ouster of Louisville’s championship coach Rick Pitino. Athletic apparel-maker Adidas was also embroiled in the scheme.
Watchers of the game, including columnist Luke DeCock, say it’s likely the tip of the iceberg. And, DeCock says, “all of big-time college athletics” will be impacted by the scandal.
The University of South Carolina’s Richard Southall agrees, saying the federal probe revealed a “fundamentally corrupt system that is college sports.”
Are the allegations a sign of deeper problems within college hoops?
GUESTS
Luke DeCock, sports columnist for The News and Observer (@LukeDeCock)
Dr. Richard Southall, director of the University of South Carolina's College Sport Research Institute (@CSRISouthall)
Ben Strauss, co-author, Indentured: Inside the Rebellion Against the NCAA (@benjstrauss)