Memphis does not plan on ending its recruitment of Abdul Gaddy because of the phone call booster/FedEx CEO Dave Bronczek made to his mother, according to my sources.
In fact, there’s a case to be made that this kerfuffle could actually turn Gaddy away from one of the Tigers’ competitors.
First of all, I have not talked to anyone who expects this to go beyond an NCAA letter of reprimand being sent to Bronczek.
Second, the Gaddys are not real happy to be in the middle of this situation, especially since they were caught completely off-guard by the way this played out. Oseye Gaddy obviously did not think there was anything inappropriate about the phone call, or else she would not have talked so freely with Foxsports.com’s Jeff Goodman about it when he brought it up in his line of questioning last week. The fact that this story ends up embarrassing her employer was absolutely not what she intended.
And why are they in this situation? Obviously, someone leaked it to Goodman.
Now, let’s take a step back here. The entire Gaddy recruitment has been a delicate situation with Memphis and Arizona, who have been listed as his co-leaders. Gaddy originally committed last year to Arizona, in large part due to the efforts of assistant coach Josh Pastner.
After Pastner left for Memphis, Gaddy de-committed from Arizona and put Memphis on his list. It’s my understanding that Arizona coach Lute Olson was actually brazen enough to ask (demand?) that Pastner not be involved in recruiting Gaddy at Memphis.
If Arizona was indeed responsible for leaking the information about this phone call to Goodman – who is, coincidentally, an Arizona graduate and has a close relationship with Lute Olson – I can’t imagine it would help Arizona’s chances to re-gain the player’s affection.
in Tiger Basketball
Responses to “On Abdul Gaddy”
August 1st, 2008 at 10:48 am
Goodman’s ratings HAVE TO BE the WORST.
If they are not, let’s use the double barrel approach.
1. NO Tiger fan listen to the show - after today.
2. Listen today - but only to jot down a list of his sponsors - which we will then boycott.
Goodman - GOOD RIDDANCE !!
August 1st, 2008 at 11:19 am
Thanks for clarifying what everyone suspected, Dan. Goodman is on a mission to discredit Cal and the Memphis program. One of these days his actions will backfire, and even Fox Sports will blackball him.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Dan,
Always good to hear you say what’s on your mind. My question, freedom of press, speech et. al. is, if coaches and boosters have NCAA regulation on contacting recruits/family, why don’t sports writers have some parameters made on them as well? Seems like they have Carte Blanc access.
Case in point, there are alleged statements that Goodman negatively influenced Ebanks, maybe Negedu, AGAINST Memphis and Cal. Do these guys have “open season” to contact and say anything they want to a recruit, albeit negative or positive?
August 1st, 2008 at 3:15 pm
So basically what you’re saying is that it’s wrong that Arizona tipped off Goodman to a possible violation, and that the violation, if it hadn’t been noticed was not inappropriate because Mrs. Gaddy didn’t think it was an inappropriate conversation, even though it clearly violates the rules of the NCAA??
So really the problem with the situation is the article written and not the act itself??
Yeah, that’s what we need to teach our kids. Let’s tell them it’s inappropriate to be whistle blowers, and just because someone’s boss, who had ultimate power to pressure an individual to make a decision, is totally in the right to try and wield that power whenever possible, and break, not even bend, the rules as it fits your needs.
That’s exactly what we need.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Yeah. I’m a fan of neither Arizona, nor Memphis (Go UNC), but how in the world is any of this Arizona’s fault? Memphis openly committed a violation. Whether the call was with good intentions or not, a booster is not allowed to contact a parent and sell the program. EVERY BOOSTER KNOWS THIS. This is particularly true if the booster is the parent’s boss. He broke the rule, whether it was a stupid mistake or not. Sorry, but I can’t imagine that this would turn Gaddy away from Arizona. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that they leaked the story, and as far as I understand, Gaddy is pretty much a lock to Arizona. Check his myspace page which is filled with Arizona stuff, and notice that in his interviews with Arizona he says “we WILL” when referring to himself and Mike Moser, and makes other comments suggesting he will be recommiting soon. I’m not saying Memphis is dirty, but they shouldn’t be allowed to recruit him. They broke a rule and that is the NCAA’s consequence for it. Pretty cut and dry. If Richard Jefferson or Gilbert Arenas was calling Gaddy’s parents and had said great things about Arizona, would you really think that this was fair? Goodman does suck as a reporter, but you’re way off-base with this. Making general accusations without any evidence. Sounds like you and Goodman have a lot in common.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:54 pm
It would be nice if this Dan Wolken guy actually named his source as opposed to just blurting out non sense for which he has no proof.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Where did you get the idea that Arizona leaked this to Goodman? The fact that the writer went to Arizona had no bearing on the fact that the writer has hated Cal since his UMass days, when suprise, he was pulling similar crap. Everyone knows Cal bends the rules to the point of breaking, but tries to do it cleverly by directing others to do the actual dirty work. He’s is a very good coach, but a dirty one. Arizona has nothign in common with this story other than they too are recruiting Gaddy.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Memphis breaks the rules, but it someone else’s fault, of course. If your boosters weren’t crooked, no one would be able to say anything about them, would they? Keep your own noses clean instead of trying to blame someone else.
As for the CEO of a company calling an employee about her kid, who is being recruited by the school the CEO gives money to? Crooked as the day is long. There’s nothing “innocent” about such a scenario. Spin it however you want. It’s dirty.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Dan does not make blind accusations and he does
not make things up. If he says it he has some basis for it. Curious why Zona fans are buzzing
the Memphis news. Dan you are national now,baby.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:24 pm
By the way, Goodman got the info only because Mrs. Gaddy gave it to him. Check your facts.
For arguments’ sake, let’s say he didn’t. I wouldn’t care. You can’t leak something that someone else didn’t do. Break the rules, pay the consequences.
How about your bias in slamming Arizona? None there, I guess. Just like Cal, you’re pure as the driven snow.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:24 pm
So, let me understand you reasoning - because I hope (for your sake) I don’t understand your rationale.
Memphis isn’t in the wrong, even though a booster broke the rules
Arizona is wrong, because they might have leaked that another team was cheating.
This is like the “no snitch” epidemic going on in certain cities where the bad guys have more “street cred” than someone who reports a crime to the police.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Tim Duncan called and thinks your trite “theory” is retarded. Do you have any thoughts on who was on the grassy knoll?
Nice attempt at spin, but only myopic Tigers fans can’t see through the mountain of unsubstantiated BS you’ve proffered above. Also, anyone who thinks that Fox Sports is going to blackball Jeff Goodman because he has a feud with Cal is smoking some seriously strong leaf.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:54 pm
hey ‘zona fans, I don’t see Dan or anyone else blaming Olson or UA for this. Bronzcek made the call, and that is not be debated. It is an admitted minor infraction, and that is not being debated. UA didn’t break any rules by feeding Goodman info. Things are desperate in Tucson right now, and Lute has clearly lost his edge, so it is not surprising they’d do this. And Goodman, as a “journalist” (loose interpretation) has the right to run the story. But if, as is being implied, Goodman also called the NCAA to turn The University in, then that goes beyond his “journalistic” duties.
I wonder when we’ll see Goodman’s in depth story about Gaddy’s recruitment, especially if he doesn’t sign with Arizona. My guess is never. He got what he wanted.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Goodman has an agenda to try and nail Calipari; that is no huge secret.
Goodman baited a mother in an interview and used that information to try to penalize MEMPHIS. The woman obviously didn’t think it was a big deal, she freely talked about the call. But Goodman saw the chance to try to hurt his nemesis Calipari so he personally called the NCAA with this news.
That is clearly going “above and beyond” one’s journalistic professional duties. But Jeffie does keep his personal grudges alive. He attended ‘Zona and was trying to win Gaddy back for fast fading Lute. Good luck with that.
Nothing will come of this as Dan noted in his update. FedEx is too much involved with NCAA support. It was an honest mistake and MEMPHIS immediately disclosed the “violation”. A reprimand and a yawn from the fine folks in Indianapolis. No biggie.
Well, except to the Gaddys. You can rest assured they will be told of Goodman’s agenda and deliberate humiliation of Mrs. Gaddy. Things like that don’t sit well with mothers. So could one of you fine folks down Tuscon way wake up Lute and let him know Gaddy will probably still sign papers with MEMPHIS. Much obliged!!
Game, set, match. The good guys win again.
I know that just burns Goodman.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Goodman always tries to make himself a part of the story.
If I didn’t know he was married with kids…I’d swear he was a virgin.
Big mongoloid head.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:04 pm
First of all if any of you have been following Arizona’s recruiting this summer, especially of Gaddy, you would know that the last thing Lute needs help with is reeling in Gaddy. The UA staff has done an amazing job recruiting (most UA fans didnt think we could compile a class like this after last year’s disaster). The staff, including Lute, do not need Goodman’s help on the recruiting trail.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:13 pm
How about this scenario which sounds much more realistic. Mrs. Gaddy felt pressured and was insulted that her CEO would call her, for the 1st time ever, and talk about her son going to the school that he is a booster for. She is appalled but does not know what to do. She takes it upon her self to seize the opportunity to report this but feels a need to do it in an innocent manner as not to draw the anger of said CEO. By doing so she has made it impossible for said CEO to fire her when her son commits to Arizona which he has already decided to do anyway. By all accounts the Gaddys are intelligent educated people. They know what is cooking in the kitchen and this is by far most likely.
August 1st, 2008 at 7:16 pm
OK… let me get this straight.
Supposedly someone affiliated with the Arizona basketball program passed on to Jeff Goodman that a potential NCAA violation took place when a booster of the Memphis basketball program and a CEO of a major corporation called a recruit’s mother (who also happens to be an employee of same major corporation). I have one important question…
How did this someone affiliated with the Arizona basketball program find out about the call???
Just food for thought.
August 1st, 2008 at 7:42 pm
This whole thing is absurd.
1) I don’t like members of the media turning into NCAA sleuths
2) Abdul Gaddy’s mother told an innocent story…and Goodman interpreted it as an NCAA violation and then broke the story. who cares??
I blogged on this on Money Players…
August 1st, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Arizona has been at the top for 20 years due to ethics and great coaching. Memphis has made it to the top for 1 year based on poor ethics and questionable recruiting.
Give me a break. Memphis needs to look at itself and discuss why they put pressure on the mother of a reruit simply to get in with a HS player versus calling out Arizona for their long-term recruitment of a player.
August 1st, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Hamcat - UA didn’t feed Goodman the info, he found it on his own. Following a tip is not going beyond one’s journalistic duties, in fact it is living up to them. Also, things aren’t as desperate in Tucson as they would appear to those not really paying attention.
Dr. Lecter - Goodman wasn’t “baiting” anyone. He wasn’t “recruiting” for Lute Olson or Arizona. To frame his story as “Goodman’s agenda and deliberate humiliation of Mrs. Gaddy” is nothing but purile BS and Memphis spin. No one is doubting that the NCAA only slaps Memphis on the hand with a secondary infraction and moves on. However, the “good guys” will win when (and only when) Gaddy signs with Arizona.
August 1st, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Ray, is Lute going to coach again? then yes, things are still desperate. He has had a great career, and he did have Arizona in the top 20 of programs until the past few years. But all great coaches eventually reach the end of their careers. Lute is there, but hasn’t been able to end it gracefully. Oneal’s hire was crazy to start with, and then to name him as successor only worse. I hope that Arizona gets it together again, as my Dad spends half his time in Arizona and really like Lute as a contemporary. And anything that makes my Dad happy makes me happy. But you Arizona fans need to get off your high horse. You sound like a bunch of Kentucky fans.
August 2nd, 2008 at 10:01 am
Blake - I take issue with a couple of erroneous assumptions you make. Memphis has been ranked #14 of the top programs since 1984. We’re not new kids on the block, and that hasn’t come about because of breaking rules.
Maybe AZ needs to look at itself and ask why their coach loses Pastner and insists he doesn’t recruit certain players? Some of your fan base in here seem more prone to narcissism, so check your own image while you’re instructing Memphis on introspection.
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:04 am
Bronczek made the call. It is a minor violation. He will probably get a letter of reprimand.
Abdul Gaddy told Goodman about the call. Goodman then interviewed his mom.
To speculate that Bronczek put pressure on Mrs. Gaddy is ridiculous.
What dirt? Cal was cleared of any wrongdoing at UMass. Camby said he took money from the agent w/o Cal’s knowledge. Memphis has had no violations since way before Cal arrived.
Both sides, cease fire and return to the offseason.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Goodman is the biggest hack working for Fox Sports. For God’s sake, don’t end up like him. His “sources” remind me of another hack, ESPNs Kirk Herbstreit.
What is it with these guys? They’re more concerned with being the news as opposed to reporting the news.
August 4th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
MOONDOG -
IF GOODMAN AND HERBSTREIT TOOK A LOOK @ FREERICA
FONTANA, THEY’D CHANGE THEIR PRIORITIES.
MOONDOG.COM SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING.
August 5th, 2008 at 1:57 am
The only hack I see is the Dan Wolken…get your facts straight boy. Throw some quote’s in from the parties involved. If you can’t do any of that then you obviously are reaching way too far beyond your means. This blog is probably the stupidest thing I have read all year. Go rah-rah Coach Cal behind the bleachers Dan. That’s the only way you’re gonna be taken seriously.
August 5th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Calzone - Thanks for the plug. Who the hell are you?
Goodman has never been one to hide his biases, which based on my understanding of how a professional journalist is supposed to operate, defeats the “objective” reporting he’s tasked to do.
Everyone ask yourself this question. If the shoe was on the other foot and an Arizona booster made the phone call, would Goodman have reported it?
I’ll leave that up to the rest of you to decide.
August 5th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
There was a very interesting comment made before.
That Fed Ex is heavily involved with the NCAA.
So, we should expect and rightfully so, a much harsher sanction on the Memphis Scumbag U. The NCAA has NO choice but, to send a very heavy handed message.
And we are also hearing that Fed Ex is also conducting internal HR interviews on the Bonehead CEO call. He has violated Fed Ex code of conduct and clearly his phone call is construed as harassment and ethical behavior. To use his power at Fed Ex in order to recruit Gaddy is unspeakable.
Lets see what type of ethics Fed Ex. Fed Ex please outline the code of conduct violations which have just transpired.
Oops ..lawyers just got invovled.
Recap:
1) Action from NCAA on Memphis Scumbag U: Due Immediately.
2) Action from NCAA on Fed Ex: Review of agreement for conduct violation. Obvious one.
3) Action from Fed Ex: on its Bonehead CEO.
Major code of conduct violation. Resignation is in order. Plus, the review of other FedEx boosters. Fed Ex to issue HR guideance on FedEx dealing with NCAA schools (aka, Scumbag U clause)
August 6th, 2008 at 1:29 am
Memphis coach Calipari spoke without his attorney present and his statements will be used to Terminate the Fed Ex CEO.
This is what Coach Calipari had to say:
“”I think in this case, he was talking to an employee, who is a longtime employee,” Calipari said. “I don’t think he did it with any intention of anything except to say, ‘Hey, I’m excited about you and your son.’ There was no intention of anything else, from what Dave said to me, so I think it was an innocent thing. If you want to take a shot at me, or our program, you make a huge deal out of it. But in reality you’re talking about an innocent call from a boss to an employee.”
And WNBC followed with…
“Sure, because customers service reps at FedEx often get the random phone call from the CEO just to see how things are going. That’s just how they roll. Nope, nothing to see here.”
So, combine the aforementioned statements by Coach Calipari and the self admission by the CEO of his illegal contact, no wonder the Fed Ex legal department is in some serious trouble with the termination of Fed Ex CEO.
This is a MAJOR legal issue for the FedEx Counsel department because the Fed Ex CEO has admitted to his actions and it is a CLEAR vioaltion of the Fed Ex code of conduct. Thus, the Legal department has no choice for termination.
[U]Fed Ex employees will benefit[/U]:
If there is not termination of the Fed Ex CEO;then, the Fed Ex legal department will have NO enforcement of termination of ANY Fed Ex employee. The Fed Ex attorneys will have no defense in terminating any Fed Ex employee. If the top official of Fed Ex is allowed to grossly violated its code of conduct;then, no one else will be required to follow such codes.
Thus, if you are a Fed Ex employee ;then, you can NEVER be terminated. You have your job for life, if you like.
Note:
If you are a Fed Ex employee and facing a termination;then, hire a labor attorney.
Your attorney will win and you will have your job back.
August 6th, 2008 at 1:30 am
Again.
Memphis coach Calipari spoke without his attorney present and his statements will be used to Terminate the Fed Ex CEO.
This is what Coach Calipari had to say:
“”I think in this case, he was talking to an employee, who is a longtime employee,” Calipari said. “I don’t think he did it with any intention of anything except to say, ‘Hey, I’m excited about you and your son.’ There was no intention of anything else, from what Dave said to me, so I think it was an innocent thing. If you want to take a shot at me, or our program, you make a huge deal out of it. But in reality you’re talking about an innocent call from a boss to an employee.”
And WNBC followed with…
“Sure, because customers service reps at FedEx often get the random phone call from the CEO just to see how things are going. That’s just how they roll. Nope, nothing to see here.”
So, combine the aforementioned statements by Coach Calipari and the self admission by the CEO of his illegal contact, no wonder the Fed Ex legal department is in some serious trouble with the termination of Fed Ex CEO.
This is a MAJOR legal issue for the FedEx Counsel department because the Fed Ex CEO has admitted to his actions and it is a CLEAR vioaltion of the Fed Ex code of conduct. Thus, the Legal department has no choice for termination.
[U]Fed Ex employees will benefit[/U]:
If there is not termination of the Fed Ex CEO;then, the Fed Ex legal department will have NO enforcement of termination of ANY Fed Ex employee. The Fed Ex attorneys will have no defense in terminating any Fed Ex employee. If the top official of Fed Ex is allowed to grossly violated its code of conduct;then, no one else will be required to follow such codes.
Thus, if you are a Fed Ex employee ;then, you can NEVER be terminated. You have your job for life, if you like.
Note:
If you are a Fed Ex employee and facing a termination;then, hire a labor attorney.
Your attorney will win and you will have your job back.
August 6th, 2008 at 9:14 am
SCUMBAG,
You are absolutely ridiculous and way off point.
I’m not going to debate with you. This is all I’m going to say.
Your logic is twisted, convoluted, and quite frankly
it’s extremely disconcerting, if not downright scary that there’s someone out there who spews this much venom towards Coach Cal and a booster.
You need help. And I hope you get it.
August 6th, 2008 at 9:21 am
SCUMBAG,
You are absolutely ridiculous and way off point.
I’m not going to debate with you. This is all I’m going to say.
Your logic is twisted, convoluted, and quite frankly
it’s extremely disconcerting, if not downright scary that there’s someone out there who spews this much venom towards Coach Cal and a booster.AND THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY.
You need help. And I hope you get it.
August 14th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
this is one of the funniest articles i have read. i found it by looking to see Gaddy’s top 5 schools, in which AZ and Memphis are listed.
I think it’s awesome that he is blaming AZ for the FedEx CEO calling Gaddy’s mom. Lute Olsen is tapping Gaddy’s moms’s work phone line.
in all honesty, nothing should happen to anyone in this situation, specifically Abdul Gaddy. If he wants to go to Memphis, let him. the school should be forced to break ties with FedEx and not be able to receive donations from fedex or the CEO of fedex if the do choose to continue the recruit of A.G. until he is done with his schooling.
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:56 am
Ray D,
You are right.
I could not agree with you.
Anyone so close to WWW and the Rose thing is dirty. Smells dirty. And lets not take about the new Freshmen….from Phili. Dude,anything from Phili is automatically dirty.
RADIO STATION ANNOUNCES GADDY TO THE ARIZONA WILDCATS.
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:58 am
Ray D,
You are absolutely right!
Cali is dirty -dirty all over.
Lets not even talk about his previous job.
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