Bama State Reports Findings To NCAA And SWAC


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Robber

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Bama State Story

Tuesday, July 22

Alabama State will likely to have to forfeit games

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Associated Press


MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Alabama State's internal investigation revealed an "almost totally out of control'' football program that used ineligible players, changed athletes' grades and entertained recruits with strippers, athletic director Richard Cosby said Tuesday.

The university submitted its findings to the NCAA and Southwestern Athletic Conference on Tuesday, Cosby said. He declined to reveal the specifics of the report but indicated Alabama State will have to forfeit "a substantial number of games'' and faces penalties and stiff fines.

"It is an understatement to say that the investigation revealed, and the report reflects, a football program almost totally out of control,'' Cosby said in a statement.

Cosby would not elaborate on the findings or comment on whether action could be taken against head coach L.C. Cole.

"That's all we're going to release at this time,'' Cosby told The Associated Press. "This is all we're going to deal with right now.

"That's what I've been advised to do and that's all we're going to do.''

Cole and assistant coaches Richard Freeman and Johnny Cole, the head coach's brother, were informed of the specific charges on Monday.

"It's really kind of a shock to me, because I'm not a compliance officer,'' L.C. Cole said. "I'm just a football coach. Whoever they certify to participate, that's who I put on the field.

"Going on my fourth year here, it's a shock to me all this stuff has taken place right up under my nose and I didn't know,'' Cole said.

Asked if he felt his job was in jeopardy, he said, "No, because I don't feel like I've done anything wrong at this point.''

The Hornets were 6-6 last season, 2-5 in the SWAC.

The university has declared five players ineligible for not meeting with a consultant regarding the investigation into the football program.

The probe began seven months ago, after former assistant coach Dedrick Bell sent university officials a letter containing numerous alleged NCAA rules violations including recruiting violations, misusing funds and using ineligible players.

"This administration is determined to completely remedy each and every act of misfeasance or malfeasance or nonfeasance revealed by the investigation,'' Cosby said. "And we are dedicated to the development of a squeaky clean, totally wholesome football program which is respectful of all rules, bylaws and regulations, and which is completely free of even a hint of impropriety.''

Neither SWAC commissioner Robert Vowels Jr. nor NCAA officials immediately returned calls seeking comment.

Attorney Julian McPhillips, representing the Coles, said they didn't know anything about student hosts taking recruits to see strippers and said another allegation involved contact with recruits who happened to be at a restaurant where the team stopped for dinner on the way to a game.

He said the university didn't submit any of the allegations in writing.

"It's just been a witch hunt from the beginning, digging things up 10 feet deep that are really nothing and blowing them up and making them look like something's wrong,'' McPhillips said. "They're really stretching it big-time.''
 



asucole.jpg

Alabama State coach L.C. Cole has been the subject of an ongoing internal investigation.
-- Advertiser

quote:

"Going on my fourth year here, it's a shock to me all this stuff has taken place right up under my nose and I didn't know," Cole said.
 
One of the sad things about it is that there are some people in Montgomery, Alabama and at Alabama State University who are probably gloating and patting themselves on the back.

btw, the comments attributed to that so-called athletic director are ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!
 
:mad: this isht is just rediculous softball,basketball and football.If they get rid of L.C. they also need to get fire Spineless Spivery and Whitfield(the compliance officer):mad:
 
They have been out for Coles' head for a while. I guess now they have what they wanted. They don't realize they damaged the university's reputation and embarassed everyone with the way they went after Coles.

I knew something funny went on during Kennedy's senior year.
 
I know that I am from AAMU and am not suppose to give a damn about Bama St... but I SINCERELY hope they bounce back from this. I am a big ASU fan EXCEPT when they are playing AAMU. I dont think that Coles is as innocent as some of the Bama St people want to think he is. I am sure he KNEW that Darnell Kennedy was ineligible that last year. Bama St should be punished for lack of institutional control... the compliance officer should be burnt in hell. I believe Spivery is innocent and really didnt know what was going on, but Coles knew something was fishy. ASU needs to fire the AD, the Compliance officer and hopefully they will give Coles another chance to clear up the Bama St football program. I really dont want him to get fired because I dont think he will get hired at a D1 school again.
 
What about the game the Bama State beat JSU in Mobile? Hell that is the game that kept us from going to the SWAC Championship. That one game.
 
Originally posted by tbonenupe
What about the game the Bama State beat JSU in Mobile? Hell that is the game that kept us from going to the SWAC Championship. That one game.
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If they give us that game, they might make us bring back Hughes.:D
 
Originally posted by tbonenupe
]What about the game the Bama State beat JSU in Mobile? Hell that is the game that kept us from going to the SWAC Championship. That one game.
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since Darnell Kennedy is the name commonly thrown around, he didnt play against you as a senior in Mobile.
sooo....

but the story bout that grade changing scenario as reported in the paper was a big stretch. And a whole lot of folks would had to have been involved in a conspiracy to pull that off.

but then again, when your athletic director is dead-set on keeping an agenda, a whole lot of questionable stuff would find it's way into a report.

by any and all means necessary!
 
Well damn... it's all over the place...
I expect Stewart Scott to be announcing this later 2night.

Well anywho... for the itching ears -- I was gonna start a thread with the M/A's article, but since yall been working over-time probing the net for info on ASU... i'll just use this one.

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MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER COVERAGE

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Inquiry reveals ASU football violations

By Josh Moon
Montgomery Advertiser


The internal investigation into Alabama State's football team has revealed a program "almost totally out of control," athletic director Richard Cosby said Tuesday.

Cosby said in a statement Tuesday that Alabama State has sent a report to the NCAA and the Southwestern Athletic Conference detailing numerous rules violations. Among those violations are allowing ineligible players to practice with the team and even play in games, and making improper recruiting contacts.

The report, which Cosby described as "extremely lengthy," is apparently one of the final steps in an eight-month investigation into the football program and head football coach L.C. Cole. In his statement, Cosby said the violations would force ASU to forfeit several games, including possibly the 2001 SWAC Eastern Division championship.

"It is an understatement to say that the investigation revealed and the report reflects a football program almost totally out of control," Cosby said in the statement. He assailed a program "where live strip shows were regularly produced for young impressionable athletes" and a program "completely devoid of fiscal responsibility and accountability."

Cosby, who took the athletic director's job last December, would not say what the future holds for Cole and his staff. That decision rests in the hands of ASU president Joe Lee. Lee is scheduled to be out of town until Monday.

In a memo sent to all the football coaches in February, Cosby wrote that if any "major or minor violations" were discovered during the investigation, the contracts of the coaching staff would be terminated. On Tuesday, Cosby seemed to pull back slightly. "That memo was sent a long time ago," he said. "It's obsolete now."

Players are scheduled to report for fall practice on Aug. 4. The SWAC media day is scheduled for Aug. 1 in Birmingham.

Late Tuesday night, Cole said he was shocked by Cosby's statement.

"For an athletic director that's only been in a program for a short period of time to come out and make some statement like this is absurd," he said. "There has obviously been a major problem with compliance here way before I got here.

"As a matter of fact, right after I was hired I sent two memos to the president telling him that we had a problem with compliance. Look at all the problems in all of the other programs here -- the basketball team, the softball team -- and tell me that the problem is just with football."

The Mongomery Advertiser reported July 13 that two basketball players didn't have enough hours to meet eligibility requirements. This spring, the softball program was forced to forfeit all but one victory of its season for using an ineligible player.

The probe originally was sparked by a letter from former ASU assistant coach Dedrick Bell charging head coach L.C. Cole and some of his assistants with recruiting violations.

Cole, his brother Johnnie and linebackers coach Richard Freeman met Monday with attorney Robert Clayton, who was hired by the ASU administration to conduct the investigation.

None of the allegations mentioned by Cosby in Tuesday's statement were mentioned at the meeting on Monday, according to Cole.

"They never said any of this to me," he said. "If they had presented this to me maybe we could have talked it through and I could have seen what was wrong. This goes back to the communication problem here."

Montgomery attorney Julian McPhillips, who is representing L.C. and Johnnie Cole, said Clayton's charges against the Coles didn't amount to much.

"They have taken just minutiae and blown it out of proportion," McPhillips said. "It's all so contrary to the interest of ASU, what they're doing with this. It was a witch hunt from the start and it hasn't gotten any better."

According to McPhillips, Clayton said he attributes four violations to L.C. Cole -- contact with a player during a dead period, providing funds for the use of strippers on recruiting visits, contact with a player at another university without first obtaining a release and knowingly practicing ineligible players.

Two violations will be attributed to Johnnie Cole, according to McPhillips. Those are contact with a player at another university without first obtaining a release and illegal contact with a recruit.

Two violations will also be attributed to Freeman -- knowledge of inappropriate booster conduct and illegal contact with a recruit.

"We agree with some of the facts. What we disagree with is the interpretation of those facts," McPhillips said. "The university, for whatever reason, made the decision to go after these coaches and that's what they've done. The problem is that they don't have anything. After nine months of digging, they don't have anything."

Clayton said it may seem that way to McPhillips because he didn't reveal all of the charges against the football coaches.

"We only presented to them the charges that dealt directly with them," Clayton said. "We didn't discuss any of the violations that might deal with the program as a whole. Many of those (violations) will fall primarily on the head coach. People will be shocked when they see the depth of the problems at ASU, specifically within the football department."

Cosby alluded to the university's solution to the problems in the football department in his statement.

"This administration is determined to completely remedy each and every act of misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance revealed by the investigation," he said. "We are devoted to the development of a squeaky clean and totally wholesome program. This goal will be achieved by this administration by whatever means necessary."

ASU Board of Trustees member Buford Crutcher wasn't happy with Cosby's statement.

"To make a statement like that and put it out there without consulting the full Board is something else," Crutcher said. "I don't know what he's trying to do. Maybe he's taking it upon himself to step out on a limb."

Crutcher also said he had problems with where the blame for much of the problems in the football program was being placed.

"Throughout that statement, (Cosby) mentioned numerous compliance problems," Crutcher said. "I think it's kind of odd that he never mentioned the compliance directors or any of the athletic administration."

Should Cole be fired, he may appeal the decision to the Board of Trustees. Until that appeal has run its course, Crutcher said Cole would remain the head coach.

"That's the usual policy," Crutcher said. "However, I'm not sure we're following policy anymore."

With the next scheduled Board meeting in September, Crutcher said that an emergency meeting of the Board would most likely be called if Cole were to be fired.

============================================
 
Hey ASU SWAC school in trouble? DAMN L.C.

SWAC SCHOOL IN TROUBLE-Alabama State's internal investigation revealed an "almost totally out of control" football program that used ineligible players, changed athletes' grades and entertained recruits with strippers, athletic director Richard Cosby said Tuesday.
The university submitted its finding to the NCAA and SWAC on Tuesday, Cosby said. He declined to reveal the specifics of the report but indicated ASU will have to FORFEIT "a substantial number of games" and faces penalties and stiff fines.
It's an understatement to say that the investigation revealed, and the report reflects, a football program almost totally out of control, " Cosby said in a statement.
Cosby would not elaborate on the findings or comment on whether action could be taken against L.C. COLE.[totally out of control.


DAMN..DAMN ............DAMN
 



I don't feel the least bit sorry for ASU. They knew the risk when they hired Brutha Cole. Brutha Cole claims/claimed that he has know idea of what's going on within his program and I think that speaks volumes about his leadership. He was guilty at Tenn St. and he's guilty now. This reminds me of Archie Cooley some years ago...you know he cheats, but they take a chance anyway.

As for ASU Football...give them a slap on the wrist then dismiss, Cole, the AD and the Compliance Officer.

I'll say it again...Houston Markham was the best thing that happened to AS...AS...AS...AS...THROUGH! LMAO!
 
Originally posted by SlickPartna
In his statement, Cosby said the violations would force ASU to forfeit several games, including possibly the 2001 SWAC Eastern Division championship.

So, does this means that that one championship that you all won will be awarded to someone else now? :shame: Cole :shame:



Should Cole be fired, he may appeal the decision to the Board of Trustees. Until that appeal has run its course, Crutcher said Cole would remain the head coach.

With the next scheduled Board meeting in September, Crutcher said that an emergency meeting of the Board would most likely be called if Cole were to be fired.
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All of this when they should have just fired him 8-9 months ago.

:shame:&:smh: at the same time.



This makes me really sad.

:(
 
Originally posted by SlickPartna
Well damn... it's all over the place...
I expect Stewart Scott to be announcing this later 2night.

Well anywho... for the itching ears -- I was gonna start a thread with the M/A's article, but since yall been working over-time probing the net for info on ASU... i'll just use this one.
Click to expand...
As if I would really go to ESPN's site looking for info on Bama State. I did go there to read about FAMU's move to I-A. Then I saw the link to the article on Bama State. Thought I'd share it with everyone. I don't go looking for articles on any school in the SWAC. Not one.
 
I'm just glad that this is about to come to an end. I hope the NCAA doesn't decide to slap the "lack of institutional control" charge on Bama State. The way they been letting these big programs off the hook, they are bound to try and make an example of some smaller school.

Here's to correcting the many problems and moving forward.
 
Originally posted by bluenation
I guess JSU knew what they were doing when they didn't offer Cole the job a few years back.
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We said in December that Cole would never be tha coach at JSU ...... and it had nothing to do with Alabama State. Cole has been trying to get tha JSU job for years but nobody here, (JSU or tha Fans), wanted him.

I said in December, when everybody was clowning us, that Cole was tha morden day Archie Coolie ..... He is a good coach, will win you some games, but everywhere he goes, he will leave tha program in shambles.
 
As if I would really go to ESPN's site looking for info on Bama State. I did go there to read about FAMU's move to I-A. Then I saw the link to the article on Bama State. Thought I'd share it with everyone. I don't go looking for articles on any school in the SWAC. Not one.
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Robber,


You might not do this, but I know what slick is gettin' at.


You've got cats in your fold that really relish the shat that we're going through in Montgomery. That's why alot of us are as frustrated as we are when we see thread after thread of this mess...
 
don't really wanna turn this into the typical stuff....

Originally posted by jstate83
but nobody here, (JSU or tha Fans), wanted him.
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but you know that's not true that "nobody" affiliated with JSU wanted LC.
 
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