Ex-Michigan St. star Jay Vincent gets 5 years in fraud case

LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Former NBA player and Michigan State star Jay Vincent was sentenced Friday to more than five years in prison and ordered to pay more than $110,000 to the Internal Revenue Service for his part in a fraud case involving thousands of people who paid to become certified home inspectors.

Prosecutors say Vincent and an associate defrauded 20,000 people out of more than $1 million by charging them to become inspectors through a business called Foreclosure Bank Inspection. No inspectors were hired, and the business had no contracts with banks, according to the government.

Vincent, 52, pleaded guilty to fraud and tax charges nearly a year ago. On Friday, he apologized in federal court in Grand Rapids for his actions. His lawyers asked for probation so he could start repaying the victims, while prosecutors recommended nine years in prison.

U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker sentenced Vincent to five years on a mail fraud charge involving the victims and three years on a tax fraud charge. The sentences are to run concurrently. Under federal law, Vincent could be eligible for time off for good behavior that could slightly reduce his sentence. Three other mail fraud charges were dismissed. The judge also ordered the $110,408 payment to the IRS.

The judge will decide in 60 days how much Vincent may have to pay the victims. Jonker wanted to give them more time to contact federal prosecutors if they haven't already done so.

"Today's sentencing of Jay Vincent shows how IRS Criminal Investigation will continue their pursuit of those who use fraudulent methods to corrupt our nation's tax system," said Erick Martinez, special agent in charge of the Detroit office of IRS Criminal Investigation.

His statement added that "honest taxpayers have been reassured today that no one is above the law, especially when the integrity of tax administration is at stake."

Former NBA star Magic Johnson, who played with Vincent on Michigan State's 1979 national championship team, wrote a letter to the judge earlier this week in which he said his childhood friend from Lansing and former college roommate was "incredibly remorseful."

"I know what he did was wrong and I hope in time he will be able to repay all the people who lost money in this situation," Johnson said in his letter. "I believe he got involved with the wrong people and made some really bad decisions."

Johnson went on to ask the judge to for leniency for Vincent.

"With all due respect to the parties involved, and my heart goes out to them, I ask again that you consider his time served and have mercy on him and not allow this one incident of bad decision-making to change the course of his life," Johnson wrote.

Vincent's attorneys said keeping Vincent out of prison would allow him to repay any court-ordered restitution.

"Mr. Vincent remains employable both locally and abroad. His successful basketball career continues to present him with opportunities coaching, instructing basketball camps and speaking," attorney Thomas Clement said in a court filing.

Vincent has been in jail since late July after prosecutors accused him of writing, or causing others to write, bad checks in a different scheme while free on bond. He denies the allegations but could face more charges in Indiana.

The former basketball player spent the 1980s in the NBA with Dallas, Washington, Denver, San Antonio, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 15 points a game.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael MacDonald said anyone who was a victim of Vincent's scheme should contact the U.S. attorney's office within two months by calling (616) 808-2034 and asking for victim witness coordinator Kathy Schuette.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomCollegeMensBasketball-TopStories/~3/O2hoeCXqu4o/1

The five-point checklist for a great arena

As you may have already noticed -- or soon will, anyway -- yours truly and the rest of the ESPN.com college hoops staff spent some time discussing college basketball arenas. We've got our favorite arenas list, our personal bucket lists, a spiffy photo gallery, a coaches survey on arenas, a perspective from former players and even a video of Katz and some blogger breaking it all down.

Hey, it's the offseason. We've got to talk about something besides realignment all the time. (Yuck.)

The topic got me thinking: What are the common denominators? Why do we love some arenas but hate others? Why do some old buildings feel like cathedrals while others feel like tombs? Why are some expensive new facilities glittering and gorgeous, while others feel superfluous and desultory?

There are no universal answers. Every good arena must have some combination of various factors. Still, I'd argue -- and I doubt this will be very uncontroversial -- that what separates the best arenas from the "meh" experiences is, you guessed it, the people. If the crowd is hopping and the atmosphere lively, from a sheer basketball standpoint you don't need 17,000 seats or the shiniest amenities money can buy. The building doesn't matter. It's how you fill it that counts.

So, for the sake of argument, let's pre-emptively take "a winning program" and "a good overall crowd/fan interest" off the checklist. I mean, duh, right? Let's list five other reasons why good arenas are good arenas. Some buildings may have only one characteristic. Some may have all five. But every college hoops building in America should have at least one.

1. A great student section. Not to be confused with "a good overall crowd/fan interest." I know, I know, it's close. But when it's done well, the college hoops student section is an entirely different animal from the rest of the paying attendees. And it's not always done well, even at the biggest or most hoops-focused schools.

For example: Indiana. The Hoosiers boast one of the largest student sections in the country, and IU deserves credit for finding a way to ticket so many of its students when it could no doubt charge well-heeled boosters prime prices for swaths of student seats. But because Assembly Hall's layout is the way it is, the students are divided throughout the arena. There are students on the floor near the baseline. There are students in the the elevated sideline corner. And there are students all the way up in the cheap-o balcony seats. The net effect, despite Indiana fans' consistent intensity, is one of disorganization.

Contrast that with, say, Illinois, where Assembly Hall has a layout conducive to student seating (which is lucky, really) and a student section that self-polices and tallies fundraising efforts for the right to the best tickets in the house. The "Orange Krush" isn't just a T-shirt. It's an actual group with actual leadership that does actual things from coordinating philanthropy to distributing pregame chant cheat sheets. The difference is palpable.

Does your arena sacrifice student seating for the benefit of booster perks? Sometimes it can't be helped, but when it can, schools ought to air on the side of better student seating and a more organized section. The benefit almost always outweighs the cost. (Besides, football makes all the money anyway. Raise those prices a few bucks, and voila! This has been Business 101 with your professor, Eamonn Brennan.)

2. Tradition and/or charm. If Kansas wasn't Kansas, would people still go to Allen Fieldhouse? Of course they would. That's because Allen Fieldhouse -- or so I've been told; I still haven't been, and I'll keep bringing it up until Edge finally sends me -- has the benefit of its storied place in college hoops and the charm of its classic fieldhouse style. Case in point? The Palestra. Penn hasn't been a hoops power -- which is putting it nicely -- for quite some time. But ask a college hoops fan about the Palestra and see if you can't spot a glimmer in his or her eye. If Butler were a hoops also-ran, Hinkle Fieldhouse would still be the cathedral of "Hoosiers" fame and Hoosiers' dreams.

If your arena qualifies for historical landmark status, you probably have a pretty awesome arena. True story.

3. Volume, and lots of it. Brand new arenas might have the biggest cupholders and the most pixels on their Jumbotrons, but they can be devoid of character for a variety of reasons. Maybe they're antiseptic. Maybe the corporate sponsorship has sucked the personality out of the arena. Or, most importantly, maybe the new arena -- with all that space for luxury boxes -- is simply too cavernous to be loud.

Contrast that with a place like Purdue's Mackey Arena. Mackey is hardly an architectural gem. It's old, it's drab, and it appears to be made entirely of concrete. But the original designers got one thing right: acoustics. The place is loud. Purdue fans should get most of the credit for that, but their building -- which seems to push those fans' voices into a crushing wave in the middle of the gym -- is particularly good in its own right, too.

4. Size. Of course, not everyone can have Oklahoma State's old Gallagher-Iba Arena, which before it expanded was a lovable fieldhouse that combined decibel levels with nostalgic hoops charm. Some arenas have to be big -- and at the right program, that can be a huge advantage. Consider how disoriented Carrier Dome visitors must feel in front of 34,000 screaming Syracuse fans. Kentucky's Rupp Arena lacks a variety of modern amenities, and fans' feelings about it are less tied to the building than to the winners it has housed. But playing at Rupp must be a hugely intimidating experience. The Dean Dome has never been known for its rowdy fans; Tar Heels fans have long been characterized (whether fairly or not) as the "we'll sit here and cheer when you deserve it" sort. But the Dean Dome is nonetheless a daunting environment.

When you're a top-flight program, it makes sense to have a big arena, and not just because you can fill more seats and make more money. (More business advice. I should really start a Dabble class.) In these cases, the arenas match the personality of the programs themselves. You're supposed to be intimidated when you play at Kentucky. You're supposed to feel the cultural weight of Orange basketball when you walk into the Carrier Dome, even when it's empty. It doesn't matter how nice the seat cushions are. Sometimes, it's the seats themselves that matter.

5. General weirdness. Your team gets to practice and play in your gym all the time. Opponents don't. That's why having an unusual setup -- awkward sightlines, an elevated floor, unconventional seating arrangements, all of it -- can be such inherent advantages. Vanderbilt has never been a particularly scary program, but guess what? No one likes to play in Memorial Hall. Coaches hate the baseline benches; shooters struggle with the gym's views. Same goes for Minnesota, whose Williams Arena -- aka "The Barn" -- features a raised floor and an impossibly high ceiling. New Mexico's arena, The Pit, is actually a pit; the court is 37 feet below ground level.

A while back, Boise State's football program realized that in addition to the attention it would bring, covering its field in blue turf would at best disorient and confuse opponents and at worst distract them. Some of the great buildings in college hoops -- usually unintentionally -- follow that same principle.

In the end, the building matters far less than the fans that fill it. But all arenas are not created equal. Far from it.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/34997/the-five-point-checklist-for-a-great-arena

Gamecock has nice college football debut

South Carolina guard Bruce Ellington's college football debut went so well in the Gamecocks' 56-37 win against East Carolina on Saturday that his presence on the team is causing opponents to take notice on their scouting reports.

Before the SEC opener against South Carolina, Georgia football coach Mark Richt noted in his news conference today that the Gamecocks want to get the ball into Ellington's hands.

"He's a very multitalented kid," Richt said.

No kidding. After a year away from football spent toward leading South Carolina in scoring in basketball, Ellington accounted for 73 all-purpose yards, lined up in the wildcat formation, and even made two tackles on special teams and had a kick return of more than 50 yards called back due to a penalty. He rushed for 18 yards on two carries, with both runs setting up touchdowns and drawing raves from coach Steve Spurrier for the former high school quarterback who was a finalist for the Mr. Football award in South Carolina.

"We want to get him in there two or three times a game in the wildcat," Spurrier told The Post and Courier. "We need to get him the ball more."

Ellington also has spent time practicing as a receiver, according to ESPN.com SEC writer Edward Aschoff.

Per NCAA rules, he wasn’t allowed to participate in spring football practice, but returned from the summer with his playbook almost memorized, and while he hasn’t played football since high school Spurrier admired the 5-foot-9, 197-pound athlete's quickness and called him "a natural."

According to the Associated Press, Ellington's dual sport goals are fine with basketball coach Darrin Horn, who saw his starting point guard fight through a bruised calf last season when the Gamecocks won 14 games on the court.

"This is not a football-basketball thing," Horn said. "It's a Bruce Ellington thing and we're going to support him."

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/34974/gamecock-has-nice-college-football-debut

The Greatest Shot in Duke Basketball History: Not The One You Think…

We mentioned this over on TumblRTC a little while ago, but thought it was interesting enough to bear repeating here.  Duke great Bobby Hurley is set to enter the school’s athletic hall of fame on Friday afternoon, and although we think he’s on the short list of the greatest collegiate point guards to ever lace them up, we’re not sure that many people under the age of 30 remember much about him because his professional career was a bust (in large part due to a serious car accident he sustained during his rookie season).  Here’s what you need to know:

• Four-year starting point guard on Duke teams that went 119-26 (.821) overall and 18-2 (.900) in the NCAA Tournament
• Won two national championships (1991, 1992)
• Played in three national championship games (1990, 1991, 1992)
• Won two ACC championships (1991, 1992)
• Two-time All-American (1992, 1993)
• Three-time All-ACC selection (1991, 1992, 1993)
• Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1992)
• All-time NCAA leader in assists (1,076)
• Retired jersey at Duke (#11)

In addition to these honors and accomplishments, his head coach Mike Krzyzewski says in the below clip prepared for the induction ceremony that it was Hurley who nailed what he considers “the biggest shot that [he's] seen a Duke basketball player make.”  As far as we can remember, Coach K was also present on the sideline for this relatively minor bucket at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, so he’s either completely BSing us in elevating Hurley’s late trey in the 1991 national semifinals against UNLV over Laettner’s “Shot of the Century,” or he’s genuinely making a point about a school finally getting over the hump.  See for yourselves…

From the perspective of a coach who, at the time, was burdened with the weight of multiple Final Four flameouts (prior to 1991, Duke was the classic college basketball bridesmaid, having been to eight Final Fours and four under Krzyzewski without yet bringing home a trophy), Hurley’s long-range bomb to bring Duke back to within two points against the same team that had incinerated them the previous year probably felt massively important (for a detailed look at this game, check out our Greatest Games piece).  And K’s selection of this moment belies a fundamental truth about sports, and frankly, life in general.  When you’re the underdog fighting for recognition and a piece of the title, that unequivocal breakthrough moment (in K’s mind, Hurley’s 1991 three) where you finally and ultimately slay the dragon feels better than the moments where you’re already on top and merely seeking to protect that status (Laettner in 1992).  Heavy is the head that wears the crown, indeed, and it’s obvious that even after all of these intervening years and unbelievable successes that Krzyzewski has enjoyed in Durham, he still looks back at that one moment late in the 1991 UNLV game as the pivotal point between Duke’s oft-disappointing past and its bright future.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 at 5:36 pm and is filed under randomness. Tagged: acc, bobby hurley, coach k, duke, final four, ncaa tournament, unlv. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://rushthecourt.net/2011/09/06/the-greatest-shot-in-duke-basketball-history-not-the-one-you-think/

Gamecock has nice college football debut

South Carolina guard Bruce Ellington's college football debut went so well in the Gamecocks' 56-37 win against East Carolina on Saturday that his presence on the team is causing opponents to take notice on their scouting reports.

Before the SEC opener against South Carolina, Georgia football coach Mark Richt noted in his news conference today that the Gamecocks want to get the ball into Ellington's hands.

"He's a very multitalented kid," Richt said.

No kidding. After a year away from football spent toward leading South Carolina in scoring in basketball, Ellington accounted for 73 all-purpose yards, lined up in the wildcat formation, and even made two tackles on special teams and had a kick return of more than 50 yards called back due to a penalty. He rushed for 18 yards on two carries, with both runs setting up touchdowns and drawing raves from coach Steve Spurrier for the former high school quarterback who was a finalist for the Mr. Football award in South Carolina.

"We want to get him in there two or three times a game in the wildcat," Spurrier told The Post and Courier. "We need to get him the ball more."

Ellington also has spent time practicing as a receiver, according to ESPN.com SEC writer Edward Aschoff.

Per NCAA rules, he wasn’t allowed to participate in spring football practice, but returned from the summer with his playbook almost memorized, and while he hasn’t played football since high school Spurrier admired the 5-foot-9, 197-pound athlete's quickness and called him "a natural."

According to the Associated Press, Ellington's dual sport goals are fine with basketball coach Darrin Horn, who saw his starting point guard fight through a bruised calf last season when the Gamecocks won 14 games on the court.

"This is not a football-basketball thing," Horn said. "It's a Bruce Ellington thing and we're going to support him."

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/34974/gamecock-has-nice-college-football-debut

As it awaits word from Texas A&M, Big 12 considers its future

The Big 12 confirmed Tuesday it has not received official word on whether Texas A&M is leaving, but the conference is actively considering what to do next.

A special committee has been formed to look at the future of the league and consider the expansion consider whether Texas A&M stays or leaves, according to Mary Jo Banken, executive director of media relations for Missouri.

Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton chairs the Big 12 board of directors. Banken said he would not be available Tuesday for interviews.

Texas A&M has, however, said it is exploring the possibility of leaving confirmed it has had discussions with the 12-team SEC. The Big 12 could add one or three teams as a response to A&M's departure.

"The Big 12 is looking at expansion possibilities in the broadest context – meaning that at the appropriate time the committee will make a recommendation to the Board as to whether there is a benefit to all members to expand the conference by one or more members," Banken said in an e-mail.

Banken confirmed that as of Tuesday morning Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin had not sent a letter to Deaton stating his intention to leave as was reported by The New York Times.

The SEC two weeks ago said it was not ready to entertain expansion. The first step, however, is that A&M must break away from the Big 12. It's still not clear if the SEC would accept the Aggies for participation as early as the 2012-13 school year or if the league would add a 14th team.

Contributing: Andy Gardiner

Source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomCollegeMensBasketball-TopStories/~3/v85Jci8ra1I/1

Terrell leaves Wake Forest following DWI arrest

updated 4:38 p.m. ET Sept. 5, 2011

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Guard J.T. Terrell is withdrawing from Wake Forest and leaving the basketball team after he was charged with driving while impaired.

Terrell's attorney, Mike Grace, said in a statement issued Monday through the school that Terrell was arrested by Winston-Salem Police at about 3 a.m. Saturday.

Grace says the circumstances of the arrest and other signs indicate that Terrell "suffers from a serious medical condition which requires immediate attention."

In the statement, Terrell apologized and said he will spend the next few months rebuilding his life and hopes to play college basketball again. Coach Jeff Bzdelik says Terrell is "at an important crossroads" and wishes him well.

Terrell started 18 of 32 games as a freshman last season and averaged 11 points.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44401039/ns/sports/