Mark Riddell

One of my partner's parents works at IMG-in the financial end. They say all **** is breaking lose. First, there are investigators everywhere. But, also parents [mostly of foreign students where criminal acts are punitively punished] who are afraid their kids have been pulled in. Everyone expect more..........
 
Advertisement
For reference, the one kid who was in on it sat with a "proctor" that helped her change wrong answers. She got a 1900, which wouldn't have gotten her into Georgetown which is why she had to play the tennis agle. Being a tennis recruit, admissions was willing to overlook her 1900. A quick look has me thinking 1900 is about 90th percentile.

Basically, every school has different standards for athletes. All athletes. Miami may require better scores for tennis players than fsu, but they still let kids slide in who they wouldn't normally take. Case in point: my friend from HS went to a service academy, and I promise he didn't have nearly the grades for that. What he did have was the ability to run faster than almost anyone around. Coach wanted him and his grades weren't bad so he got in.

100% that is why the parents send their kids to IMG to begin with. If a kid needs a 4.0 and basically a perfect score on the SAT along with a long list of extra curriculars to get into Harvard. OR the parent just needs to send him to IMG, become really good at tennis. get a 3.7 GPA and a 2100 on the SAT. Its a no brainer. The 300k spent on IMG is well worth it.

The point I was making though. Is it is more likely that IMG was helping kids get 2000s on their SAT for tennis than helping kids gets 1100s to get into WVU for football.
 
100% that is why the parents send their kids to IMG to begin with. If a kid needs a 4.0 and basically a perfect score on the SAT along with a long list of extra curriculars to get into Harvard. OR the parent just needs to send him to IMG, become really good at tennis. get a 3.7 GPA and a 2100 on the SAT. Its a no brainer. The 300k spent on IMG is well worth it.

The point I was making though. Is it is more likely that IMG was helping kids get 2000s on their SAT for tennis than helping kids gets 1100s to get into WVU for football.
The saddest part unfortunately is that plenty of kids need help to get that 1100. Jobe was 20 and had to take it a second time. ( allegedly). And he went to one of the best private schools in Miami.
I know dee said they’re going after puppets.
However some puppets aren’t built for cross examinations and fbi interviews. Not to mention time. even if it’s white collar prison. What if that white collar prison is still 6 or 7 years. Some dudes aren’t built for it. You got guys that have served time dropping dimes on family for a 6 month county bid. Think some nerd isn’t gonna start spewing names and addresses for half of a decade of his life gone.
 
Advertisement
The saddest part unfortunately is that plenty of kids need help to get that 1100. Jobe was 20 and had to take it a second time. ( allegedly). And he went to one of the best private schools in Miami.
I know dee said they’re going after puppets.
However some puppets aren’t built for cross examinations and fbi interviews. Not to mention time. even if it’s white collar prison. What if that white collar prison is still 6 or 7 years. Some dudes aren’t built for it. You got guys that have served time dropping dimes on family for a 6 month county bid. Think some nerd isn’t gonna start spewing names and addresses for half of a decade of his life gone.

No question they are going to flip. This isn't the mob or something of that sort that they need to fear for their and their families lives for the next 100 years. They snitch on the IMG SAT guy and that is that. The odds of him sending a hitman after him are very low and even lower for his family.
 
No question they are going to flip. This isn't the mob or something of that sort that they need to fear for their and their families lives for the next 100 years. They snitch on the IMG SAT guy and that is that. The odds of him sending a hitman after him are very low and even lower for his family.
I’m not saying any hit man stuff.
I’m just wondering how far this is gonna go with football when they start asking who did he take the test for and who else do you know that has taken tests for students. Or if they ask “was singer your only client or were there other people that asked you take test for students”.
Singer had 25 million in total contributions to his charities since 2012. I doubt he’s the only dude to set up a charity to drop bags to schools coaches and administrators. The bagmen story that has been mentioned so often is a freaking diversion. Making people believe some dudes are dropping extra couple of thousands to kids. Thats old news going back to the smu scandal. That may still exist but 5k ain’t getting a dude like Stevenson or Campbell to commit to anything.
This is big time money going out to bribe middle class people. But yet year after year mf’ers on here keep doubting that bags exist and that some player’s dad was a firefighter and another players mom is a nurse so obviously no bags involved.
 
100% that is why the parents send their kids to IMG to begin with. If a kid needs a 4.0 and basically a perfect score on the SAT along with a long list of extra curriculars to get into Harvard. OR the parent just needs to send him to IMG, become really good at tennis. get a 3.7 GPA and a 2100 on the SAT. Its a no brainer. The 300k spent on IMG is well worth it.

The point I was making though. Is it is more likely that IMG was helping kids get 2000s on their SAT for tennis than helping kids gets 1100s to get into WVU for football.
I disagree. I think they help the tennis kids for money, and the football kids for prestige. Word gets around that they got this or that kid into college and it makes the next great football player who can't be bothered in the classroom take notice.

One thing I'll mention is that with the reputation come expectations. People throwing around this much money don't want to hear their kid is lazy and there's nothing IMG can do, they want results. Once you start taking that cash you start coming up with creative ways to get the kids where they're trying to go. And when people get creative, cheating isn't far behind.
 
For reference, the one kid who was in on it sat with a "proctor" that helped her change wrong answers. She got a 1900, which wouldn't have gotten her into Georgetown which is why she had to play the tennis agle. Being a tennis recruit, admissions was willing to overlook her 1900. A quick look has me thinking 1900 is about 90th percentile.

Basically, every school has different standards for athletes. All athletes. Miami may require better scores for tennis players than fsu, but they still let kids slide in who they wouldn't normally take. Case in point: my friend from HS went to a service academy, and I promise he didn't have nearly the grades for that. What he did have was the ability to run faster than almost anyone around. Coach wanted him and his grades weren't bad so he got in.

I don't have a problem with this, but I do think the college should make sure he gets the best education he can. Let's be be honest would the kid get a better education at Miami with small classes or FSU with huge classes. I think it should be up to the school at least on sports. JMO which doesn't mean much.
 
Advertisement
I don't have a problem with this, but I do think the college should make sure he gets the best education he can. Let's be be honest would the kid get a better education at Miami with small classes or FSU with huge classes. I think it should be up to the school at least on sports. JMO which doesn't mean much.
Within NCAA minimums, it is up to the school. Schools can let in whoever they want, they just aren't supposed to discriminate based on race/gender/sexual orientation. NCAA is the only thing stopping bama from dropping academic requirements for football players altogether.
 
I disagree. I think they help the tennis kids for money, and the football kids for prestige. Word gets around that they got this or that kid into college and it makes the next great football player who can't be bothered in the classroom take notice.

One thing I'll mention is that with the reputation come expectations. People throwing around this much money don't want to hear their kid is lazy and there's nothing IMG can do, they want results. Once you start taking that cash you start coming up with creative ways to get the kids where they're trying to go. And when people get creative, cheating isn't far behind.

I understand what you are saying and you are right money for the tennis kids and football kids for prestige, but the thing is. Landing kids in Ivys will net the school WAY more than football ever could in donations.

The highest earning NFL player was about 70 million in 1 year. Most NFL players won't earn anywhere close to that and even the ones that do only earn that for 10-15 years. Most of the kids you help are going to be making 0 dollars off football.

You help a tennis player get into Harvard and they end up working in PE or managing a hedge fund. You got the top guys earning close to 2 billion in 1 year and they can maintain earnings like that for significantly longer than a football player can. The average top earning PE guy is earning over 125 million a year. Even the lower end of kids they help will probably make more over their lifetime than the good NFL players out of IMG.

Basically the Ivy kids from IMG will out earn the football players by an insane amount.


Then keep in mind the fact that big business guys donate WAY more on average to their schools than football players do. Its a no brainer who is more important for the school. If IMG really wanted to make money off athletes Basketball would be where its at. They make WAY more money and end up making even more off endorsements. You will never get a football player making Lebron or Jordan money because no one wants to buy NFL players sneakers.
 
I understand what you are saying and you are right money for the tennis kids and football kids for prestige, but the thing is. Landing kids in Ivys will net the school WAY more than football ever could in donations.

The highest earning NFL player was about 70 million in 1 year. Most NFL players won't earn anywhere close to that and even the ones that do only earn that for 10-15 years. Most of the kids you help are going to be making 0 dollars off football.

You help a tennis player get into Harvard and they end up working in PE or managing a hedge fund. You got the top guys earning close to 2 billion in 1 year and they can maintain earnings like that for significantly longer than a football player can. The average top earning PE guy is earning over 125 million a year. Even the lower end of kids they help will probably make more over their lifetime than the good NFL players out of IMG.

Basically the Ivy kids from IMG will out earn the football players by an insane amount.


Then keep in mind the fact that big business guys donate WAY more on average to their schools than football players do. Its a no brainer who is more important for the school. If IMG really wanted to make money off athletes Basketball would be where its at. They make WAY more money and end up making even more off endorsements. You will never get a football player making Lebron or Jordan money because no one wants to buy NFL players sneakers.

True. I don't think people get the difference when they say "we have these guys in the NFL that can just drop bags". Every school has more people in business than in the NFL, and many of those business people make a lot more. Alabama is full of small-town doctors who love tide football and make enough to give $10k a year. And you're right, Ivy money is much bigger.
 
True. I don't think people get the difference when they say "we have these guys in the NFL that can just drop bags". Every school has more people in business than in the NFL, and many of those business people make a lot more. Alabama is full of small-town doctors who love tide football and make enough to give $10k a year. And you're right, Ivy money is much bigger.

100%. One super booster like Jim Walton will be able to drop more bags than schools filled with NFL players.

Great point as well. A bunch of small town doctors, who love football, will outspend a few NFL players every time.
 
Advertisement
Advertisement
Back
Top