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On April 11, 2018, Kansas issued a statement that began as follows: "Earlier in the day, we learned that the University of Kansas is designated as a victim in a federal indictment." 39 entity that allegedly fell victim to the Jayhawks basketball program was an Adidas shoe company.
On April 24, 2019, 378 days after Kansas declared its victimization, the Jayhawks announced the signing of a 14-year agreement on shoes and clothing worth $ 196 million with … Adidas.
So, yes, this is the moment for a shameful victim.
A school that has adopted the dubious concept of being a victim of a shoe company that has violated the rules of the NCAA (and federal law) is now renewing its business wishes with that company. This is not a standard procedure on the part of an entity that sincerely believes that it has been defrauded and damaged. However, this is a shameless standard procedure in university athletics.
In fact, this is close to the maximum of shamelessness.
Adidas TK Gassnola, a texting and intermediate recruiting friend with Kansas head coach, Bill Self, testified last fall that he had spent money for Make sure the Jayhawks have players. Merl Code, consultant Adidas, was on a transcript of the wiretap saying to Kansas assistant coach, Kurtis Townsend, that the asking price for mega-rookie Zion Williamson was a job for his father-in-law , money and housing for the prospect 's family. Townsend's answer: "… If that's what it takes to keep him here for 10 months, we'll have to do it somehow."
This would seem to be a violation of the institutionalized rules. But the federal government offered protection to the naked Jayhawks by saying that the bad boys of Adidas were harming the school. Kansas wore this vine leaf as a Versace costume.
Then, the school doubled the number of its victims by seeking a compensation of one million dollars at the end of February from the condemned Adidas executive, James Gatto. That in itself was brazenly disproportionate – only to be signed by signing a long-term contract with the company two months later.
Funny, the word "victim" did not seem to appear Wednesday to Lawrence.
It goes without saying that neither Nike nor Under Armor will pay so much in Kansas. And Adidas was desperate to maintain partnerships with its flagship programs. So, if the money is right – and that it is one of the largest garment contracts in college sport – the universities will do everything in their power to to feed their dependence on sport.
They will present weak arguments, make speeches about integrity, and cash checks without excuses or restrictions. Bad optics? They do not care. Ridiculous inconsistencies? It's going to end. Hypocrisy of brass? Take off and join the base.
So many people play such fraudulent roles in this masquerade that it is difficult to follow them all. But, for the moment, let's limit ourselves to Kansas, here is the distribution of the stars:
Douglas Girod, Chancellor of Kansas, in the role of Chief Educator at Principles. "Adidas and we have done our due diligence and carefully weighed all the factors related to this partnership, including the current environment related to college basketball," Girod said Wednesday, according to the Kansas City Star. "We are confident in this renewed partnership and look forward to continuing our relationship with Adidas."
Jeff Long, Kansas Sports Director, in the role of Corruption Firewall Builder. "T.J. Gassnola was an employee of Adidas. He had an agreement with Adidas that put him in touch with our program, "said Long, according to The Star. "… we spent months and months and [had] Comprehensive discussions about the future and how we are going to handle these things in the future have led to the conclusion that Adidas has committed, like Kansas, to s & # 39; to ensure that we comply with NCAA rules and the law of the land. "
Bill Self, coach well coached. "I have not seen anywhere and I do not believe that we have been seen as a victim," he told reporters last year, when the school was named for the first time in a federal indictment. He had the buzzword. His .817 win percentage will answer any other questions regarding his retention.
Kansas fans, Diligent deflectors. Whenever the Jayhawks enter this ongoing saga of corruption, they ask, "And the duke?
Adidas, reformed business sinner. A new zeal for NCAA compliance (under threat) is the new fundamental three-band value. The shoe company and one of the other schools she "victimized", Louisville, intensified their repentance a few months ago by announcing that it would help fund the University's new project on excellence in ethical leadership. Adidas donates $ 1 million to the project over 10 years, while maintaining a sales contract of considerable value with the Cardinals Athletics. (The first conference of the Ethical Leadership Excellence project should be titled "How to get out of the bad publicity".)
That Kansas has chosen to announce its renewed agreement with Adidas while the second federal trial is taking place in New York seems a bit greasy. Again, this is a school that is currently doing everything possible to build sympathy for the non-eligible Silvio De Sousa as he seeks to be reinstated via a call to the NCAA – the Jayhawks are not really here to identify what they want.
If Kansas cared as much for De Sousa as he says, the school would ask him to be immediately reinstated in one of the other 352 schools in Division I in America. This would recognize that bringing it back to where Gassnola greased the skates is an unfair competitive advantage without excuses. This would reflect, for the first time, a certain appropriation of this situation by the school.
If someone is a victim here, it is Silvio De Sousa. Not Kansas.
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