Betrayal at Wake

[Flipper]

Any team that accessed this information and then beat Wake should forfeit their win...the coach should be suspended for a few games...at minimum and they should be fined heavily. I wouldn't advocate schollie reductions as that hurts the kids more. Cheating on this level is a blow to the integrity of the game and yet another log on the "why I'm beginning to despise big time college football more each day " fire.

[jpfalcon09]

Impressive Clawson still won six games with information being shared to opponents.

As far as Elko goes, ND will be a huge step up in pay but I doubt he stays long if Kelly is canned. Mike's a good dude and deserves the success he's had.

[falconfan1]

Incredible.

Let me tell you what happens if someone/ANYONE comes to Coach Clawson, Coach Elko, Coach Ruggerio, Coach Scheier at Wake, Coach Babers, Coach Ward, Coach Monroe at Cuse, Coach Jinks, Coach Eliano, Coach Kilmer at BG with plays and game plans stolen from an opponent.

They immediately go to their superior (like BG grad/Wake AD Ron Wellman) and notify them of this nefarious plotting and absolute outright cheating. Refuse to participate in it and try to stop the problem at its source. I know these guys very well and they would never condone this type of cheating/stealing.

The statement by Louisville AD T Jurich borders on the absolute ridiculous and absurd. He is a successful AD in many ways. And his Athletic Dept has embarrassed the university in an amazing number of ways.

It would never be put up with at most places. All schools have issues at some level here and there. But with the coaches above this would never be one of them.

They know right from wrong.

Go Falcons!

[gmartin]

They interviewed Steve Spurrier today on this topic. They asked him if he would tell the other school if he became aware someone told his team plays or shared information on the team. He said he would tell the other school AFTER the season was over. What the hell????? He said it really wasn't much different from stealing signals from across the field. He said if his coaches were successful in stealing signals he would also tell that team at the end of the season.

[Flipper]

It's DRASTICALLY different...one is patently dishonest and contrary to everything fair competition is supposed to be about. The other is part of the gamesmanship...not being able to disguise your signals is closer to being unable to disguise your formations. You put it out there...if they're so simple other peole can read them, that's on you. Buying pilfered information is low

[hammb]

They interviewed Steve Spurrier today on this topic. They asked him if he would tell the other school if he became aware someone told his team plays or shared information on the team. He said he would tell the other school AFTER the season was over. What the hell????? He said it really wasn't much different from stealing signals from across the field. He said if his coaches were successful in stealing signals he would also tell that team at the end of the season.

I heard hmthe interview as well. Completely disgusted that he refused to say he wouldn't use such info, and as you pointed out, wouldn't tell anybody until after the season.

Even then I didn't get a warm fuzzy that he would be running to let wake know they had a mole.

College football is so effing corrupt...

[apollo]

College football at that level doesn't really do much personal inventory. They get paid big time money to win games...many times doing whatever it takes and being unafraid of wandering into the grey area or breaking rules. Who knows how exactly they were contacted? If you get an anonymous source offering you free info, I can see a large percentage of coaches saying "sure". Not to mention a lot of these guys talk to each other and help each other with information all the time. They probably don't even think of it as cheating.

Elrod shouldn't have done it obviously, but I bet Clawson will implement a better system for handling playbooks, video, etc. Won't matter anyway...Wake isn't going anywhere...4-7 win team year in year out.

[gmartin]

Clawson ended up having all practices the final two weeks as closed practices. At that time he didn't know it was Elrod but he closed all practices once we became aware of the situation. He didn't let any media join any practices and he didn't discuss anything to the local reporters either.

Also noted, they are also looking into Army as well as another school Elrod may have shared plays and playbooks with.

[Warthog]

Clawson was on Mike and Mike this morning. IMO, this was a complete and utter betrayal by Elrod. Clawson was working with the radio staff like every coach does. Elrod played at Wake and has two degrees from Wake.

Clawson said when he went to Wake, he knew he was bringing much of the staff from BG. He told the corresponding coaches that were at Wake what his plans were. If he was bringing the coach from BG, he let the Wake coach know that they would not be retained. He said Elrod was very professional about the situation and even gave Clawson information on some QBs that Wake was recruiting so they could contact them right away.

Another thing I picked up, and Clawson didn't come right out and say it, but it was very clear this was NOT an isolated incident. Clawson mentioned several times about this going one for a period of three years. So ever since Clawson has been there, Elrod has been betraying him.

I think it has come out now that Va Tech and Army have both also been implicated in accepting info from Elrod. It's disgusting.

Final thing for now on this, Golic and then also Kannel in the afternoon really thought Louisville was not at fault in this. I call bull sh!t. They participated in the fraud. And by not turning away from the info and informing Wake what was happening, they are just as guilty of defrauding the integrity of the game as Elrod. Golic and Kannel both think, well, it's Wake's problem to deal with. No, it's college football's problem to deal with. They helped propagate the cheating. They are all culpable in the scam.

[Warthog]

Dang, I wanted to say this also. To me, Clawson always presented himself as one of the most honest, straightforward, trust-able coaches you could find. Having Elrod do this to such a decent person makes it all the worse. On the flip-side, I feel like this is something that could happen to Babers in a heartbeat as he can come across as somewhat of an arrogant jack a$$.

[apollo]

Be interesting if this Elrod guy ever makes any public statements....wonder what the motivation was? Didn't like that he wasn't retained, mad at the administration for firing Grobe, gambling, was he selling the playbooks, etc.?

Also interesting to see how Wake does in the bowl game? I don't think the playbook thing cost Wake a bunch of wins, more just the morality of it. I would bet Temple wins pretty comfortably....regardless, now is the time for Clawson to ask for an extension. He's probably got himself an extra couple years because of all this.

[Globetrotter]

I can't believe that Golic and Kannel are talking like this is no big deal. Also stealing signals is pretty horrible too. People being ok with this stuff is what ruins sports IMO. I still can't believe people view Bellicheck as being some kind of great coach.

[Flipper]

Stealing signs is something you expect the other guys to do....someone pilfering your playbook? Maybe if you're on the Brady Bunch and you're Greg in the midst of morality crisis over getting even with the hotshot QB from your rival who's trying to snow Marsha and winning fairly.

[Globetrotter]

I don't expect my team to try to steal signs. He things that people are ok with ethically is bad and will only get worse the next four years.

[Flipper]

Here's an interesting question..if you notice that the NIU center looks left and right as he lines up before every pass play...do you key on that and adjust your defense?