Possible Nike scandal?

[TheDude1]

So, lawyer Mike Avenatti was arrested and accused of trying to blackmail Nike for millions of dollars in exchange for not revealing some sort of scandal.


He had previously said that he was having a press conference to reveal a huge payment scheme... he had said to Nike (in a recorded conversation that he thought was private) that it was worth more than a few million dollars for him to "blow the lid on this thing"...

So does he actually have something untoward? Will this touch us?

 

[PixelDevil]

The other thread was more fun

 

[TheDude1]

The other thread was more fun

It's still there.

But realistically this might be a big story, and one worth discussing.

 

[PixelDevil]

It's still there.

But realistically this might be a big story, and one worth discussing.

Fair enough.

 

[TheDude1]

Nike statement:

"Nike will not be extorted or hide information that is relevant to a government investigation. Nike has been cooperating with the government’s investigation into NCAA basketball for over a year. When Nike became aware of this matter, Nike immediately reported it to federal prosecutors. When Mr. Avenatti attempted to extort Nike over this matter, Nike with the assistance of outside counsel at Boies Schiller Flexner, aided the investigation. Nike firmly believes in ethical and fair play, both in business and sports, and will continue to assist the prosecutors.”

Curious to know about that bit about cooperating with the government for over a year. Did we know that?

 

[TheDude1]

That didn’t take long.

Stay away from us, scandal!

 

[pisgah101]

That didn’t take long.

Stay away from us, scandal!

Feel better now?

 

[BeerPoisoning]

Give it time... Eventually is gonna hit the fan all over the place. NCAA would lose money punishing everyone and a disaster will unfold.

 

[meisperplexed]

As the old saying goes, this guy is like a bad penny, he just keeps showing up. If this twerp is involved in a basketball scandal, aye yi, yi.

 

[TheDude1]

So Avenatti is posting bail. Legal minds out there... I assume he cannot go through with the planned press conference, right?

 

[CRAZIE4LIFE]

This dude is trash.

 

[TheDude1]

This dude is trash.

For sure. But sometimes trash hangs out with trash. It doesn’t make sense that he would have nothing and try to blackmail Nike with nothing and THEN, in what he thought was a private conversation, talk about blowing the lid on something.

 

[SWEc/o95]

Nike statement:

"Nike will not be extorted or hide information that is relevant to a government investigation. Nike has been cooperating with the government’s investigation into NCAA basketball for over a year. When Nike became aware of this matter, Nike immediately reported it to federal prosecutors. When Mr. Avenatti attempted to extort Nike over this matter, Nike with the assistance of outside counsel at Boies Schiller Flexner, aided the investigation. Nike firmly believes in ethical and fair play, both in business and sports, and will continue to assist the prosecutors.”

Curious to know about that bit about cooperating with the government for over a year. Did we know that?

Yes it was mentioned when the Adidas scandal broke.

 

[TheDude1]

Whelp, Avenatti went for it:

 

[LetsGoDuke301]

Whelp, Avenatti went for it:

 

[pisgah101]

What a bunch of nothing

 

[TheDude1]

What a bunch of nothing

I don't think so. Think about it... what's more likely?

1) A guy has absolutely no dirt on Nike, drops hints that he has dirt on Nike, then tries to blackmail Nike even though Nike knows they haven't done anything wrong while discussing blowing the lid off something with them in private even though they both know there is nothing to blow a lid off, then getting arrested in CRAZY serious charges, but CONTINUING with his public fake accusations against Nike, even going so far as to mention names, thus opening himself up to lawsuits...

or

2) A guy has dirt on Nike. He tries to blackmail Nike with it. Nike doesn't go for it. He then gets arrested, but still makes his information public.

I just see absolutely no logic behind any number of aspects of the first one, where he has nothing. None.

My guess is he DOES have dirt and DID try to blackmail Nike, and now is just putting the dirt out there because he thinks that will help his case.

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

Whatever. If Duke did something wrong, they should be punished. Same with UNC, UK, and anyone else out there. You think Coach K needs to pay people to play at Duke? The school with the most visible brand in the country? He probably needed to pay Obama, Jay Z, D-Wade, and Spike Lee to come to our games too.

 

[dukephysics]

.......

For the record, I agree, he almost certainly DOES have dirt on them. But there is a possibility.
3) Say he sees what is happening at Adidas and assumes (like basically everyone else in the country has) that Nike is doing it too. Maybe he even talks to some coach who says he heard some high profile recruit got money. So he goes to Nike and says, pay up or I'll spill everything. He knows he has nothing, but Nike doesn't know this. And maybe Nike does fear that someone in their organization has done something wrong. Maybe they KNOW someone in their organization has done something wrong.
So basically the guy is fishing in a pond he's pretty certain there has to be fish.
Now when he gets caught, he names the 2 guys that are most likely tied up in this - assuming Nike is doing it.
I could definitely see this being a possibility.
Again, I think more likely is Nike actually did something wrong and he has some evidence (or witnesses). But it doesn't have to be that way.

 

[TheDude1]

For the record, I agree, he almost certainly DOES have dirt on them. But there is a possibility.
3) Say he sees what is happening at Adidas and assumes (like basically everyone else in the country has) that Nike is doing it too. Maybe he even talks to some coach who says he heard some high profile recruit got money. So he goes to Nike and says, pay up or I'll spill everything. He knows he has nothing, but Nike doesn't know this. And maybe Nike does fear that someone in their organization has done something wrong. Maybe they KNOW someone in their organization has done something wrong.
So basically the guy is fishing in a pond he's pretty certain there has to be fish.
Now when he gets caught, he names the 2 guys that are most likely tied up in this - assuming Nike is doing it.
I could definitely see this being a possibility.
Again, I think more likely is Nike actually did something wrong and he has some evidence (or witnesses). But it doesn't have to be that way.

Sure, that's possible. Unlikely, as you point out.

 

[Devilinside]

I don't think so. Think about it... what's more likely?

1) A guy has absolutely no dirt on Nike, drops hints that he has dirt on Nike, then tries to blackmail Nike even though Nike knows they haven't done anything wrong while discussing blowing the lid off something with them in private even though they both know there is nothing to blow a lid off, then getting arrested in CRAZY serious charges, but CONTINUING with his public fake accusations against Nike, even going so far as to mention names, thus opening himself up to lawsuits...

or

2) A guy has dirt on Nike. He tries to blackmail Nike with it. Nike doesn't go for it. He then gets arrested, but still makes his information public.

I just see absolutely no logic behind any number of aspects of the first one, where he has nothing. None.

My guess is he DOES have dirt and DID try to blackmail Nike, and now is just putting the dirt out there because he thinks that will help his case.

The guy is a proven liar and has a history of making claims about alleged events which we later find out never occurred. But, Dude, if you want to trust this guy, I have a bridge I would be glad to sell you cheap.

 

[Devilinside]

For the record, I agree, he almost certainly DOES have dirt on them. But there is a possibility.
3) Say he sees what is happening at Adidas and assumes (like basically everyone else in the country has) that Nike is doing it too. Maybe he even talks to some coach who says he heard some high profile recruit got money. So he goes to Nike and says, pay up or I'll spill everything. He knows he has nothing, but Nike doesn't know this. And maybe Nike does fear that someone in their organization has done something wrong. Maybe they KNOW someone in their organization has done something wrong.
So basically the guy is fishing in a pond he's pretty certain there has to be fish.
Now when he gets caught, he names the 2 guys that are most likely tied up in this - assuming Nike is doing it.
I could definitely see this being a possibility.
Again, I think more likely is Nike actually did something wrong and he has some evidence (or witnesses). But it doesn't have to be that way.

Nike is not acting like it has anything to worry about. It has not taken the 5th, has long been cooperating with the FBI, and is holding nothing back. Another possible scenario is that there is some a$$hole out there who thinks he knows something about Nike that no one else knows and figures there must be a way to make some moolah out of it. Who is better than that slimy rat Avenatti at spinning alleged facts into a scenario that seems plausible, but in reality has no connection to reality. How about the lying little biotch he tried unsuccessfully to introduce into the Cavanaugh proceedings? Hell, even his porn-star client has fired him for lying to her, and the FBI has indicted him for criminal fraud in Los Angeles. If anybody's word was ever LESS DESERVING of belief, it is Avenatti's. All I can say to the Dude is "the sky is NOT falling."

 

[TheDude1]

The guy is a proven liar and has a history of making claims about alleged events which we later find out never occurred. But, Dude, if you want to trust this guy, I have a bridge I would be glad to sell you cheap.

Eh, a person can tell a lie and still be telling the truth about stuff. Truth and lies isn't an all-or-nothing thing, where a person can ONLY tell the truth their whole life or ONLY tell lies.

It just makes little logical sense that someone would threaten to blow the lid off of something (and he said it privately) if there is literally nothing there. Like... why would he think that would work? Blackmail generally requires something bad to blackmail WITH.

And then to follow it up with public specifics (thus opening himself up to MORE legal trouble), when he is already in serious legal jeopardy?

Of course there could be nothing there. But at this point, given the logic of the situation and the fact that we've seen recent major issues with other shoe companies and heard rumors of stuff involving Nike, and given how much money is involved with this... well, I think it is much more likely there IS something there.

We'll see, I suppose.

 

[Devilinside]

Eh, a person can tell a lie and still be telling the truth about stuff. Truth and lies isn't an all-or-nothing thing, where a person can ONLY tell the truth their whole life or ONLY tell lies.

It just makes little logical sense that someone would threaten to blow the lid off of something (and he said it privately) if there is literally nothing there. Like... why would he think that would work? Blackmail generally requires something bad to blackmail WITH.

And then to follow it up with public specifics (thus opening himself up to MORE legal trouble), when he is already in serious legal jeopardy?

Of course there could be nothing there. But at this point, given the logic of the situation and the fact that we've seen recent major issues with other shoe companies and heard rumors of stuff involving Nike, and given how much money is involved with this... well, I think it is much more likely there IS something there.

We'll see, I suppose.

So, if Adidas did it, then with no other proof, it must be very likely that Nike did it, too. Really? Really? He literally threatened to blow the lid off of the Kavanaugh hearings, when we later found out his client was lying. What Avanetti does is to make these wild charges and then hope that later he will find corroborating evidence. Avanetti is a serious narcissist, who believes he can manipulate the system and is willing to run the risk that he may be wrong.. For someone to base a conclusion on the likelihood of Nike's liability based purely on the actions of another company and the words of a serial liar whose star witness has a huge axe to grind with Nike is, in a sigle word, naïve.

 

[LetsGoDuke301]

So, if Adidas did it, then with no other proof, it must be very likely that Nike did it, too. Really? Really? He literally threatened to blow the lid off of the Kavanaugh hearings, when we later found out his client was lying. What Avanetti does is to make these wild charges and then hope that later he will find corroborating evidence. Avanetti is a serious narcissist, who believes he can manipulate the system and is willing to run the risk that he may be wrong.. For someone to base a conclusion on the likelihood of Nike's liability based purely on the actions of another company and the words of a serial liar whose star witness has a huge axe to grind with Nike is, in a sigle word, naïve.

It's a dog eat dog world man. Companies are going to do whatever it takes to get a leg up on the competition. No doubt in my mind that one is aware of where the other is outperforming them. Though it's not the most foolproof way of making assumptions, it is a fairly easy assumption to make that if one is doing it, the other is as well.

There obviously remains the possibility that Nike has not done the things that they are being accused of, albeit by a dude as slimy as they come. But common sense has to lead you to believe that they are guilty to some extent if not the same.

 

[Mpm277]

I don't get the argument "Do you think Duke needs to pay players to get them here? Pft!". Yes, I get it; Duke is a big brand. But it's not like every high school kid chooses to come here. We lose out on recruits.

Apparently Ayten, Bol, and McCoy weren't getting him the attention he wanted. Seems as if you had something on Duke that you'd lead with that. Or at least not just post some ominous two word tweet about it.

I'm hearing Gary Franklin Sr. is his source who is a Nike AAU coach in California. This would point towards the supposed Duke implications involving Bagley - which is old news as people already know about and has been looked into, as far as I understand.

Either way, looks like he just threw Duke out there to grab attention and get people talking. It worked.

 

[krzyzewskiville]

Let's keep it above board, please and thank you.

 

[TheDude1]

It's a dog eat dog world man. Companies are going to do whatever it takes to get a leg up on the competition. No doubt in my mind that one is aware of where the other is outperforming them. Though it's not the most foolproof way of making assumptions, it is a fairly easy assumption to make that if one is doing it, the other is as well.

There obviously remains the possibility that Nike has not done the things that they are being accused of, albeit by a dude as slimy as they come. But common sense has to lead you to believe that they are guilty to some extent if not the same.

Yeah, at the end of the day it isn't actually about believing this guy in particular... if ANYONE of note had said this, I would have said "Yeah, that's likely" because I don't think Nike is any more above board than Adidas or whatever, and there is simply WAY too much money involved in it for me to think it is more likely the shoe companies DON'T cheat than DO cheat.

 

[krzyzewskiville]

Yeah, at the end of the day it isn't actually about believing this guy in particular... if ANYONE of note had said this, I would have said "Yeah, that's likely" because I don't think Nike is any more above board than Adidas or whatever, and there is simply WAY too much money involved in it for me to think it is more likely the shoe companies DON'T cheat than DO cheat.

The sad and unfortunate truth is that the depth of scandal and money in high-level division I basketball is far deeper rooted than most want to know.

It's just easier to be naive and think it's as pure as the night is long...

 

[TheDude1]

The sad and unfortunate truth is that the depth of scandal and money in high-level division I basketball is far deeper rooted than most want to know.

It's just easier to be naive and think it's as pure as the night is long...

Unfortunately I agree.

 

[Mpm277]

The sad and unfortunate truth is that the depth of scandal and money in high-level division I basketball is far deeper rooted than most want to know.

It's just easier to be naive and think it's as pure as the night is long...

Maybe I'm wrong to think this way but..

.... I don't really care. I just don't. I'd prefer all Duke players to have not accepted any money and came to the program cleanly, sure. But if there was definitive, indisputable proof that X number of players from KY, UNC, Kansas, etc accepted money and it weighed in their decision to chose whichever school ... Yeah, okay. *shrug*. If we find out Duke players have as well. Yeah, okay. Seems like that's just the landscape of D1 sports.

 

[IAmForHeel]

Interesting development, but nothing more than hearsay at this point.

 

[pisgah101]

The sad and unfortunate truth is that the depth of scandal and money in high-level division I basketball is far deeper rooted than most want to know.

It's just easier to be naive and think it's as pure as the night is long...

Deff agree

 

[SWEc/o95]

But has he really put out any new info. Most of all he has put out there was already known to most of us.

 

[LetsGoDuke301]

But has he really put out any new info. Most of all he has put out there was already known to most of us.

I think he was playing "fill in the blank".

Like, And Duke... Is squeaky clean.

 

[Devilinside]

It's a dog eat dog world man. Companies are going to do whatever it takes to get a leg up on the competition. No doubt in my mind that one is aware of where the other is outperforming them. Though it's not the most foolproof way of making assumptions, it is a fairly easy assumption to make that if one is doing it, the other is as well.

There obviously remains the possibility that Nike has not done the things that they are being accused of, albeit by a dude as slimy as they come. But common sense has to lead you to believe that they are guilty to some extent if not the same.

Common sense? Seriously? You think I should believe that Nike and Underarmour are doing the same **** that Adidas got caught doing, simply because we know Adidas did it and without one spec of evidence against Nike. I understand why you may "feel" that Nike cheats and think you have reason to "feel" that way. But its not an exercise of common sense to transfer one company's bad acts to another simply because they are in the same business. Common sense dictates that one not reach a conclusion about wrongdoing without facts, acts, and conduct which relate specifically to the suspected wrongdoer. So far, all we have is the mouthing off of a pathological liar.

 

[Devilinside]

Deff agree

Who said anything about the purity of high level basketball? Not me. Who said there were no cheaters in college basketball? Not me. Nor did I draw any conclusion about whether Nike was or was not guilty of Adidas-like conduct. What I said was that it would be naïve to base a belief on anything out of Avanetti's mouth without corroboration, of which, by the way, there is none so far as far as Duke and Nike are concerned.

 

[pisgah101]

Who said anything about the purity of high level basketball? Not me. Who said there were no cheaters in college basketball? Not me. Nor did I draw any conclusion about whether Nike was or was not guilty of Adidas-like conduct. What I said was that it would be naïve to base a belief on anything out of Avanetti's mouth without corroboration, of which, by the way, there is none so far as far as Duke and Nike are concerned.

What? I just said I agree that most high level D1 athletic programs aren’t clean

 

[krzyzewskiville]

Maybe I'm wrong to think this way but..

.... I don't really care. I just don't. I'd prefer all Duke players to have not accepted any money and came to the program cleanly, sure. But if there was definitive, indisputable proof that X number of players from KY, UNC, Kansas, etc accepted money and it weighed in their decision to chose whichever school ... Yeah, okay. *shrug*. If we find out Duke players have as well. Yeah, okay. Seems like that's just the landscape of D1 sports.

I at least understand what you’re saying. It’s a little different but like the hypotheticals with baseball and steroids.

If you can’t beat them, join them? I can tell you as it pertains to baseball, the game was almost more fun when they weren’t illegal.

As it has to do with big time D1 hoops, the NCAA is kidding itself with what it sells. I and guarantee you they know....

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

Interesting development, but nothing more than hearsay at this point.

What development?