This blog is set up for the HHP 126, HHP 157, HHP 420, and HHP 428 courses along with other Sports Students as a way to communicate with fellow classmates and faculty members
The Tallahassee Police Department says it's investigating a Wednesday night shooting that left one man injured.
Residents called to report a shooting in the 2000 block of Old St. Augustine Road just before 10 p.m., but when officers arrived there were no victims or suspects, just evidence that a shooting had occurred, according to a TPD news release.
"A short time later, an adult male arrived at a hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to the arm," TPD said. "Preliminary findings indicate a man attempted to rob the victim just before the shooting occurred."
As of Thursday afternoon, no suspects or arrests have been made, and the investigation is active and ongoing. TPD is asking anyone with information to call them at 850-891-4200 or Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS.
The incident comes less than two weeks after two back-to-back fatal shootings on Dec. 18.
This marks the 87th shooting in the capital city and county. According to a Tallahassee Democrat , 72 people have been injured, and 24 people have died from a serious shooting.
Elena Barrera can be reached at . Follow her on X .
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat:
KU Athletics spent more than $10M on outside legal fees defending NCAA infractions case
LAWRENCE — When Kansas athletics director Travis Goff and basketball coach Bill Self first reacted to the end of the NCAA infractions case concerning Self's program back in October, it was referred to as a good day for the university.
That good day, courtesy of an NCAA verdict that saw Kansas basketball hit with lighter penalties than many expected, came at a cost: more than $10 million in outside legal fees over the past five fiscal years, according to documents obtained by The Topeka Capital-Journal through a public records request.
Four law firms were paid by KU for work on the school's defense in the case, including $70,000 in fees paid during the current fiscal year. The $10 million is an estimate provided by KU's public records office, backed by 1,575 pages of documents provided in response to the request.
"I think it was obviously pretty established by the time I got to KU, as to the approach and to the notion that we were going to — I don't want to say spare no resources — but to an extent spare few resources to make sure we had all the right expertise and experience to help us navigate it," said Goff, who became athletics director in 2021. "Going from the NCAA infractions approach to the IARP, which was really an unprecedented process, I think warranted additional kind of layers from the legal team perspective."
The IARP (Independent Accountability Resolution Process) was created to handle certain infractions cases that concerned Division I programs. It was involved in Kansas' case, in addition to some others. Kansas' case had its origins in a federal investigation and included receiving a notice of allegations in 2019 from the NCAA that included an allegation of a KU player being given improper payments by someone associated with Adidas — which Kansas has been adamant it didn't know about, but didn't dispute.
The Topeka Capital-Journal's public records request sought how much money was billed by four law firms that specialize in working with schools facing NCAA infractions cases. Those firms were Husch Blackwell (2020-23), Hogan Lovells (2020-23), Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC (2017-23) and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman (2019-23). According to the public records office, not all fees in the response were related to the NCAA matter, which led to the estimate.
Goff noted not all four firms were necessarily working on the NCAA matter at the same time. He said it became clear to him KU had the right people involved as he got a grasp on the situation. That came a handful of months into his tenure.
While Goff brought up he didn't love the fact KU allocated so many resources to the situation, there was the belief at the school that it felt strongly about its position. Goff said KU wanted to protect the Kansas basketball brand, which won a national championship in 2022 amid the inquiry. According to a Louisville Courier Journal report from 2022, the University of Louisville Athletic Association also spent millions defending itself from its own NCAA allegations. Tennessee spent $1.5 million in fees to Bond, Schoeneck & King in its infraction case. Indiana, according to 2008 reports, spent nearly $500,000 in such fees when facing NCAA allegations of violations.
Legal fees similar to women's soccer budget
The NCAA financial statement for fiscal year 2022 for Kansas Athletics outlined an operating revenue of more than $118 million and expenses around $108.7 million — which would reflect a surplus of $9.3 million. That would mean the amount spent on attorney fees in that fiscal year would equate to a bit more than 23% of the surplus, and be similar to the almost $2.235 million that the total operating expenses were for the school's women's soccer program.
It outlines the extent to which Kansas was willing to go, considering the financial statement for fiscal year 2021 amid the pandemic included a deficiency of close to $2 million overall and total operating expenses for the women's soccer program at just under $2 million. Goff, though, stopped short of comparing them one-to-one and alluded to the amount spent on legal fees being a small percentage of their overall budget each year.
"I think something like this is certainly unprecedented, something that in our situation has only happened once — we fully anticipate will only happen once," Goff said. "So, I do think it's — there's not really a comparator, necessarily, that you can consider.
"I mean, it's significant any way you cut it. Even in the context of a $120 or $125 million budget. But, again, that's what it's taken in order to have all the right people at the table, the right expertise, experience, in order to make sure we navigated in the best manner possible, and that's how it played out."
A renewed commitment to Bill Self
Kansas Athletics and Self also agreed to an amended and restated employment agreement that was revealed in November. It reinforced the trust Goff has expressed in Self's leadership of the program. It is a lifetime agreement that consists of a five-year rolling term, and according to a USA Today report it will see Self make $9.44 million — including a $1 million signing bonus — for the current season.
Once the 2025-26 season ends, the contract states Self and Goff will meet to discuss Self's annual compensation. According to Self and Goff, the resolution of the NCAA infractions case had nothing to do with the timing of the announcement of the new deal.
"Proof's in the pudding. I mean, literally we're talking about the most consistent, most successful, coach in modern basketball," Goff said at the time. "And for a number of reasons, I didn't feel like — and the chancellor didn't feel like — his contract was necessarily reflective of that. And so, that's what, to me, what this contract reflects. It reflects having the best coach in college basketball at the helm, and not necessarily ensuring, but maybe it's viewed as cementing him to finish his career right here at Kansas."
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association's sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
Michigan receives NCAA notice of allegations for recruiting violations
Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior WriterDec 20, 2023, 04:47 PM ET
Michigan has received a notice of allegations from the NCAA regarding alleged violations by the football staff during the COVID-19 recruiting dead period, two university officials told ESPN.
According to sources, Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh faces a Level I violation for allegedly not cooperating with or misleading NCAA investigators about the alleged violations, and Michigan also faces four Level II violations, which are considered less serious. Michigan in August self-imposed a three-game suspension for Harbaugh to begin the season as well as a one-game suspension for offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore as part of a negotiated resolution for his involvement.
The self-imposed penalties, enacted to soften the impact of NCAA punishment, came shortly after the NCAA's infractions committee did not approve a negotiated resolution involving Harbaugh that would have resulted in a four-game suspension. The NCAA also in August took the unusual step of issuing a statement during an ongoing investigation about the severity of the alleged violations involving Michigan.
"The Michigan infractions case is related to impermissible on and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and impermissible coaching activities -- not a cheeseburger," Derrick Crawford, NCAA vice president of hearing operations, said in the statement, referring to the simplistic characterization of the violations in some media reports. "It is not uncommon for the [committee on infractions] to seek clarification on key facts prior to accepting. The COI may also reject an NR [negotiated resolution] if it determines that the agreement is not in the best interests of the Association or the penalties are not reasonable. If the involved parties cannot resolve a case through the negotiated resolution process, it may proceed to a hearing, but the committee believes cooperation is the best avenue to quickly resolve issues."
In January, Michigan received a draft of the notice of allegations, which outlined the Level I violation Harbaugh is accused of and the Level II infractions, which included an off-field analyst allegedly being involved in on-field coaching activities. Sources told ESPN then that Harbaugh could face up to a six-game suspension.
Michigan faces a second NCAA investigation for the prohibited off-campus scouting and signal-stealing allegedly led by former staff member Connor Stalions, who resigned Nov. 4. Although Michigan has not received a notice of allegations in that case, the Big Ten imposed a three-game suspension for Harbaugh under its sportsmanship policy, which the coach served for the final three regular-season games. Harbaugh could be charged as a repeat violator under head-coach responsibility, also a Level I charge.
Harbaugh returned to the sideline Dec. 2 for the Big Ten championship game against Iowa, and he will coach Michigan on Jan. 1 when it faces Alabama in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential.
Michigan has 90 days to respond to the notice of allegations, and then the NCAA will have 60 days to issue a rebuttal.
The NCAA appears to be walking back one of its key interpretations of Wednesday's court rulings regarding transfer restrictions.
On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled in State of Ohio et al v. NCAA that the governing body could not enforce its multi-transfer restriction for 14 days, part of a temporary restraining order. While the NCAA allows athletes to transfer once without penalty, athletes who transfer again have to sit out a year unless they're granted a waiver by the NCAA.
On Wednesday, the NCAA indicated to Front Office Sports that athletes would not lose a year of eligibility. Then, on Thursday, the NCAA told FOS it was unsure about whether athletes who play as a result of the ruling would burn a year of eligibility if the ruling is overturned. Several hours later, it reportedly sent a memo to Division I members confirming that athletes would, in fact, burn a year of eligibility.
The case itself was filed last week in the Northern District of West Virginia by state seven attorneys general arguing that the NCAA's transfer restrictions violate federal antitrust laws. It was based largely on the case of West Virginia basketball player RaeQuan Battle.
The court said the transfer restriction couldn't be enforced until at least Dec. 27, the date of the next hearing — and the NCAA affirmed in a statement Wednesday that it would not enforce its transfer restriction during this period.
Battle was therefore eligible to play for the Mountaineers as of Wednesday, but that eligibility prompted another question: What if Battle played a game or two between now and Dec. 27 — and then the ruling was reversed? Would he burn an entire year of NCAA eligibility?
On Wednesday, the NCAA indicated in an email to FOS that because of the court's ruling, the governing body could punish an athlete by taking away a year of eligibility.
"The restitution rule was suspended by the court," an NCAA spokesperson told FOS. "Therefore, eligibility would not be impacted."
(The NCAA's "restitution rule" stated that it could penalize athletes — i.e. vacate their wins or records — if a court ruled they were eligible to play, then they played, and then the court changed its mind. So if the Mountaineers win two games with Battle this week, they would have to vacate those wins if the court rules differently on Dec. 27.)
But on Thursday, after a conflicting report surfaced, the NCAA told FOS it was unclear as to whether athletes would lose a year of eligibility and was still discussing the ruling's implications. It did not outright state that athletes would burn a year of eligibility until Thursday afternoon.
The NCAA, which was unable to provide an interpretation of its own rules for a full 24 hours, has now further complicated an already extremely confusing situation for athletes and coaches across the country.
Some athletes are in a holding pattern while they wait for clarity. Others have already played since Wednesday's ruling, and could lose eligibility because of the NCAA's lack of a firm stance.
What we know: Athletes like Battle, who are currently sitting out because they've transferred more than once and haven't received a waiver, should NOT be penalized if they play between now and Dec. 27. If the ruling ends up being overturned, the NCAA is not allowed to vacate wins or records.
What we don't know: If athletes like Battle will have burned an entire year of eligibility if they have to go back to the bench on Dec. 27, if the court overturns its ruling.
As the college basketball season heats up and bowl season kicks off, the consequences of the NCAA's unclear positions could be dire.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional information.
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How Transfers and NIL Are Reshaping College Football
On Wednesday, a federal judge in West Virginia ruled to temporarily prohibit the NCAA from enforcing restrictions on second-time transfers for two weeks.
The lawsuit, State of Ohio et al v. NCAA, was filed last Thursday. Seven state attorneys general have alleged that the NCAA's remaining restrictions on athlete eligibility after transferring a second time violate federal antitrust law.
The NCAA is also prohibited from enforcing its "Rule of Restitution," according to the decision. That rule states that if a court grants eligibility to an athlete and later reverses that decision, the NCAA has the power to vacate records or wins that the team or athlete accomplished while they were playing.
The ruling technically only applies to athletes within the jurisdiction of the court: the northern district of West Virginia, Kennyhertz Perry sports attorney Mit Winter pointed out. However, the NCAA said in a statement that it will not enforce its transfer rule at least for the next 14 days. It also won't penalize players if the ruling is reversed. Athletes won't lose a year of future eligibility if they play a couple games and then lose eligibility again after the next ruling on Dec. 27, the spokesperson told Front Office Sports.
The case was largely inspired by the story of West Virginia basketball player RaeQuan Battle, whose eligibility waiver was denied by the NCAA after he transferred from a program where his coach abruptly left. Battle, as well as Miami of Ohio quarterback Maddox Kopp and Cincinnati basketball player Jamille Reynolds, testified during the hearing, which lasted more than two-and-a-half hours Wednesday.
Northern District of West Virginia Judge John P. Bailey clarified he did not have time to address Battle's specific situation. "The only thing I'm saying is that you can't make a player sit out a year," Bailey said.
Athletes' testimony, which covered everything from name, image, and likeness issues to mental health, seemed to place a specific emphasis on the fact that coaches can leave their positions at a school at any time, and as many times they want, without repercussions. Players, however, are only allowed to transfer once without restriction.
Wednesday's decision is not a permanent strikedown of NCAA rules. The next hearing, which will be for a preliminary injunction to keep this rule in effect until the case goes to trial or is settled, will be Dec. 27.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional information.
NCAA Launches Ground-Breaking Initiative to Study and Understand Online Abuse in College Sports
The NCAA announced today that it has engaged Signify Group to provide its Threat Matrix artificial intelligence service to support the Association in studying and responding to online abuse and threats directed at NCAA Championship participants including student-athletes, coaches, officials and committee members. This unique initiative is intended to further promote the mental health and well-being of the college sports community through data collection and analytics.
The service will go live this month with a particular focus on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Tik Tok. The Threat Matrix project will offer various capabilities and deliverables as part of a pilot during the 2023-24 NCAA Championships, including:
Monitoring, detection and analysis of the levels of abuse and threat in over 35 languages as well as images and emojis.
Analysis of abuse related to sports betting.
Reporting procedures for notifying key stakeholders, including involved individuals and teams, local organizers, law enforcement and social media platforms.
Direct coordination with social media platforms to report abuses and encourage removal of content and other appropriate sanctioning of account holders.
Providing data to support the Association's understanding of the scale and nature of online abuse and threats in college sports, as well as informing future educational and policy developments.
The data from the initial set of championships covered by the service will be used as a benchmark for monitoring efforts at future NCAA championships.
Online abuse and threats are too common within sports. Signify has vast experience working across a range of sports and at different levels, from club level, player unions, federations, to major international tournaments.
Furthermore, with the growth of sports betting in the US in recent years there have been many instances of college sports representatives receiving targeted abuse and threats. A recent NCAA survey of campus administrators found 10% of DI respondents said they were aware of student-athletes being harassed online or in person by someone with gambling interests. This project will represent the largest study in North America on this growing phenomenon, and will assist the Association in detecting, analyzing, and investigating such abuse. The data collected will provide greater understanding of the issues and help the Association refine its policies in an effort to deter abuse and threats in college sports.
Speaking on the launch of the NCAA Threat Matrix service, NCAA President Charlie Baker said:
"Engaging Signify to monitor NCAA championships reflects our resolute commitment to college athlete safety and well-being. This is a first-of-its-kind project in college sports focusing on online abuse and threats, while arming social platforms and law enforcement to take action to protect thousands of student-athletes and all championship participants. This pilot is just the start of much broader online protection measures the NCAA will put in place to guide our longer-term strategy in this crucial space."
Jonathan Hirshler, CEO of Signify Group added:
"We are delighted to be working with the NCAA on this hugely exciting and ground-breaking initiative to enhance the online safety of college athletes and participants in the wider college sport ecosystem. Over the coming months I am confident that we will not only unearth deep insights into online abuse and threat in college sports, but also help drive real action in this space in partnership with the NCAA, platforms and law enforcement agencies."
About Signify Group
Founded in 2017, Signify is an ethical data science and artificial intelligence company that uses open-source data to better understand what fans, consumers and the wider public really care about. Its work spans the business of sport, the private sector, and NGOs, providing insights that help organisations to communicate more effectively with those who matter most to them.
Threat Matrix, which utilises AI and open-source forensic investigation techniques, was launched in 2020 to protect individuals from online abuse. The service has grown and diversified, gaining significant traction in the sports sector. It is used by clubs, leagues, players unions, federations, and global sports event organisers to protect athletes and other stakeholders, as well as being used in investigations and intelligence support.
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for more than half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association.
