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10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 CONTACT US FOLLOW US facebook.com/ DailyAstorianSports Gary Henley | Sports Reporter ghenley@dailyastorian.com College coaches among 10 accused of fraud, corruption By LARRY NEUMEISTER and TOM HAYS Associated Press NEW YORK — Four assistant basketball coaches from Arizona, Auburn, the University of Southern California and Oklahoma State were among those arrested on federal cor- ruption charges today after they were caught taking thousands of dollars in bribes to steer NBA-destined college stars toward certain sports agents and fi nancial advisers, authorities said. The coaches were identifi ed in court papers as Chuck Person of Auburn University, Emanuel Rich- ardson of the University of Arizona, Tony Bland of USC and Lamont Evans of Oklahoma State. They are in federal custody and expected to make court appearances today. They were among 10 people charged in Manhattan federal court. Others included managers, fi nancial advisers and James Gatto, the direc- tor of global sports marketing at Adi- das. Since 2015, the FBI has been investigating the criminal infl uence of money on coaches and players in the NCAA, federal authorities said. In criminal complaints, investiga- tors said many coaches have “enor- mous infl uence” over their players and how they select their agents and other advisers when they leave col- lege and enter the NBA. “The investigation has revealed several instances in which coaches have exercised that infl uence by steering players and their families to retain particular advisers, not because of the merits of those advisers, but because the coaches were being bribed by the advisers to do so,” the papers said. Person was arrested in Alabama; Bland in Tampa, Florida; Evans in Oklahoma; and Richardson in Arizona. Person, the associate head coach at Auburn University, was selected by the Indiana Pacers as the fourth overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft. He played for fi ve NBA teams over 13 seasons. A criminal complaint quoted Evans in several instances bragging about his ability to steer the young athletes toward prospective agents and advisers, promising them that “every guy I recruit and get is my personal kid.” Evans said it was necessary to use his infl uence over the youngsters early in their college careers because many of them are “one and done,” meaning they play one or two years of college ball before joining the NBA, according to court papers. AP Photo/Matt York The Dallas Cowboys, led by owner Jerry Jones, center, take a knee prior to the national anthem at an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals Monday in Glendale, Ariz. NFL anthem protests evolve past Kaepernick’s original intent Grown into a roar By JESSE J. HOLLAND and ERRIN HAINES WHACK Associated Press W hat began more than a year ago with a lone NFL quarter- back protesting police brutal- ity against minorities by kneeling silently during the national anthem before games has grown into a roar with hundreds of players sitting, kneeling, locking arms or remaining in locker rooms — their rea- sons for demonstrating as varied as their methods. Yet people rallying to defend players or decry the protests aren’t talking about police brutality, or the fact that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaeper- nick is no longer employed by an NFL team. Especially after President Donald Trump weighed in repeatedly to say that players should stand for the anthem or be fi red for their defi ance. Before NFL games began Sunday, the discourse had morphed into a debate over the First Amendment, Trump’s insults, how much the NFL has been paid by the U.S. government for its displays of patriotism and the overall state of race relations in America. Support and criticism came from fi elds well beyond the gridiron, including NASCAR, the NBA, MLB, activists, jour- nalists, entertainers and politicians. Some worry that the expanded reason- ing for the protests — fanned by the presi- SCOREBOARD PREP SCHEDULE TODAY Volleyball — Astoria at Scappoose, 7 p.m.; Seaside at Banks, 7 p.m.; River- dale at Warrenton, 6 p.m.; City Christian at Knappa, 5:30 p.m. Girls Soccer — Astoria at Tillamook, 7:15 p.m.; Seaside at Valley Catholic, 7 p.m. Boys Soccer — Tillamook at Astoria, 7:15 p.m.; Valley Catholic at Seaside, 7:15 p.m. Cross Country — Warrenton Wreck Race, Fort Stevens, 4:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY Volleyball — Knappa at Vernonia, 5:30 p.m. THURSDAY Volleyball — Astoria at Valley Cath- olic, 7 p.m.; Seaside at Scappoose, 7 p.m. Girls Soccer — Banks at Astoria, 6:30 p.m.; Tillamook at Seaside, 7:15 p.m. Boys Soccer — Astoria at Banks, 4:15 p.m.; Seaside at Tillamook, 7:15 p.m. FRIDAY Football — Astoria at Seaside, 7 p.m.; Corbett at Warrenton, 7 p.m.; Knappa at Nestucca, 7 p.m.; South Bend at Ilwaco, 7 p.m.; Taholah at Naselle, 7 p.m. SATURDAY Cross Country — Nike Portland XC, 9 a.m. dent’s incendiary stance — could dilute the passion and the permanence of its origi- nal cause, drawing attention to interactions between police and minorities. “The issue has morphed beyond that because Mr. Trump has interceded,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson said. More than 200 NFL players and own- ers — even anthem performers — found ways to show dissent during pro football games over the weekend. Raised fi sts and other gestures came after Trump’s com- ments at a Friday night rally in Hunts- ville, Alabama, where he mused to the crowd: “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody dis- respects our fl ag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the fi eld right now! Out! He’s fi red. Fired!’” Trump’s remarks set off a fi restorm on social media. Ken Miles, a community organizer and entrepreneur living in Har- lem, created a petition on Saturday around the emerging #TakeTheKnee hashtag in response. “This weekend was just a reminder of the role that power plays in this conversa- tion,” said Miles, 32. “The president of the United States leveraging his infl uence to call out players exercising their rights is an abuse of power.” Doubling down The topic continued to dominate dis- cussion in sports Monday as NFL players refl ected, NBA teams met with reporters and Trump doubled down on his position with tweets, saying the issue had noth- ing to do with race and using the hashtag “#StandForOurAnthem.” “He doesn’t understand the power that he has for being the leader of this beautiful country,” Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James said. Trump has rallied those to his side who are less interested in athletes’ opinions than a perceived lack of patriotism. The Ameri- can Legion has called the protests and pro- testers “misguided and ungrateful.” “It wasn’t political when it was written and it shouldn’t be political today,” Amer- ican Legion National Commander Denise H. Rohan said Monday. “Having a right to do something does not make it the right thing to do.” Fans are also noting the mixed messages. “The original issue was police brutal- ity,” said Myles Conley, 42, a sales consul- tant from Atlanta. “The issue has moved past police brutality. Now it’s … racism in the NFL.” Conley said fans watch the NFL for entertainment and “now it’s turning into an activists’ platform,” referring to domes- tic violence, player safety, race and other issues. “All of these issues the NFL is making part of their program,” he said. “No one wants to hear that.” Protesters have supporters as well, including NAACP President Derrick John- son. “This isn’t about football; it’s about freedom,” Johnson said Monday. “It’s about the ability of Americans to utilize their constitutional rights without punitive actions from their employers.” Boycott It’s unclear whether — or how — the momentum will continue. On Monday, Jackson called for a boycott of the NFL — some African-Americans have been doing that since the start of the season earlier this month — and picketing at pro football stadiums. Some want the original intent of the protests to become the focus again. Congressional Black Caucus chair Cedric Richmond noted that while some NFL owners, coaches and offi cials put out statements rebuking Trump, they didn’t include why players originally felt the need to protest. “They are taking a knee to protest police offi cers who kill unarmed Afri- can-Americans — men and women, adults and children, parents and grandparents — with impunity,” the Democrat from Loui- siana said. “They are taking a knee to pro- test a justice system that says that being black is enough reason for a police offi cer to fear for his or her life.” Jozen Cummings, a columnist at Very- SmartBrothas.com, wrote in a column Monday that the #TakeTheKnee move- ment has evolved into an “all-lives-mat- teresque, watered-down version of NFL players and owners against Trump.” “Kaepernick’s cause got distorted into a protest about fl ags and against Trump when it was never intended to be against anybody,” Cummings wrote. “It was for people of color.” Seahawks showing rare vulnerability to big plays By TIM BOOTH Associated Press RENTON, Wash. — One of the hallmarks of Pete Carroll’s defenses since he arrived in Seattle is that the Seahawks simply don’t give up the big play on a regular basis. Allowing little stuff underneath is fi ne and is part of the way Seattle plays. But don’t give up the long pass or a long run. At least until this season. Through three games, Seattle has allowed three touchdowns of more than 30 yards, including two long TDs in Sunday’s 33-27 loss to Tennessee. The Seahawks watched Rishard Mat- thews take a wide receiver screen 55 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter to give Tennessee the lead, then saw DeMarco Murray dart nearly untouched for a 75-yard TD later in the quarter to put the Titans up 30-14. Coupled with Jordy Nelson’s 32-yard TD catch in Week 1 and Seat- tle has already surrendered more 30-yard offensive touchdowns in three UP NEXT: SEAHAWKS • Indianapolis Colts (1-2) at Seattle Seahawks (1-2) • Sunday, 5:30 p.m. TV: NBC AP Photo/James Kenney Tennessee Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews (18) scores a touchdown on a 55-yard pass ahead of Seattle Seahawks out- side linebacker K.J. Wright (50) in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday in Nashville, Tenn. weeks than it did in the entire 2014 regular season. And it doesn’t include a 61-yard run by San Francisco’s Car- los Hyde in Week 2. “The thread is we made totally dif- ferent, unique mistakes, but we made a couple mistakes,” Carroll said Mon- day. “And it really cost us. Really fi ne running backs have been able to take advantage of it and really maximizing it.” The fact Seattle has been so good throughout most of Carroll’s tenure at not giving up the big play is somewhat remarkable. From the start of the 2012 season, the Seahawks have allowed only 20 touchdowns of longer than 30 yards. In 2012 and 2014, Seattle allowed just two TDs of that distance in each season. It’s helped that Seattle has had one of the top secondary units in the NFL featuring Earl Thomas, Kam Chancel- lor and Richard Sherman for this entire stretch. But when Thomas was lost to a broken leg late last season, the Sea- hawks suddenly became vulnerable in the back. Three of the fi ve long touch- downs allowed last season by Seat- tle came after Thomas was hurt; one coming on the play immediately after Thomas’ injury. But that vulnerability has creeped into this season. Two of the touch- downs allowed so far this season — by Nelson and Matthews — have come on plays where Seattle jumped offside at the start of the play. For their part, the Seahawks believe the mistakes are correctable. “I think the plays that they scored on us were pretty much just miscom- munications and being in the wrong position and I think those are things we can bounce back from,” defensive end Michael Bennett said. “I think when you make a mistake and we can go back to the tape and see it wasn’t some- thing physical, it wasn’t like we were dominated. It was just miscommunica- tion, a lack of concentration and those are things we can go back and fi x and that’s what we’re going to do.”
