Update: 2:34p. 4/4/12. While we sit and watch UK’s banner raising, and the inevitable NBA Draft announcements coming from the Commonwealth, it’s worth remembering Syracuse, Kentucky and Anthony Davis once had a very uncomfortable love triangle. And some predicted it could blow a hole in college basketball’s shady recruiting scene.
Almost two years ago, the presumed top pick in the draft was at the center of an enormous recruiting melodrama. A reputable newspaper alleged Davis’ father was shopping him to the highest bidder (a la Cam Newton). The Davis family came out swinging, denying the report and even declaring it would file a lawsuit against the Sun-Times.
Media and fans speculated on who would have chirped to the paper about Davis getting paid? Two Fox Sports reporters suggested SU was the first school in on the big man. Imagine Davis and Melo as Twin Towers in the middle of Jim Boeheim’s zone? Might Orange assistant coaches been the ones to feel they were submarined by a late-to-the-party cashed check by John Calipari?
On August 6, 2010 a story in the Chicago Tribune reported¬†an attorney representing Anthony Davis Sr. said a lawsuit “will be filed next week” against the Chicago Sun-Times and reporter Michael O’Brien. Interestingly,¬†the original story was edited later and eventually removed. However, the Sun-Times then decided to stand by its report.¬†
CBS Sports Gary Parrish laughed at the idea of a lawsuit three days later. “Oh, it¬†could¬†happen, I guess, if the Davis family is foolish enough to pursue it. But the more likely scenario, once everybody calms, has the family remaining silent and out of the spotlight until Davis’ final college decision is announced.¬†In other words, they won’t sue and follow through with it.¬†Almost¬†nobody¬†ever really sues media outlets and sees it through.”
Unless I’m missing something in my Google searches, the Davis clan never filed a lawsuit. The Sun-Times stood by its story. Davis was allowed to attend UK without incident. The Wildcats cut down the nets. And who knows, Cal might go a perfect three-for-three in schools with Final Fours vacated one day.
Here was our original report on The Fizz from August 7, 2010.
* * *
Hoops recruit Anthony Davis is at the epicenter of a college recruiting bombshell and Syracuse had been a favorite in landing him.
Thursday the Chicago Sun-Times reported Kentucky had paid Davis’ family $200,000 to commit to the Wildcats. Of course, the school and the Davis’ are denying the allegations, but the idea a reputable news outlet would attach its name to this is damning at very least.
According to the paper, “sources from three separate universities told the Sun-Times that Davis Sr. asked for money in return for his son’s commitment, with the amounts ranging from $125,000 to $150,000.”
When reached by the Sun-Times, Davis’ father declined to respond further, saying: ”Thanks for ruining my son. Thank you very much.”
Could Syracuse have been one of the whistle-blowers in the Davis signing? Maybe. Before Davis recently committed to UK,¬†FoxSports’ Jeff Goodeman and Scout’s Dave Telep (pictured) discussed the oddly instantaneous rise of Davis’ stock on the recruiting circuit.
“Back in April, only one high-major school even went to go see him. Syracuse Orangemen.
Syracuse Orangemen were the lone high-major school to enter Perspectives Charter.
This is gonna be an interesting couple weeks here. When all the attention came, he said this is overwhelming, I’m gonna cut it down to Ohio State, Kentucky and Syracuse.
Here’s a guy a year ago, I didn’t know that Anthony Davis existed and now he could be the top recruit in the country. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a meteoric rise like this. The three schools now that lead his list, are Syracuse, Ohio State and Kentucky. And the three coaches have all been courtside for all of his games.”
Merely speculation, but if the Dynamic Duo of Hop and Murph (or celebrity inspired nickname “MurphKins”) were first (and only) on the scene of a late-blossoming young man and suddenly the notoriously corrupt John Calipari whisks in and cuts a check, you may be motivated to let that leak. We’re not naive enough to believe the Orange hoops program is impeccably spotless, but if you’re MurphKins, how can you keep that hidden?
According to Goodeman and Telep, Roy Williams also began recruiting Davis hard toward the end of his recruitment. Coach Cal and Roy have a not-so-hidden distaste for one another. It’s not out of the realm of possibility, Williams would’ve been moved to corroborate the story as well.
A previously unknown recruit becomes suddenly-hot and looks to cash in on his buzz, while a notoriously scandalous head coach forks over cash to land him. Coaches who were in on the ground floor or heavily courted him at the end look to air the dirty laundry of a program that keeps landing elite players. Doesn’t seem so unrealistic. Just too bad MurphKins wasted all those frequent-flyer miles to be the first in the door on Davis.
Posted: D.A.
349 responses to “Two Years Later: Whatever Happened to Anthony Davis’ Sun-Times Lawsuit?”
too many spelling errors….proof read your work before submitting this stuff, makes you look very unprofessional
Anthony Davis hasn’t committed to anyone yet nimrod.
Author needs to update articles/threads. Davis followed the money to Kentucky. Update as developments occur. Thanks.
There is no such thing as a reputable news outlet.
Sounds like a bunch of SOUR ORANGES to me. Think you need to focus on the FINE mess in your own backyard before you start taking Kentucky’s inventory. Try not to get SQUEEZED in the showers!
Rightturn, I think you’re thinking of Penn State with the shower comment. That’s ok though, I wouldn’t really expect anyone with a Kentucky education to be well-versed on any current events, or anything other than basketball for that matter.
When did it become acceptable to use child abuse as an insult in discussing potential ncaa recruiting violations. At its base level it is inappropriate and in this context it’s just lazy to raise a defense of the Kentucky program by hurling insults out about a completely inappropriate topic. Rightturn, you should get your personal house and sense of decency in order before you participate further.
“Cash” Calapari is just doing what he and some other (football) coaches have been doing for years. Buying recruits. The bogus NCAA will investigate homework and drug-testing, and spank some schools to show their existence. But they know this BS has gone on for years. The Auburn, OSU, USC stories are just tidbits to what is really happening. Other coaches know Calapari and Calhoun play the system.
The Sun-Times did NOT stand behind their original story as suggested. Instead they first altered, then removed the story completely. Later they came out with another story with different allegations that Davis’ father had asked for money, but these new allegations 1.) did not mention Kentucky, 2.) did not state that any money had been paid, and 3.) the amounts were all less than the $200,000 mentioned originally.
In other words, whatever anonymous sources the Sun-Times used for this second story did not in any way corroborate or substantiate the original rumor (and yes, O’Brien used the word rumor in the original story when describing the allegation, which right there should have been a tip-off that he shouldn’t have published it in the first place).
That’s not my definition of ‘standing by your report’. If anything the Sun-Times did the absolute minimum to shield themselves from being sued. Their continued use of anonymous sources allowed them to shield themselves with ‘freedom of the press’ laws but torpedoed whatever journalistic integrity they may have once had.
As for Davis and the lawsuit, there usually needs to be damages in order for someone to sue. Thankfully in this case, there were no lasting or tangible damages. The Davis’ went on with their lives and the Sun-Times pushed themselves closer to irrelevance and insolvency.
Oh, and fyi, Ole Roy and Cal get along very well. Go to dinner together when the chance occurs. In Cal’s early years, Roy was very good to Cal w/ advice and what not.
This article is beyond pathetic. Talking about UK paying players, yet Syracuse was smack dab in the middle of a scandal, also having an ineligible player bc he was to stupid to go to class. Syracuse will never be a blue blood program like UK, Duke, UNC, KU, Indiana and UCLA. Cuse will have 8 NCAA titles in the year 2300 when UK has 40+. Ive always had a soft spot for Syracuse basketball but it is obvious the fans are jealous of Kentucky basketball with as many articles that is on this website about UK. Get a life people. UK cut the net down, not Cuse…… Sorry
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