Meet the Bag Man

[yeodonie]

Would it add up to $180k?


Just kidding.

The way he describes it being done makes sense, but I don't see the motivation behind opening up to this writer since he isn't naming names, including his own.

Ego. He says they aren't appreciated or recognized. That probably grinds on an egomaniac that would be a bagman

 

[Goldbug]

I wish I had a dollar for every person that has claimed to witness players being paid.

Meaning what? I didn't see it with my own eyes? I wasn't with my football buddies when they dropped by to get their envelopes? It happened. In fact the amount was higher than expected because the assistant coach that ran everything had sold extra tickets to our biggest rivalry game that went into the pot. I could tell stories (all true) about a lot of shit I saw but what's the point? It's all ancient history. Players did get paid some small amounts of money back then time with the precision of a well tuned machine. I doubt it happens that way now. It's more "handshake money", charge accounts that are miraculously paid off and cash slipped under a door. It's not even too much of the cheesy car stuff anymore because that's too easy to catch now since each school is really looking for it.

 

[Brasky]

People who aren't around or familiar with D1 athletes don't understand that NCAA violations take place at every university in the country on a daily basis. I don't see a problem with any of this. It's one of those things where the rule is the problem and not the violator of said rule.

 

[charlie42s]

My older brother was a RA at Jester when the football players resided there in the 70's. Half the floor were students and the other half football players. He saw players getting hundred dollar bills from boosters after the game.

 

[trojanfan12]

Ego. He says they aren't appreciated or recognized. That probably grinds on an egomaniac that would be a bagman

Maybe. But then why not give his name? What good does it do to say "Hey, I got away with this" when no one knows it was you that got away with it.

That's what makes it suspect for me. Most of what he says is just common sense and stuff that any of us on here could have come up with. It basically comes down to, keep quiet, don't try to get to know the coaches, keep everything cash only and in some cases, it's best to not give cash but rather "hook the parents up" with jobs, etc.

 

[Codaxx]

Maybe. But then why not give his name? What good does it do to say "Hey, I got away with this" when no one knows it was you that got away with it.

That's what makes it suspect for me. Most of what he says is just common sense and stuff that any of us on here could have come up with. It basically comes down to, keep quiet, don't try to get to know the coaches, keep everything cash only and in some cases, it's best to not give cash but rather "hook the parents up" with jobs, etc.

Could be a friend of the reporter. Could be a former bag man that is tired of the scene. HE doesnt want to incriminate anyone, but knows this could put scrutiny on the practice. REporter coudl be making it all up, though I think that is the lowest possibility. Lot of stuff that could explain it. Either way I do believe the practice exists and that is the important issue, not where the story came from.

 

[charlie42s]

It could also that it isn't one bagman, but a number of them that the writer has contacted over the years.

The practice of giving recruits and players money is real and happens all the time. Occasionally they get caught.

 

[Wild Turkey]

Could be a friend of the reporter. Could be a former bag man that is tired of the scene. HE doesnt want to incriminate anyone, but knows this could put scrutiny on the practice. REporter coudl be making it all up, though I think that is the lowest possibility. Lot of stuff that could explain it. Either way I do believe the practice exists and that is the important issue, not where the story came from.

Writer says he went with the guy and saw him doing a drop I call BS.

 

[Wild Turkey]

My older brother was a RA at Jester when the football players resided there in the 70's. Half the floor were students and the other half football players. He saw players getting hundred dollar bills from boosters after the game.

Yes because if I was a bagman I would stand outside the dorm and hand out money in the wide open for everyone to see. They even had a photographer there to capture the moment.

 

[Codaxx]

Yes because if I was a bagman I would stand outside the dorm and hand out money in the wide open for everyone to see. They even had a photographer there to capture the moment.

Different era. We all know the 70s in SWAC was a dirty period.

 

[Wild Turkey]

Different era. We all know the 70s in SWAC was a dirty period.

1. We all know this crap goes on.
2. We all have heard the stories.
3. We all SHOULD know you can only believe 10% of them at best.

People who do this stuff do not do it in the open and they do not talk about it. When I was a kid I went to this man's lake house and he had one of those big boxy big screens from the early 80's that we thought was incredible.

The dad we were with told us that the man who owned the TV had given it to an Alabama football player a coach found out and made him come get it because it was too big. So he had to go pick it up and replace it with a smaller one and had no where else to put it so he took it to the lake. Then this dad told us "but this guy is full of shit too".

From that point on I take all this crap with a grain of salt because behind every true story are at least 100 BS ones.

 

[Codaxx]

1. We all know this crap goes on.
2. We all have heard the stories.
3. We all SHOULD know you can only believe 10% of them at best.

People who do this stuff do not do it in the open and they do not talk about it. When I was a kid I went to this man's lake house and he had one of those big boxy big screens from the early 80's that we thought was incredible.

The dad we were with told us that the man who owned the TV had given it to an Alabama football player a coach found out and made him come get it because it was too big. So he had to go pick it up and replace it with a smaller one and had no where else to put it so he took it to the lake. Then this dad told us "but this guy is full of shit too".

From that point on I take all this crap with a grain of salt because behind every true story are at least 100 BS ones.

odd match

 

[trojanfan12]

Could be a friend of the reporter. Could be a former bag man that is tired of the scene. HE doesnt want to incriminate anyone, but knows this could put scrutiny on the practice. REporter coudl be making it all up, though I think that is the lowest possibility. Lot of stuff that could explain it. Either way I do believe the practice exists and that is the important issue, not where the story came from.

True and I have no doubt that the practice exists and generally speaking is done pretty much the way it's described. Always has, always will. I just tend to be suspicious of "unnamed sources".

While I do agree that the fact that the practice exists is truly the bigger issue. It just seems that if the idea is to put a spotlight on it, naming names (at least his own) would go a lot farther towards doing that.

 

[Wild Turkey]

odd match

Let me translate for you: It goes on but the majority of the stories you hear are not true. So players get paid but 75% of the college football fandom don't really ever see it happening they have just heard stories and make up their own.

And that doesn't mean 25% see it either only that 75% like to make crap up and 25% don't.

 

[yeodonie]

Maybe. But then why not give his name? What good does it do to say "Hey, I got away with this" when no one knows it was you that got away with it.

That's what makes it suspect for me. Most of what he says is just common sense and stuff that any of us on here could have come up with. It basically comes down to, keep quiet, don't try to get to know the coaches, keep everything cash only and in some cases, it's best to not give cash but rather "hook the parents up" with jobs, etc.

He can't but he was ITCHING to tell someone who would listen

 

[Codaxx]

Let me translate for you: It goes on but the majority of the stories you hear are not true. So players get paid but 75% of the college football fandom don't really ever see it happening they have just heard stories and make up their own.

And that doesn't mean 25% see it either only that 75% like to make crap up and 25% don't.

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That is fine. I am just saying that it is odd to state that it goes on, but dont believe the stories. I dont generally hear specific stories, just vague accounts of stuff people have heard.

 

[trojanfan12]

He can't but he was ITCHING to tell someone who would listen

Yeah, I could see where if someone was doing this for a number of years, they may get to the point where they might want to tell their story.

 

[KansasSooner]

Meaning what? I didn't see it with my own eyes? I wasn't with my football buddies when they dropped by to get their envelopes? It happened. In fact the amount was higher than expected because the assistant coach that ran everything had sold extra tickets to our biggest rivalry game that went into the pot. I could tell stories (all true) about a lot of shit I saw but what's the point? It's all ancient history. Players did get paid some small amounts of money back then time with the precision of a well tuned machine. I doubt it happens that way now. It's more "handshake money", charge accounts that are miraculously paid off and cash slipped under a door. It's not even too much of the cheesy car stuff anymore because that's too easy to catch now since each school is really looking for it.

I don't doubt that it happened. I never saw it personally but I do know a few players from my school who have told me it did happen and I have no reason to think they would tell me that if it hadn't happened.

 

[Wild Turkey]

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That is fine. I am just saying that it is odd to state that it goes on, but don't believe the stories. I don't generally hear specific stories, just vague accounts of stuff people have heard.

I forget everyone doesn't live in Alabama let me explain how it works down here. Basically 99.988% of the people are college football fans and the majority of those are rapid and don't care about any other sport. Here is a typical "fan" encounter that literally you could have daily if you wanted and they will:

A. Start bragging about how their dad or granddaddy either paid players or used to hunt with a someone that paid players.

Then later:

B. Swear on their life that their team is 100% clean and does absolutely nothing wrong.

Then later:

C. Swear that the opposing team is so dirty they should get the death penalty.

It is not an exaggeration to say that 90% of the Alabama fans or 90% of the Auburn fans are absolutely convinced the other team is buying players and that is the only way they are competing. So if it seems I am skeptical about people claiming they have seen players getting paid please realize I have heard that story thousands of times from the time I was about 5 years old.

It almost is to the point if you haven't seen a player getting paid or had a player tell you they were paid then you aren't a true fan so people will make crap up in order to seem cool and fit in. Can't tell you the times I have been in a group of guys and this topic comes up and almost a competition starts up to see who has the best story. The funny part is they are telling the stories about THEIR OWN DAMN SCHOOLS but two seconds later will swear their schools are 100% clean.

The state of Alabama is nuts.

 

[charlie42s]

Yes because if I was a bagman I would stand outside the dorm and hand out money in the wide open for everyone to see. They even had a photographer there to capture the moment.

It was a different era in the now defunct SWC(not SWAC). Also access to Jester was restricted to residents and their guests, so reporters weren't allowed. This was also in the 70's, so secretly using a flash camera indoors would attract a lot of attention. This was also done in the hallways, which were about 6 feet wide, so it wasn't that open.