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Uh Oh…Oregon Basketball Linked to Brian Bowen Scandal

By Alex Weber

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 17: Brian Bowen #16 participates in drills during Day One of the NBA Draft Combine at Quest MultiSport Complex on May 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 17: Brian Bowen #16 participates in drills during Day One of the NBA Draft Combine at Quest MultiSport Complex on May 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Well, the ongoing FBI/College Basketball Scandal has reared its ugly head today. Earlier, more news broke regarding the increasingly-complicated recruitment of Brian Bowen. You know, spaghetti-haired forward who’s been the poster-child for this shebang since Louisville was reported to have offered him $100,000 last June. Anyways, per this Dan Wetzel tweet, Oregon Basketball was in on the great Brian Bowen sweepstakes.

“An astronomical amount of money.” That…well…that doesn’t sound good. If you want to read the ensuing report, here it is. Now, I’d be careful while reading into this stuff. Because, after all, nobody throughout this entire scandal has 100% proven any of the allegations on the myriad of players, coaches and programs flagged by Yahoo, ESPN and any other outlets.

However, it would be irrational to completely dismiss the report as fodder and continue on with our day. The Brian Bowen recruitment is specifically troubling. I’m not saying that Dana Altman or any of the staff was actually involved, but I can’t say for sure they weren’t. Bowen’s alleged payment nearly single-handedly brought down two mainstay powers at the University of Louisville: Athletic Director Tom Jurich and Head Basketball Coach Rick Pitino (giggle). Allegations and perhaps confirmed (we don’t know for sure, but the FBI seemed confident) payments to Bowen and his family have already sparked chaos at one school, something most of these Yahoo “bombshell” reports have yet to do.

Think back to this winter, when Mark Schlabach of ESPN claimed wiretaps had intercepted calls of Miller, Arizona’s head coach, arranging to pay DeAndre Ayton (the number one pick in the 2018 NBA Draft) $100,000. When the story broke, the College Basketball community, its media and its fans collectively lost their minds — only for Miller to clap back at a hilarious press conference where he all but denied the existence of the wiretaps.

The move was bold on Miller’s part, but Schlabach and ESPN never really followed up on Miller’s claim of total innocence. It was like they had solid proof, and then one overly-memed man pleading innocence shut them up. Crazy.

I know, that was a little off topic, but it just goes to show what a circus this investigation has become and that, even with Oregon involved, nothing can be confirmed as rock solid truth.

But that sword is double-edged. Just because nobody has proof yet doesn’t mean Dana Altman and the Ducks’ basketball program is out of the firing line. If anything, the newest report puts them directly in the range of scandal-breakers like Dan Wetzel and Mark Schlabach for months to come.

This could end up being a huge deal, and lead to major program turmoil (hopefully not!). Also, it could be nothing but another unnecessary NCAA-induced headache. Only time will tell.

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