SUNY Investigating Bearcats Hoops Program, Orders Records Protection

((HT: CBS Sports))

Binghamton Chancellor Nancy Zimpher issued the order this week as part of an investigation headed by former state Chief Judge Judith Kaye, who has been given wide latitude.

SUNY Board of Trustees Chairman Carl Hayden said that because of Zimpher's immediate action, the NCAA and the America East conference have agreed not to start their own investigations at this time.

Hayden said there would be no "artificial time constraints" on Kaye's investigation, which is now focusing on developing a witness list.

"The investigation is going to proceed without there being any kind of restraints from us," Hayden said, referring to the SUNY Board of Trustees. "It will go where the evidence takes it. It will deal with the integrity of the basketball program, but the charge is sufficiently broad to permit Judge Kaye and her colleagues to look into anything which by implication flows from the facts that are found here."

Here's coverage from our friends at WBNG-TV
Candace Chapman got the pleasure of reading this VO-SOT...


The chain of events that triggered the probe began in February after a newspaper report raised questions about the character of players coach Kevin Broadus had recruited to the basketball program.

Also on Tuesday, the SUNY Board's Executive Committee unanimously supported the hiring of Monica Rimai as its new chief operating officer and senior vice chancellor.

She had been the interim president at the University at Cincinnati since Zimpher left earlier this year.

Those of us at OSG HQ would like for you to remember where Zimpher and Rimai came from before they were in Binghamton...

Cincinnati...and neither took any crap from Bob Huggins...

You think Broadus will have a job when all this is done...???

Binghamton's Broadus On Paid Leave

((HT: CBSSports))

Interim athletic director James Norris said the decision announced Wednesday was reached after discussions with university president Lois DeFleur and vice president James Van Voorst.

The move comes after Friday's announcement that Broadus admitted having contact with prospective recruits that violated NCAA regulations. Assistant coach Mark Macon will take over in the interim.

"There have been continuing incidents of concern related to the men's basketball program that do not measure up to the university's high standards," Norris said in a statement. "I have every confidence in his [Macon's] ability to provide strong leadership to the team."

DeFleur called for an audit of the entire athletic program after the releases last month of star basketball player Emanuel "Tiki" Mayben, who's facing drug charges, and five of his teammates.

Retired New York Chief Judge Judith Kaye will lead the independent review and investigation. It will be overseen by the executive committee of the SUNY board of trustees.

Mayben was arrested last month in Troy, N.Y. A sealed indictment charged Mayben with selling cocaine twice on June 29 and police said they found 3.4 grams of cocaine on him when he was arrested. He has pleaded not guilty.

Broadus signed a contract extension in June through the 2013-14 season, on the heels of a season that featured the team's first conference championship and NCAA tournament berth.

Here's coverage from WBNG-TV in Binghamton
Brendan O'Reilly got to tell everyone from behind a desk...

Binghamton Recruiting Stops For October

Binghamton University officials say off-campus recruiting for the men's basketball team has been suspended.

Interim athletic director James Norris says coach Kevin Broadus won't be allowed to go on any recruiting trips until next month. The decision comes after Friday's announcement that Broadus admitted having contact with prospective recruits that violated NCAA regulations.

Norris said Sunday that all future recruiting trips by the basketball program must be approved by the athletic department.

Those of us at OSG HQ would like to recommend the blowing-up of the program and giving itself a self-administered death penalty. This looks like the only way that anything will be accomplished for the school to move forward.

Binghamton AD Out, Broadus Safe For Now

((HT: WBNG-TV/Binghamton, NY))

Too much freedom and not enough oversight, it appears that was the culture permitted in the Binghamton University Men's Basketball program under Athletic Director Joel Thirer.

And it's that culture that has Thirer out of a job.

University President Lois DeFleur announced Thirer's resignation at a hastily called press conference late this afternoon.

The announcement comes less than a week after starting point guard Emmanuel "Tiki" Mayben was arrested for selling crack cocaine and subsequently kicked off the team.

A day later, five more members of the team were released for reasons that have yet to be made public.

DeFleur says she has had extensive meetings with Head Coach Kevin Broadus and has ordered him to develop a detailed recruitment and supervision plan for the basketball program.

But for now, his job appears to be safe.

For now...

Justin Horowitz from WBNG-TV in Binghamton got to chase the "pride' of the America East Conference to see where they go from here...


Those of us at OSG HQ think Thirer was the trendsetting example for Paul Krebs at New Mexico when all the Mike Locksley stuff gets settled...

But that's us and that whole "logic" thing...

America East Star Arrested For Selling Drugs

((HT: WTEN-TV/Albany))

Bail for former Troy basketball star Emanuel "Tiki" Mayben is now set at $30,000 on charges he had cocaine and tried to sell drugs.

Police say on June 29th, Mayben tried selling drugs to two people. After an investigation, they arrested him Wednesday night, and police say he had three grams of cocaine on him.

Mayben's lawyer Greg Cholakis says his client has no criminal history and was in Troy visiting family, who were giving him a car as a gift for being a good son and student.

Cholakis says, "In a lot of ways this is not your stereotypical case of this nature, of a drug nature. This is an intact family that is very tight. Exactly what you wouldn't expect to see here."

About a dozen family and friends showed their support in court Thursday, but no one wanted to speak with the media about the case.

Mayben was headed into his senior season at SUNY Binghamton. He led the Bearcats to their first America East league title last year.

Here's what Mayben was partially responsible for: The Bearcats entry in the 2009 NCAA tournament with a win over UMBC
((HT: ESPN/America East Conference))