There are many pieces of the latest report on the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl that are both disturbing and eye-opening, especially for those who are frustrated that there is no playoff.
What is most interesting to me is this: Among those listed as attending a junket called the "Fiesta Frolic" in 2008 are several athletic directors at non-AQ schools, who also happen to serve on the NCAA panel determining the fate of the bowl game. Tom Bowen at San Jose State, Dave Heeke at Central Michigan, Paul Krebs at New Mexico and Chris Massaro at Middle Tennessee were all at the event, which included hotel expenses, two rounds of golf, spa certificates and more. An internal report by the bowl also quoted one bowl official as describing the Fiesta Frolic as a "boondoggle," and the name was changed to the "Valley of the Sun Experience & Fiesta Bowl Seminars."
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(04-26-2011 10:12 AM)trojanbrutha Wrote: Glad to see the SBC was well-represented...
It sounds like the Bowls are paying of the Non AQ ADs with vacations and gifts in order to keep them quiet about pushing for a play off.
Same situation with elected officials here in AZ; supposedly the Fiesta Bowl is now going to send invoices to the legislators involved asking that they pay for the freebies bestowed upon them by the Fiesta Bowl.
I would not hold my breath until the invoices are paid . .
According to the records obtained by Playoff PAC, two of the seven members of that task force also attended the 2008 Fiesta Frolic: Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby and Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters.
Waters said Monday that he paid for lodging but accepted golf green fees one day and two dinners.
"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
(This post was last modified: 04-26-2011 02:23 PM by KAjunRaider.)
According to the records obtained by Playoff PAC, two of the seven members of that task force also attended the 2008 Fiesta Frolic: Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby and Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters.
Waters said Monday that he paid for lodging but accepted golf green fees one day and two dinners.
"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
Really? So that fact that you are benefiting from the position that you hold and that position allows you such freebies wouldn't influence you to make decisions that would maintain your status? Does anyone really believe this crap?
Companies pay for junkets or "confrences" all the time. While certainly not used for direct manipulation, it is used to make a client feel good about the company.
The bank I work for gets tickets for sporting events, concerts, maintains a suite a the arena where the Miami heat play. Current clients are taken to these as a thank you for your business and possible clients are brought to entice them into bringing there business to us.
Its been said time and again that the Bowls ARE big business so its only natural for them to conduct business this way.
The excess here is the personal and wasteful things done. No amount of good will buidling thru these trips is going to help the Fiesta Bowl.
According to the records obtained by Playoff PAC, two of the seven members of that task force also attended the 2008 Fiesta Frolic: Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby and Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters.
Waters said Monday that he paid for lodging but accepted golf green fees one day and two dinners.
"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
According to the records obtained by Playoff PAC, two of the seven members of that task force also attended the 2008 Fiesta Frolic: Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby and Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters.
Waters said Monday that he paid for lodging but accepted golf green fees one day and two dinners.
"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
Finding dirt on MT is about as difficult as finding dirt on a farm. Maybe you should get mad at Sparks for reporting it or Massaro for accepting the gifts.
(This post was last modified: 04-26-2011 04:13 PM by Hemi Man.)
According to the records obtained by Playoff PAC, two of the seven members of that task force also attended the 2008 Fiesta Frolic: Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby and Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters.
Waters said Monday that he paid for lodging but accepted golf green fees one day and two dinners.
"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
Based on your citation, it probably wouldn't be illegal in Alabama. First, neither is a member of the legislature. Secondly, depending on how it was billed you could easily show a round of golf and two meals for under $100. (In Texas, breweries are can't give away promotion items that cost more the $1 each, yet all of them give away T-shirts. All of them have invoices showing these 4 color printed, heavy cotton T-shirts cost 99 cents each.)
More importantly than the technical legality, I think WW is correct that it would take far more than a round of golf and a couple of meals to sway the bowl licensing committee! Giving a token meal or two isn't going to sway any meaningful decision!
According to the records obtained by Playoff PAC, two of the seven members of that task force also attended the 2008 Fiesta Frolic: Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby and Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters.
Waters said Monday that he paid for lodging but accepted golf green fees one day and two dinners.
"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
Based on your citation, it probably wouldn't be illegal in Alabama. First, neither is a member of the legislature. Secondly, depending on how it was billed you could easily show a round of golf and two meals for under $100. (In Texas, breweries are can't give away promotion items that cost more the $1 each, yet all of them give away T-shirts. All of them have invoices showing these 4 color printed, heavy cotton T-shirts cost 99 cents each.)
More importantly than the technical legality, I think WW is correct that it would take far more than a round of golf and a couple of meals to sway the bowl licensing committee! Giving a token meal or two isn't going to sway any meaningful decision!
True to #1, but politics IS big business around here...that is all.
(04-26-2011 02:34 PM)troyw Wrote: Really? So that fact that you are benefiting from the position that you hold and that position allows you such freebies wouldn't influence you to make decisions that would maintain your status? Does anyone really believe this crap?
Yup. An event attended by a large number of ADs and conference commissioners will affect how they approach an issue 3 years later.
Also, Massaro's name is listed because he attended 3 years ago, and is on the NCAA panel. Any other SBC AD could have been in attendance 3 years ago, taking the same freebies. Couldn't you argue against an AD of a team that has played in the Fiesta Bowl? The bowl gave him and the team tons of free things.
AND, all these articles are taking their talking points from the "Playoff PAC". Lobbyists themselves.
It is worth mentioning, but not worth having your thong stuck in your cooter until the bowl's fate is decided. And even then you won't know how each member of the panel voted.
(04-26-2011 06:16 PM)arkstfan Wrote: If the commissioner or Massaro can be bought for a round of golf we really, really, need to take a look at our compensation structure.
Quote:"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
It would be illegal in Palm Beach County, Fla., and in fact one of our county commissioner si current in prison for accepting free hotel stays from a company for which she voted to build a new convention center hotel.
Even if it wasn't illegal, it is unethical for someone who is going to judge an entity to accept gifts from such entity. If Waters had any idea that the freebies were "worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable," he should have paid for his own golf.
Quote:"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
It would be illegal in Palm Beach County, Fla., and in fact one of our county commissioner si current in prison for accepting free hotel stays from a company for which she voted to build a new convention center hotel.
Even if it wasn't illegal, it is unethical for someone who is going to judge an entity to accept gifts from such entity. If Waters had any idea that the freebies were "worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable," he should have paid for his own golf.
Numerous SBC ADs were in attendance at the event. (Invites were sent to every D-IA AD and head coach).
Massaro and Waters were listed because A) they are on the committee, and B) the FOIA for this article was requested by the Playoff Pact which does in fact have an agenda.
According to the records obtained by Playoff PAC, two of the seven members of that task force also attended the 2008 Fiesta Frolic: Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby and Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters.
Waters said Monday that he paid for lodging but accepted golf green fees one day and two dinners.
"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
Finding dirt on MT is about as difficult as finding dirt on a farm. Maybe you should get mad at Sparks for reporting it or Massaro for accepting the gifts.
Quote:"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
It would be illegal in Palm Beach County, Fla., and in fact one of our county commissioner si current in prison for accepting free hotel stays from a company for which she voted to build a new convention center hotel.
Even if it wasn't illegal, it is unethical for someone who is going to judge an entity to accept gifts from such entity. If Waters had any idea that the freebies were "worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable," he should have paid for his own golf.
I think we need to make the distinction here between an elected Government official and the business world. I know that many corporations set limits on the 'value' of a gift an employee can receive; generally somewhere between $50 and $100 (you know, a nice pen, or a computer bag, some things which maybe handed out at a conference, etc.). Beyond that, if the value is greater than some predetermined figure, it must be declared as income for tax purposes. So receiving gifts in and of itself is not a crime, not declaring it as income (over some threshold amount) is.
(This post was last modified: 04-27-2011 09:27 AM by FIUFan.)
According to the records obtained by Playoff PAC, two of the seven members of that task force also attended the 2008 Fiesta Frolic: Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby and Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters.
Waters said Monday that he paid for lodging but accepted golf green fees one day and two dinners.
"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
Finding dirt on MT is about as difficult as finding dirt on a farm. Maybe you should get mad at Sparks for reporting it or Massaro for accepting the gifts.
Did you find anything more recent than 20+ years ago AND having to do with wrong-doing in Troy, AL? It's pretty funny how this shot that a few middle fans default to as an insult is the only one you've got. And you still can't win it on the field...
According to the records obtained by Playoff PAC, two of the seven members of that task force also attended the 2008 Fiesta Frolic: Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby and Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters.
Waters said Monday that he paid for lodging but accepted golf green fees one day and two dinners.
"Accepting a round of golf and two meals over three days is not illegal and certainly fits into the range of normal corporate hospitality," he said. "Further if I or other members of the Task Force thought I had a conflict, I would not have agreed to serve. I do not believe that golf and meals would affect judgment on a serious manner like the task force is handling. However, I do think that what was considered common practice three years ago is certainly worthy of review at all levels and no doubt change is inevitable."
Finding dirt on MT is about as difficult as finding dirt on a farm. Maybe you should get mad at Sparks for reporting it or Massaro for accepting the gifts.
The ironic thing is you could actually make A LOT of money by selling the dinosaur bones you found on that dig.
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Fiesta Bowl 'boondoggle' and non-AQs
