alt.sports.college.pac-10

"Plan D" wrote in message
news:COydnQVh8__-RlbbnZ2dnUVZ_umlnZ2d@ ...
> "Bob Whiteside" wrote in message
> news:kICdnQ_u_Iq6o1bbnZ2dnUVZ_jWdnZ2d@ ...
>>
>> "Paul Jepperson" wrote in message
>> news: @ ...
>>> In article ,
>>> "Bob Whiteside" wrote:
>>>
>>>> "Zeb Quinn" wrote in message
>>>> news: @ ...
>>>> > /news/ ?story_id=118765198598882800
>>>
>>>> I guess it's just a coincidence the UO football team was bussed over
>>>> 100
>>>> miles from Eugene to the Nike campus in Beaverton last Saturday for a
>>>> closed
>>>> workout in front of Knight and other new arena donors.
>>>
>>> Why the football team? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to send the
>>> basketball team to perform for the donors?
>>
>> That would be an NCAA violation for holding a formal practice with
>> coaches present during a quiet period.
>>
>> UO pimped out the football team instead and had to back off "promoting"
>> the practice at Nike because that would be an NCAA violation. Instead
>> they planted stories in the media around the theme they could not promote
>> the practice at Nike. Kind of like a reverse, back-handed promotion
>> intended to flaunt the NCAA rule against promoting what they were doing.
>
> "I'm shocked, shocked to hear there's a football practice at this
> establishment."

According to the Eugene Register-Guard - The Ducks are bound by NCAA Bylaw
, which relates to "Preseason Off-Campus Intrasquad Games and
Practice Activities Prohibition."

The rule reads: "Preseason off-campus intrasquad games and preseason
publicized off-campus practice activities conducted at a site not normally
used by the institution for practice shall be prohibited in all sports."

What is so comical about this situation is the UO athletic department
acknowledges they got advice from the Pac-10 that the word "publicized" is
the key word in the NCAA rule. Under the UO definition that word means the
practice must be closed and families of players, spectators, and the media
must be barred from attending, but it is okay for Phil Knight to invite
about 100 key UO donors as his guests.

Apparently donors are not considered spectators at Oregon if they bring
their checkbooks with them. And as long as it is Nike promoting the event,
the university has complete deniability of any involvement.