Operation Varsity Blues - Printable Version
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Operation Varsity Blues - dabigv13 - 03-22-2021
Watched the documentary on Netflix. Consider that the POV is the fired sailing coach, but Bernard Muir does not come across well. Insinuated to have some familiarity with Rick Singer.
Not much else new if you followed the case closely or read the transcripts, but it's very well done and Matthew Modine is great as Singer.
The Daily has this on it-
https://www.stanforddaily.com/2021/03/18/former-sailing-coach-implicates-athletics-director-in-college-admissions-scandal/
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - needle - 03-22-2021
The comments on the Daily article are pretty brutal towards Muir, fwiw.
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - BostonCard - 03-23-2021
As they say, "Big, if true"
If Muir knew more than he let on, he should not be the AD.
BC
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - gailtate - 03-23-2021
(03-23-2021, 07:30 AM)BostonCard Wrote: As they say, "Big, if true"
If Muir knew more than he let on, he should not be the AD.
BC
So where, if anywhere, does further investigation go? Faint aroma of sewage here.
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - Phogge - 03-23-2021
Anne Killion is keeping it going. Target sites on your AD.
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - Goose - 03-23-2021
(03-23-2021, 07:39 AM)gailtate Wrote:Unfortunately, I suspect it goes nowhere. Most of the accusations against Muir are hard to "prove" at best. There may be many "something doesn't add up" conditions, but that isn't positive proof. The University has no desire to expose any dirty laundry, so "they" will not be helpful. "I don't remember it that way" can cover a lot of ground when only two people were present. However, I do think this might be a factor in "suggesting" to Muir that he take advantage of his (supposed) many other opportunities. If the smoke starts getting thick, the University may want to avoid anybody looking too hard for a fire. OTOH, this article may be the end of it, no more smoke, and no need to do anything.(03-23-2021, 07:30 AM)BostonCard Wrote: As they say, "Big, if true"
If Muir knew more than he let on, he should not be the AD.
BC
So where, if anywhere, does further investigation go? Faint aroma of sewage here.
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - crackpot - 03-23-2021
In Muir's defense, people in development or not-officially-but-really-development -type roles will often say stuff like, "Yeah, I know him" when there's not one ounce of truth to it.
But truly, even aside from this allegation, Muir should have just fallen on his sword. That would be the honorable thing to do.
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - oldalum - 03-23-2021
I agree with many that the termination of the 11 sports was dictated from on high in order to "liberate" admission slots from the athletic department, and had little or nothing to do with $. I wonder if Operation Varsity Blues helped fuel that motivation.
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - Goose - 03-23-2021
(03-23-2021, 08:49 AM)crackpot Wrote: In Muir's defense, people in development or not-officially-but-really-development -type roles will often say stuff like, "Yeah, I know him" when there's not one ounce of truth to it.Agree with both. It did happen on his watch, so it is his responsibility, even if he was unaware of what was happening. It is his job to be aware, and it is
But truly, even aside from this allegation, Muir should have just fallen on his sword. That would be the honorable thing to do.
also his job to reinforce the (alleged) University values to his people. Obviously, he didn't do that well enough.
That said, I wonder if it is impossible for an athletic department to be completely "honest". They are somewhat in the "business" of getting kids into the University that otherwise may not be admitted. These kids are (ostensibly at least) typical Stanford students that get an "extra boost" because they are athletes. Once you allow that, I think it is pretty easy to convince yourself that taking a little "sugar" for your program along the way isn't so bad. After all, the kids that are getting the "help" are qualified (ostensibly), so why not? Obviously, it is a matter of degree, but I can sure see a slippery slope there. That is why having an AD that makes it very clear "this far, and no farther" is critical. That didn't happen, and that is on Muir.
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - BobK - 03-23-2021
Wasn't rowing also involved? Remember the Men's Rowing coach suddenly left about 2 years ago during the rowing season.
Interesting because I've always thought Muir "pushed" him out.
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - dabigv13 - 03-23-2021
Rowing was involved at USC and perhaps other places. Sailing was the only sport at Stanford, at least from what was made public of the investigation.
Stanford does get an ominous text block closing screen overlaid on a view of campus, which is a bit rich considering that of all the schools involved, Stanford had probably the least amount of malfeasance, but it's a big name and they centered the experience of the sailing coach (because he gave an interview where he made it seem he was just a dope who didn't really do anything) so I get narratively why they would do that. Oh well....
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - BobK - 03-23-2021
Yet the rowing coach had to suddenly leave just below the scandal became public. Let’s get the whole story first
https://gostanford.com/news/2019/4/18/mens-rowing-amerkhanian-to-retire.aspx
This 19 days into the season. Yes could be health reasons but.......
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - M T - 03-23-2021
(03-23-2021, 10:43 AM)BobK Wrote: Yet the rowing coach had to suddenly leave just below the scandal became public. Let’s get the whole story firsthttps://www.stanforddaily.com/2019/04/18/copy-at-mens-rowing-head-coach-craig-amerkhanian-announces-retirement-mid-season/
https://gostanford.com/news/2019/4/18/mens-rowing-amerkhanian-to-retire.aspx
This 19 days into the season. Yes could be health reasons but.......
"The announcement comes as the third departure of a member of Stanford Athletics this week alone; Kissick Family Director of Sports Performance Shannon Turley was fired on Monday, and Goldman Family Director of Men’s Swimming Ted Knapp also announced his retirement on Monday.
... his departure mid-season comes as a surprise, according to rowers, especially since the Cardinal will compete in the Pac-12 Championship in exactly a month."
There is a sentence about Amerkhanian's departure in the NYT's article on Stanford cutting 11 sports. I don't have a subscription and don't want to quote what Google shows without checking the context. Maybe someone else can quote that sentence from the NYT.
Note: The departure of Ted Knapp was about 2 weeks after the season was over, and after a disappointing result (15th NCAA, 2nd PAC-12). As SwimSwam reported, this is just one of many swimming coach positions that turned over at that time: "Within about two weeks of the conclusion of the 2018-2019 NCAA swimming & diving championship season, there were more than 10 Division I head coaching positions available.".
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - dabigv13 - 03-23-2021
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/sports/stanford-rowing-college-admissions-scandal.html
More on this from NYT, lot of smoke but no clear fire.
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - oldalum - 03-23-2021
former UCLA M Soccer Head Coach Jorge Salcedo sentenced on Saturday to 8 months in prison. (I apologize if previously posted)
Mercury-News article
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - 82lsju - 04-13-2021
coming 28 Sept 2021, a book by John Vandemoer
Quote:The former Stanford University sailing coach sentenced in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal tells the riveting true story of how he was drawn unwittingly into a web of deceit in this eye-opening memoir that offers a damning portrait of modern college administration and the ways in which justice and fairness do not always intersect.
For eleven years, John Vandemoer ran the prestigious Stanford University sailing program in which he coached Olympians and All-Americans. Though the hours were long and the program struggled for funding, sailing gave Vandemoer’s life shape and meaning.
But early one morning, everything came crashing down when Vandemoer, still in his pajamas, opened the door to find FBI and IRS agents on his doorstep. He quickly learned that a recruiter named Rick Singer had used him as a stooge in a sophisticated scheme designed to take advantage of college coaches and play to the endless appetite for university fundraising—and wealthy parents looking for an edge for their college-bound children.
Vandemoer was summarily fired, kicked out of campus housing, his children booted from campus daycare. The next year of his life was a Kafkaesque hellscape, and though he was an innocent man who never received a dime was the first person to be convicted in what became known as the Varsity Blues scandal.
A true story that reads like a suspense novel, [i]Rigged Justice[/i] lays bare how a sophisticated scheme could take advantage of college coaches and university money—and how one family became collateral damage in a large government investigation that dominated national headlines.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063020106?tag=harpercollinsus-20
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - oldalum - 04-13-2021
just happened to watch the documentary last night. Enjoyed the scene in which Muir and other A.D. officials met with Vandemoer, and Muir spend the time watching basketball on 5 TVs except for taking a moment to congratulate Vandemoer for his fundraising. I took special note of the last line in the doc, in which Stanford denied that donations had any influence on admission decisions! I had thought otherwise, so I'm glad that's been settled.
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - cardcrimson - 04-14-2021
(04-13-2021, 01:20 PM)82lsju Wrote: coming 28 Sept 2021, a book by John Vandemoer
Quote:The former Stanford University sailing coach sentenced in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal tells the riveting true story of how he was drawn unwittingly into a web of deceit in this eye-opening memoir that offers a damning portrait of modern college administration and the ways in which justice and fairness do not always intersect.
For eleven years, John Vandemoer ran the prestigious Stanford University sailing program in which he coached Olympians and All-Americans. Though the hours were long and the program struggled for funding, sailing gave Vandemoer’s life shape and meaning.
But early one morning, everything came crashing down when Vandemoer, still in his pajamas, opened the door to find FBI and IRS agents on his doorstep. He quickly learned that a recruiter named Rick Singer had used him as a stooge in a sophisticated scheme designed to take advantage of college coaches and play to the endless appetite for university fundraising—and wealthy parents looking for an edge for their college-bound children.
Vandemoer was summarily fired, kicked out of campus housing, his children booted from campus daycare. The next year of his life was a Kafkaesque hellscape, and though he was an innocent man who never received a dime was the first person to be convicted in what became known as the Varsity Blues scandal.
A true story that reads like a suspense novel, [i]Rigged Justice[/i] lays bare how a sophisticated scheme could take advantage of college coaches and university money—and how one family became collateral damage in a large government investigation that dominated national headlines.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063020106?tag=harpercollinsus-20
"innocent man . . . who was the first person convicted"
huh?
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - BostonCard - 04-14-2021
Also, I thought during his sentencing, one of the big reasons that he got a relatively light punishment was that he was contrite and accepted responsibility. This suggests that he maybe was not entirely forthright there.
BC
RE: Operation Varsity Blues - oldalum - 04-14-2021
"Innocent" is rewriting history. He prepared a false application for the first student he was paid for helping (although her application was too late to be aided by a sailing preference, she was admitted but ultimately expelled by Stanford for including false info on her application).
"Later in the year, Vandemoer at Singer’s request designated a third applicant as a sailing recruit, falsely representing she had 'solid experience at Newport Beach Yacht club and training at the US sailing center in Long Beach,' where she commuted from Las Vegas to compete. The student ultimately chose to attend Nashville’s Vanderbilt University instead of Stanford. Prosecutors said Singer, who by then was cooperating with them, later gave Vandemoer another check for $160,000 to keep their relationship “alive” and to hold a recruitment spot open for another of his clients. In a recorded phone call,Vandemoer said he understood that the student he would recommend wouldn’t be a competitive sailor.
U.S. District Court Judge Rya Zobel in June gave Vandemoer one of the more lenient sentences of those who have pleaded guilty in the case, noting that the former coach had promptly acknowledged his guilt and had not personally taken the bribe money but instead put it into the school’s sailing program." Merc story
I think the main factor in his lenient sentence was that he didn't pocket the money for himself, like all the other coaches/administrators did. But he did gain indirectly from it, to the extent it helped the success of his program