John Wall Facebook Group Causes Stir -- Ncaabb FanHouse

Facebook Prospect Wooing Causes Stir

Posted Apr 10, 2009 10:04 PM

By JUSTIN POPE

(AP)

Email Print

Text Size A A A

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 10) - College sports fans, be careful of the company you keep on Facebook.

You might get yourself - and the program you support - in trouble.

Sports Internet Scandals

The NCAA is cracking down on sites that try to woo top recruits. Taylor Moseley, a North Carolina State freshman, received a cease and desist letter after he started this Facebook group called "John Wall PLEASE come to NC STATE!!" to influence the nation's No. 1 basketball recruit to pick the Wolfpack. Click through to see more Internet scandals from the sports world.

facebook.com

Just days after British tabloid News of the World published this photo of Michael Phelps with a marijuana pipe, USA Swimming suspended the Olympic legend from competition for three months.

News of the World

In late January, Dallas Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett was reportedly fined $22,647 for a profane YouTube rap video in which he used derogatory terms for blacks and gays.

YouTube

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart took a dip in some hot water, both figuratively and literally, when Web Site TheDirty.com released a photo of him partying with four women in a hot tub. The photo was even featured on SportsCenter and drew the ire of head coach Ken Whisenhunt.

thedirty.com

In 2008, controversial Mavericks star Josh Howard was caught on video disrespecting the national anthem before Allen Iverson's charity flag football game. Facing the camera during the anthem, Howard said, "I don't celebrate this s--t. I'm black."

YouTube

Redskins tight end Chris Cooley revealed a little too much private information when he snapped a photo of himself with the team playbook on his lap. Underneath the playbook, Cooley's penis was visible, and he later had to offer up a public apology on his personal blog.

Joe Robbins, Getty Images

Vince Young's 2008 season was full of more questions than game play for the Tennessee Titans. Some fans doubted Vince Young's commitment to the team when photos of him partying and swigging Patron tequila were leaked on the net.

Blogxilla.com

Jeff Reed became part of a running joke on sports blogs when numerous photos leaked of the Steelers kicker clubbing with his shirt off and hair gelled up to the heavens.

Deadspin.com

Even legends get caught in an awkward position from time to time. After Michael Jordan was photographed looking intoxicated, the "drunk athlete" snapshot became Photoshop material for dozens of sports sites.

Lioninoil.blogspot.com

Max Mosley, the president of FIA (Federation Internationale de l' Automobile), had to fight to clear his name after News of the World obtained video footage which allegedly showed Mosley participating in a Nazi-style orgy with prostitutes. In June 2008, he won the vote of confidence at an extraordinary meeting of the FIA.

youtube

That was the lesson this week for Taylor Moseley, a North Carolina State freshman who expressed a common-enough opinion on campus when he started the Facebook group called "John Wall PLEASE come to NC STATE!!

More than 700 people signed up for the group encouraging Wall - a local standout and the nation's No. 1 basketball recruit - to pick the Wolfpack by national signing day next week.

But the NCAA says such sites, and dozens more like them wooing Wall and other top recruits, violate its rules. More than just cheerleading boards, the NCAA says the sites are an attempt to influence the college choice of a recruit.

Moseley got a cease and desist letter from N.C. State's compliance director, Michelle Lee, warning of "further action" if he failed to comply. In an interview Friday, Lee said that people who act as boosters but fail to follow recruiting guidelines could face penalties such as being denied tickets or even being formally "disassociated" from the athletic program.

Adam Kissel, director of the Individual Rights Defense Program at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, said the NCAA can impose rules on its member colleges. But universities - especially public ones - can't enforce them if it means punishing students in any way for expressing an opinion.

"A student doesn't lose First Amendment rights because of a contract the university signs with (the NCAA)," he said.

Moseley, the student, didn't respond to a request for comment, but the group has been renamed "Bring a National Title back to NC STATE!" and features a photo of Wall.

Though Lee sent Moseley the tough warning, even she finds the rule exasperating. The NCAA, she says, simply isn't keeping up with the technology reality.

"I think nationally the NCAA needs to address further Facebook and how these groups play a part in recruiting," she said. "Is it realistic for us to be able to monitor them? What harm is a group like this causing? But as the legislation stands right now, this is the position we have to take."

Latest Tourney Cheerleader Photos

DETROIT - APRIL 06: A cheerleader for the North Carolina Tar Heels performs against the Michigan State Spartans during the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship game at Ford Field on April 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Getty Images

DETROIT - APRIL 06: The North Carolina Tar Heels cheerleaders perform during a break in the game against the Michigan State Spartans in the first half during the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship game at Ford Field on April 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Getty Images

DETROIT - APRIL 06: A cheerleadeer for the Michigan State Spartans performs against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship game at Ford Field on April 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Getty Images

The Connecticut cheerleaders perform during the first half between Connecticut and Stanford in a semifinal of the NCAA women's college basketball tournament Final Four on Sunday, April 5, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Stanford cheerleaders perform in the first half of Stanford's semifinal against Connecticut in the NCAA women's college basketball tournament Final Four on Sunday, April 5, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Oklahoma mascot performs with the cheerleaders in the second half of a semifinal against Louisville at the NCAA women's college basketball Final Four on Sunday, April 5, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Louisville cheerleaders entertain the crowd in a semifinal against Oklahoma in the NCAA women's college basketball tournament Final Four on Sunday, April 5, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

DETROIT - APRIL 04: A cheerleader for the North Carolina Tar Heels supports her team against the Villanova Wildcats during the National Semifinal game of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship at Ford Field on April 4, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Getty Images

University of North Carolina cheerleaders cheer for their team against Villanova during their NCAA men's Final Four semi-final basketball game in Detroit, Michigan, April 4, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES SPORT BASKETBALL)

Reuters

DETROIT - APRIL 04: A North Carolina Tar Heels cheerleader gets thrown in the air against the Villanova Wildcats during the National Semifinal game of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship at Ford Field on April 4, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson said the group considers its rules "technology neutral." A Facebook page is simply a high-tech way to try to influence recruits.

The NCAA's concern is "intrusions into a high school student's life when they're trying to decide where to go to college," he said. He said the NCAA is keeping up with technology, noting new rules on text-messaging from coaches.

Christianson said the NCAA expects institutions to act as N.C. State did, reaching out to the creators of such groups to "educate" them about the rules. He added he was not aware the NCAA had ever initiated any action related to a Facebook group or notified an institution about one.

But dozens of Facebook groups are still up in plain site for current recruits, including Wall, and other top undecided basketball players such as Xavier Henry and Lance Stephenson.

Wall, a 6-4 playmaker, averaged 21 points, seven rebounds and nine assists for Raleigh Word of God this past season. He's the No. 1-ranked recruit in the country by both Rivals.com and Scout.com, and among the last top players yet to commit. A Facebook search reveals groups including "Bring John Wall to Baylor," "John Wall Belongs at UNC" and "John Wall, come to DUKE!!"

There are at least four groups encouraging Wall to pick Kentucky. Through an athletic department spokesman, UK head of compliance Sandy Bell declined to comment on whether the department has taken any action in response to such groups.

Facebook did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment.

Kissel, of the education rights group, and Aden Fine of the American Civil Liberties Union, said that while the NCAA - a private entity - could pursue sanctions against a student like Moseley (such as denying him access to an entirely NCAA-run event), it was troubling that the letter and threatened sanction came from the university.

"The school is potentially finding themselves in a tricky situation, because of the NCAA rules, but that doesn't mean public universities can censor lawful speech," Fine said.

Christianson dismissed the free speech argument, saying courts have upheld the NCAA's right to set recruiting rules for members.

"We don't see it as a free speech issue. What we do see it as is a recruiting issue," he said. "We want to be sure that we limit that level of intrusion that comes into their lives."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2009-04-10 22:35:09