USA TODAY International Edition
Former Fiesta chief set to plead guilty
Junker will agree to plea bargain
John Junker, the Fiesta Bowl’s former chief executive, is expected to plead guilty Tuesday to a felony for his role in a fraudulent political campaign- contribution scheme that cost him his job last spring.
Junker will agree to a plea bargain with the Arizona attorney general in which he will admit to soliciting campaign contributions from Fiesta Bowl employees who were later reimbursed with bowl funds, defense attorney Stephen Dichter told The Arizona Republic. Such reimbursements are illegal under state law.
The contributions went to local and state politicians who helped the Fiesta Bowl obtain financial subsidies and to members of Congress who supported the Bowl Championship Series, of which the Fiesta Bowl is a part.
Dichter also said Junker had reached a deal with the U. S. Attorney’s Office.
The U. S. Attorney’s Office on Saturday would neither confirm nor deny it had reached a deal.
The plea deals were struck before formal indictments were issued, which is uncommon.
Dichter said Junker would plead guilty to a Class 4 felony in the state case. A conviction on that charge has a presumptive sentence of2 ½ years, but there is a possibility of probation.
In May, less than two months after Junker’s ouster, the NCAA Postseason Bowl Licensing Subcommittee put the Fiesta organization on a year’s probation. The BCS also fined it $ 1 million.
Two out:
Two of the best players in North Carolina State history were thrown out of their seats Saturday during the Wolfpack’s 76- 62 loss to No. 21 Florida State in Raleigh, N. C.
Tom Gugliotta and Chris Corchiani were in the stands behind the scorer’s table with 6: 40 to play when official Karl Hess asked that they be removed.
John Clougherty, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s supervisor of officials, said in a statement Saturday that game officials have the authority to ask the home team’s management to remove fans when, in the official’s judgment, their behavior is extreme or excessive. After Hess gestured to have Gugliotta and Corchiani removed, they were approached by a Raleigh police officer.
“It’s unfortunate in this instance that ACC protocol of communicating directly with the home- game management was not followed and instead a building security officer was solicited,” Clougherty said. “We will recommunicate this policy with all officials to ensure proper protocol is followed.”
Hess declined to comment after the game. Corchiani tweeted roughly 40 minutes after the game that Hess “didn’t like fact Googs and I told him he was having a bad day, inconsistent, and telling the truth.” He denied using profanity.
Foes fall short:
NCAA Division I schools are free to offer multiyear scholarships to athletes after a repeal effort fell short by two votes Friday.
Opponents needed 207 of 330 votes by schools and conferences — a five- eighths majority — to overturn the measure OK’D by the Division I board of directors in October. They got 205. Twenty- five institutions and leagues weren’t heard from during online balloting last week.
The multiyear measure was sought by NCAA President Mark Emmert, the Division I board and others as an athlete- welfare enhancement.
But it drew formal objections from enough schools to force reconsideration. They argued, among other things, that coaches were using multiyear grants as a recruiting enticement.
The Division I board stood firm, however, throwing the matter to a divisionwide vote.
Schools now have the option of making multiyear offers, and they can choose to whom those scholarships are given.
Double dip:
Saturday, for the first time since Feb. 27, 1993, the Connecticut men’s and women’s basketball teams lost at home on the same day.
The second- ranked women saw their NCAA Division I- record 99- game home streak end 57- 56 against St. John’s.
The defending national champion men fell to No. 13 Marquette 79- 64 and are 2- 7 in their last nine. After Connecticut got within four late, Ryan Boatright was called for a technical. The free throws plus a three- pointer quickly put the game back in Marquette’s hands. Said Uconn guard Shabazz Napier, “I hate to say it, but I have to question some of these guys’ hearts.”