Did Dennis Smith Jr., or any member of his family ever receive money from anyone representing the Wolfpack program—head coach Mark Gottfried or assistant coach Orlando Early, the two in question—to guarantee Smith would attend and play for N.C. State?
I’ve "googled" that scenario over and over. Nowhere can I find the Smith family confirming reception of money. However, it looks bad for the home team, though appearances can be deceiving.
As the United States attorney in the Southern District of New York, with the aid of the FBI, continues to investigate this college athletics situation, the administration at N.C. State (welcome new Athletics Director Boo Corrigan) and Wolfpack fans are concerned the eventual fallout might mean sanctions and fines from the NCAA which will start its own examination once the federal courts conclude the case. The NCAA is hoping the federal case files are provided as a starting point.
So back to that question that asks if Smith received the any money from anyone representing the N.C. State basketball program:
In nearly every story written about the Adidas pay-for-play scandal, we are told there has been testimony that, as staff writer Steve Wisemen chronicled recently in The News & Observer, "Gatto provided a $40,000 payment for former N.C. State assistant Orlando Early to deliver to Smith’s father in 2015 to persuade Smith … to commit to N.C. State."
Gatto says he gave money to Early, but Early, to the best of what I can find, doesn’t admit to receiving it or, therefore, giving it to Smith’s father. The innuendo in Wiseman’s story may lead some to believe Early got the money and gave it to Smith. Not so fast, as Lee Corso would say. An ESPN.com article in early March provides us with additional “ifs” and “maybes” on this subject:
"According to a disclosure from federal prosecutors," wrote ESPN Senior writer Mark Schlabach on March 9, "former NC State assistant coach Orlando Early's attorney said his client disclosed that Gottfried on two occasions gave him envelopes—containing what Early believed was cash—to deliver to star guard Dennis Smith Jr.'s trainer to ensure he signed with the Wolfpack in 2015. Smith's trainer, Shawn Farmer, was supposed to deliver the envelopes to Dennis Smith Sr."
Let's dissect what Schlabach reported. So, Early, in the disclosure, "believed" the envelopes contained cash? Did he open the alleged envelopes? If not, can he at any time confirm what was in them, if there were envelopes? If he delivered the envelopes to Farmer, did Farmer open the envelopes to determine what was enclosed and did he give the envelopes to Smith Sr. or any one of the Smith family and following?
Last fall, at trial, former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola said he gave to Early $40,000 earmarked for Smith Jr., to keep him at an Adidas school, specifically N.C. State. Gassnola also said he never discussed this with anyone else at or connected to N.C. State. So, did he give Early the $40,000? Can anyone confirm Gassnola gave $40,000 to Early? (Not, according to Gassnola himself.) So, is this a he said, he said situation?
There seems to be a great deal of vague stuff in this case, even with federal proceedings.
A few months ago, I remember reading somewhere (maybe in the local newspaper) that Smith Jr., said he knows nothing about any such payment of any amount to him or to a member of his family. It appears today, neither Smith Jr., nor anyone in his family are talking at all about it. Early, most recently a college scout for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, is being mum on the subject. And Gottfried, bless his heart, after being fired by Wolfpack athletics director Debbie Yow who hired Gottfried in the first place, was able to secure a job with Cal State Northridge after lots of vetting by officials at CSNU.
Back to that March 9 ESPN.com story: "As part of our hiring process, Coach Gottfried confirmed to CSUN that he had no involvement in, nor knowledge of, any impermissible payments provided to prospective student-athletes during his tenure as a head coach at previous institutions," the school said in a statement upon hiring Gottfried. "This affirmation is included in his employment documents and is a condition of employment."
"No involvement in, nor knowledge of, any impermissible payments provided to prospective student-athletes." Good answer. But did Gottfried ever receive money earmarked for prospective student athletes and then not give it to the prospect? That might be a good question for CSUN to ask.
The merry-go-round keeps spinning.
This story will have a long life, if and when the federal case concludes and the NCAA starts its own investigation which may not deal with facts, using unsure conclusions to point fingers. The NCAA hates to be wrong even when it’s wrong.
So, was money exchanged and if so where is it? Where did it go?
At this point, let me remind everyone that I am not making unsupported speculations and I’m not accusing anyone of anything. I’m just asking questions. So, let’s proceed.
One might want to jump to conclusions there’s been wrong-doing by Gottfried and Early. On the other hand, maybe not, even if cash was given by an Adidas representative and received by Early. As part of his contract with N.C. State, wasn’t part of Gottfried’s income from the contract N.C. State has with Adidas? If so, what would be the crime in receiving another $40,000 from Adidas, even through a third party, if he did, though I’m not saying he did?
All of this gives us an inconclusive situation and leads to more questions.
Did someone at Adidas tell Early $40,000 cash was available to bribe Smith Jr., to attend N.C. State?If so, did Early tell Gottfried who knew better than to receive and to give it to Smith, knowing to do so and get caught would end his coaching career?
What if Gottfried told Early to take the money, don’t give it to anyone connected to Smith Jr., and keep it? Other than not reporting it on his taxes, what would be the crime in that? What one person intended to happen doesn’t make another person guilty of what the first intended but didn’t happen. No accusations and no conclusions here, just questions.
So, where’s the money if there was any at all?
Did Early accepted it as T.J. Gassnola says? Did Early give it to the Smith family? Did Early keep the $40,000? Did he tell Gottfried about it? Did the two of them each take a share of the money and move on?
One more non-conclusion and non-accusation: Maybe Early and Gottfried split the money, and since then the two have had a good laugh at Adidas. I’m not saying that happened, but could it have?
Stay tuned. It’s a story that will have a long life, a lot of finger pointing.
