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Rumor about Gonzaga

LaJollaGriz

Well-known member
I sat next to a former Gonzaga grad at a bar, who claims to have once been a part-owner of the Minnesota Vikings. He made a claim about how the Zag basketball program rose to become a national basketball power. He said that many years ago the Zags started paying BB players big money to sign with Gonzaga. I don't know if he was just full of stuff, or it was true. He claimed that he had been hounded by the booster group to contribute to a fund to use to sign BB talent. He stated that he declined, but it was obvious to him that it was going on. Mind you, I am not suggesting that it is happening, only reporting what I heard.

I told him that I was a grad of Montana, and he said that Gonzaga used to be a Big Sky member at one time. I Googled it, and he was right; the Zags were members of the Big Sky in BB from 1963 to 1979, for BB only as they never had a football team.

If true, who knew? I always thought it was funny how Gonzaga became a national power, seemingly overnight. I guess money talks in every sport.
 
LaJollaGriz said:
I sat next to a former Gonzaga grad at a bar, who claims to have once been a part-owner of the Minnesota Vikings. He made a claim about how the Zag basketball program rose to become a national basketball power. He said that many years ago the Zags started paying BB players big money to sign with Gonzaga. I don't know if he was just full of stuff, or it was true. He claimed that he had been hounded by the booster group to contribute to a fund to use to sign BB talent. He stated that he declined, but it was obvious to him that it was going on. Mind you, I am not suggesting that it is happening, only reporting what I heard.

I told him that I was a grad of Montana, and he said that Gonzaga used to be a Big Sky member at one time. I Googled it, and he was right; the Zags were members of the Big Sky in BB from 1963 to 1979, for BB only as they never had a football team.

If true, who knew? I always thought it was funny how Gonzaga became a national power, seemingly overnight. I guess money talks in every sport.

Gonzaga was among the original BSC basketball schools and have been on UM schedules for decades. It is not unusual that private schools raise money from boosters nor is it unusual that public schools do, as well. It took Gonzaga years to get to where they are now. USC in LA is rising quickly as well in spite of the Covid problems. But, for every Gonzaga, there is a Creighton, good but not great. It is hard to stay among the leaders in college sports. Look at UCLA, now rising again, or North Carolina, sinking. I think it would be very naive of anyone to think the top school programs do not do everything by the legal book, especially now that betting is a major industry.
 
LaJollaGriz said:
I sat next to a former Gonzaga grad at a bar, who claims to have once been a part-owner of the Minnesota Vikings. He made a claim about how the Zag basketball program rose to become a national basketball power. He said that many years ago the Zags started paying BB players big money to sign with Gonzaga. I don't know if he was just full of stuff, or it was true. He claimed that he had been hounded by the booster group to contribute to a fund to use to sign BB talent. He stated that he declined, but it was obvious to him that it was going on. Mind you, I am not suggesting that it is happening, only reporting what I heard.

I told him that I was a grad of Montana, and he said that Gonzaga used to be a Big Sky member at one time. I Googled it, and he was right; the Zags were members of the Big Sky in BB from 1963 to 1979, for BB only as they never had a football team.

If true, who knew? I always thought it was funny how Gonzaga became a national power, seemingly overnight. I guess money talks in every sport.

Sounds like good Ol’ drunken bar talk that isn’t even worthy of bringing up. It’s so far in left field.
 
dayday said:
LaJollaGriz said:
I sat next to a former Gonzaga grad at a bar, who claims to have once been a part-owner of the Minnesota Vikings. He made a claim about how the Zag basketball program rose to become a national basketball power. He said that many years ago the Zags started paying BB players big money to sign with Gonzaga. I don't know if he was just full of stuff, or it was true. He claimed that he had been hounded by the booster group to contribute to a fund to use to sign BB talent. He stated that he declined, but it was obvious to him that it was going on. Mind you, I am not suggesting that it is happening, only reporting what I heard.

I told him that I was a grad of Montana, and he said that Gonzaga used to be a Big Sky member at one time. I Googled it, and he was right; the Zags were members of the Big Sky in BB from 1963 to 1979, for BB only as they never had a football team.

If true, who knew? I always thought it was funny how Gonzaga became a national power, seemingly overnight. I guess money talks in every sport.

Sounds like good Ol’ drunken bar talk that isn’t even worthy of bringing up. It’s so far in left field.

I assure you the guy wasn't drunk, and left the bar to get into his Bentley, brought up front by the valet. Not saying it is true, but I don't think it is far out in left field. Can't see a reason a well-heeled alum would say such things if there was not something behind it.

You'll have to admit, it should seem odd to any basketball fan how a small private school located in Spokane, WA, who had never been above any other Mid-Major BB team, could become one of the top 5 BB powers in the country. They signed the #1 high school player in the country last year. If you or anyone else has the formula, please share it with Travis so we can do it too.
 
Coach Dan Fitzgerald lost his job over a “slush fund” recruiting account before his assistants Monson and then Few took over. If there is any truth to this rumor (which I doubt), any payment scheme would be far removed from the university. I think Gonzaga rose to prominence by focusing on international players with Catholic ties (I.e., Turiaf) and got lucky because Few is solid and stayed put.
 
I'm not buying it. They just gradually bettered the talent quality of their recruits. It took them better than a decade to compete for all American type of talent. They've just recently been able to land multiple high level recruits in the same class.

Plus, Few is an elite level coach. He's grown with the program.
 
goatcreekgriz said:
Coach Dan Fitzgerald lost his job over a “slush fund” recruiting account before his assistants Monson and then Few took over. If there is any truth to this rumor (which I doubt), any payment scheme would be far removed from the university. I think Gonzaga rose to prominence by focusing on international players with Catholic ties (I.e., Turiaf) and got lucky because Few is solid and stayed put.

Here is the info on Fitzgerald and the slush fund you mentioned.

"Fitzgerald was also responsible for Gonzaga being put on four years of probation for keeping an illegal slush fund for recruiting purposes, hiding almost $200,000 from the NCAA. The NCAA investigators agreed that Gonzaga did not gain a competitive advantage from use of the money, since the totals spent on recruiting fell within NCAA guidelines."

What seems curious about this story is that the Zags were put on 4 years probation, but that the NCAA said they did not gain a competitive recruiting advance. If that was so, why the 4 years of probation? Does not make sense to me.
 
I lived in Spokane when this went down and later worked with Fitz on a business venture he had after coaching. Really good guy and he put the pieces in place. Monson bolted way too fast after an NCAA tourney run, and Few cleaned up. Some smarmy GU grads are full of shit (I am not an alum), and that’s what I chalk this rumor up to. Give Few credit, he deserves it.
 
No clue about the rumor ( I don't believe it)...

When it comes to Gonzaga. Add up all the Money given to UM for Sports from Washington, and other big boosters... Now take all that money, and put it JUST to Basketball. That is what you have. I am family fiends with a major Gonzaga donor (He is actually from Bozeman). he isn't even one of the top donors, and his donations would probably build 2 championship centers. They picked one sport to put their private college effort into, and it was Basketball.
 
SACCAT66 said:
No clue about the rumor ( I don't believe it)...

When it comes to Gonzaga. Add up all the Money given to UM for Sports from Washington, and other big boosters... Now take all that money, and put it JUST to Basketball. That is what you have. I am family fiends with a major Gonzaga donor (He is actually from Bozeman). he isn't even one of the top donors, and his donations would probably build 2 championship centers. They picked one sport to put their private college effort into, and it was Basketball.

Yep. And after Stockton put them on the map, it was all up from there. It’s not like they were an overnight success. Theirs was a long, slow slog to the top, done the hard way. Best thing that happened to them was Few staying put.
 
goatcreekgriz said:
I lived in Spokane when this went down and later worked with Fitz on a business venture he had after coaching. Really good guy and he put the pieces in place. Monson bolted way too fast after an NCAA tourney run, and Few cleaned up. Some smarmy GU grads are full of shit (I am not an alum), and that’s what I chalk this rumor up to. Give Few credit, he deserves it.

This!
 
LaJollaGriz said:
dayday said:
Sounds like good Ol’ drunken bar talk that isn’t even worthy of bringing up. It’s so far in left field.

I assure you the guy wasn't drunk, and left the bar to get into his Bentley, brought up front by the valet. Not saying it is true, but I don't think it is far out in left field. Can't see a reason a well-heeled alum would say such things if there was not something behind it.

You'll have to admit, it should seem odd to any basketball fan how a small private school located in Spokane, WA, who had never been above any other Mid-Major BB team, could become one of the top 5 BB powers in the country. They signed the #1 high school player in the country last year. If you or anyone else has the formula, please share it with Travis so we can do it too.

Formula is $$$... Zion was top recruit and turned down a great "package"(200k) offered by Kansas to be a Blue Devil for free. :lol: I know, coach K had nothing to do with that of course. Bottom line, NCAA really doesn't care anymore so i imagine the stakes are even higher now
 
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