Bowl Scandals / John Junker Fired from Fiesta

[Dryden]

Junker fired as CEO of Fiesta Bowl amid scandal.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/sports/ncaafootball/30fiesta.html

Fiesta Bowl Spending and Donations Questioned

By KATIE THOMAS
Published: March 29, 2011

Top executives at the Fiesta Bowl, the host of one of the nation's pre-eminent college football games, funneled campaign contributions to local politicians, flew other Arizona elected officials around the country at the bowl's expense, racked up a $1,000 bill at a strip club, and even spent $30,000 on a birthday party for the chief executive, according to an investigative report commissioned by the bowl's board of directors.

The most serious revelations involve nearly a dozen employees who told investigators that the chief executive and others working for the bowl encouraged them to make political contributions, then reimbursed them with phony bonus payments. Some said they then were pressured to lie about the practice.

Cont'd ...

 

[Dryden]

Statement on Fiesta Bowl, Issued by Graham Spanier, chair of the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee, and Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the BCS

http://www.bcsfootball.org/news/story?id=6270816

... the BCS takes this matter seriously and will consider whether the Fiesta Bowl should remain a BCS bowl game or other appropriate sanctions. To make that determination, we are taking these actions:

1. We have appointed a task force to evaluate the bowl's findings and its recommendations.

2. We have asked the bowl to demonstrate why it should remain a BCS bowl game. The task force will evaluate the bowl's response, along with the full slate of reforms instituted by the bowl.

3. If the bowl remains a part of the BCS, its handling of this matter will be closely monitored going forward.

It is imperative that Fiesta Bowl officials take all necessary steps to fully address and correct the problems they have reported. The task force will begin its deliberations immediately ...

 

[muffler dragon]

Junker and other top executives often used bowl money to spend lavishly, investigators found. In 2008, the Fiesta Bowl paid the $1,200 bill at a Phoenix strip club attended by Junker; Shawn Schoeffler, the former vice president for media relations; and Aaron Brown, a Maricopa County sheriff?s lieutenant who owns a company that provides security to the Fiesta Bowl.
According to the report, Junker explained to investigators: ?We are in the business where big strong athletes are known to attend these types of establishments. It was important for us to visit, and we certainly conducted business.?

Indeed!

 

[TDunk]

Indeed!

They had to make sure Cinnamon could handle lap dances for the entire O line. Kudos to them for their due diligence.

On that note, I'm going to Platinum to see if the girls are prepared for a skinny walk on that has a lot of ones. (It's a tax write off, right?)

 

[BB73]

the BCS takes this matter seriously and will consider whether the Fiesta Bowl should remain a BCS bowl game or other appropriate sanctions.

Someone get Jerry Jones a spittoon. He must be salivating at an unbelieveable rate.

 

[Bucknut24]

I wonder what would replace the Fiesta if it were to go bye bye...Cotton?

 

[jwinslow]

Someone get Jerry Jones a spittoon. He must be salivating at at unbelieveable rate.

Oh goodie, now the Big 12 BCS game can be at home also

 

[sandgk]

Does John Junker have a taste for tats? - in strip clubs I mean.

 

[Jake]

Scandal? Hell, this kind of stuff is why the ridiculous BCS/polls/bowls "championship" system is defended to the death. It's not about how much money - there have been playoff offers that would make more - it's about who is making the money and what they're doing with it.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Scandal? Hell, this kind of stuff is why the ridiculous BCS/polls/bowls "championship" system is defended to the death. It's not about how much money - there have been playoff offers that would make more - it's about who is making the money and what they're doing with it.

It is certainly why I defend it to death. You can't imagine the sick phat cash I have rolling in because of my position on the BCS v. Playoffs.

 

[billmac91]

Scandal? Hell, this kind of stuff is why the ridiculous BCS/polls/bowls "championship" system is defended to the death. It's not about how much money - there have been playoff offers that would make more - it's about who is making the money and what they're doing with it.

Exactly right. There is a lot more money to be made in a playoff scenario, but the people who make that money changes.

The BCS isn't surviving because it is the best option...it's surviving because the people who stand to make the most off of it, are afraid to relinquish their strangle-hold on the system.

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

He went to HS with BuckBackHome... whaddaya expect

 

[Jake]

It is certainly why I defend it to death. You can't imagine the sick phat cash I have rolling in because of my position on the BCS v. Playoffs.

Some fans defend the BCS because they've bought into the "every game counts" notion, even though it is demonstrably false and no one would ever suggest such a format for any other sport. If college football was invented tomorrow, and someone suggest the BCS system as its "championship" format, they would be laughed out of the room.

 

[Gatorubet]

Someone get Jerry Jones a spittoon. He must be salivating at an unbelieveable rate.

"The Cotton Bowl has the history and tradition that the BCS needs...and Dallas has more strip clubs..."

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

Someone get Jerry Jones a spittoon. He must be salivating at an unbelieveable rate.

Atleast with Jerra you know its FOR PROFIT organization.. he makes no bones about it he's out for more and more money.