Tuesday, July 20, 2010

From a good source regarding Mike Pouncey

HOOVER, AL --- SEC Media Days are already buzzing with talk about players having illegal contact with agents in the offseason. Florida is currently investigating both Maurkice Pouncey, who left school a year early and was taken in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and twin brother Mike, who remained at UF to finish his senior year. Both are alleged in an unsigned letter to the UF athletic department to have received a large amount of cash ($100,000 is the figure being thrown around) and other gifts from an agent runner in the period of time between the SEC Championship Game and the Sugar Bowl. Florida self-reported to the NCAA and both the NCAA and Florida compliance have been investigating since early June. 

While it appears unlikely that Maurkice took cash, there is a possibility that he and Mike attended some parties thrown by agents. Attending the party while still eligible to play a sport is a minor NCAA violation for Mike but the NCAA is investigating to see if Mike took any gifts or presents from the agents. If he did, those are more serious allegations. 

The NCAA considers it suspicious that photos taken in Orlando at the College Football Awards Show and at some parties before the Sugar Bowl show the same person over and over again --- an "agent-runner" who works for the agent that Maurkice Pouncey eventually signed with. Apparently, the investigation so far has not turned up anything that would indicate that neither Maurkice or twin brother Mike took any cash but the NCAA is investigating to see if any gifts were received or improper favors given.

There have been plenty of rumors that in light of the allegations that Mike Pouncey would not be attending SEC Media Days Wednesday morning as scheduled, but an extremely good and well connected source told me Tuesday evening that Mike will be here. His appearance would seem to indicate that investigations have not turned up anything that would implicate Mike in any serious wrong doing.

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