geeteebee Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Why does somebody who makes $2M a year do something as foolish as this? A&M coach sold insider info to boosters Franchione says he's discontinued newsletter that cost subscribers $1,200 per year 01:30 PM CDT on Friday, September 28, 2007 By BRIAN DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News brdavis@dallasnews.com COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Many Texas A&M officials were caught off guard Friday by coach Dennis Franchione's admission that he wrote a secret e-mail newsletter for a small group of boosters who paid him $1,200 a year. An A&M source said Franchione had written the newsletter over the last three years. The newsletter was to continue this season. But the practice was stopped earlier this month after athletic director Bill Byrne learned of the newsletter's existence. Byrne did not know about the newsletter, which contained detailed injury updates and practice reports, until questioned about it by a reporter, according to an A&M source. Byrne had meetings scheduled with A&M officials and could not be immediately reached for comment. At least two members of the A&M board of regents were stunned when told of the newsletter. "I'll say this. I've never heard of somebody paying for information,” said Gene Stallings, an A&M regent and former Aggies coach (1965 to '71). "I've had friends of mine call me and ask what's happening, and I would share it with them. But as for me providing information to a certain group of people while I was coaching, I never did that." Regent Erle Nye of Dallas said: "I'd just be surprised as I could be. I don't suppose there's anything wrong with it, but first of all I'm surprised he's got time." Franchione was unavailable for comment, but sports information director Alan Cannon said the coach could make a statement later in the day. According to the San Antonio Express-News, about a dozen elite boosters subscribed to the e-mail newsletter, called "VIP Connection." It offered Franchione's candid assessments of players and specific injury information, details Franchione routinely declined to discuss publicly because, he would say, it is not "our policy" to disclose injuries. Franchione made subscribers sign a confidentiality agreement and said he doesn't believe any of the inside information was used for gambling, the Express-News reported in Friday editions after obtaining a copy of the newsletter through a "third-party source." "We asked them to sign something," Franchione said. "And for them not to do that. Most of these people are tremendously loyal Aggies." The newsletter was written by Mike McKenzie, Franchione's personal assistant. The two denied benefiting financially from the newsletter, although Franchione said proceeds were used to underwrite his personal Web site, coachfran.com. In one newsletter, McKenzie wrote about six players being unavailable to play against Montana State and listed their specific injuries. A seventh player was "iffy" because he had not fully recovered from a mild concussion, according to the newsletter. McKenzie also wrote about Franchione's assessment of the Aggies' wide receivers. "Privately, Coach told me last night that Earvin [Taylor] and Pierre [brown] are very steady but with average speed," McKenzie wrote. "Kerry [Franks] has great speed, but [is] inconsistent in receiving." "The whole point of it was for them to be informed about the program, straight from the head coach," McKenzie said. McKenzie referred to "VIP Connection" as "private correspondence between a head coach and the individuals involved." Franchione, who makes about $2 million per year in a contract that runs through 2011, has offered refunds to the subscribers, McKenzie said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushey Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Ahh, the power of the internet. Now I am convinced that evolution has officially ceased in the Big12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildcat2334 Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 I thought Fran Frischella left A & M a long time ago?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeeman Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 "Franchione made subscribers sign a confidentiality agreement and said he doesn't believe any of the inside information was used for gambling..." Either the biggest lie he's ever told, or he is the most naive coach in America. Either way, not good for him.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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