For the past half hour or so, I’ve been sitting here at the palatial CFT headquarters listening to Alabama head coach Nick Saban launch blistering attack after blistering attack on rogue agents, at one point asking “how are they any better than a pimp?”.
And now, based on the latest report that’s surfaced, I fully understand the venom in Saban’s speech.
According to the Tuscaloosa News, and citing a source close to the situation, Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus has been declared ineligible as the school is in the midst of a probe centered on the player’s relationship with an agent Fortunately for the Tide, Dareus appears to be the only current player who attended a player-agent’s party in Miami’s South Beach, a soirée that’s caused investigations at North Carolina and South Carolina as well as Alabama.
The News reports that the school will petition the NCAA immediately for the reinstatement of the defensive lineman’s eligibility.
The SEC is assisting Alabama in its probe.
UPDATED 3:19 p.m. ET: Hold the phone, or whatever it you happen to have in your hand as you’re reading this. A tweet from Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun questions the veracity of the News’ report.
“Saban just said report Dareus is ineligible is not true. Stay tuned..”