Report: Terrence Cody, other 2009 Alabama players received money for signing memorabilia
Whether or not you think college football players should be able to make money or not, the current rules prevent athletes from making any money from their status as college athletes.
However, according to a new report from Sports Illustrated, several members of Bama’s 2009 national championship team were paid for their autographs on various pieces of memorabilia.
Star DL Terrence Cody was the biggest name mentioned by Luke Winn’s report, which involved memorabilia dealers Cliff Panezich and Adam Bollinger.
As you can see in the section of the story below (the full report can be found here), Panezich and Bollinger said former Crimson Tide CB Marquis Johnson helped them facilitate the signings:
Panezich and Bollinger arrived in Tuscaloosa during winter break, when the football team wasn’t practicing, so finding players required improvisation. The first member of the Crimson Tide they say they encountered—and asked to sign, outside of a dorm—was cornerback Marquis Johnson. The two collectors had 40-odd white-paneled footballs, each emblazoned with Alabama’s logo, laid out in the rear bed of their SUV, and “[Johnson] signed a few,” Panezich says. “[He] talked about getting paid to do the rest. . . . We paid him up front and . . . he recruited everybody else to come and sign. He’d go into the dorm, grab a couple guys—$20, $30, $40, depending on who the player was—and they’d all come sign 40 team items.”
The report goes on to say a lot of players signed the memorabilia, but not everyone — including QB Greg McElroy — took the money, citing eligibility concerns:
Panezich says Johnson was paid roughly $200, but “not everyone took money. [Defensive tackle] Terrence Cody was probably the biggest. He got paid to sign all the team stuff—and then we heard he was interested in making some more money. So he came out and signed a bunch of mini helmets that he inscribed, like 2X ALL-AMERICAN, or 2 BLOCKED FGS AGAINST TENNESSEE, very specific stuff.” Panezich recalls that they paid Cody around $400 total. (SI obtained cellphone video from Panezich that shows Johnson, fellow cornerback Rod Woodson and tight end Colin Peek autographing items; Panezich says that Peek, as well as running back Ali Sharrief and QB Greg McElroy, signed but declined compensation in order to comply with NCAA rules.
Obviously, as such a prominent figure in this story, Johnson had a response, which his agent issued below:
Cody, through his agent, declined to comment. Says Johnson: “I never got paid. I don’t know [Panezich].” Woodson could not be reached for comment. When asked if the school had knowledge of the signings, an Alabama spokesman said, in part, “As part of our comprehensive compliance and education program, we routinely review all situations of potential concern and address matters such as these with all of our student-athletes.”)
Obviously, this situation happened eight years ago, so it is unclear what, if anything, the NCAA will do about it. However, it’s certainly not a good look for the Crimson Tide, even if it’s silly that players can’t make money from their own autograph.
So the guy saying this happened is currently in jail for 6 years for forged signatures? That seems like a very shady place to get a statement. He’s in jail for lying about where signatures came from.
“Prosecutors say he was the mastermind behind the enterprise that sold sports items with fake athlete signatures to close to 20,000 people.
Panezich opened eBay accounts with people’s information and sold items. Some people had no idea their info was being used until the IRS contacted them.
“The extent of it was — a total enterprise numbers — somewhere between $1.4-$2 million,” said Ralph Rivera, Mahoning County prosecutor.”
They have pictures. $400 still doesn’t seem like much.
Signing an autograph is not against the rules. Unless he has video of them taking money or one of them says they did there is not much to see here.
Wait…So he is in jail for selling “fake” sports memorabilia yet we are suppose to believe him in players being paid for signatures…….Sure.
He says some guys took money and some didn’t. If he was after Bama and making stuff up, he could have said much worse.
Zero chance the stat changes from 7 in a row due to this.
I didn’t defend anything dude. You are a bit delusional. I just stated a simple fact to someone trolling a Bama article.
He could have said anything. What is more believable though? It would make sense to say something plausible if you’re trying to get someone to believe you….
Defend away.
Continue to jump to conclusions like you always do. None of us were there but You obviously know went down right?
I haven’t jumped to any conclusions. You guys are just funny with your defense. Like you know anything. Just homers being homers.
So Bama fans talking and defending their program on an article about Bama bothers You? Your entire point in being on this article is to point a finger. The athletes have already denied it. I know that doesn’t matter to you.
You are defending something you know absolutely nothing about.
You’re here pretending you know what went down.
Just glad Adam didn’t feel the need to use the term allegedly in his piece. It makes it so much more realistically.
Exactly
Might be the sort of article Tide haters love to put out this time of year….just saying.
I believe him . You can’t have that much talent on the bench and not paying . This is just a small thing there are much bigger payments like fake jobs.
Says the Ole Miss guy whose team out of nowhere started recruiting like a world-beater, and now has the NCAA all over it. Oh, and whose coach responsible for that may have gotten his charges other “amenities” than cash. Yeah, I guess if anyone would know what that’s like, it would definitely be Ole Piss.
LOL, your day is coming, Ole Piss fan. You *might* have a program left after the verdict comes down, but probably not.
I know we got three five star recruits in one year and all played how many do y’all get and they sit. Bama has the most five stars out of any team every year . Some of them sit on the bench how do they want to be benched lets think about this. Pretty sure Bama has the most complex pay for play system in the nation.
Alabama has played over 20 true freshmen this year. But sure. Tell yourself that we have 5 stars that never get the chance to play.
Ole miss… LMAO….. I can’t even bash you.
When your program gets a single 5 star, its time for investigation, because no 5 star talent willingly heads to loserville to play for chumps. I can’t wait for the ESPN 30 for 30 special about Ole Piss’ 2014 recruiting class, and how much money changed hands.
Nothing will come of this. Too long ago and not the most credible accuser. Could be true, but it won’t matter. The school isn’t in any trouble, no matter what did or didn’t happen.
Thank goodness…. I mean if you thought otherwise Bama would probably have to give up playing football all together..
You sure seem concerned with my opinions. That’s as funny as your defense about something you know nothing about.
I love it. You’re posting as if.you know something. Tell us again how if he really wanted to get Bama he would have said something worse…. You’re being a dumba$$ at this point. You came to the thread and started laying down the LSUSMC facts you like to pretend you know….
I haven’t even hinted that i know anything about this issue, just restated a quote from the article. Your sensitives are showing. You might want to hang onto that tissue.
Saying if he was after Bama he would make up something worse is jumping to a conclusion and acting as if you know what happened…. Keep up.
That’s a reach, but ok.
So what, everyone knows this stuff went on. What do you think the whole TTown Menswear investigation was about? Of course the players were getting handouts, but the NCAA wouldn’t investigate even with pictures and receipts. You think they’re going to give 2 cents now? Emmert is laughing from Saban’s hot tub.
Good for you. Now you should be able to fully concentrate on the Dawgs this week.
Cecil Newton says Hi, chump.