UGA’s Orson Charles mentioned in report on NCAA violations at Miami
Georgia tight end Orson Charles has been mentioned in the mess that Yahoo! Sports is reporting about the University of Miami and its relationship with a notorious booster named Nevin Shapiro. Shapiro is a convicted felon who, in several prison interviews, claims he provided impermissible benefits to dozens of Miami players and recruits.
Charles is listed among those recruits with whom Shapiro claims to have had impermissible contact. But, on face value at least, it doesn’t look like he is anything but a bystander in all this.
The bombastic report, written by Yahoo! Sports reporter Charles Robinson, merely alleges that Charles was escorted by a Miami assistant coach to Shapiro to be given “a recruiting pitch.” As we all know, Charles rather famously signed with Georgia. Shapiro is incarcerated in federal prison in Atlanta after being convicted for his role in a $930 million Ponzi scheme.
Current and former Miami players and student-athletes from all over are implicated by Shapiro and other sources in the extensive report, which includes thousands of supporting documents such as bank statements, hotel folios, cell phone records and corroborating quotes from athletes. Here’s the specific passage in which Charles is mentioned (along with several other recruits):
Among the specific incidents, Shapiro or other sources say Hurtt, Hill, Stoutland, Pannunzio and Allen all delivered top-tier recruits to Shapiro’s home or luxury suite so the booster could make recruiting pitches to them. Among the players who were ushered to Shapiro while they were still in high school: Eventual Miami commitments Ray-Ray Armstrong, Dyron Dye and Olivier Vernon (prompted by Hurtt); eventual Florida commitments Andre Debose (Hurtt) and Matt Patchan (prompted by Stoutland and Pannunzio); eventual Georgia commitment Orson Charles (Pannunzio); and eventual Central Florida commitment Jeffrey Godfrey (Allen).
A hot-link on Charles’ name carries readers to a page that provides more details of on Charles and his encounter with Shapiro, including Shapiro’s account of the meeting:
“Orson Charles was a tight end out of Plant City [High School] who was Robert Marve’s teammate. And because I had a real close relationship with Robert, Robert’s high school coach, Robert Weiner, came to Miami, Marve brought him to my house and he was with Orson Charles. I showed [Charles] my closet. The reason why I show all the kids my closet is because that’s where I had like 50 to 70 UM game-worn jerseys of all the best players in the last however long. That was our first visit. I saw him a second time and I think it was a Miami football camp.”
Charles’ name is also on a list of players Shapiro mentions that appears next to the text of the story. Again, click HERE to read the entire report from Yahoo!Sports. Here’s an Associated Press story on Charles’ connection and here’s a link to The AP report about the story.
UGA officials did not return messages sent late Tuesday night seeking comment about Charles. Wednesday morning Athletic Director Greg McGarity said via email UGA is checking into it.
If and when they respond, I suspect they will say something similar to what Alabama spokesperson Doug Walker said: “The University of Alabama is aware of the story, but we will have no further comment.”
Joe Pannunzio was the tight ends and special teams coach at Miami under former head coach Randy Shannon and is now the first-year director of football operations at Alabama. Bama’s new offensive line coach, Jeff Stoutland, is also implicated in the Yahoo! Sports report.
Charles, a junior from Tampa, is a preseason All-SEC first-team selection expected to be one of the Bulldogs’ main offensive weapons this season. He had 49 career receptions for 796 yards and five touchdowns.
We’ll try to sort all this out from Georgia’s end on Wednesday.
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356 comments Add your comment
Patrick
August 17th, 2011
9:51 am
Trouble for Miami… not Orson Charles or UGA. Next story please…
Honest Bulldog
August 17th, 2011
9:51 am
I guess all our Auburn and Cam Newton bashing is “coming home to roost”! “Big Dawg Eat: your logic is flawed. If 2 news papers are correct about Auburn and Alabama, then why can’t 1 news paper be correct about UGA!! DUH!
ffdfd
August 17th, 2011
9:52 am
he sucks anyway
Da U
August 17th, 2011
9:53 am
@Delbert D.
Also, Orson Charles was going with Robert Marve’s sister at the time of his recruitment. Then, the thing with UM and Marve happened during his recruitment and we all new his was going to UGA after that, but he was favoring UM at the time. Not saying he is guilty of anything. But, everyone in FL knows how recruiting works in the state of FL and now the NCAA is starting to do something about it especially South FL, it starts when they are still playing little league football. So the culture is already there. Not saying all players are guilty, but when a player leaves South FL to play for a school outside of the state people wonder what he got offered to leave the state of FL.
ToccoaDawg
August 17th, 2011
9:56 am
That story is about how corrupt Miami is, not Georgia. It does imply one Georgia player had contact with a scumbag while in the recruiting process, but does not imply Georgia or OC did anything wrong. So for all you ACC fans that means not only is UNC corrupt but now it comes out the U is also. And can we forget Tech is on probation for trying to hinder a NCAA investigation? So all you techies sit down and take a chill pill before pointing ANY fingers at a SEC school. Its really starting to look like the ACC stands for All Corrupt Conference.
CRO-MAGNON MAN
August 17th, 2011
9:59 am
Laughter is heard all the way to The Dome :
Thought Tech was the school is trouble, in front of the NCAA..Knowing both coaches personally and having a son play for the Head Coach at Tech, I can tell you straight up that Paul Johnson ain’t a cheater…..Mark Richt ain’t no party to handing out money, and would turn in whoever was handing the money out when he found out about it….If he let an aide go at UGA over introducing someone to Hershel Walker in the Butts-Mehre building, you can bet Coach Richt wouldn’t be in on something like this, nor would he dream about it….Like him or not, he has integrity…He won’t risk his job over a football game….Our state is lucky to have Head coaches of integrity at UGA and Georgia Tech….. The Only thing I can say about Paul Johnson that is not good is that he owes me $5.00 from a golf bet from long ago…Think he spent my $5.00 on one of those big Cuban cigars…..
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 17th, 2011
10:02 am
Is being given a recruiting pitch by a booster (at his mansion) an NCAA rules violation?
BG
August 17th, 2011
10:02 am
UF has three current players involved in this.
Johnson, The Tech one, not yours
August 17th, 2011
10:04 am
This all sounds important…..but I sent Groh to the store an hour ago to get more corn meal and he ain’t back. Now, That’s news. Got 40 pounds to fry today before practice and now I’m nervous, not to mention hot frying fish in this wind suit,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Never mind, here he his, the cops brought him back…..Whew.
AltamahaDawg
August 17th, 2011
10:05 am
It’s one thing to have rampant speculations, but then some of you folks really take it a step further and draw conclusion that wouldn’t even make sense if all the speculations were true.
Flaubert
August 17th, 2011
10:06 am
No, this story is about how a UGa player was said to have visited the home of a Miami booster together w/his HS coach. It’s true or it isn’t. If it is true and this is a NCAA violation, then it is what it is. You can’t pick and choose in this Miami saga.
Pickle Tile
August 17th, 2011
10:07 am
Trolls everywhere! The Techies are loving this… for the wrong reason. Your big brother and Orson did not do anything wrong. If Orson was guilty, don’t you think he would be a Cane? The Virgins/Nerds should be happy this is happening to a division rival.
The reason Chip wrote this is because this is national news, people. I, however, tend not to believe convicted felons when they open their mouth… but it is Da U we are talking about.
Johnson, The Tech one, not yours
August 17th, 2011
10:08 am
I ask Groh yesterday if he ever texted any of our recruits and he told me he don’t even text with his wife any more…………….Say what!!!!!!!
GAtor
August 17th, 2011
10:10 am
If he turned down Miami after this “recruitment pitch” and instead went to UGA…What was in the UGA pitch that made it better. Recruitment violations are rampant in all of the NCAA so I’m just sayin.
Troll Power Ratings
August 17th, 2011
10:10 am
Thanks for a little perspective, CRO-MAGNON MAN. I hope Charles is cleared and can play. I don’t know if what he did (talk to a booster and look in the guys clothes closet) would get him punished or the school (Miami). Georgia is not involved.
Charles could be a feature of the offense so he would be missed, but tight end is one of Georgia’s deepest positions.
Sorry Trolls, worst case this isn’t catastrophic.
Flaubert
August 17th, 2011
10:11 am
Charles will be held out until something is resolved, just like UNC did w/it’s players. You can’t run risk of playing players who might be later judged as being ineligible (unless you’re OSU or Auburn).
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 17th, 2011
10:11 am
Miami fans are beside themselves on ESPN. Very funny to read the comments. Some want the guy shanked in Prison. That is perspective.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 17th, 2011
10:15 am
If Orson did indeed visit that Miami booster’s house for a recruiting pitch (why else would he go there?), what would be the repurcussions for him?
What would be the repurcussions for Georgia if they knew that Orson made this visit and still played him anyway?
Amazing
August 17th, 2011
10:15 am
I am not a rabid alumni from any school in GA. However, I agree this istory is a non-starter. The bigger issue in my mind is that the NCAA continues to hold 17-19 year old to a higher standard of behavior than adults. Also, this guy is just splinning the beans because he got caught and now wants to reliatate.
sheepdawg
August 17th, 2011
10:15 am
Real change won’t happen until university trustees, not just presidents, show they value the academic mission more than winning games.
Spike 80DF
August 17th, 2011
10:16 am
Why are you guys blaming Chip for this? He’s just reporting what was said and it includes a current UGA player. Chill the eff out…
sheepdawg
August 17th, 2011
10:18 am
America — the only country in the world, by the way, with universities that sponsor commercial sports.
AltamahaDawg
August 17th, 2011
10:18 am
It’s an NCAA voilation on Miami’s behalf when recruiting Charles was his point Flaubert. A point that you just reiterrated. Who was picking and choosing anything?
Amazed
August 17th, 2011
10:20 am
You people amaze me. I am not a big fan of the AJC, but how can you blame them FOR REPORTING NEWS ABOUT A GEORGIA PLAYER who was mentioned in probably the biggest NCAA scandal, maybe ever. Whether he is guilty or not, it’s not the AJC’s fault for reporting what is a national story. Never once did I hear the author say anything about guilt.
Maybe my Tech friends are right about the Georgia fanbase. I have been a fan since watching Hershel vault over the lines for td’s when I was 6 years old, but when I see the sort of attacking, hyper, overactive imaginations by Georgia fans on this blog, it makes me wonder. Is football really that important to all of you? stuff like this tests my faith in humanity…
Johnson, The Tech one, not yours
August 17th, 2011
10:20 am
Yea I just heard heard about Orson Charles. They tell me he’s a pass catching tight end. I’ll tell you that’s a waste of talent, using a TE to catch a pass. Geez.
sheepdawg
August 17th, 2011
10:21 am
The number of Georgia kids living in poverty climbed to nearly 570,000 in recent years with the state ranking among the worst in the country for overall child well-being, a new study shows.
Football Insider
August 17th, 2011
10:24 am
Ok, something I haven’t seen on here that could potentially be an issue.
WHEN (It’s not if) the NCAA comes to Athens to corroborate evidence with Orson about Shapiro, Orson better tell god’s holy truth and make sure he spills everything. Bad stuff happens with you do not cooperate with the NCAA and Orson has nothing to lose with Miami but everything to lose with UGA and his career if he does not cooperate.
Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
August 17th, 2011
10:24 am
amazed @ 10:20……..What the Georgia people are amazed at is the attention this gets. At fla and bama, it’s a bump in the road, and you can bet fla nor bama will hold anybody out of a game over this crap. It’s Miami’s problem
Pickle Tile
August 17th, 2011
10:26 am
Amazed
The people overreacting ARE NOT GEORGIA FANS. They are what you call Trolls. They reside in Atlanta, GA on North Avenue. Tech fans completely obsessed with UGA.
AltamahaDawg
August 17th, 2011
10:26 am
Illogical conclusion even IF the specualtion were accurate is exactly what you are doing Flaubert to suggest he should be considered ineligible.
Eligibility would ONLY be an issue IF improper benifits were accepted. nobody including the creep himself have ever suggested that. Now if that comes out, (despite not a evidence to suggest that) then yes, Orson Charles has broken his amateur status.
Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
August 17th, 2011
10:27 am
You want Jobs sheepdawg. follow Canada’s lead. Corporate tax rate down to 18% going to 16.9 in Jan. Their economy is on fire. This guy we have now wants to pile on the 35% we have now. It’s just evil…….And vote baiting.
ramblingbuzz
August 17th, 2011
10:29 am
I get nervous whenever closet and clothes are mentioned in the same sentence with NCAA investigation.
KeepDreaming
August 17th, 2011
10:30 am
Sounds to me like they already got the bad guy in this story. Move on please!
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 17th, 2011
10:30 am
One could gather that improper benefits were accepted the moment Orson stepped foot in the extravagant seaside mansion of that Miami booster.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 17th, 2011
10:30 am
I saw the past weeks 60 minutes. 600 American based companys in Ireland, all paying about 12% corporate taxes. We wonder where our jobs are?
Toomers corner
August 17th, 2011
10:31 am
Hey, we got dead trees down here and all our Bag men in prison. You think you got problems?
GrantParkGator
August 17th, 2011
10:31 am
Nothing will happen with OC,Patchan or Debose. Maybe the “home visit” made it easy for them to decided the”U” wasn’t the place for them. IF the report abut OC is true and Dan Weiner accompanied him on the visit, this will be the end of his career as Plant High HC….which is the BEST part of the whole mess.
Pickle Tile
August 17th, 2011
10:32 am
Our govt is as guilty as this Shapiro fella.
ramblingbuzz
August 17th, 2011
10:33 am
Hey Johnson, do you serve fried Pickle Tile with those hushpuppies? He seems to be all obessed with GT, he probably needs to know.
Just A Thought
August 17th, 2011
10:33 am
The questions is what did UGA flash in front of him that made their offer more appealing? I doubt it’s titles or trophies.
AltamahaDawg
August 17th, 2011
10:34 am
SO, you are a sort of Georgia fan, but based on what a handfull of tech fans are flaming, in a sports blog, you have concluded that your tech friends might be correct in thier dislike of Georgia fans and decided….all of a sudden today…. that all Georgia fans are a blight on humanity?
Uh huh. Nothing like being a clear thinking independant person with strong convictions in your life.
Ramblin Man
August 17th, 2011
10:35 am
Does not sound like much. Hopefully players both at UGA and GT that were also being looked at by Miami did not do anything stupid. Just shows that these boosters are all over and if not for him spilling the beans the NCAA would know nothing. The NCAA needs to go.
Carl Spackler
August 17th, 2011
10:35 am
I doubt Marve was pushing The U to Orson after the way he felt that was treated. Marve was looking to get out of Dade County about that time. Sure a coach may have introduced him, but I’m sure Orson met a lot of people during his visit. Ever meet Orson? Well I met him at least 5 times during 7 on7’s here in Tampa during the summer before his senior season. The guy is one of the most approachable people you’d ever want to meet, however when I said I met him 5 times, it was just that. Even though I was a friend of one of his teammates, the guy never remembered me. It was funny that he couldn’t remember me because I have pretty distinct facial hair, plus I have one ugly mug. But every time I was there with my friend he would come over and introduce himself, and my friend would say to Orson that you met him numerous times before. So, if Orson met the guy I’m sure that he made the guy feel real good, but I doubt that it meant anything to him. He’s just a real nice and down to earth good guy. BTW, hope to make it up to a game with my buddy and “meet” him again, LOL.
AltamahaDawg
August 17th, 2011
10:36 am
On could gather that Steve Spurrier is a drunk because he surrounds himself with them. You know, since we are just shotgunning wild conclusion here.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 17th, 2011
10:37 am
Maybe the “home visit” made it easy for them to decided the”U” wasn’t the place for them.
———————————-
Doesn’t matter.
They still made the visit, which could be an NCAA rules violation.
ramblingbuzz
August 17th, 2011
10:38 am
Johnson, maybe you should serve fried trolls with the pickles. What is a troll anyway? I’ve heard of fried TWinkies. Think they serve them at Ugag home games.
Jim Tavegia
August 17th, 2011
10:39 am
The problem here is that there is no “new ” news, just a rehash of other info that is out there. No great investigative journalism going on here. Must be a slow news day. Take you pad, pencil, and a smart card recorder and go get your own story. That is what real reporters do.
Pete Van Weird
August 17th, 2011
10:43 am
So patently apparent that the homeboys of the AJC want to point the finger away from the institute on North Ave. This is not newsworthy, fellas. Scramble around and find something of substance. This is like saying there’s a possibility that Alaska will be invaded by the Chinese tomorrow, but then again, maybe not. So sad. Reminds me of the classic Myrtle Beach sign: free beer tomorrow. AJC sports crew: your limp is showing, in a big way.
Da U
August 17th, 2011
10:44 am
@Carl Spackler
That’s what I was saying, OC was dating Marve’s sister at the time when his recruitment was going on, so i’m sure he was leaning towards UM at the time. Then in December when the on Marve thing went down and he left the program OC, probably changed his mind on UM. Now i’m not saying anything went down, but i’m sure OC came down during the season to some of the games and maybe he met Nevin during one of the visits. I don’t know what happen then, but I just remember everyone talking about OC during the this time on the Miami boards about him being a UM lean at the time. Maybe he was going to UM until the Marve thing happen.
Patrick
August 17th, 2011
10:45 am
Nothing Could Be Finer – Keep on holding your breathe in hopes that this is a violation… my guess is you will turn blue and pass out. You’re such a troll…