Husker Football: Could an NCAA Backhand Be Coming?

A Nov. 6, 2014 Wall Street Journal article regarding Husker football is anything but sunshiney. It’s not about Rex Burkhead, Jack Hoffman, Tim Miles or cats.

Allegedly, former Huskers Steve Octavien along with Josh and Daniel Bullocks all palled around with a shady figure in former stockbroker Mary Wong. According to the author of the article, Julie Steinberg, Octavien gave Wong a sweet 80 large to invest as a financial adviser.

He hasn’t seen that change again and believes Wong actually forged his signature to use said monies in order to pay off her own credit card bills.

Things got even worse for the Bullocks brothers. According to Steinberg’s piece, they “turned to Ms. Wong for advice about managing their money, gave her power of attorney and formed a limited-liability investment company with the broker.”

Dan Bullocks got a happy note from the FBI saying that Wong apparently took hundreds of thousands of dollars out of the brothers’ accounts.

The bad news continues.

"“At Nebraska, several former football players remember Ms. Wong as a familiar sight. They say she hosted cookouts at her Omaha home, sometimes preparing short ribs. She also paid for clothes and flights on a private jet, took players to nightclubs and bought tire rims for one player’s car.”"

Former Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky got himself a suit and $800 Christmastime spending money.

Summing things up: a number of Huskers allegedly received plenty of greenbacks and other nice gifts that they shouldn’t have.

I can only assume several fans will jump to the conclusion that Nebraska and Miami are about to have something else in common with probation courtesy of a Ponzi artist. However, it’s far too early to start cancelling any savings for future bowl trips.

It’ll be interesting to see what roles past and current members of the football program have in any future review, including current head coach Bo Pelini. He was one of the Huskers’ defensive coordinators during the Bullocks’ Nebraska careers.

Steinberg was able to speak with a Nebraska spokeswoman who informed her, “the college told the NCAA about ‘one of the allegations.'”

"“She says Nebraska ‘takes seriously any claims of potential rules violations by former student-athletes. As we do with all alleged claims, we review the available information and the credibility of the source and take appropriate action if warranted, including self-reporting to the NCAA.'”"

This is wonderful timing as the university just came off of a two-year probation in January for giving its student-athletes more books and supplies than they were allowed.

If there’s one offense an organization supposedly overseeing “student-athletes” could shrug off, you think it’d be that one. Of course, the NCAA’s like a broken clock in terms of actually dispensing proper punishment.

Obviously an investigation should show just how deep the rabbit hole goes in regards to Wong’s interaction with the Nebraska football program. Should fans be worried about scholarship reductions and postseason stiff-arms much like Miami saw?

Honestly, at this point, any prediction about how harshly the NCAA would come down on Nebraska if it determined the program messed up is pure speculation.

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While former Huskers apparently accepted benefits, Miami was slapped with the dreaded “lack of institutional control” tag thanks to Nevin Shapiro. I doubt that’d happen here.

There is one thing that sticks out to me that could benefit the Big Red in this case.

If the NCAA stops by for a spot of tea (I’m going to take a shot in the dark and say they do), looking at how Octavien, the Bullocks brothers and others profited (or ultimately suffered) as a result of Wong’s meddling likely plays a role in any punishment.

If the players accepted gifts, that’s no good, but if they were taken for a bigger ride, surely some compassion’s to be had, no?

The University of Nebraska is likely getting its ducks in a row. Hopefully Husker football fans will only have to ride one roller coaster, specifically one limited to the playing field.

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