ESPN Reports Cal Athletes Potentially Involved in "Shoegate" Like North Carolina

Cal could be caught up in the scandal that caused North Carolina, the Bears’ opening opponent, to suspend 13 football players. However it is unlikely whatever transgressions the Bears committed were not on the scale of the Tar Heels'

ESPN reported Friday that UNC informed three other schools including Cal that some of their players could be guilty of reselling shoes that were given to them as part of the school’s apparel deal. That is a violation of NCAA rules.

Cal issued a brief statement Friday saying North Carolina notified it only last week of the possibility of some wrong doing by Berkeley athletes.

“North Carolina contacted us last Friday afternoon (Aug. 3) to inform us of the allegation,” the statement read. “Our compliance office is conducting a review of the claim and, based on what it finds, will determine whether a report needs to be provided to the NCAA. As an athletic department, we expect coaches, staff and student-athletes to comply with all NCAA rules and regulations.”

According to the ESPN report the shoes involved were Nike Air Jordans, which can fetch four figures on the resale market. However, Cal’s current apparel contract is with Under Armour, so  if any Cal athletes did re-sell Nike shoes, they are probably no longer in school at Berkeley.

A Cal spokesman said that the school did not know even which sport, football or basketball, might be involved.

Here is the link to the ESPN story:

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/24344541/north-carolina-tar-heels-warn-others-wake-ncaa-violations-shoe-resales