Wake Forest's own Tommy Elrod caught leaking football information to other teams

[Deacsfan27]

A few further thoughts. First, I'd be surprised if money exchanged hands over this information. As an opposing coach, you'd have to think that this stuff may well be disinformation. You might accept the intel, keep its content in the back of your mind and evaluate its authenticity as the game goes on. But no way would you pay for it. Especially considering you're not talking about the Michigan/tOSU game - you're talking about a sub .500 ACC team. Why put yourself further out on a limb if you're an opposing coach? So I have to believe the motive was pure retribution, not pecuniary.

Apparently, the investigation has produced phone records and maybe more? How the eff stupid are you if you're Elrod. If you're going to commit treason, you gotta know the rest of your career is toast if you're ever discovered. So don't leave an electronic or paper trail. Which means don't use your work phone or email account. Reminds me of when I ask friends who are cops why idiot criminals do such stupid things in failing to cover up what they've done. And their response is usually to say don't put your standards on what most criminals do because most of them are stupid, and that's why some of the smart ones don't get caught.

Lastly, why publicize this information if you're Wake? It's just a yuge black eye that can also be used for negative recruiting. Why not instead quietly fire Elrod, confront him with what you have and tell him if he doesn't get his ass out of Winston-Salem in the next month and comply with your other requests, that the info will be made public which will prevent him from any future employment in the industry.

This is the part that leads me to believe the story isn't anywhere close to over with. No way we make this big of a deal about it if it's essentially much ado about nothing. Guessing there's a lot more that will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

 

[CharlotteDeac1]

Hadn't seen this posted yet - ESPN article got comment from Skinner

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/18272514/wake-forest-finds-radio-announcer-leaked-game-plans-opponents


Former Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner said the Tommy Elrod he knows is a "stand-up character guy" and one of the biggest reasons he went to Wake Forest. Skinner said he has talked to Elrod about once a month since leaving Wake Forest and that he put a Christmas card in the mail for Elrod two days ago.


"I'm honestly shocked and blown away from what I've been reading," Skinner said. "I'm praying that something has been blown out of proportion or there's some miscommunication, and I want to support him until I hear something from him. ... Alphonso Smith just called me, and all of my teammates -- everybody is just stunned and shocked, because the Tommy Elrod we know, he loved Wake Forest, he loved coaching. It's his alma mater. I just can't see him doing this. Strange doesn't even begin to describe the situation.

"I'm still praying there is some gap in this story. I'm hoping for the best for him and his family, because he's got three amazing kids and a great wife. ... I've reached out to him, but he's probably turning every bit of communication off."

If there is a "gap in the story" or it "got blown out of proportion" and turns out to not be a big deal our athletic department and school would be the laughing stock of the NCAA for the rest of time.


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[donaldross]

The conclusion I draw from this is our AD thinks we are just going to believe everything they say without proof because he believes he is really, really smart. And we aren't. Oh wait, that's the conclusion I already had from the last 24 years. You have completely trashed someone who has spent the last 20 years with us and actually attended Wake. Let's see why. If you have the goods, we're ready to fry him. But I doubt he actually gave them our plays. Clawson calls it "incomprehensible." Riley Skinner calls him a "stand up guy" and finds it "hard to believe." Forgive me for agreeing.

 

[Lohengrin]

Just saw this disgrace this morning. Unbelievable. All the negative rumors of the poor attitude of the Grobe staff hits me hard again. Coaches that were "okay" with losing, had no fire. Felt Wake was too hard to permit a successful coach. Wasn't it Godspower Offor (going on memory here) who trashed the staff this way after he transferred to Howard? This pitiful Elrod, for hate or money, felt no one would suspect his treachery because Wake sucks anyway. And I've read posts about him here predicting failure... this is more than a financial deal. Elrod seemed to have no talent, but now he's Wake's Benedict Arnold. Why is it Wake who suffers from this kind of harm? Why not Carolina or Duke? Is it because it's so easy here? I'm just blown away by an alum of all people harming us. Burn in hell, Elrod.

 

[cookoutdeac]

re: last few pages - Doxxing this guy is probably not a good look for the boards.

Yes, I didn't think it needed to be explained, but if anyone does any sort of doxxing or posts his address or anything at all like that it will be an immediate ban. And I know we're all mad at him for this, but chill it on any sort of threats too, we don't condone that kind of behavior.

 

[Deacsfan27]

The conclusion I draw from this is our AD thinks we are just going to believe everything they say without proof because they are really, really smart. And we aren't. Oh wait, that's the conclusion I already had from the last 24 years.

While I normally agree with you on these types of matters, the force that Wake acted with, combined with the statements from Wellman and Clawson (after investigating e-mails and phone calls), would indicate this is a pretty big deal.

Does it not?

 

[TownieDeac]

The Ringer wrote about it.

 

[Liquid Karma]

re: last few pages - Doxxing this guy is probably not a good look for the boards.

Just hopped on really quick to echo this. The doxxing, and discussions of what physical ill should befall Elrod stop immediately. We will ban anyone who crosses the line from this point forward.

 

[Lohengrin]

Agree with doofus. The release was very strong and based on emails and texts. As incompetent as our AD has been there's no way they're shooting from the hip here. They've got Elrod by the balls and if there's anyone at other programs complicit in this crime their heads will roll too.

 

[liveanddiedeac]

If there is a "gap in the story" or it "got blown out of proportion" and turns out to not be a big deal our athletic department and school would be the laughing stock of the NCAA for the rest of time.


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I can't imagine, even Wellman, letting this get out if it wasn't 99.9% percent certain and solid. Riley is just going through the stage any of us would go through if we find out someone we knew did something really bad that we thought a lot of and couldn't imagine ever doing something so wrong.

 

[macktheknife]

A few further thoughts. First, I'd be surprised if money exchanged hands over this information. As an opposing coach, you'd have to think that this stuff may well be disinformation. You might accept the intel, keep its content in the back of your mind and evaluate its authenticity as the game goes on. But no way would you pay for it. Especially considering you're not talking about the Michigan/tOSU game - you're talking about a sub .500 ACC team. Why put yourself further out on a limb if you're an opposing coach? So I have to believe the motive was pure retribution, not pecuniary.

Apparently, the investigation has produced phone records and maybe more? How the eff stupid are you if you're Elrod. If you're going to commit treason, you gotta know the rest of your career is toast if you're ever discovered. So don't leave an electronic or paper trail. Which means don't use your work phone or email account. Reminds me of when I ask friends who are cops why idiot criminals do such stupid things in failing to cover up what they've done. And their response is usually to say don't put your standards on what most criminals do because most of them are stupid, and that's why some of the smart ones don't get caught.

Lastly, why publicize this information if you're Wake? It's just a yuge black eye that can also be used for negative recruiting. Why not instead quietly fire Elrod, confront him with what you have and tell him if he doesn't get his ass out of Winston-Salem in the next month and comply with your other requests, that the info will be made public which will prevent him from any future employment in the industry.

I can only imagine if Wellman had kept this quiet and then it was leaked by one of a dozen former players. This board would explode. In addition you leave out the co conspirators who should be the real targets.

 

[Tin Cup]

The conclusion I draw from this is our AD thinks we are just going to believe everything they say without proof because they are really, really smart. And we aren't. Oh wait, that's the conclusion I already had from the last 24 years.

If you want to be skeptical of Wellman in this situation that's fine, but Clawson has done nothing to warrant us not taking his comments at face value. Nobody with any shred of intelligence is going to make public comments pointing the finger at someone without credible evidence to protect them from a lawsuit and/or public humiliation. Even though its not his fault, its still a black eye for Clawson and the program. He wouldnt let this be made public without believing it had serious implications on what has happened on the field the past 3 years.

My sense is that Wake doesnt feel it is there place to make public accusations against fellow ACC programs. Wake may not even know the extent of what someone at another school accepted or didnt. But they at least know what was done from the Elrod side, which warranted contacting other ACC schools. Now the burden of proof is on the other ACC schools to do their work and come clean if necessary.

 

[ImTheCaptain]

The Ringer wrote about it.

get some

This is one of the silliest scandals in recent college football history. It’s called Wakeyleaks, or maybe it’s called Wake-A-Mole, or maybe we have to rename the university Stay Woke Forest so the school’s athletes and students can be on high alert for potential conspiracies.

 

[2&2 Slider To Leyritz]

Agree with doofus. The release was very strong and based on emails and texts. As incompetent as our AD has been there's no way they're shooting from the hip here. They've got Elrod by the balls and if there's anyone at other programs complicit in this crime their heads will roll too.

Dude, come on. It's Wake Forest football. Nobody's heads will roll and everyone but us will forget this even happened by Friday. This will end the worst way possible - nothing happens to Elrod beyond getting fired, Wellman uses the "investigation" to justify his continued job for the next 5-8 years, and we'll still suck in both major sports.

 

[DeacKillsaDevil]

The conclusion I draw from this is our AD thinks we are just going to believe everything they say without proof because he believes he is really, really smart. And we aren't. Oh wait, that's the conclusion I already had from the last 24 years. You have completely trashed someone who has spent the last 20 years with us and actually attended Wake. Let's see why. If you have the goods, we're ready to fry him. But I doubt he actually gave them our plays. Clawson calls it "incomprehensible." Riley Skinner calls him a "stand up guy" and finds it "hard to believe." Forgive me for agreeing.

We found a copy of our gameplan at Louisville. How is that not giving them plays?

 

[Deacsfan27]

ESPN reported that the information found at Louisville were plays that had not ever been run before in a game.

 

[PhDeac]

The conclusion I draw from this is our AD thinks we are just going to believe everything they say without proof because he believes he is really, really smart. And we aren't. Oh wait, that's the conclusion I already had from the last 24 years. You have completely trashed someone who has spent the last 20 years with us and actually attended Wake. Let's see why. If you have the goods, we're ready to fry him. But I doubt he actually gave them our plays. Clawson calls it "incomprehensible." Riley Skinner calls him a "stand up guy" and finds it "hard to believe." Forgive me for agreeing.

Dude. Let it go. You think Wellman is unjustly making Elrod the fall guy for this? You know how I feel about Wellman and I think your ideas are silly.

 

[TownieDeac]

at this point i'm starting to think donaldross is involved

:jfk:

 

[cville deac]

This is the part that leads me to believe the story isn't anywhere close to over with. No way we make this big of a deal about it if it's essentially much ado about nothing. Guessing there's a lot more that will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

That makes some sense if the story was too big to bottle up. In which case better to get out in front on it. That said, if this story peters out and turns out to be a mountain out of an isolated mole hill, then I gotta ask this question again.

But again, where is this going to go from here? Ain't no way opposing coaches would have paid money for some suspect gameplan intel. And if some assistant accepted it, and they kept the information in mind as they called their defensive signals, so what? Is the ACC going to suspend or even fine an opposing coach for accepting free information? That doesn't rise to the level of taping another team's walk through.

 

[donaldross]

While I normally agree with you on these types of matters, the force that Wake acted with, combined with the statements from Wellman and Clawson (after investigating e-mails and phone calls), would indicate this is a pretty big deal.

Does it not?

Exactly. That's the conclusion they want everyone to take from this. Without allowing us to see why. They may well be correct. I don't know. I represent neither Wake nor Elrod in this particular matter. But I know Wellman has every reason to scapegoat Elrod if there is more to this story. Easy enough for Wake to get it out there. Of course Elrod has to zip it. No matter the facts he would have to zip it.