High School Coach Allegedly Boosted Syracuse Football Player's Grades

I suppose that since we've already got a basketball scandal going, it's only fair that we get involved in a football one.

The New York Post is reporting that Joe Cipp Jr., former head football coach at Long Island’s Bellport High School, pressured school officials to boost the grades of star player Ryan Sloan's math grades so he could qualify for a full scholarship to Syracuse.

The blockbuster charges of grade-fixing were leveled against then-head coach Joe Cipp Jr. — who was also the district’s superintendent at the time and remains in that position — and assistant Superintendent Nelson Briggs. The allegations are in a notice of intent to sue the district filed by former Bellport Principal Kevin O’Connell, who claims he was fired after refusing to fudge the student’s transcript.

According to the report, Sloan and his guardians were involved in a meeting that led to Sloan's F being changed to a D. Sloan's previous math class grades had been changed as well, according to O'Connell.

The Post reported that Sloan indeed get a D in that math class despite "excessive absences and/or lates" and "low grades on tests/quizzes."

Ryan Sloan saw action in the Rutgers game though he did not accumulate any stats. He came to SU via John Anselmo. Scout had given him a 3-star rating and ranked him sixtieth nationally as an offensive lineman.

It's a shame if this is true as Sloan is a feelgood story. He's blind in his right eye, lost his mother early on and has been raised by his aunt.

H/T: Jordan