Fab 5 (official thread)

[LightningRod]

Thursday, September 1, 2005
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Duane Burleson / Associated Press

After the end of Chris Webber's court-ordered community service with Detroit students, he vows to continue mentoring kids next summer.

Webber prosecution wraps up

U.S. district judge imposes a misdemeanor penalty, praises former U-M hoops star's community service.

By David Shepardson / The Detroit News

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DETROIT -- The prosecution of NBA star Chris Webber ended not with a bang, but with the writing of a $100,000 check.

Ending a five-year ordeal, U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds on Wednesday sentenced Webber, who pleaded guilty to criminal contempt in July 2003. She chose to impose a misdemeanor penalty rather than a felony.

Under a plea agreement, Webber admitted that he misled a federal grand jury in August 2000 about repaying U-M booster Eddie Martin some $38,000. Prosecutors dropped similar charges against Webber's father and aunt.

Webber, a former Fab Five basketball star at the University of Michigan, pleaded guilty to avoid the prospect of jail.

Edmunds lavished praise on Webber, a former Detroit Country Day and University of Michigan player, for completing 300 hours of court-ordered community service spent mentoring and reading to at-risk middle school students in Detroit over the past two summers.

But Edmunds also said Webber's misconduct was serious, and imposed the maximum fine allowable for a misdemeanor contempt offense: $100,000.

Webber went upstairs to the clerk's office a few minutes later and wrote a check to the United States District Court for $100,000. That shouldn't shrink Webber's balance too much. He makes $20 million a season -- or $243,000 a game under a six-year, $120 million contract signed in 2001 with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Edmunds also said Webber had spent $78,000 of his money giving students gifts and had promoted the merits of literacy in speeches to more than 5,000 students in addition to his 332 total hours of community service.

Edmunds said Webber had atoned for his crime by volunteering with a "willing and generous spirit" and pointed to more than 100 letters she had received from educators and kids who had praised Webber. She also said students who had participated in the intensive program had seen their reading test scores improve.

Webber apologized to the court during the brief hearing. "I'm very pleased Judge Edmunds gave me the opportunity to work with the children of Detroit," Webber said.

He vowed to continue the program next summer in Detroit.

Edmunds rejected a request by the University of Michigan for restitution, saying her court "is simply not the proper forum." She said the school could file a civil suit. The school had asked Edmunds to order Webber to repay it for the legal fees and costs it incurred related to the scandal, surrounding payments made to at least four U-M players by Martin. The school had asked Webber for about $695,000 -- including the cost of his athletic scholarship.

U-M forfeited 113 victories and took down the Fab Five-era postseason banners at Crisler Arena. The NCAA put the U-M men's basketball team on probation, and the school returned about $325,000 to the NCAA. It also spent about $350,000 in legal fees.

U-M declined to comment on Edmunds decision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Corbett also declined to comment.

You can reach David Shepardson at (313) 222-2028 or dshepardson@detnews.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/um/0509/01/B01-300009.htm

[BB73]

So if you do something wrong:

1 - Lie about it.
2 - Plead to a lesser charge.
3 - Act like you're sorry.
4 - Write a check. Also do community service in front of some cameras.
5 - Continue making millions as a pro

Thus ends today's lesson for famous athletes in legal trouble.

Earlier lessons from other pros include:

6 - Hope nobody can sue you in a civil suit. If they can, settle out of court.

Thus ends today's lesson for famous athletes in legal trouble.

[gotwoody]

Originally Posted by BB73

So if you do something wrong:

1 - Lie about it.
2 - Plead to a lesser charge.
3 - Act like you're sorry.
4 - Write a check. Also do community service in front of some cameras.
5 - Continue making millions as a pro

Thus ends today's lesson for famous athletes in legal trouble.

Earlier lessons from other pros include:

6 - Hope nobody can sue you in a civil suit. If they can, settle out of court.

Thus ends today's lesson for famous athletes in legal trouble.

yeah i agree entirely with this post... if that was anyone of us we would've been sentenced to time in prison, but because Chris Webber is a famous athlete he got off the hook (scUM), this is basically how it is for all famous athletes now; which is unfair to every American who isn't in that category of famous athletes

[osugrad21]

Link

Michigan's Fab Five conjures bittersweet memories By LARRY LAGE, AP Sports Writer
February 8, 2007


ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- The Fab Five's tangible accomplishments are rolled up, wrapped in plastic and tucked away in the basement of the University of Michigan's Bentley Historical Library.
A blue banner with "1993 NCAA Finalist" in maize lettering was unfurled earlier this week for an Associated Press reporter and photographer for the first time since it was taken down from Crisler Arena's rafters in 2002.
Chris Webber knows that banner and one from 1992 are out of sight because of the school's self-imposed sanctions, but insists the Fab Five never will leave the public consciousness.
"You can't think of Michigan without thinking of us," Webber said in an interview with the AP.

Cont'd...

[DeRoy0610]

Fab Five NEVER Existed! (according to the record books at least) yeah we can remember them, but all there accomplishments were for nothing. correct me if im wrong but i do beleive michigan had to forfeit 9 years of basketball games. completely erased from the record books were anything they did. and after that whole ordeal and after the main booster died, chris webber still said he should have his jersey retired!