Just a few hours ago Fiesta Bowl CEO John Junker was fired along with two other bowl officials after an independent investigators discovered possible illegal conduct and expenses deemed lavish and excessive. Some of these involving politicians, strippers and business partners, all of which are against the rules according to the Fiesta Bowl.
In the 276 Page Report, which you can read on the Fiesta Bowl site, it outlines everything that the investigators filed, here are some of the highlights which make this story intriguing….
-Junker was reimbursed 4.85 Million which almost half is being questioned as legitimate.
-Night at Strip Club which totaled $1,200 Dollars.
-$13,000 Dollars spent by Junker to travel to an associates wedding in Missouri
-$30, 000 Dollars spent on Junker’s Birthday Party in Pebble Beach, CA
-The Bowl also reimbursed 11 bowl members for more than 40, 000 Dollars in political contributions which were first discovered by the Arizona Republic in 2009. If true, that would be illegal according to federal and state laws.
This would be damaging to the Fiesta Bowl’s reputation and could have them at the mercy of the BCS, yes the BCS could remove the Fiesta Bowl as one of their games. Think I’m talking crazy?? Read this next quote straight from the BCS Exectuive Director, Bill Hancock.
“We have asked the bowl to demonstrate why it should remain a BCS bowl game, the task force will evaluate the bowls response along with full slate of reforms instituted by the bowl”.
So if the BCS decides to drop the Fiesta Bowl as a BCS Game, who steps up in their spot. The Cotton Bowl, Gator Bowl, Peach or as it’s called now, the Chick Fil A Bowl. Only time will tell and we might all be saying that the BCS Finally got something right, for once.
