Texas A&M Looks Into Possible Violations From Secret Newsletter

Texas A&M Officials Investigating Franchione's VIP E-Mails To Boosters

Texas A&M officials have launched an inquiry into possible NCAA rules violations stemming from football coach Dennis Franchione’s sale of the secret “VIP Connection” newsletter written by Franchione’s personal assistant Mike McKenzie and distributed to 12-15 boosters at $1,200 per subscriber, according to Brian Davis of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. A&M Interim President Ed Davis in a statement said AD Bill Byrne and the school’s NCAA compliance officer will “urgently look into the matter … to ensure there are no violations of NCAA rules or regulations" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/3).

FRAN STAYING PUT: Franchione said, “I have no intention of resigning this position” (Mult., 10/3). In San Antonio, Brent Zwerneman notes that over the past five days, national columnists and radio talk-show hosts "have called for Franchione’s job based on the idea that, as a state employee, he had put a price tag on inside knowledge.” But Franchione has said that he did not profit from the service and that proceeds went to his personal Web site. Bryan Consulting Owner Jeff Keys, whose St. Louis-based firm runs the Web site, declined to comment. McKenzie last week said that the newsletter was “a ‘goodwill gesture’ to keep the boosters in touch with the programs’ inner workings” (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 10/3).