I wonder what it is for NCAA violations.

Mark Blount, who was a brief (2-year) “star” for Pitt in the mid-90s during the Ralph Willard error, has had his name and college history come up during a nasty little trial (via SportsProf). Seems his legal guardian Maurizio Sanginti, is a star witness and has been detailing his past crimes:

… including (apparently) fraudulently helping Mark Blount obtain the requisite SAT score to play basketball at the University of Pittsburgh.

It should be noted that Sanginti sued Blount back in 2001 for $250,000, claiming that Blount never paid back a loan. Notwithstanding the veracity concerns of such an agenda-driven witness, Sanginti has made other notable revelations (and, importantly, made them under oath). As Blount’s “guardian,” Sanginti traveled with Blount across the country on recruiting trips and witnessed the following:

• Blount received $20,000 in cash from an alumnus of the University of Louisville on a recruiting trip;

• Blount received cash from an alumnus of the University of Cincinnati on a recruiting trip, apparently on instruction from coach Bob Huggins;

• Blount received periodic cash payments from University of Pittsburgh boosters (Blount played there for two years); and

• Blount took steroids (with assistance from Sanginti).

It’s now 10 years later. Willard was fired from Pitt in early ’99 and is now a “respected” coach at Holy Cross while his son is now stitting next to Louisville Coach Rick Pitino as an assistant (the job Ralph had before Pitt hired him). Blount has some absurd $36 million or so 7-year contract from the Celtics (hah!).

I would hope that there will be nothing to come back to Pitt, but with the NCAA you never know.