Florida CFO Accuses NCAA President, Former FSU AD Of Retaliation After NIL Punishment
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis (R) is accusing NCAA President and former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) of “petty attacks” and is calling for an investigation after Florida State University was handed punishment for violating NIL rules in 2022.
Patronis also took a shot at former FSU Athletic Director and Vice President Stan Wilcox as well. He currently serves as the NCAA’s Executive Vice President of Regulatory Affairs.
“College football is broken and the NCAA needs to be investigated. I’m tired of the politics of Charlie Baker and Stan Wilcox and their petty attacks on FSU Football and the State of Florida. Baker won’t return my calls because he’s furious with Florida over the Martha’s Vineyard flights while he was the MA Governor. Wilcox ran Jimbo off & hired [Willie Taggart] and set the program back years. Somethings gotta give!” said Patronis on social media.
There is a lot to break down here.
In September of 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) sent approximately 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts – a county that has voted over 70% Democratic in the last three presidential elections. It is known for being a vacation spot for “America’s richest and most powerful people” according to Reuters.
The rationale from the Florida governor was that more liberal communities – such as Martha’s Vineyard – call for the acceptance of illegal immigrants from afar.
Gov. DeSantis’ maneuver was supposed to send a message. However, according to Patronis, Charlie Baker – a moderate Republican governor who rejected the idea of Massachusetts being a "sanctuary state" but often battled with pro-Trump GOP Chair of Massachusetts Jim Lyons – Gov. DeSantis’ message was not well received.
Moreover, it appears Patronis believes the recent penalties enacted upon FSU are retaliation against DeSantis.
Furthermore, in August of 2023, Patronis sent a letter to Baker requesting that Miami transfer Darrell Jackson Jr.’s hardship waiver be granted so that he could play the 2023 season. However, that request was denied by Baker.
In response, Patronis called Baker and the NCAA a bunch of “out-of-touch hypocrites” and even threatened legal action.
That being said, Gov. DeSantis has no real ties to Florida State. He graduated from Yale and Harvard Law School. Although politics and the retaliation alongside it can be petty, attempting to get back at DeSantis by punishing FSU would be quite the play.
Patronis does have ties to the university, however. He graduated from Florida State in 1996.
Additionally, in Patronis’ social media post, he accused Stan Wilcox of foul play concerning this matter.
As the Executive Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Wilcox sent a letter to all members of the NCAA in March of 2023 to remind administrators that they cannot compensate student-athletes.
Reports show that FSU did in fact violate NIL and recruiting standards.
But in the Wild West that is NIL which has yet to fulfill its manifest destiny and reach some form of civility, it appears Patronis believes that Wilcox’s ties to the university coupled with Baker’s need to enact revenge on the State of Florida led them to apply the law to unfairly.
This is a developing story.
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