University of Miami in Trouble?

[Xavgrad08]

Hurricanes booster Nevin Shapiro described a sustained, eight-year run of rampant NCAA rule-breaking, some of it with the knowledge or direct participation of at least seven coaches from the Miami football and basketball programs. At a cost that Shapiro estimates in the millions of dollars, he said his benefits to athletes included but were not limited to cash, prostitutes, entertainment in his multimillion-dollar homes and yacht, paid trips to high-end restaurants and nightclubs, jewelry, bounties for on-field play (including bounties for injuring opposing players), travel and, on one occasion, an abortion.

http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/news?slug=cr-renegade_miami_booster_details_illicit_benefits_08 1611

Pretty serious allegations. I love the fact that Yahoo sports is starting to uncover some of these scandals. Dan Wetzel is one of the best investigative sports reporters in the business.

[danaandvictory]

Time to dust off the death penalty, I'm thinking.

[xavierj]

Man that sounds like it was a blast to play for the U. the past 10 years. Man I wish I could go back in time. How did they not get any kid they wanted during that time? That sounds like a real life version of the recruiting trips Johnny Walker took.

[Juice]

Hurricanes booster Nevin Shapiro described a sustained, eight-year run of rampant NCAA rule-breaking, some of it with the knowledge or direct participation of at least seven coaches from the Miami football and basketball programs. At a cost that Shapiro estimates in the millions of dollars, he said his benefits to athletes included but were not limited to cash, prostitutes, entertainment in his multimillion-dollar homes and yacht, paid trips to high-end restaurants and nightclubs, jewelry, bounties for on-field play (including bounties for injuring opposing players), travel and, on one occasion, an abortion.

http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/news?slug=cr-renegade_miami_booster_details_illicit_benefits_08 1611

Pretty serious allegations. I love the fact that Yahoo sports is starting to uncover some of these scandals. Dan Wetzel is one of the best investigative sports reporters in the business.

Nice article on why Yahoo taking over the internet when it comes to sports

http://outkickthecoverage.com/how-yahoo-sports-became-espns-biggest-competitor.php

As a fan of The U I have pretty much talked myself into not seeing anything special for the next 5 years (at least) from them. They are screwed.

[STL_XUfan]

Man that sounds like it was a blast to play for the U. the past 10 years. Man I wish I could go back in time. How did they not get any kid they wanted during that time? That sounds like a real life version of the recruiting trips Johnny Walker took.

Well now i am even more pissed that Mizzou hired Frank Haith. He couldn't even win buying players.

[Porkopolis]

Miami coaches, players and boosters must have taken lessons at the SMU School of Ethics.

[bobbiemcgee]

Can we now dub the OSU- U matchup in Miami on 9/17 as the Death Penalty Bowl?

[GoMuskies]

This is bad, bad news. Too many high profile schools doing so much cheating is going to lead to the relaxation of the rules pretty soon IMO. The networks and others have too many $$$$ tied up in college athletics to have a little cheating get in the way of their ratings horses. Bad things are coming for college sports.

[wkrq59]

Can we now dub the OSU- U matchup in Miami on 9/17 as the Death Penalty Bowl?

Bobbie,
Tried to rep you for this but as usual, man won't allow. Consider yourself triple repped. Great. Just great.
:logo::shield::sword:

[bobbiemcgee]

Thx Q. Maybe we can arrange for Casey Anthony to run out of the huddle naked so OSU can take the title.

[xudash]

Can we now dub the OSU- U matchup in Miami on 9/17 as the Death Penalty Bowl?

The Buckeyes won't receive the DP.

How about the INELIG-A-BOWL.

[SixFig]

The NCAA is going to go Medieval on Miami

[GoMuskies]

Maybe we can arrange for Casey Anthony to run out of the huddle naked
and

receive the DP.

I think she deserves it and America would tune in to watch.

[xudash]

and


I think she deserves it and America would tune in to watch.

Public reps to go with - wait a minute, I'm not going to use the phrase "private ones" - those which have already been bestowed quietly.

I can't believe I acronymed Death Penalty with a Casey Athony post involved, but now I can't figure out if it pertains more to a sentencing option versus a sexual act in her case. I think I just put myself into a circular reference over it.

[Masterofreality]

Hurricanes booster Nevin Shapiro described a sustained, eight-year run of rampant NCAA rule-breaking, some of it with the knowledge or direct participation of at least seven coaches from the Miami football and basketball programs. At a cost that Shapiro estimates in the millions of dollars, he said his benefits to athletes included but were not limited to cash, prostitutes, entertainment in his multimillion-dollar homes and yacht, paid trips to high-end restaurants and nightclubs, jewelry, bounties for on-field play (including bounties for injuring opposing players), travel and, on one occasion, an abortion.

Pretty serious allegations. I love the fact that Yahoo sports is starting to uncover some of these scandals. Dan Wetzel is one of the best investigative sports reporters in the business.

Charles Robinson, who wrote this is pretty damn good too.

Makes you not so sad that Miami got called for that "Pass Interference" Penalty in the BCS Championship game at the Fiesta Bowl vs. Oh-ho-ho State. With all the "ancillary benefits" those guys were getting, they probably didn't deserve to be on the field at all.

[kyxu]

I think the most surprising thing is how surprised everyone is. I mean, come on.

[bobbiemcgee]

Larry Flynt is doing the halftime show. Involves Cheerleaders, Stripper poles and ho's with dollar bills raining down like confetti.

[JimmyTwoTimes37]

http://www.rutherford.org/Issues/Images/DeathPenalty.jpg

[X-band '01]

I don't think the media will make a big deal of this unless Miami gets the hammer; Ohio State gets lambasted in the media because the school and the fans paint themselves as a clean and pious Midwesters program with a decent shot at winning national titles every now and then. The only problem is we find out that they cheat and still have trouble beating an overachieving SEC school.

Is anyone really shocked that Miami would be in this position? SMU was just high-profile enough of a program that the NCAA could make an example out of them and hammer them with the death penalty. It's possible that the current NCAA brass could make an example out of them.

As far as Ohio State goes, chances are we won't hear their punishment until mid-November (right around Michigan time).

[xubrew]

A couple of things...

the Miami situation is different than SMU because SMU involved university officials and board of trustees members. Miami just mainly involved a booster as its key player. It was outrageous, but the president of the university and its board members were not directly involved.

The media has not picked up on this, but Paul Dee is the current head of the Committee on Infractions. He is also the former AD from Miami. This is a guy that lives in an ivory tower. His approach to the USC and Memphis situations was that the universities should have known. At Memphis, the NCAA Clearing House didn't know, but the university should have anyway. That was his stance. It looks as if there is quite a bit that Dee didn't know while he was running shop at Miami. I can't help but think Memphis is smiling today.

-I really do feel sorry for Jim Larranaga. His old team will likely be a top 25 team this year. His new one is...well...headed for the shitter.

-As far as long term and big picture, remember when Baylor got half of a death penalty?? Well, you probably remember it, but you probably don't think about it much anymore, and it wasn't that long ago. It was also worse than what Miami has been accused of (so far). That escalated to a point to where coaches and athletic dept. personnel were involved in covering up a murder, or at least not being forthcoming with information. That was just the icing on the cake. Five years later, Baylor is alive and kicking. They're even better off than they were before. For better or worse, this stuff does tend to go away over time.

Having said that, this is one of the most outrageous breach of NCAA rules I have seen or heard of in quite some time. It may not last forever, but it will hurt for however long it does last. WOW!!

[xavierj]

A couple of things...

the Miami situation is different than SMU because SMU involved university officials and board of trustees members. Miami just mainly involved a booster as its key player. It was outrageous, but the president of the university and its board members were not directly involved.

The media has not picked up on this, but Paul Dee is the current head of the Committee on Infractions. He is also the former AD from Miami. This is a guy that lives in an ivory tower. His approach to the USC and Memphis situations was that the universities should have known. At Memphis, the NCAA Clearing House didn't know, but the university should have anyway. That was his stance. It looks as if there is quite a bit that Dee didn't know while he was running shop at Miami. I can't help but think Memphis is smiling today.

-I really do feel sorry for Jim Larranaga. His old team will likely be a top 25 team this year. His new one is...well...headed for the shitter.

-As far as long term and big picture, remember when Baylor got half of a death penalty?? Well, you probably remember it, but you probably don't think about it much anymore, and it wasn't that long ago. It was also worse than what Miami has been accused of (so far). That escalated to a point to where coaches and athletic dept. personnel were involved in covering up a murder, or at least not being forthcoming with information. That was just the icing on the cake. Five years later, Baylor is alive and kicking. They're even better off than they were before. For better or worse, this stuff does tend to go away over time.

Having said that, this is one of the most outrageous breach of NCAA rules I have seen or heard of in quite some time. It may not last forever, but it will hurt for however long it does last. WOW!!

What happened at Miami was as bad as I have seen since SMU. This situation is 10x worse than OSU and USC. They might not get the death penalty but I see a hammer hitting both the football and basketball programs. Frank Haith was hitting strip clubs with the cat, the president was gladly accepting tainted money and the compliance officer almost came to blows with the guy in a club suite. Miami knew what was going on regardless of if they were directly involved or not. if Miami does not get major sanctions, and I am talking a 5 year post season ban and a reduction of 50 football scholarships over the next 5 years, than the NCAA is a sham and crap like this will continue to happen. Oh and you can bet that this guy was not the only booster throwing cash and hoes at the Miami players.

[Juice]

A couple of things...

ESPN has not picked up on this, but Paul Dee is the current head of the Committee on Infractions. He is also the former AD from Miami. This is a guy that lives in an ivory tower. His approach to the USC and Memphis situations was that the universities should have known. At Memphis, the NCAA Clearing House didn't know, but the university should have anyway. That was his stance. It looks as if there is quite a bit that Dee didn't know while he was running shop at Miami. I can't help but think Memphis is smiling today.



Fixed it for you.

Stewart Mandel and Clay Travis have mentioned this numerous times today.

[xavierj]

One last thing. If Miami gets a slap on the wrist, maybe a few years probation and post season ban, why doesn't every school just go balls to the wall and cheat? I mean if you can buy players, win a bunch including say a National Championship with limited ramifications, why not do it? Yeah USC has to step back for a couple of years but they will be back, same for Ohio State. They will just cheat again and win until they get slapped again. What is the deterrent in the current state of the NCAA? If you are big time you can cheat, see USC, Alabama, LSU, Miami, Ohio State, Auburn and others, win, take the slap and re-peat. All of the aforementioned programs will be back and they will win. The cheating will be accepted.

[xubrew]

Fixed it for you.

Stewart Mandel and Clay Travis have mentioned this numerous times today.

Thanks.



What happened at Miami was as bad as I have seen since SMU. This situation is 10x worse than OSU and USC. They might not get the death penalty but I see a hammer hitting both the football and basketball programs. Frank Haith was hitting strip clubs with the cat, the president was gladly accepting tainted money and the compliance officer almost came to blows with the guy in a club suite. Miami knew what was going on regardless of if they were directly involved or not. if Miami does not get major sanctions, and I am talking a 5 year post season ban and a reduction of 50 football scholarships over the next 5 years, than the NCAA is a sham and crap like this will continue to happen. Oh and you can bet that this guy was not the only booster throwing cash and hoes at the Miami players.

Baylor was pretty over the top. It involved (allegedly) coaches supplying players with drugs, coaches playing a role in falsifying drug tests, coaches arranging for tuition to be paid for players who were walk-ons, coaches supplying players with money, assistant coaches being instructed to lie to NCAA investigators (specifically stating that the players had received the money not from the coaches, but from dealing drugs), holding illegal tryouts and paying those who participated, paying parents to lie to NCAA investigators, and to top it all off...they fail to cooperate with authorities while investigating the murder of one of their players, and then gave false information in the wrongful death suit that was filed.

To me, that was worse. The NCAA thinks it's really bad when a booster is out of control. They think it's even worse when it is coaches and university officials that are out of control. Baylor received half a death penalty for that.

Miami will get slammed, but if Baylor did all that and only lost half their season, then no way Miami gets the death penalty. They'll get some sort of bowl ban and be slapped with the lack of institutional control.

[xubrew]

One last thing. If Miami gets a slap on the wrist, maybe a few years probation and post season ban, why doesn't every school just go balls to the wall and cheat? I mean if you can buy players, win a bunch including say a National Championship with limited ramifications, why not do it?

Because in cases like this, individuals are held more responsible than the institutions. Many of the assitant coaches who are in those pictures are at other schools right now. Most, if not all, will lose their jobs.

Indiana didn't get in that much trouble, but Kelvin Sampson is out of work (at least in college). Same with Bruce Pearl. If you get arrested for murder, you may get a job in college athletics when you get out of prison. If you get a show-cause, you probably have less of a chance.

So, the best answer I can give is that people don't want to be the fall-guy.

[xavierj]

Thanks.




Baylor was pretty over the top. It involved (allegedly) coaches supplying players with drugs, coaches playing a role in falsifying drug tests, coaches arranging for tuition to be paid for players who were walk-ons, coaches supplying players with money, assistant coaches being instructed to lie to NCAA investigators (specifically stating that the players had received the money not from the coaches, but from dealing drugs), holding illegal tryouts and paying those who participated, paying parents to lie to NCAA investigators, and to top it all off...they fail to cooperate with authorities while investigating the murder of one of their players, and then gave false information in the wrongful death suit that was filed.

To me, that was worse. The NCAA thinks it's really bad when a booster is out of control. They think it's even worse when it is coaches and university officials that are out of control. Baylor received half a death penalty for that.

Miami will get slammed, but if Baylor did all that and only lost half their season, then no way Miami gets the death penalty. They'll get some sort of bowl ban and be slapped with the lack of institutional control.

Therein lies the problem. Really no reason not to cheat because the financial windfall from winning outweighs the slap on the wrist, 2-3 year delay, that goes with cheating. Maybe Xavier should just cheat like crazy, land the 5 best players in the land, win it all and then take a detention for a few years and do it again. Hell we have been playing by the rules for 30 years, have been successful but it has yet to get us where we want to be. Maybe if we ran a renegade program we would be better off. It seems to be rewarded in the current climate.

[xubrew]

Therein lies the problem. Really no reason not to cheat because the financial windfall from winning outweighs the slap on the wrist, 2-3 year delay, that goes with cheating. Maybe Xavier should just cheat like crazy, land the 5 best players in the land, win it all and then take a detention for a few years and do it again. Hell we have been playing by the rules for 30 years, have been successful but it has yet to get us where we want to be. Maybe if we ran a renegade program we would be better off. It seems to be rewarded in the current climate.

Like I said before, the individuals DO NOT get off with a slap on the wrist. They essentially lose their entire careers. In two to three years from now, no one at Miami will have had anything to do with this. When you look at it that way, all ten years of probation really accomplishes is punishing future players who are currently twelve years old for something that happened when they were....well....twelve years old.

I'm not a proponent of the NCAA, but the one thing they've gotten better about is not wanting to punish people for something that someone else did. The individuals involved will be dealt with more seriously than the institution. Many will never work in college athletics again. I for one see no real problem with that. I certainly don't see it as an open invitation to cheat.

[XUFan09]

Well now i am even more pissed that Mizzou hired Frank Haith. He couldn't even win buying players.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Should-Mizzou-back-Frank-Haith-despite-ties-to-M;_ylt=AlJTJEU16in1IboDC7GCNiXevbYF?urn=ncaab-wp4218

[xavierj]

Like I said before, the individuals DO NOT get off with a slap on the wrist. They essentially lose their entire careers. In two to three years from now, no one at Miami will have had anything to do with this. When you look at it that way, all ten years of probation really accomplishes is punishing future players who are currently twelve years old for something that happened when they were....well....twelve years old.

I'm not a proponent of the NCAA, but the one thing they've gotten better about is not wanting to punish people for something that someone else did. The individuals involved will be dealt with more seriously than the institution. Many will never work in college athletics again. I for one see no real problem with that. I certainly don't see it as an open invitation to cheat.

That proves the point. Who is losing careers? Pete Carroll is fine, Bill Fischer is fine, Michigan is fine, Kentucky is fine, Tennessee has survived, Alabama is fine, Auburn is OK, USC is fine, Ohio State will be fine, Miami will be fine, Kansas seems to be fine, Indiana will be back and better than ever, kelvin Sampson is still pulling in jack, Auburn basically skated, UC has survived probation multiple times and on and on. Cheating does not kill programs and I am sure the 12 year old kids will be fine too, wherever they go.

Please name me one major program who has had major violations and then never recovered fairly quickly.

[xubrew]

Please name me one major program who has had major violations and then never recovered fairly quickly.

I'm not arguing against that point (although Michigan and Minnesota basketball certainly come to mind). Again, I'm pointing out that the INDIVIDUALS are dealt with more severely than the institutions.

Pete Carroll and Kelvin Sampson are not coaching in college. Neither is Bruce Pearl, or Jim Tressell, or Dave Bliss, or Rich Rodrequez, or Butch Davis, or Jim Obrien (well, he actaully is at Emerson, but still...), or Clem Haskins, or Jim Harrick, or several others.

If you were to go out and rob a bank, chances are the place you work at would not be in any trouble. So, what's stopping you from doing it??

You seem to think that serious penalties and consequences that an individual would have to face for cheating would not stop them from doing it so long as their institutions didn't get in trouble. I completely disagree with that.

Most of the people who commit major violations probably don't care how much trouble their program gets into. They care about how much trouble they themselves will get into. Clem Haskins probably didn't feel all that sorry for Minnesota. He probably did feel sorry for himself. He hasn't coached in college since. That goes for everyone else I listed.

[XUFan09]

It is now the third time that xubrew has had to explain (correctly, IMO) that individuals do not get off easily in these cases. Anyone want to take bets on another reiteration of the same point being required, or did it finally get through? :D

[wkrq59]

Pete Carroll and Kelvin Sampson are not coaching in college. Neither is Bruce Pearl, or Jim Tressell, or Dave Bliss, or Rich Rodrequez, or Butch Davis, or Jim Obrien (well, he actually is at Emerson, but still...), or Clem Haskins, or Jim Harrick, or several others. XU BREW

Whether it will happen or not, the following should:. The U of Miami football and basketball programs should be discontinued each for two full years immediately. All current scholarships should be fully honored for 4 years and student athletes who wish to transfer should be granted releases and become immediately eligible with their new teams. Both head basketball and football coaches salaries and contracts should be honored in full and both teams should lose a minimum of scholarships for the 2013-14 season.
The investigation into Miami athletics should be halted immediately unless there is serious doubt about the validity of the charges.
The investigation at USC should be re-opened to determine if additional punishment is warranted. The investigation at Ohio State should be continued to determine if more severe(semi-death or death penalty) should be administered. Ditto for North Carolina.
If those sound severe, why have a death penalty if it's never used? If the criteria for administering the death penalty needs to be changed, do it under the auspices of a blue ribbon committee charged with not only doing that, but throwing out the old existing rule book and replacing it with a new, more sensible and legal book. Don't piss around. Get it done by Jan. 1, 2012. If a qualified panel is not available, then as soon as one is, within a reasonable time ( two months) get one in place and allow it 6 months to finish its job. The panel of 11 should be made up of three lawyers, three high ranking university officers and three experienced present or past NCAA staff members and a former appellate court judge and ex-senator and or president who would only cast a tie-breaking vote. The committee must be composed of an equal number of men and women, each of whom could have one and only one staff member.
Among the items to be addressed are a speedy and thorough resolution of investigations and judgements including a simplified appeals process. :eek:

[X-band '01]

Gregg Doyel Column - CBSSports.com (http://www.cbssports.com/#!/collegefootball/story/15447680/for-ncaa-to-survive-it-cant-give-miami-death-penalty)

Sadly, I think Doyel names why Miami may not get the death penalty - they're big enough of a program that a school like them, Ohio State and USC may eventually secede from the NCAA and just create their own tournaments and TV deals for football and basketball. SMU never had the leverage that Miami does.

[xavierj]

Gregg Doyel Column - CBSSports.com (http://www.cbssports.com/#!/collegefootball/story/15447680/for-ncaa-to-survive-it-cant-give-miami-death-penalty)

Sadly, I think Doyel names why Miami may not get the death penalty - they're big enough of a program that a school like them, Ohio State and USC may eventually secede from the NCAA and just create their own tournaments and TV deals for football and basketball. SMU never had the leverage that Miami does.

Exactly. The big boys don't care, they just go about their business and will continue to do what they do to win and compete with the other big programs who cheat. When the NCAA puts serious punishment, i.e. the death penalty, programs will put an end to the corruption and the thing will get cleaned up. The problem is there is too much money to be made to stop it. There are plenty of other programs where these kids can go if Miami gets hit hard, they will not be left in ruins. I have an idea, if people cry about the poor kids who get left behind, don't cheat. Stop looking the other way.

[bobbiemcgee]

Looks like UCF getting into the fray over the Micheal Chandler recruitment and others:

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/sports/ncaa_football/ncaa-launches-investigation-into-ucf-recruiting-081811

"Bender has been accused of influencing Chandler, a 6-foot-10 center, to renege on his commitment to Xavier and attend UCF. He also reportedly has close ties to Smith and was in attendance when Smith announced his commitment to UCF."

[Juice]

Don't expect any big punishments from the NCAA


But Julie Roe Lach, the N.C.A.A.’s vice president for enforcement, said in an interview Wednesday that there had been little discussion about reviving harsh penalties like television bans or the so-called death penalty, two punishments once used by the N.C.A.A. that have long been shelved.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/18/sports/ncaafootball/storm-over-miami.html?_r=2&ref=sports

[bobbiemcgee]

The Buckeyes won't receive the DP.

How about the INELIG-A-BOWL.

Miami vs OSU = The Longest Yard II

[xudash]

Gregg Doyel Column - CBSSports.com (http://www.cbssports.com/#!/collegefootball/story/15447680/for-ncaa-to-survive-it-cant-give-miami-death-penalty)

Sadly, I think Doyel names why Miami may not get the death penalty - they're big enough of a program that a school like them, Ohio State and USC may eventually secede from the NCAA and just create their own tournaments and TV deals for football and basketball. SMU never had the leverage that Miami does.

I'm in the camp that believes they won't break away to form their own gig for two reasons:

Firstly, why destroy one of the truly great sporting events of our day? They would not be able to match the overall economic value of the existing NCAA Tournament. Millions tune in to watch how the Davids and Goliaths of each tournament compete against each other in the first two rounds, in particular. Its an inclusive tournament, whether you like how inclusion is determined or not. If they go elitist with it, they'll lose chunks and layers of viewers who no longer have dogs in the hunt or are otherwise just disgusted with their greed. Personally, I wouldn't watch it until they held their championship game, and I can assure you that CBS's formula doesn't work for a single big viewing party for the final game of the tournament. The existing tournament's berths include six automatic bids from the respective BCS conferences, plus the 34 at-large positions for which all schools compete. They get the lion's share of those slots today as it is. And those slots share in an enormous pile of money. I simply doubt that decreasing their numerator and increasing their denominator will get them to where they would want to be with it financially, especially given the ill will they would generate along the way.

Legal proceedings would probably become more prevalent. I'm not an attorney, and it may be difficult to elevate this argument to the anti-trust level, but non-BCS schools most certainly could go after them under unfair competition and, more specifically, "unfair trade practices." In what now is an "industry" comprised of over 120 members for football and over 300 for hoops, the largest among them would be angling to carve out a key asset (media and the money and brand awareness driven through it) and, in doing so, would make that competitive space less than level. We heard noise about anti-trust when the BCS came together in '98 and have heard it since then. If they go for a clean break, all hell will break loose.

Overall, everyone, the BCS schools included, know that the NCAA Tournament is as about as magical as it can get - thankfully they stopped the damn thing at 68 teams. And while the existing argument is about football money, there is a boatload of money tied to the NCAA Tournament. 4x16 would hurt it badly, badly enough where it would not make sense for the existing BCS schools to break away everything, when they simply can stay within the existing framework while gouging the networks for dollars.

[wkrq59]

Gregg Doyel Column - CBSSports.com (http://www.cbssports.com/#!/collegefootball/story/15447680/for-ncaa-to-survive-it-cant-give-miami-death-penalty)

Sadly, I think Doyel names why Miami may not get the death penalty - they're big enough of a program that a school like them, Ohio State and USC may eventually secede from the NCAA and just create their own tournaments and TV deals for football and basketball. SMU never had the leverage that Miami does.

Sad, Band, very, very sad, but true. UGH:eek:

[GoMuskies]

Did you know A-Rod is a member of the Board of Trustees at the U? Seriously, A-Rod.

http://www6.miami.edu/communications/trustees/members.html

[Juice]

Did you know A-Rod is a member of the Board of Trustees at the U? Seriously, A-Rod.

http://www6.miami.edu/communications/trustees/members.html

Here is why:


The event was built around the $3.9 million gift for stadium renovations that Rodriguez made to the program in 2003, and having the field renamed "Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field" in his honor.


Rodriguez committed to Miami when coming out of South Florida's Westminster Christian High, but didn't enroll. Only a few hours before fall classes began at Miami in August 1993, Rodriguez signed his first professional contract with the Seattle Mariners, who lured him away from the Hurricanes with a $1.3 million deal.

A decade later, Rodriguez gave three times that much back to Miami, and has been close with Morris and the program for more than 15 years. He worked out at the school several times this week, including Friday morning.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3906391

[GoMuskies]

Still, Board of Trustees? Give him an honorary degree or name the stadium after him or something. Don't name a moron like that guy to your Board of Trustees. Miami is supposed to be a good school.

[xubrew]

Gregg Doyel Column - CBSSports.com (http://www.cbssports.com/#!/collegefootball/story/15447680/for-ncaa-to-survive-it-cant-give-miami-death-penalty)

Sadly, I think Doyel names why Miami may not get the death penalty - they're big enough of a program that a school like them, Ohio State and USC may eventually secede from the NCAA and just create their own tournaments and TV deals for football and basketball. SMU never had the leverage that Miami does.

XBand, you should know better than this.

Gregg Doyell is entertaining, and I like reading his stuff for that reason. He's a horrible analyst, though. I can't think of a single case where he gave any sort of assessmment that turned out to be accurate.

I agree that there will likely be a third subdivision in div1 football where we have what is basically the BCS teams for now. I don't think they will leave the NCAA entirely. I don't even think that is remotely likely. Even if they did, which they won't, I think it would only be in football.

The schools that are pushing for more legislation, and more crackdowns, are the big schools. Mike Slive wants higher academic standards, not lower. The university presidents don't want to pay the players if for no other reason than they want to keep the money for themselves.

Miami generally draws less than 6k for basketball (even for big games), and their football games are generally more than a third empty. The NCAA doesn't "need" Miami. Unless they're ranked in the top ten, and more times than often they're not, they don't have a strong national appeal.

Miami won't get the death penalty, but not because the NCAA is scared to give it to them. Only one school has really ever gotten the death penalty, and it was worse than Miami because it directly involved university officials, AND they were told to stop at least three times. Miami's case is over the top, but no high ranking university officials were directly involved, and they didn't ignore being told to stop three times. If that is the precedent for the death penalty, Miami (as bad as it was) still falls way short of it.

Baylor got half a death penalty, and what they did was far worse than what Miami did. It's just not something the NCAA has ever implimented. Gregg Doyell talks as if they used to do it all the time, but are now afraid to dish it out. They've only done it once. It isn't as if they're less strict or less harsh than they used to be. In reality, the opposite is true.

[xubrew]

Just some more thoughts about this....

This problem will not stop until there is a way to hold outside parties accountable. Everyone is blaming Miami. I'm not saying they are completely without fault, but there is only so much you can do. A school has no control over outside parties. None. Yet, if a booster, or agent, or runner, or superfan, or whomever is having parties at their house and giving shit away, everyone points the finger at the university.

Giving the death penalty will not deter anyone. USC got smacked pretty hard, but Reggie Bush didn't, and neither did the booster involved. Why should they be dissuaded from doing it again?? They're not in trouble. Someone else is. Even further, very few people are saying they should be.

Any individual who is willing to do so could take down a university's athletic department. It sounds crazy, but it's true. If you were to stand there and hand out hundred dollar bills, and then invite everyone over to your house for a party, nothing would happen to you. You wouldn't go to jail. If the players gave you gifts, you wouldn't have to give them back. If a coach or athletic director showed up to catch them, you could call the cops. They're not invited, and they're tresspassing. If the university or NCAA called you to investigate, they have no subpoena power. You could hang up on them and nothing would happen to you. You could lie to them and nothing would happen to you. You could admit the whole thing, and nothing would happen to you. The school will be in a world of shit, but no one would be pointing the finger at you. Everyone would be pointing the finger at the university officials and talking about how they can't keep control.

....and they wonder why this problem persists. A student-athlete isn't going to look at what happens to university officials. They're going to look at what happens to Reggie Bush, or the Tennessee players, or the Miami players, or the Ohio State players. Virtually nothing, if anything, happens to them, and absolutely nothing happens to the boosters. If a player has already graduated or left the program, there is no way that anyone can make them pay the money back or give the gifts back. So, from a student-athlete's perspective, what's to stop them from doing it??

[bobbiemcgee]

Buddy and I taking weekend @ the Breakers...includes golf and tickets to the Inelig - a -Bowl.

[X-band '01]

If ESPN really wants to "turn back the clock" for Ohio State-Miami, they'll ban this game from TV. Radio only - no live online streaming allowed.

Unfortunately we have to listen to the argument that "we punish innocent people at other institutions" when teams are banned from TV.

When programs like Miami and Alabama can rebuild in 5-6 years after major sanctions and win national titles, can you blame USC for not being worried? They'll be making room for a national title by the end of the decade, mark my words. While SMU didn't have the resources that the aforementioned schools did, it took them over 2 decades just to get back to a minor bowl game. Now they're a sleeping giant that can offer the Dallas market to a conference like the Big 12 should Texas and Texas A&M hit the road (if the conference doesn't dissolve).

But to answer Brew's point about players (spare me the student-athlete garbage) not being held accountable, there's always hope that a commissioner like Roger Goodell could lay down the hammer and suspend players who get their collegiate institutions in trouble.

[Juice]

Here is the damage as of now for Miami:


Indefinite suspension: WR Aldarius Johnson (Note: per Tim Reynolds, this is a suspension from the university for violation of team rules, not the NCAA.)
Six games: DE Olivier Vernon ($1,200)
Four games: S Ray Ray Armstrong ($788), DE Dyron Dye ($738)
One game: WR Travis Benjamin ($150), DT Marcus Forston ($400), QB Jacory Harris ($140), DE Adewale Ojomo ($240), Sean Spence ($275)
Current players named in the Yahoo! investigation who have been cleared: JoJo Nicolas, Marcus Robinson, Vaughn Telemaque
Current players not named in the Yahoo! investigation who have also been cleared: Brandon McGee, Micanor Regis (source)

A lot of really good players in that list.

http://www.seventhfloorblog.com/2011/8/30/2394263/assessing-the-damage-ncaa-hands-down-suspensions-to-eight-players#storyjump

[xubrew]

When programs like Miami and Alabama can rebuild in 5-6 years after major sanctions and win national titles, can you blame USC for not being worried? They'll be making room for a national title by the end of the decade, mark my words. While SMU didn't have the resources that the aforementioned schools did, it took them over 2 decades just to get back to a minor bowl game. Now they're a sleeping giant that can offer the Dallas market to a conference like the Big 12 should Texas and Texas A&M hit the road (if the conference doesn't dissolve).


I'm not explaining my position very well.

The fact that it took SMU twenty years to even resemble mediocrity again is irrelevant to most key players. No player was suspended. They were all allowed to transfer. No player had to pay back any money. No boosters lost their jobs.

So, what's deterring players and outside parties from continuing to do this?? Many coaches and athletic administrators lost their jobs (as they should have), but how much do you thinkt he players and boosters really cared?? Probably none. If you watched the Pony Excess documentary, I got the sense that the players and boosters didn't even regret it, and wouldn't have done it any differently if they had it to do over again.

Until that mentality changes, this will continue to be a problem. Clobbering a school with violations will only accomplish so much. It won't stop it.

[X-band '01]

I saw the documentary, and I would certainly agree that there were unapologetic players and boosters on the pre-death penalty squads. One of the things SMU did at that point was really raise the standards for future student-athletes; it seemed like most of the players who transferred were ones with mostly NFL aspirations; I'm sure some were on the take and others weren't. My point was that maybe the NFL would try to find ways to suspend or fine guys based on NCAA transgressions, although it's just not in their jurisdiction right now.

Oh, and you might want to make sure that members like Paul Dee (formerly of the U of Miami) aren't watching over the henhouse that is the NCAA Infractions/Rules Committees...

[paulxu]

I My point was that maybe the NFL would try to find ways to suspend or fine guys based on NCAA transgressions, although it's just not in their jurisdiction right now.

Isn't that what they are doing with Pryor now? I think he would have got 5 game suspension from NCAA and his NFL team imposed it? Not sure how that's legal though.

[XUFan09]

Isn't that what they are doing with Pryor now? I think he would have got 5 game suspension from NCAA and his NFL team imposed it? Not sure how that's legal though.

If it's a condition of hiring, it seems reasonable.

[X-band '01]

Isn't that what they are doing with Pryor now? I think he would have got 5 game suspension from NCAA and his NFL team imposed it? Not sure how that's legal though.

The NFL is on my ignore list this year.