The Miami Hurricanes scandal has taken quite a few twists and turns in the days since the public was made aware of Nevin Shapiro and all of the issues that came with him. Fortunately for fans of the Hurricanes, however, it seems that the school will be able to avoid the "death penalty" and other serious consequences.
The NCAA's vice president for enforcement, Julie Roe Lach, spoke to the New York Times on Wednesday regarding possible penalties. Though she wasn't allowed to speak directly about Miami considering it is an open and active case, she did note that there has been little discussion regarding the most serious penalties possible.
"I have not heard it turn much to television bans or the death penalty," Lach told the Times. "The majority of the ideas or support I keep hearing relate toward suspensions or postseason bans being the most powerful."
The Times reports that the television ban hasn't been handed down to a major program in 15 years while the "death penalty" was last enforced with Southern Methodist University as ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary series highlighted earlier this year.
The reason the television ban isn't considered an option is that it would hurt all of the ACC schools that weren't involved in the Miami scandal.
"The problem with a television ban is that you penalize a conference of which they are a member, and you penalize all the schools that have contracts with them," David Swank, former chairman of the N.C.A.A. Committee on Infractions, told the Times.
So it seems, at worst, the Hurricanes will lose a bevy of scholarships and be subject to postseason bans. Considering the alternatives, that can probably be chalked up in the win column for the 'Canes.
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Feb 12
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Nov 20
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The death penalty in bowl division football will probably only be used on a team
with not much significance. Don’t see the NCAA wanting to make an example on a historically great program.
by thewiz06 on Aug 18, 2011 11:50 AM EDT reply actions
This is absolutly ridiculous...
If this doesn’t show lack of institutional control, I don’t know what does. They may as well take the death penalty and no tv off the books if this situation does not warrant it. You can’t decide that one school deserves the penalty based on the significance of the program. That will invite a lawsuit against the NCAA and possibly an anti-trust suit that could break it up (what a glorious day that would be). Giving Miami the death penalty will hurt the other ACC schools? Good. That will give the conferences more reason to be more vigilant of their schools. Each conference will be forced to have their own compliance officials to ensure that a school doesn’t ruin a season for the rest (or implode the conference like the SWC). It will hurt the non-conference games? Good, but unfortunate. Be vigilant of who you sign a contract with.
If you don’t bring the hammer down here, it becomes apparent that the rules mean very little and the entire system needs to be revamped (which it does). You may as well cheat to gain success (we all know USC were champs in ‘04, vacated my a**). That being said, Miami can’t even cheat very well.
This isn’t the first time Miami has been caught. This went on for a decade and this guy was shady enough to have been looked into by the university. They didn’t. They let it go on and now they should pay the consequences the rules state.
Too bad there hasn't always been a DH...then we never would have to hear about this Ruth guy...
by Brad Spontak on Aug 18, 2011 4:30 PM EDT reply actions
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