Tinker:
Open letter to misinformed Americans citizens everywhere:
Forget about it, we are Mexico now. Or whatever country you want the American people living in the US to be now. The old time USA tradition are extinct. Along with the American Indians. Founding fathers, US Constitution, and declaration of Independents. That all of the world war II vets and soldiers who fought and died in the Americas conflicts. Is of course now nothing more then a wasted effort, and memory. Of those American men and women who meant well. But were just to misinformed to know otherwise.
Because the American people keeps taking the side of the wrong people.
What matters now is for us all to pay close attention to the American HDTV television Networks employees. Who can tell us American citizens just how to feel, and think. And for us to advance the importance of the Newspaper reporters, Hollywood actors, and Washington DC politicians. Living everywhere in the United States today.
That now this is the land of the freeloaders. Free to take a load of someone else money country. Waa Hoo. This is the land of the wide open boarders, if you vote democrat. Take away from the rich. And whatever else you want country. A better place to live. Turn in your guns, and help build a safer society. A brand new better liberal tradition.
Rejoice America, Just keep sending in your US governments tax money. 50, 60, or 70, percent. So what if the tax is too high? You don't need to think for yourself any longer. Washington DC will do all the thinking, seeing and looking for you. After all don't you realize just how much the Washington DC, Hollywood, television employees love you.
Where in the world did you get the idea that Jesus of Nazareth, the world religions, America's founding father, American Military, Salvation Army, and the Lone Ranger. Loved you more than the people running and working for Harvard did. Please whatever you do from now on. Listen to your teachers in the America University's. Their advanced knowledge on the true way to live and behave is vital. So you can better understanding your new American society. Just look at all of what we have achieved since 1960. The proof is in the pudding. We are the real world now.
Don't pay any attention to the story that one of these singers was a pedophile. Or that a few others were taking dope. Just listen to their talented singing voice - and wisdom!?
Give it away America. Keep siding with the wrong guys!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?
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http://espn.go.com/blog/
College Football Nation Blog
Miami responds to NCAA review
February, 18, 2013
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Miami president Donna Shalala issued a statement responding to the NCAA's enforcement review report, released Monday.
“The University takes full responsibility for the conduct of its employees and student-athletes. Where the evidence of NCAA violations has been substantiated, we have self-imposed appropriate sanctions, including unilaterally eliminating once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for our students and coaches over the past two years, and disciplining and withholding players from competition.
We believe strongly in the principles and values of fairness and due process. However, we have been wronged in this investigation, and we believe that this process must come to a swift resolution, which includes no additional punitive measures beyond those already self-imposed.
In September 2010—two and a half years ago—the University of Miami advised the NCAA of allegations made by a convicted felon against former players and, at that time, we pledged our full cooperation with any investigation into the matter. One year later, in August 2011, when the NCAA’s investigation into alleged rules violations was made public, I pledged we would ‘vigorously pursue the truth, wherever that path may lead’ and insisted upon ‘complete, honest, and transparent cooperation with the NCAA from our staff and students.’
The University of Miami has lived up to those promises, but sadly the NCAA has not lived up to their own core principles. The lengthy and already flawed investigation has demonstrated a disappointing pattern of unprofessional and unethical behavior. By the NCAA leadership’s own admission, the University of Miami has suffered from inappropriate practices by NCAA staff. There have also been damaging leaks to the media of unproven charges. Regardless of where blame lies internally with the NCAA, even one individual, one act, one instance of malfeasance both taints the entire process and breaches the public’s trust.
There must be a strong sense of urgency to bring this to closure. Our dedicated staff and coaches, our outstanding student-athletes, and our supporters deserve nothing less.”
Bull
talk guys. If you want to side with the under handed actions of college
universities who have been guilty of breaking the fairness rules. I beg
to differ. I would rather make mistakes with the law enforcer, then the
law breakers. I have no sympathy or time for the cheating low down "hypocrites", pretending to be good American citizens. As they all along
keep breaking the law behind closed doors. I would rather walk down the
street with the guys working for the NCAA. Then hanging around with "hypocrites" like you people. What do you gain by siding with people
breaking the rules in your community?
I
suggest everyone tell Dr. Emmert exactly how they feel: I sure did,
and it only took about 30 seconds. Let him know how much of a joke he
and the organization he represents are:
Here is his email:
memmert@ncaa.org
Here is his email:
memmert@ncaa.org
Please dont hurt us!
Its
time for USC, Miami, OSU, UNC, and PSU to unite forces and unleash a
s%%tstorm lawsuit on those corrupt, desperate incompetents that we
entrust for the benefit of tens of thousands of our athletes and
students..
1 fan likes this.
Donna
has set the tone of pursuing a defamation law suit on a University
level, which she will win, since The NCAA have admitted to defamation
tactics. Essentially she has a BOOM-STICK!!!
1 fan likes this.
pa's
governor has already filed a suit against the ncaa, and the state govt
passed a measure requiring psu's 60 mil fine to go 100% to pa child
abuse causes, and not 25% that the ncaa set. gonna be interesting the
potential litigation that may come from this move. ncaa has to be
tweaking big time...
and yes...Donna should definitely look into litigation.
and yes...Donna should definitely look into litigation.
USC, Penn State, Miami, Ohio State should form their own conference and call it: FTHENCAA
As a Miami fan I say the following with objective sincerity,
As badly as Miami has been treated in this, what I truly feel sorry for what the NCAA has done to Penn state, punishing so many Innocent people for the actions of a sick individual. I mean would a victim feel any better knowing that his alma-mater is serving probation penalties because he spoke up?
1 fan likes this.As badly as Miami has been treated in this, what I truly feel sorry for what the NCAA has done to Penn state, punishing so many Innocent people for the actions of a sick individual. I mean would a victim feel any better knowing that his alma-mater is serving probation penalties because he spoke up?
----------------------------
http://espn.go.com/blog/
College Football Nation Blog
NCAA president Mark Emmert is not giving up.
Never mind that 13 interviews officially have been excluded from the NCAA’s original investigation into Miami.
Forget that portions of 12 interviews have been excluded and “some factual allegations were entirely removed.”
Don’t
worry, Miami fans. Nobody will see that tainted evidence in the final
report. The NCAA apparently has Wite-Out. Not enough, though, to scrap
the entire case and declare a mistrial. Despite the recent 52-page report
that detailed the NCAA’s unprecedented screwup, Emmert still has
roughly 80 percent of what he wants you to believe is a valid
investigation into Miami’s athletic department, and he plans on using
it.
“The intention is to move forward with this case,” Emmert said. “There’s still a lot of information that’s available that has in no way been tainted by this incident.”
Good luck getting anyone outside the NCAA to actually believe it. The problem for Miami, though, is that the only people who have to be convinced are the ones in Indianapolis.
The external “Enforcement Review Report” has cut the NCAA’s credibility to its core, and has left many outside the organization with no faith or trust in its ability to fairly judge Miami in this case. And it’s not going to matter one single bit, because the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions is pressing on. Miami is going to receive a notice of allegations. And in typical NCAA fashion, no timetable has been set for it.
“The committee will now move forward,” Emmert said. “I won’t set a timeline on that, but they’re moving forward with dispatch.”
Maybe the NCAA will have another president by the time Miami’s case is over.
Despite the program’s own wrongdoing, Miami fans have every right to be angry. It’s amazing Al Golden hasn’t turned his back and walked right out. He’s had to recruit three classes during this mess. Heck, even inner-city Philadelphia has to be sounding good right about now. Miami has followed the NCAA’s playbook on cooperation in this investigation every step of the way, while the NCAA reached a jaw-dropping new low with its investigative tactics. Instead of swinging back, Miami’s athletic department has punished itself with its tail between its legs:
- Miami has given up two bowl games and what would have been the program's first ACC championship game appearance since joining the league.
- The Canes have reduced their official visits.
- They have reduced their contacts and evaluation days in the fall.
- They have reduced the number of scholarships.
The NCAA? It fired a few high-ranking officials, vowed to be better, and said a notice of allegations is on its way.
You would think that Miami’s proactive approach, coupled with the NCAA’s botched investigation, would add up to a mistrial. Instead, in each of the past two teleconferences Emmert has had with the media regarding this incident, he has reiterated that the NCAA still has plenty of evidence against Miami and plans to move forward with it.
In a case that has redefined hypocrisy, the NCAA won’t relinquish its role as judge, despite the fact it was just found guilty.
I
am very glad to have the services of the men and women working for the
NCAA. Much more proud of the NCAA body of work then the Sports media,
college. Or football fans looking for any kind of excuse to get away
with breaking the rules. If you want company condemning the men and
women enforcing the law. Count me out. Because I am on the other side. I
like people who keep the peace, over people who break the law.
And that mean I don't like people like you talking bad like that about men and women trying to enforce the law.
I think that you sound like a bunch of ingrates to me. Siding against the NCAA?
And that mean I don't like people like you talking bad like that about men and women trying to enforce the law.
I think that you sound like a bunch of ingrates to me. Siding against the NCAA?
the joy of a monopoly...
I
suggest everyone tell Dr. Emmert exactly how they feel: I sure did, and
it only took about 30 seconds. Let him know how much of a joke he and
the organization he represents are:
Here is his email:
memmert@ncaa.org
Here is his email:
memmert@ncaa.org
If
the NCAA does anything except say that Miami's self-imposed sactions
are sufficient, they will be in for a fight. And they will lose. After
the Penn State mess, the NCAA doesn't need to take on Miami right now.
Best thing is for them to fold their hand, say we found a bunch of
infractions and determined that a two year bowl ban and loss of
scholarships was an appropriate punishment, and you've already imposed
said punishment.
7 fans like this.
for
perspective, 3 simple letters... USC. Miami must face much greater
penalties than the one-man penalty of Reggie Bush. Anything less would
be a travesty given the facts. Off with their heads!!!
1 fan likes this.
Ummm........no.
2 fans like this.
-----------------------------
http://espn.go.com/blog/
College Football Nation Blog
Miami president responds to accusations
February, 19, 2013
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
The NCAA is accusing Miami of a "lack of institutional control," according to the Associated Press, and Miami president Donna E. Shalala has fired back with some allegations of her own in the following statement:
Neither the NCAA or Miami has released the actual Notice of Allegations. Stay tuned as more information becomes available.
The University of Miami deeply regrets and takes full responsibility for those NCAA violations that are based on fact and are corroborated by multiple individuals and/or documentation. We have already self-imposed a bowl ban for an unprecedented two-year period, forfeited the opportunity to participate in an ACC championship game, and withheld student-athletes from competition.
Over the two and a half years since the University of Miami first contacted the NCAA enforcement staff about allegations of rules violations, the NCAA interviewed dozens of witnesses, including current and former Miami employees and student-athletes, and received thousands of requested documents and emails from the University. Yet despite our efforts to aid the investigation, the NCAA acknowledged on February 18, 2013 that it violated its own policies and procedures in an attempt to validate the allegations made by a convicted felon. Many of the allegations included in the Notice of Allegations remain unsubstantiated.
Now that the Notice of Allegations has been issued, let me provide some context to the investigation itself:
- Many of the charges brought forth are based on the word of a man who made a fortune by lying. The NCAA enforcement staff acknowledged to the University that if Nevin Shapiro, a convicted con man, said something more than once, it considered the allegation “corroborated” -- an argument which is both ludicrous and counter to legal practice.
- Most of the sensationalized media accounts of Shapiro’s claims are found nowhere in the Notice of Allegations. Despite their efforts over two and a half years, the NCAA enforcement staff could not find evidence of prostitution, expensive cars for players, expensive dinners paid for by boosters, player bounty payments, rampant alcohol and drug use, or the alleged hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts given to student-athletes, as reported in the media. The fabricated story played well -- the facts did not.
- The NCAA enforcement staff failed, even after repeated requests, to interview many essential witnesses of great integrity who could have provided first-hand testimony, including, unbelievably, Paul Dee, who has since passed away, but who served as Miami Athletic Director during many of the years that violations were alleged to have occurred. How could a supposedly thorough and fair investigation not even include the Director of Athletics?
- Finally, we believe the NCAA was responsible for damaging leaks of unsubstantiated allegations over the course of the investigation.
Let me be clear again: for any rule violation -- substantiated and proven with facts -- that the University, its employees, or student-athletes committed, we have been and should be held accountable. We have worked hard to improve our compliance oversight, and we have already self-imposed harsh sanctions.
We deeply regret any violations, but we have suffered enough.
The University and counsel will work diligently to prepare our official response to the Notice of Allegations and submit it to the Committee on Infractions within the required 90-day time period.
We trust that the Committee on Infractions will provide the fairness and integrity missing during the investigative process.”
Neither the NCAA or Miami has released the actual Notice of Allegations. Stay tuned as more information becomes available.
Your
comments against the NCAA sounds more like very frightened people
hanging around with the wrong crowd. You just refuse to think for
yourselves. Because you are as guilty as the people you protest against.
If you are the world, and you are the people. "Trying to make a better
place" Then why do you want the "U" to get away with breaking the
rules....Could you simply be "hypocrites"?
I
know, we fans despise her guts usually, but here she is in times of the
U being the subject of a witch hunt by an organization without a rudder
or a spine - she shows strength and leadership and won't put up with
any of the NCAA's nonsense. Kudos to her. I hope this is one witch hunt
too many for the NCAA.
Long live the Don!!! Shalaha is not taking this SH#@. I stand with the U!!!
1 fan likes this.
Shalaha, an actual leader.....what we got stuck with at Penn State is Rodless Erickson....
1 fan likes this.
Well said. I stand with the U!!!
Great win against Virginia tonight by the way!
Great win against Virginia tonight by the way!
1 fan likes this.
-------------------------------------------------------http://www.tigerrag.com/?p=
Billy Cannon suffers stroke
LSU legend is alert and resting in Baton Rouge hospital
By RICHARD FISCHER
Tiger Rag Associate Editor
LSU’s only Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon suffered a stroke Tuesday and was rushed to a Baton Rouge hospital in a Louisiana State Penitently ambulance.
Assistant Warden Cathy Fontenot said staff members have been in touch with the family of the 75-year old since his arrival, and his family reports that he is alert and resting.
She added that doctors are conducting tests to see the extent of the stroke, and they will keep him overnight in the Intensive Care Unit.
Check back to TigerRag.com for the latest on the condition of the LSU luminary. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Cannon and his family.
Comments
Responses to “Billy Cannon suffers stroke”
-
TigerGumbo on
February 19th, 2013 3:38 pm
Oh man! Of all the people that I like the most, who played football for LSU. Is “Billy Cannon.”
I could never forget the thrill that Billy Cannon accomplished for the LSU football program. He is a true great LSU college football hero that will be shared with LSU generations for years, and years to come. God speed Billy. I pray that you recover all the way back to health.
http://www.nola.com/news/
Greater New Orleans
Billy Cannon's family confirms LSU football star had stroke
LSU football great Billy Cannon had a stroke on Tuesday, his family said.
(Photo by NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune archives)
By
Diana Samuels, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
on February 19, 2013 at 3:14 PM, updated February 19, 2013 at 4:01 PM
In a statement sent through officials at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, where he works as director of the dental program, Cannon's daughter Bunnie Cannon said:
"He is alert and resting. He did have a stroke and the doctors will conduct tests to see the extent. They will keep him in ICU tonight and watch him overnight. The family thanks everyone for their prayers and concerns."
Cannon was rushed to the hospital Tuesday at about 12:30 p.m. from the State Penitentiary.
In his football career, Cannon combined both “sprinter speed and brute strength,” LSU says in its biography of Cannon.
As a junior, Cannon helped LSU secure a perfect season and win the 1958 national championship.
His most famous play came in 1959 against Ole Miss, when he fielded a punt, ran 89 yards and broke seven tackles before scoring.
He went on to play professionally with the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs.
Cannon's status as a college football idol was challenged, however, in 1983 when he was arrested on federal counterfeiting charges and served 2-1/2 years in prison. His entry into the College Football Hall of Fame was rescinded then, but he was ultimately accepted 26 years later in 2009.
See famous Billy Cannon video:...http://www.nola.com/
In his football career, Cannon combined both “sprinter speed and brute strength,” LSU says in its biography of Cannon.
As a junior, Cannon helped LSU secure a perfect season and win the 1958 national championship.
His most famous play came in 1959 against Ole Miss, when he fielded a punt, ran 89 yards and broke seven tackles before scoring.
He went on to play professionally with the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs.
Cannon's status as a college football idol was challenged, however, in 1983 when he was arrested on federal counterfeiting charges and served 2-1/2 years in prison. His entry into the College Football Hall of Fame was rescinded then, but he was ultimately accepted 26 years later in 2009.
See famous Billy Cannon video:...http://www.nola.com/
http://insider.espn.go.com/
LSU Tigers
SEC
BATON ROUGE. La. -- For Zach Mettenberger, seeing someone new is old.
New
LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron met Mettenberger on Friday, the
fifth such meeting Mettenberger has had with a new offensive coordinator
since he began his college career.
He started with Mike Bobo at Georgia, then he moved to Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., and since moving to LSU he has worked with Steve Kragthorpe, Greg Studrawa and now Cameron in two-plus years.
New year, new coordinator, it would seem.
When he was introduced Friday, Cameron said he would have to respect the road his quarterback has been down already.
"I ran into Zach in the hallway yesterday," Cameron said. "The one thing I wanted to let him know was I'm coming in all ears at this point. Guys that play at this level have had great high school careers and are in their fourth or fifth year. There are certain things you like to do. There are certain things you know you are really good at."
It's not that Mettenberger will get to just run the offense at his whim. His junior season at LSU, during which he guided the Tigers to a 10-3 record, doesn't command that kind of freedom. In his first season as the Tigers' starter, he threw for 2,609 yards, 12 touchdowns, with seven interceptions, in starting all 13 games. While the numbers were respectable, they hardly lived up to the "Mett-siah" title some were attaching to him before he started a game for LSU.
He was supposed to be the the pure pro-style passer who was to take the Tigers' offense to a higher level. That did not happen, partly because of an injury-riddled and young offensive line, LSU's emphasis on the running back, the slow and inconsistent development of the wide receivers and partly because of Mettenberger's own issues.
Those were modest numbers -- if they were better, perhaps he would not have been meeting a new offensive coordinator Friday.
"We are going to test every limit he has and see what he can do," Cameron said. "We are just building on what we are doing."
Cameron's expectations with Mettenberger will be as great as Mettenberger's own expectations were as he entered 2012. Cameron's history with Drew Brees, Philip Rivers (whose younger brother, Stephen Rivers, is one of Mettenberger's backups), Joe Flacco will have LSU fans expecting Cameron to draw out Metttenberger's potential.
"You really can't too far ahead of yourself in college," Cameron said. "If you focus on being as good as you can be and doing the things to become the best player you can possibly be, all of a sudden they are all-Americans or headed to the Senior Bowl or winning championships in college. They get a chance in the National Football League.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/David GoldmanIn the 2013 season, Zach Mettenberger will deal with his fifth offensive coordinator in as many seasons.
AP Photo/David GoldmanIn the 2013 season, Zach Mettenberger will deal with his fifth offensive coordinator in as many seasons.He started with Mike Bobo at Georgia, then he moved to Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., and since moving to LSU he has worked with Steve Kragthorpe, Greg Studrawa and now Cameron in two-plus years.
New year, new coordinator, it would seem.
When he was introduced Friday, Cameron said he would have to respect the road his quarterback has been down already.
"I ran into Zach in the hallway yesterday," Cameron said. "The one thing I wanted to let him know was I'm coming in all ears at this point. Guys that play at this level have had great high school careers and are in their fourth or fifth year. There are certain things you like to do. There are certain things you know you are really good at."
It's not that Mettenberger will get to just run the offense at his whim. His junior season at LSU, during which he guided the Tigers to a 10-3 record, doesn't command that kind of freedom. In his first season as the Tigers' starter, he threw for 2,609 yards, 12 touchdowns, with seven interceptions, in starting all 13 games. While the numbers were respectable, they hardly lived up to the "Mett-siah" title some were attaching to him before he started a game for LSU.
He was supposed to be the the pure pro-style passer who was to take the Tigers' offense to a higher level. That did not happen, partly because of an injury-riddled and young offensive line, LSU's emphasis on the running back, the slow and inconsistent development of the wide receivers and partly because of Mettenberger's own issues.
Those were modest numbers -- if they were better, perhaps he would not have been meeting a new offensive coordinator Friday.
"We are going to test every limit he has and see what he can do," Cameron said. "We are just building on what we are doing."
Cameron's expectations with Mettenberger will be as great as Mettenberger's own expectations were as he entered 2012. Cameron's history with Drew Brees, Philip Rivers (whose younger brother, Stephen Rivers, is one of Mettenberger's backups), Joe Flacco will have LSU fans expecting Cameron to draw out Metttenberger's potential.
"You really can't too far ahead of yourself in college," Cameron said. "If you focus on being as good as you can be and doing the things to become the best player you can possibly be, all of a sudden they are all-Americans or headed to the Senior Bowl or winning championships in college. They get a chance in the National Football League.
http://theadvocate.com/sports/
LSU to lose money on Chick-fil-A Bowl appearance
Because fans fell far short of selling out LSU’s allotment of 16,000 tickets to the Dec. 31 game, the athletic department is currently facing an estimated $154,500 deficit from the Tigers’ trip to Atlanta.
The financial shortfall from the bowl game certainly isn’t about to cripple LSU’s athletic department, whose budget will likely run to about $98 million by the end of the 2012-13 fiscal year.
Mark Ewing, LSU’s senior associate athletic director for business, said the school’s share of bowl revenue from the SEC that’s still outstanding will eventually make up most of that deficit.
However, LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva said the school did try to rein in expenses on the trip as much as possible, knowing there would likely be a shortfall.
“It’s a significant amount of money,” Alleva said. “The biggest factor is the amount of guaranteed tickets you have to buy and the fact that we didn’t sell them all. That’s really the bottom line this year.”
LSU sold about 10,500 of its 16,000 ticket allotment for the Chick-fil-A Bowl, which the school was contractually bound to purchase before then trying to resell tickets to fans.
A Southeastern Conference insurance policy reimbursed LSU for the cost of about 4,000 tickets, but the school still had to pay for $176,300 in unsold tickets.
The SEC allocated $1,230,000 to LSU for the Chick-fil-A Bowl, but Ewing said the school spent a total of $1,384,500 on unsold tickets and such expenses as hotel rooms and meals for the team and LSU’s band.
The $1.23 million comes from the SEC team’s share of $3.3 million guaranteed by the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Ewing said. The rest of the money, about $2.1 million, is divided into 15 shares between LSU, the other 13 SEC member schools and the conference office.
That one-fifteenth share — about $140,000 — will come back to LSU at the end of the fiscal year, Ewing said. In all, LSU’s net loss for the Chick-fil-A Bowl should drop to about $15,000 once all the books are balanced.
By comparison, even if LSU had sold all of its 16,000 Chick-fil-A Bowl tickets, Ewing estimates the school would have turned a profit of only $21,800 before that one-fifteenth share reimbursement.
If LSU had gone to another bowl, say the Cotton in Arlington, Texas, the school would likely have turned a profit.
LSU season-ticket holders pre-ordered more than 16,500 Cotton Bowl tickets, outstripping the allotment of 12,500 that the school would have received from that game.
“If we had gone to the Cotton Bowl or one of those Florida bowls,” Alleva said, “I think we would have sold out.”
SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said at the BCS Championship Game that future bowl contracts are likely to include smaller ticket allotments that schools are required to purchase, an idea Alleva endorsed.
“I think when the SEC puts out (requests for proposals) to bowls in the future, part of those RFPs need to be with much-reduced guarantees for the tickets you have to buy,” Alleva said.
-----------------------------
http://lsufootball.net/
LSU Football - Geaux Tigers!!!
| WWL Sports | At LSU, will it be Cam's way? |
| ESPN 104.5 | .mp3 Audio (17 min, 35 sec): Interview with Tommy Moffitt |
| LSU Sports | Craig Loston rides in Redemptorist Mardi Gras parade |
| Tiger Sports Digest | Audio (29 min, 21 sec): Ben Love on position battles this spring; more | .mp3 |
| Louisiana Daily | Audio (3 min, 50 sec): Jordy Culotta on LSU's recruiting trial | .mp3 |
http://msn.foxsports.com/
FOX sports
Miami charged with lack of control
Miami will work diligently to prepare a response to the allegations within 90 days.
Share This Story
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP)
Miami finally received its notice of allegations from the NCAA, which accused the school of having a "lack of institutional control" for not monitoring the conduct of a booster who provided thousands of dollars in cash, gifts and other items to football and men's basketball players.
WORK TO BE DONE
The NCAA's admission of 'improper conduct' during its investigation into possible violations by Miami does not mean the Hurricanes are in the clear, FOXSportsFlorida.com reports.The NCAA declined comment Tuesday night, a day after revealing that it was erasing some elements of its case against Miami because the information was obtained in impermissible ways.
"We deeply regret any violations, but we have suffered enough," Miami president Donna Shalala said in a statement announcing the university had received notice from the NCAA.
A person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press about the lack of institutional control charge, and that several former members of Miami coaching staffs are named in the notice of allegations, including Missouri basketball coach Frank Haith, who was with the Hurricanes from 2004-11.
"I did get a notice of allegation," Haith said after Missouri beat No. 5 Florida Tuesday night. "Contrary to what was reported (weeks ago), there was no unethical conduct in my notice of allegation. And it is just an allegation, so we get a chance to defend ourselves."
Next up: The sanctions phase, where Miami's penalties will be decided. The Hurricanes have already self-imposed several sanctions, including sitting out two bowl games and a conference football championship game. Shalala said Monday she believes those punishments should be enough.
This saga started in September 2010, when the university told the NCAA that convicted Ponzi scheme architect and former Miami booster Nevin Shapiro made allegations to the school against former players. Shapiro said he interacted mostly with football players and recruits, as well as a significantly smaller number of men's basketball players.
Shapiro is serving a 20-year prison term for masterminding a $930 million fraud scheme.
Miami wants to get through the sanctions portion of the process as quickly as possible. But typically, it takes about three months for a hearing, and then can take several weeks — if not months — more for the penalties to be handed down. The sides coming to a settlement beforehand is another possibility.
Shalala said Miami will work diligently to prepare a response to the allegations within 90 days.
"We trust that the Committee on Infractions will provide the fairness and integrity missing during the investigative process," Shalala wrote.
Miami and the NCAA have gone back and forth on the wording of the notice of allegations for several weeks, and the long-awaited letter was nearly delivered last month. That's when the NCAA acknowledged that some mistakes were made by its own enforcement department. And that resulted in some allegations coming out of the letter.
It also led to yet another delay in the process, which many at Miami believe has dragged on for way too long.
"This cannot end quickly enough," Miami coach football Al Golden said earlier this month.
CHEAT SHEET
Can you blame these people for trying? Find out who earned a spot in this hall of shame.
Within about six months of Miami originally bringing the information it had on Shapiro forward, an NCAA investigation was quietly underway, and the story became widely known in August 2011 after Shapiro provided Yahoo Sports with details of what he claimed to have given dozens of athletes, recruits and coaches over an eight-year period.
Among the gifts Shapiro alleged to provide: Memorabilia, cash amounts both large and small, dinners, strip-club trips, prostitutes, and even an abortion.
Shalala, however, labeled most of those alleged benefits as "sensationalized media accounts."
"Despite their efforts over two and a half years, the NCAA enforcement staff could not find evidence of prostitution, expensive cars for players, expensive dinners paid for by boosters, player bounty payments, rampant alcohol and drug use, or the alleged hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts given to student-athletes, as reported in the media," Shalala wrote. "The fabricated story played well — the facts did not."
Several Miami football and men's basketball players have either served suspensions, paid restitution or both in the past two years after their involvement with Shapiro was discovered. Apparently upset with how people he thought were friends turned their back on him following his conviction for the Ponzi operation, Shapiro vowed that he would take down the program, and his attorney — a Miami alum — was willing to help the NCAA's cause.
Documents released Monday by the NCAA showed that Shapiro's attorney, Maria Elena Perez, offered to assist investigators working the Miami case by using subpoena power to depose witnesses under the guise of a bankruptcy case. NCAA enforcement officials accepted her offer, even feeding her questions to ask for at least one of the depositions, and records show they paid at least $19,000 for her work — though she billed them for three times that much.
"Had I realized I was dealing with, what is in my opinion ... such an incompetent regulatory institution, I would have never allowed Mr. Shapiro to have had any type of contact with the NCAA — period," Perez wrote in a text message to AP.
Shalala also said former Miami athletic director Paul Dee, who held the job before Hocutt, also was not interviewed by the NCAA before his death in May 2012. Dee also was a member of the NCAA's committee on infractions, most notably when sanctions — including a two-year bowl ban, scholarship reductions and vacating victories — came down against Southern California in 2010, stemming from improper benefits given to then-Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush by sports marketers. Dee chaired the committee at the time, then saying "higher-profile players require higher-profile monitoring."
"The NCAA enforcement staff failed, even after repeated requests, to interview many essential witnesses of great integrity who could have provided firsthand testimony, including, unbelievably, Paul Dee, who has since passed away, but who served as Miami Athletic Director during many of the years that violations were alleged to have occurred," Shalala wrote. "How could a supposedly thorough and fair investigation not even include the Director of Athletics?"
Any allegations that came from those depositions were taken out of the Miami case, the NCAA said on Monday when it unveiled the scope of its alliance with Perez and acknowledged that missteps were made. The NCAA's vice president of enforcement, who oversaw the Miami probe, has been ousted, and some investigators who worked the case are also no longer with the association.
That prompted Miami to lash out strongly at the NCAA on Monday, with Shalala saying "the lengthy and already flawed investigation has demonstrated a disappointing pattern of unprofessional and unethical behavior."
The NCAA declined comment Tuesday about Shalala's remarks, which included a demand that Miami not face any additional sanctions.
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