As we go through the month of April and put the college basketball season and the NCAA tournament in our rearview mirrors we look ahead to college football season.
One of the biggest storylines with spring practices well under way is the state of the University of Miami Hurricanes football program. I wrote an article last week about the flyers being put up around the fitness center calling for offensive lineman to come and walk on the team. However that is not the only issue that the football team has to deal with. They are still awaiting the results and subsequent punishment from the NCAA investigation of the Nevin Shapiro impermissible benefits scandal.
For those of you that are not aware of the situation, or have simply forgotten with all that’s been going on in the sports world since the incident, here is a quick recap.
Nevin Shapiro is a now former University of Miami booster. He orchestrated a ponzi scheme where he made over 900 million dollars. As a UM booster he used that money to provide impermissible benefits to members of the athletic program from 2002 to 2010. His benefits ranged from paying players, to paying for meals and night club outings, and to hosting former and perspective players at his homes and on his yachts. In one case it was even reported that he paid for one woman to have an abortion after a Hurricanes football player at the time had impregnated her. Since the story came out there have been several stories that have been proven false or untrue.
Since the incident was first reported last year the Hurricanes athletic program self imposed a one-year bowl ban of the football program that took place this past season. The school also decided to pay back $83,000 it received directly and indirectly from Shapiro. However, there are still more punishments that are likely to come down once the NCAA concludes its investigation. There could be additional bowl bans, loss of scholarships, the school could get put on athletic probation, or in the most extreme situation the school could receive the death penalty.
With season ticket holders, such as myself, renewing their tickets this past week and the team starting to prepare for next season it is only a matter of time until the school finally finds out what the verdict from the NCAA will be. Until then all we as fans and the players and coaches can do is go on with our day-to-day lives, continue to prepare for the season, and hope for the best. Lets hope that this is all just a minor speed bump on the road back to greatness.
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