Top 15 Biggest NCAA Scandals of all time...Guess who is #1?

[ponyscott]

Geez...we are Number 1 for something at least...Bleacher Report says 'its the scandal of all scandals'...


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/4232 ... ls#page/16

[DiamondM75]

A sports record that will never be topped. We will always be #1.

GO 'STANGS

Just happened to notice, USC is on the list 3 times.

[The PonyGrad]

OK, is it the biggest scandal because of what SMU did or because of the penalty received?

[smupony94]

No such thing as bad press

[HB Pony Dad]

No such thing as bad press

1 & 2: "There's Methodist in their Madness".

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

We'll always be Number 1 in this category, baby!

The 1987 DP is of course the most infamous case in the (sadly) long history of SMU major infractions. Less well remembered is the 1985 case that preceeded the DP case. We really got hammered in that one. As I recall, when we were placed on probation in 1985, we lost something like 35 scholarships over two seasons, had a 2 year bowl ban, and a 1 or 2 year TV ban. Not too dissimilar from what just happend to USC actually. A lot of people thought it was really the end of SMU football. I can only imagine the shock when a whole new case opened up in 1986-87 and it actually got worse!!!

It helps to put the 1987 case into perspective as well. Imagine being the NCAA, uncovering numerous major infractions at SMU (for the second time in the 1980s), and hammering the football program like it got hammered in 1985. Then, less than 18 months later, SMU is back before the enforcement committee and the major charge involves a slush fund to pay players!!! There has never been another case before the committee like that one.

I can't tell you how glad I am that those days are behind us.

[mr. pony]

OK, is it the biggest scandal because of what SMU did or because of the penalty received?

It's the penalty.

We're forever stigmatized by the NCAA's refusal to use the DP again - and there have been over 20 schools who could have received it since us. It's despicable and shameful that this penalty was so used: ONCE and never again. It's the single reason we're always at the top of these lists.

Sixty-grand? That's the biggest scandal?? Not even close by today's standards.

Arkansas, Alabama and USC - just to name a few - should have a DP forever staining their programs too.

[PK]

Wasn't there a basketball program that also received the DP?

[jtstang]

It's the deeds, nobody ever had the Governor of the state with his hands all over the scandal like SMU did.

[RGV Pony]

Wasn't there a basketball program that also received the DP?

Kentucky and USL (Now U La-La)

[Stallion]

you missed the probation in 1981 when SMU won the SWC but was not allowed to go the Cotton Bowl. 5 probations from 1974 (after the forced resignation of President Paul Hardin for exposing SMU violations)-1987

[ponydawg]

If SMU wouldn't have put our own restrictions on us, and if the SWC wouldn't have broken up, and if we would have started winning in the 90's instead of 20 years later. Do you think they would have handed out the Death Penalty again? I think the rest of the colleges should thank us for tanking it for 20 years instead of trying to rebuild.

Lots of "if's" there.......i know, IF grandma had testies she would be grandpa.

[EastStang]

The Aggies and Frogs were trying to keep up with us back then, but we were a train wreck never duplicated up to that point and further, our bravado in just stiff arming the NCAA investigators was unprecedented.

A useful discussion is going on now as to whether players should be paid. This would clearly in my view hurt private schools and would force virtually all non-BCS conferences into FCS status. Even if its a "small" amount like $5-10,000 per player per year, that would amount to close to $500,000-1,000,000 per year plus basketball, plus I'm sure Title IX would require payment to those athletes as well. Such a rule would remove every non-AQ conference from the game. But from another standpoint, why should UT be able to sell "McCoy" jerseys without paying a little something to him?

[mr. pony]

Wasn't there a basketball program that also received the DP?

kentucky, I think. Not sure the details.
It wasn't this same penalty though. Our DP had just become "law" a year or two before we got it.

[Junior]

Chris Rix, Florida State

If you’re going to be sleazy, you had better be good.

Chris Rix wasn’t good, or at least not good enough, which might be why a collection of his Florida State classmates blew the whistle when they saw him park in handicapped spots around campus.

He paid a $100 fine and apologized for his actions.

Silliness.

Really, that's one of the top 15 "scandals" ever? This list is [deleted].