Our Biggest Mistake (Miami Sanctions Revealed)

[mustang addict]

At the beginning of the 2-3 year investigation of the latest Miami MAJOR infractions it was believed to be the closest thing to a school getting the death penalty or actually getting the crippling death penalty like the NCAA did. They chose to give it to SMU- a small private school. (Yes, I know Miami is private.). They reduced a few scholarships and they can go to a bowl game THIS year. Their basketball team was involved too! When we received this devastating and crippling ruling we were in a major conference (Southwest Conference). We are still suffering from this today- over 26 years later and relegated to a lower tier conference. I am still thinking our BIGGEST MISTAKE in this is we did not grow some *****s and sue the NCAA. That is what appears to be what the NCAA fears from teams in trouble since our demise (especially recently)! I have always said we died for college football's sins!

[redpony]

There was a group that had built a war chest of funds to help pay for SMU's legal fees. The school told that group to go shove it. They (the school) did not want any more adverse pub and therefore would just roll over and accept whatever the NCAA did.
IMO if we had pursued a legal action we would have probably settled with the NCAA and never have received anything near as severe as the DP.

[EastStang]

The real problem was that when we received the last "we mean it" warning, we kept on doing it and then, the real sin, covered it up to protect Governor Clements re-election. Had we, the last time simply said, yeah, you caught us again, we won't do TV or bowls for two years and cut our scholarships by 5. The NCAA would have done it. Instead we lied about it, covered it up. That's what got us whacked.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

The NCAA is no different than a cartel. Unless you're a big public school (with few exceptions), you don't get to participate, and at the very least, you're not in the same playing field.

[MV pony]

At the beginning of the 2-3 year investigation of the latest Miami MAJOR infractions it was believed to be the closest thing to a school getting the death penalty or actually getting the crippling death penalty like the NCAA did. They chose to give it to SMU- a small private school. (Yes, I know Miami is private.). They reduced a few scholarships and they can go to a bowl game THIS year. Their basketball team was involved too! When we received this devastating and crippling ruling we were in a major conference (Southwest Conference). We are still suffering from this today- over 26 years later and relegated to a lower tier conference. I am still thinking our BIGGEST MISTAKE in this is we did not grow some *****s and sue the NCAA. That is what appears to be what the NCAA fears from teams in trouble since our demise (especially recently)! I have always said we died for college football's sins!

I thought the same thing at the time and I think the same thing now. SMU runs a law school and is afraid to litigate?

[MV pony]

The real problem was that when we received the last "we mean it" warning, we kept on doing it and then, the real sin, covered it up to protect Governor Clements re-election. Had we, the last time simply said, yeah, you caught us again, we won't do TV or bowls for two years and cut our scholarships by 5. The NCAA would have done it. Instead we lied about it, covered it up. That's what got us whacked.

As the NCAA recognized in the Penn State case, How can you penalize the student body, alums and players that were not involved? It could have just stripped all wins. Instead, it leveled the DP. What better way to stop a small private school that dared want to play with the big boys.

[SMU 86]

In the DP situation you had to be caught after being put on probation with 5 years. If Miami were to be caught again within the next 5 years then they could be considered for the DP.

USC should be ticked off at this.

[mustang addict]

I believe it stated the death penalty could be given if infractions occurred within 5 years for any 2 sports. For example, it didn't have to be in the same sport in five years. This time there were 2 sports involved (Basketball and Football). Also in the past, the Miami program had been on probation other times. (Not a clean program since our misfortune). Because of our severe penalty, I feel that we are still serving out sanctions from the death penalty - 26 yrs later.
P.S. I love Ponyfans and read it all the time. I hardly ever comment except the predictions every week (always picking the Mustangs!). But when this Miami thing got announced it bothered me enough to write something...Sorry couldn't help myself!

[ghost]

My opinion is the NCAA is looking into the near future and knowing big changes are coming. Too much is riding on television revenue and the money involved in big time football programs. They are gonna have to walk the tightrope for awhile or take the chance the moneymakers split from the ncaa and have their own tv revenues along with paying their players and the bowls going with them. Follow the money trail and you will follow who really runs the sport. I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually worked its way down into the high schools with bigtime programs like Allen, Katy and Southlake splitting off and playing nationally scheduled games for tv with the revenues supporting the entire school district.