NCAA Investigating Cash Payments To Miami Players

[BDKJMU]

"NCAA eyes booster's claims Miami players took cash

The NCAA has launched an investigation into the University of Miami's athletic department involving a potentially damaging extra benefits case, two sources confirmed to CBSSports.com.

InsideTheU.com first reported the news.

A source confirmed that the focus of the investigation stems from claims made by Nevin Shapiro, a Miami booster who has been convicted of running a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. He is working on a tell-all book about the claims, which is expected to name nearly 100 athletes at the school who broke NCAA rules since 2001. Shapiro donated $150,000 to the athletic department and was a frequent guest on the sidelines at Hurricanes practices and games.

Shapiro's attorney, Maria Elena Perez, says Shapiro has told the NCAA he provided players with the use of a yacht and other favors. Shapiro and Perez have been talking with the NCAA about the matter for a couple of months, and she says investigators were on campus Monday.

University officials didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Palm Beach Post beat writer Jorge Milian reported Sunday night that Shapiro would also be the focus of a damaging story from Yahoo! Sports.

One source said Miami was "in big trouble" as a result of the claims and that Shapiro would be able to back up his allegations. Most of the allegations focus on Miami football players receiving money and other benefits as a result of playing for the Hurricanes. Investigators are expected to question several current players with ties to Shapiro but one source said there was no connection between the current coaching staff and the booster......."(article continues)
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... -took-cash" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BDKJMU]

Another article:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/16/2 ... rsity.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BDKJMU]

From the UNC thread:

Sanctions scorecard in the last yr+:

USC: appeal of their sanctions got denied, so they’ll lose 30 scholarships and eligibility for a bowl game and the Pac-12 title game.

Ohio State: tattoogate, which led to the resignation of Jim Tressel and the departure of Terrelle Pryor. Forfeit all of their wins in 2010 and are now on a two year probation period.

Georgia Tech: slapped with a $100,000 fine and had their 2009 conference title revoked for failing to cooperate with an investigation

LSU: despite being found guily of major violations NCAA gave slap on wrist of 1 year probation. NCAA accepted LSU's self-imposed reduction of two scholarships during the 2010-11 academic year, as well as a 10 percent reduction in official visits and reductions in recruiting calls. LSU already had begun reducing official visits during 2010-11, but the NCAA expanded the punishment to include 2011-12.and a loss of 2 scholarships, await results of NCAA investigation.
http://news.yahoo.com/ncaa-gives-lsu-1- ... 33678.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tenn: self-imposed a 2 year probation period and await results of NCAA. Being investigated for major violations:
http://news.yahoo.com/tennessee-conside ... 06909.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Auburn: Still under investigation

Oregon under investigation.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/n ... 12mediaday" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

UNC: sounds like the hammer could REALLY drop:
http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-footba ... violations" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And now Boise and Miami under investigation. Its just one school after another.

[tampajag]

No 10 win seasons or confernce titles since 04, this guy should ask for a refund.

[Skjellyfetti]

Yeah, so they're pretty much fucked. They were under NCAA's repeat violator window during all this... and these are SERIOUS charges.

http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/ ... its_081611" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

THE U!!!!!

[MrTitleist]

Miami's going to get the death penalty.. just reading the stuff coming across Twitter that the Yahoo guys are throwing out there... Shapiro paid for an abortion for one of the hookers that got pregnant by a Hurricane FB player. These guys are more fucked than they even know. I guess the article is going to list the players involved and you'll be able to click on their name and see the infraction(s).

[Grizalltheway]

No 10 win seasons or confernce titles since 04, this guy should ask for a refund.

[clenz]

Miami's going to get the death penalty.. just reading the stuff coming across Twitter that the Yahoo guys are throwing out there... Shapiro paid for an abortion for one of the hookers that got pregnant by a Hurricane FB player. These guys are more fucked than they even know. I guess the article is going to list the players involved and you'll be able to click on their name and see the infraction(s).

I've been waiting for a program to have the full shit storm come out.

OSU left me wanting....something....this...this fills it.

If only it were OSU or ND

[SDHornet]

Miami's going to get the death penalty.. just reading the stuff coming across Twitter that the Yahoo guys are throwing out there... Shapiro paid for an abortion for one of the hookers that got pregnant by a Hurricane FB player. These guys are more fucked than they even know. I guess the article is going to list the players involved and you'll be able to click on their name and see the infraction(s).

I've been waiting for a program to have the full shit storm come out.

OSU left me wanting....something....this...this fills it.

If only it were OSU or ND

This.

[Skjellyfetti]

[bluehenbillk]

Whether it's the death penalty or not, Miami should get crushed with penalties if this story is true.

[tampajag]

I wonder if he regrets his decision:

[tampajag]

A couple current Canes on the list:

Jacory Harris
http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/ ... llegations

Travis Benjamin
http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/ ... llegations

Ray-Ray Armstrong
http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/ ... llegations

[tampajag]

[clenz]

I kind of feel bad for Al Golden in all of this. He took the job, probably not knowing all of this shit, and is now fucked.

[tampajag]

Can't wait to see the new 30 for 30 documentary for the U

[SDHornet]

Yahoo has a handful of articles and radio interviews available. Apparently this went on for 8 years and Miami did nothing about it. They are fucked.

The best part is Shapiro probably would have kept quiet if some of the people and players he crossed paths with would have shown him some love while things were going south for him.

[tampajag]

Tomahawk Nation has been covering this for the last few days. My favorite part of the story is that Shapiro used the name Teddy Dupay (ex UF bball player/gambler) to book hotels because he thought he looked like him.

[tampajag]

ex Canes and "little" Luke

[DJH]

They are done.

[Skjellyfetti]

[tampajag]

[youtube][/youtube]

[Silenoz]

Yahoo has a handful of articles and radio interviews available. Apparently this went on for 8 years and Miami did nothing about it. They are fucked.

The best part is Shapiro probably would have kept quiet if some of the people and players he crossed paths with would have shown him some love while things were going south for him.

There's no way stuff this hasn't been going on since the Butch Davis days. It wasn't magic that turned Miami football around in record time, akin to North Carolina the last few years

[ODUalum11]

I wonder if he regrets his decision:

As much as I hate Miami, I really feel bad for this guy. Yeah, he's probably gonna make a lot more than what he made at Temple but at least Temple doesn't have this &*^% going on right now. Only guy I dont feel bad for is Jim Larranagga, the new men's basketball coach. You have to agree niether guy would have taken their respective positions if they knew this crap was going on before they got there.

Anyway I agree, Miami should get the dealth penalty. The NCAA needs to make an example of someone. These are some pretty serious infractions and this makes the situation at Ohio State look like nothing. Prostitution, Strip Clubs, Cars, Jewelry, Abortions, etc....

And I agree with silenoz, this stuff had to be going on a lot longer then it did. I also agree with Clenz, I've been wanting one of these programs to get hit with the sledge hammer so hard it will take decades for them to recover from it. In other words, seeing the NCAA go all SMU on one of these programs.

[SDHornet]

This is why I love the Yahoo articles. Instead of just turning all the blame on Miami (which is fine), they also run a fine article pointing out all the hypocrisies in the system by mentioning the lavish payouts bowl execs and NCAA committee members take. Brilliant.

Know this about Nevin Shapiro: He rained down millions on Miami players during an eight-year spread, yet he didn’t come close to the levels of gifts and graft that former Fiesta Bowl CEO John Junker lavished on athletic directors, presidents and conference commissioners.

Shapiro took scores of players out on his $1.6 million yacht. It didn’t cost nearly as much as the Orange Bowl spent in 2010 to provide 40 athletic directors and four conference commissioners (plus spouses) with a four-day Caribbean cruise.
Included in that junket? Then-Miami athletic director Kirby Hocutt.

College athletics is about getting your palm greased. And nobody has its hand out like the already well-paid folks running the show.

If a bowl director is willing to pay off an AD so his sweetheart contract stays intact, hey, that’s business. If a player takes a fraction of the same thing, he’s suspended.

http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/ ... ene_081711