Violations About Money, Not Example

For years, it has been speculated that Bobby Bowden and his Seminoles have engaged in multiple violations over the years only never to be caught or to get a slap on the wrist by the NCAA.

By now, we all know about the Music Appreciation Class scandal where students and student-athletes from Florida State partook in the aforementioned class and allegedly received test answers from a tutor. The NCAA has conducted an investigation and their punishment is scholarships taken away from the teams with players that were involved with the cheating scandal. The football team, most notably Head Coach Bobby Bowden, did not take to their sanctions well. Bowden has to forfeit the games in which ineligible players were used, even though when officials at FSU got word of the cheating they acted accordingly by suspending players. My take in all of this: It’s all complete bull…

The NCAA claims they’re trying to make a statement and an example to all colleges and universities that no one is above the law and you will eventually get caught. I have a major problem with this.

You’re either completely naïve or stupid if you truly believe cheating doesn’t take place in all forms of higher education, especially with student-athletes. These charges have nothing to do with setting an “example” and everything to do with money. Florida State was making bank for the NCAA during the height of their program. We witnessed arrest after arrest in the 90’s and we all heard murmurs and rumors about academic misconduct within the school’s system for years. Why wasn’t there an investigation ten years ago? And if there was, do you honestly believe FSU was that good at covering up mishaps that the NCAA walked right past it?

“But what about the ‘Free Shoe U’ scandal?”

Well, it was so publicized that the NCAA was forced to act and they didn’t even hammer FSU as hard as they probably should have.

Florida State is no longer among the elite and isn’t making the NCAA, which runs similarly to the mob, as much revenue as it has in the past. The ‘Noles can’t even sell out their own stadium anymore. How are they to make money for the NCAA? Don’t believe my assessment? Check out what’s going on on the West Coast with Southern Cal. They’ve been in the spotlight this whole decade. Winning national titles. Being on television week after week. Accepting enormous accolades, such as Heisman winners, et cetera. We keep hearing about illegal activities taking place at USC, but there hasn’t been a single sanction given. OJ Mayo, Reggie Bush, and most recently an NFL consultant helped out some of the USC players, which is absolutely a violation, and nothing happens to them. Why? Because they are making the NCAA a boatload of cash.

And I’ve heard the excuse, “Well, speeding is illegal and people get away with that all of the time.”

Well, you’re an idiot for making such a ridiculous statement. So, I guess it’s okay to participate in illegal activities, as long as you don’t get caught, right? There’re so many things wrong with that, I’d have to write up a whole other article just to point out the stupidity.

I understand that Bobby is in charge and responsible for these children, but how in the world is he supposed to know everything that’s going on? If you truly believe Urban Meyer and Pete Carroll know everything going on in their players lives then lift your eyes one paragraph.

Love him or hate him, Bowden has been a staple in the college football world and is already a legend. Without him, there’s no such thing as Florida State football. If you truly want to punish the FSU program then I say do it. They got caught and there has to be repercussions. Pull scholies. Take them off of tv. Ban them from a bowl game.

But not at the expense of a man who has sacrificed himself for the game. He earned those victories. To take them away is a bigger crime than these ridiculous sanctions.