Time to end this silly idea that NCAA

[Islandman]

basketball and football are amateur sports. They are NOT! Everybody is making money off it except the players. Glorified serfdom is what it is.

Find a way to compensate the youths fairly and this ongoing problem of shady characters bribing players will go away.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miami pledges full probe of ex-booster's bombshell
By the CNN Wire Staff
August 17, 2011 4:15 p.m. EDT

An imprisoned former Hurricanes booster says he gave players cash and gifts
Miami's president says the university will seek the truth "wherever that path may lead"

(CNN) -- The University of Miami says it is cooperating with an investigation into claims by an imprisoned former booster that he spent millions on gifts, entertainment and travel for Hurricanes athletes.

"We will vigorously pursue the truth, wherever that path may lead, and I have insisted upon complete, honest, and transparent cooperation with the NCAA from our staff and students," the school's president, Donna Shalala wrote in an open letter Wednesday.

Shalala said she was "upset, disheartened and saddened" by the allegations leveled by Nevin Shapiro, a onetime Miami businessman now serving a 20-year federal prison term for fraud. Shapiro told Yahoo! Sports that he showered dozens of Miami players with cash and jewelry, paid restaurant and nightclub tabs and supplied prostitutes over an 8-year period -- and that several coaches were aware of the activity.

Shapiro was arrested in 2010 on charges of overseeing a Ponzi scheme that prosecutors eventually determined had totaled $930 million. He pleaded guilty to securities fraud and money laundering that September and told Yahoo! that his accusations against Miami were part of his agreement to cooperate with prosecutors.

The NCAA, which regulates college sports, said it has been investigating Shapiro's claims for five months. NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a written statement that if true, the allegations show the need for "serious and fundamental change" in college sports, especially regarding the conduct of boosters and agents.

The Hurricanes open their football season September 5 against Maryland. Head Coach Al Golden, who was picked to lead the team in December, told reporters before practice Wednesday that he wanted to clear up the matter "as quickly as we can."

"This is a very complicated issue obviously, because of the source and because of the allegations," Golden said. "But again, I'm here to get to the bottom of it."

"It's really important to understand that we have a lot of guys in that locker room that do things the right way, that come from great families and have made good decisions," he added.

[MdmeX]

Agree with you fully.

[Sickko]

There is actually a study on the way now where they are thinking of increasing the stipends to the athletes but the draw back is that the increases must be across the board meaning that a star QB at a big 10 school would get the same as say a reserve on a women's soccer team- if they are to maintain parity that is.

Also would all the schools in all three NCAA divisions be able to manage the pay outs?

[Islandman]

I wonder why they would want to maintain parity. Most college sports make no money so why should they benefit the same as the big money sports.

But any move in that direction would be encouraging and long overdue.

[Sickko]

Because they are all student/athletes first and dont forget Article IX that mandated equal amount of female sports to male sports

[Time]

basketball and football are amateur sports. They are NOT! Everybody is making money off it except the players. Glorified serfdom is what it is.

Find a way to compensate the youths fairly and this ongoing problem of shady characters bribing players will go away.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miami pledges full probe of ex-booster's bombshell
By the CNN Wire Staff
August 17, 2011 4:15 p.m. EDT

An imprisoned former Hurricanes booster says he gave players cash and gifts
Miami's president says the university will seek the truth "wherever that path may lead"

(CNN) -- The University of Miami says it is cooperating with an investigation into claims by an imprisoned former booster that he spent millions on gifts, entertainment and travel for Hurricanes athletes.

"We will vigorously pursue the truth, wherever that path may lead, and I have insisted upon complete, honest, and transparent cooperation with the NCAA from our staff and students," the school's president, Donna Shalala wrote in an open letter Wednesday.

Shalala said she was "upset, disheartened and saddened" by the allegations leveled by Nevin Shapiro, a onetime Miami businessman now serving a 20-year federal prison term for fraud. Shapiro told Yahoo! Sports that he showered dozens of Miami players with cash and jewelry, paid restaurant and nightclub tabs and supplied prostitutes over an 8-year period -- and that several coaches were aware of the activity.

Shapiro was arrested in 2010 on charges of overseeing a Ponzi scheme that prosecutors eventually determined had totaled $930 million. He pleaded guilty to securities fraud and money laundering that September and told Yahoo! that his accusations against Miami were part of his agreement to cooperate with prosecutors.

The NCAA, which regulates college sports, said it has been investigating Shapiro's claims for five months. NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a written statement that if true, the allegations show the need for "serious and fundamental change" in college sports, especially regarding the conduct of boosters and agents.

The Hurricanes open their football season September 5 against Maryland. Head Coach Al Golden, who was picked to lead the team in December, told reporters before practice Wednesday that he wanted to clear up the matter "as quickly as we can."

"This is a very complicated issue obviously, because of the source and because of the allegations," Golden said. "But again, I'm here to get to the bottom of it."

"It's really important to understand that we have a lot of guys in that locker room that do things the right way, that come from great families and have made good decisions," he added.

True - Amateur sports is a rip off of the players and of loss income tax revenue for the government.

[Gamma]

yes BUT cost of living is NOT the same in all markets nor is the cost of education the same at all schools. furthermore, the number of sports shuld have little to do with it, right now some NCAA Div I schools make far mor money off their sports programmes than other NCAA Div I schools and i just don't see those schools going gently into the good night when being asked to share their spoils

[Hortical]

Yeah, dem tings a gwaan fi a long time. Here's a link to the report from yahoo.

Renegade Miami football booster spells out illicit benefits to players
http://sports.yahoo.com/investigatio...enefits_081611

[Sickko]

and this story is one of the major reasons why there has to be regulations, perfect example.

While Shapiro gave money to the guys he was getting back as they had to sign with his agency..what's the Latin word...quid pro quo

Most of the so called boosters are not in it for the love of the players or sport, they hope to get some thing back... remember the Chris Webber case, it only came out because he broke the promise he made to the guy who gave him all the money

These selfish athletes are only looking out for themselves and not how it will later affect the school and others.

The athletes who are benefitting are not poor and hungry, check out all the top college football players, they are drive fancy cars and have access to lots more than most students, even their team mates have

[Gamma]

the athletes for the most part WERE poor and hungry until .... and if the athletes selfish...what of the schools and the boosters who flaunt the same rules as well.... there most surely ought to be honour among thieves, but then who shall adjudicate?

[Islandman]

Are you serious? The athletes are being selfish and not looking out for the schools? How about the schools thinking about these athletes?

Sickko, those top college players driving fancy cars are simply breaking or finding loopholes in the stupid NCAA rules that says they cannot accept money,endorsements, gifts, etc. Most of them don't come from privilege so how you think they got those things?

You mention Chris Webber and the Fab Five. Here is a quote for you:

"When these five young men stepped onto the court for the University of Michigan, they instantly became cash cows for their universities. Sales of University of Michigan merchandise went from $1.5 million per year to over $10 million per year shortly after their first season. Jalen Rose, one of the members of the Fab Five, mentioned seeing that Nike had released a sneaker named after the group, and they regularly found their academic schedules being interrupted with trips around the world to promote a brand that was making everyone rich except for their own families"

And you really expect ghetto youths like Jalen Rose or Juwan Howard to tell a booster offering them money that he is concerned for the University and its image? Lets get real now.

[Me]

sickko way off on this one.

Think bout the schools? LOL The schools all KNOW what is going on, but the contracts that are received from the corporations provide the Athletics Department with enough power (money), so that what they say goes.

HBO even has a special and some of the players talk about how the schools arrange payments for them. Mi know people who have played Football and Basketball in the SEC, ACC and Big Ten and it all the same everywhere.

Time to pay up and stop the nonsense. College is simply minor leagues...and in other sports you have to pay people who are in the minors. Reggie Bush on the cover of EA sports, same colour USC jersey, same number, but no name so that they can say is not him? Yet him must not take payments? Joke thing.

[Islandman]

Quite frankly, if I was in their position I have no doubt that I would be taking some money. Even if I was a potential pro athlete, suppose me mash up me knee while playing for the University and I can't go pro as planned, then what?

[Mosiah]

From ever since I can remember finding this amateur NCAA thing as nonsense. So, when the USA used to send a college team to the Olympics, get dem ass kick, and then bawl how dem playing against professionals - that was all nonsense. The NCAA basketball competition is the second best pro-league in the world.

However, could we really allow these athletes, student-athletes as we'd like to call them, just take all sorts of money and gifts while in college?! I don't know the solution, but dat doan look like it eedah!

[Islandman]

I agree, there would have to be some sort of regulation on how it works.

I heard one idea that the money could be put in some kind of trust fund that them can't touch until them decide to leave school. Maybe that or some variation of it could work, but them must get some benefit!