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NCAA gives ultimatum to players in UM investigation; Canes, Dolphins, Marlins, Heat chatter
WEDNESDAY BUZZ COLUMNThe NCAA has delivered a new and disturbing ultimatum to numerous former University of Miami football players: Either talk to us or we’ll believe Nevin Shapiro’s claims against you.
The NCAA last week mailed a letter to former players that allegedly committed NCAA violations by accepting gifts from Shapiro, including dinners, prostitutes, trips to nightclubs, cash and other perks. Shapiro told the NCAA that 114 players committed violations; Yahoo previously identified 72 of them.
Only players who were playing college football at the time the investigation was launched are required to speak to the NCAA. Thirteen current or former UM football players did so in 2011. So the players who were sent the letter last week are no longer playing college football; some are in the NFL.
The letter, which I obtained, gives the players a Friday deadline to speak to the NCAA. What’s surprising is that the NCAA states in the letter that it will conclude the players committed violations if they do not respond.
UM officials were privately hopeful that many of the allegations made against players who left UM several years ago cannot be corroborated. Unless the NCAA is bluffing, it appears it might take Shapiro’s word on these claims unless the players refute them.In recent days, several players and their attorneys have been trying to decide whether to speak to the NCAA. Even Tuesday, one said he's not sure what he will do. So it’s unclear how many players will speak to the NCAA.
Here’s how the letter to one player attorney reads:
"The purpose of this letter is to apprise you that the NCAA enforcement staff is requesting to schedule an interview with your clients regarding their knowledge of or involvement in possible NCAA violations concerning the University of Miami, Florida, football program.
"Interviewing your clients is important in order for the enforcement staff to conduct a thorough investigation, and both the staff and the institution request you and your clients’ cooperation in this matter. However, at this time, all attempts to schedule and execute interviews with
have been unsuccessful. As a result, this letter serves as a formal and final request by the NCAA enforcement staff for interviews with to be completed by Nov. 23, 2012.
“If we do not hear back from you or your clients by that time, the staff will consider the non-response as your client’s admission of involvement in NCAA violations. You may contact me at in order to arrange this interview. Your assistance in this matter is appreciated.”
Sincerely,
Molly Richman,
Assistant Director of Enforcement### My opinion: Regardless of whether it's bluffing or not, the NCAA - by sending this letter to former players - is being heavy-handed and manipulative. Considering the NCAA has no jurisdiction over former players, it's offensive that it would threaten to believe a convicted felon without additional corroboration. A felon, for that matter, who's in jail for a crime involving lying (a Ponzi scheme).http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2012/11/ncaa-gives-ultimatum-to-players-in-um-investigation-canes-dolphins-marlins-heat-chatter.html
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dukeb15 said...
NCAA gives ultimatum to players in UM investigation; Canes, Dolphins, Marlins, Heat chatter WEDNESDAY BUZZ COLUMN
The NCAA has delivered a new and disturbing ultimatum to numerous former University of Miami football players: Either talk to us or we’ll believe Nevin Shapiro’s claims against you. The NCAA last week mailed a letter to former players that allegedly committed NCAA violations by accepting gifts from Shapiro, including dinners, prostitutes, trips to nightclubs, cash and other perks. Shapiro told the NCAA that 114 players committed violations; Yahoo previously identified 72 of them. Only players who were playing college football at the time the investigation was launched are required to speak to the NCAA. Thirteen current or former UM football players did so in 2011. So the players who were sent the letter last week are no longer playing college football; some are in the NFL. The letter, which I obtained, gives the players a Friday deadline to speak to the NCAA. What’s surprising is that the NCAA states in the letter that it will conclude the players committed violations if they do not respond. UM officials were privately hopeful that many of the allegations made against players who left UM several years ago cannot be corroborated. Unless the NCAA is bluffing, it appears it might take Shapiro’s word on these claims unless the players refute them.
In recent days, several players and their attorneys have been trying to decide whether to speak to the NCAA. Even Tuesday, one said he's not sure what he will do. So it’s unclear how many players will speak to the NCAA.
Here’s how the letter to one player attorney reads: "The purpose of this letter is to apprise you that the NCAA enforcement staff is requesting to schedule an interview with your clients regarding their knowledge of or involvement in possible NCAA violations concerning the University of Miami, Florida, football program. "Interviewing your clients is important in order for the enforcement staff to conduct a thorough investigation, and both the staff and the institution request you and your clients’ cooperation in this matter. However, at this time, all attempts to schedule and execute interviews with
have been unsuccessful. As a result, this letter serves as a formal and final request by the NCAA enforcement staff for interviews with to be completed by Nov. 23, 2012. “If we do not hear back from you or your clients by that time, the staff will consider the non-response as your client’s admission of involvement in NCAA violations. You may contact me at in order to arrange this interview. Your assistance in this matter is appreciated.” Sincerely, Molly Richman, Assistant Director of Enforcement
### My opinion: Regardless of whether it's bluffing or not, the NCAA - by sending this letter to former players - is being heavy-handed and manipulative. Considering the NCAA has no jurisdiction over former players, it's offensive that it would threaten to believe a convicted felon without additional corroboration. A felon, for that matter, who's in jail for a crime involving lying (a Ponzi scheme).http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2012/11/ncaa-gives-ultimatum-to-players-in-um-investigation-canes-dolphins-marlins-heat-chatter.html
"Here are provided seats of meditative joy, where shall rise again the destined reign of Troy." Virgil
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theknuckleUSC
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theknuckleUSC said...
They're giving Miami an either/or proposition. They just straight up believed it with USC.
Anyways, regardless of whether or not people find this offensive, I am amazed the NCAA hasn't executed this threat before. Without the power to subpoena or otherwise compel people to even talk to them (much less provide testimony), this seems like the only way for the NCAA to remedy that crutch.
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TrojanMindSC ●
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ProUSC
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usctrojan1 said...
Thing is..Shapiro did many questionable things in public, directly challenging the director of compliance in the press box? It was so blatant, why wouldn't they believe him???
This was no back door shenanigans, this was in your face, blatant association with people at the highest level of that university.
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stoptothink said...
Shapiro has literally thousands of pictures, receipts, corroborative testimony from other former players, an equipment manager, even store employees, supposedly former coaches, and many of the former players all but admitted it already with comments such as "that is in the past." If they don't just fess up, there is a boatload of evidence against them anyways. What I don't understand is why it even matters if they get these guys to admit it, when they already have several that have; what difference does it make if you have unmitigated proof that 15 guys took benefits or 70?
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Scott Schrader ●
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OT:So the NCAA will believe a career criminal again