Florida International Has H U G E Problems

[MeanGreen61]

Article posted on the Sun Belt board

Woes Continue: FIU Goes 0-6, NCAA Issues Warning After Finding Dozens Of Ineligible Players

October 8, 2007 4:31 p.m. EST

Matthew Borghese - AHN News Writer

Miami, FL (AHN) - The Athletic Department at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami has been dealt another setback on Monday. After it's flagship Division 1A football team went 0-12 last year, and has started this season 0-6, a new warning from the NCAA has put doubt on the future of the university's entire sports program.

FIU President Modesto Maidique received a "notice of allegations" letter from the NCAA saying the school allowed 40 ineligible student-athletes to compete in several sports, dating back to 2002.

According to the school's newspaper, the Beacon, "an infraction report from Aug. 25, 2005 showed that FIU broke NCAA rules," and as a result, FIU "is now subject to penalties under repeat violators, which may include the prohibition of some or all outside competition in the sport involved for one or two sports seasons."

The NCAA says the violations occurred in several sports, including both men's and women's soccer and women's golf. The school admits every sport has been linked to the allegations, save tennis and softball.

The NCAA will now give FIU until December to respond, and will hold a mandatory hearing on the matter in February. According to the Beacon, the majority of the infractions took place during the tenure of former Athletic Director Rick Mello, who served from 2000 to 2006, when he left to serve as Sun Belt Conference Associate Commissioner.

[Smitty]

SMU, you got company!

You get the feeling that Rick Mello may not be available for comment? IF this is true, what should the Sun Belt do with him?

[PlummMeanGreen]

Time for Wright Waters to start seriously courting La Tech to take FIU's place?

[Censored by Laurie]

This is awful news. FIU's football program is in a similar situation as ours, rebuilding with a new coach they're excited about...and if Sergio Rouco were just in charge of basketball recruiting and let someone else coach his teams, FIU basketball would be really good. Bad news for the Sun Belt.

[Cr1028]

Am I the only one that thinks the NCAA would've looked the other way if it had been Florida, Florida State, or Miami?

[Eagle1855]

Am I the only one that thinks the NCAA would've looked the other way if it had been Florida, Florida State, or Miami?

yes, this would be huge anywhere. Maybe even a bigger deal because those are big time programs with huge followings nationally. Sorry the "they always pick on the little guy" excuse just doesn't apply here. These are serious infractions, and if true, they deserve everything they get.

Edited October 9, 2007 by Eagle1855

[VideoEagle]

Looking at the thread on the Sun Belt Board, it seems most if not all of the violations were self reported by the current AD just after he took over. He’s already reducing scholarships in all sports ahead of any NCAA penalties. People at FIU and the alums knew most of this was coming but the NCAA just made the public announcement. In other words it’s bad but not terrible.

[untbowler]

yes, this would be huge anywhere. Maybe even a bigger deal because those are big time programs with huge followings nationally. Sorry the "they always pick on the little guy" excuse just doesn't apply here. These are serious infractions, and if true, they deserve everything they get.

Um did you not see that they just gave Michigan a pass for using an ineligble player against Penn State, no forfeit or anything justa do not do it again. There is bias when it comes to the little guys whether we choose to accept it or not. there is way to much money being brought in by the major schools.

[CMJ]

Um did you not see that they just gave Michigan a pass for using an ineligble player against Penn State, no forfeit or anything justa do not do it again. There is bias when it comes to the little guys whether we choose to accept it or not. there is way to much money being brought in by the major schools.

That player was not ineligible according to the NCAA. He was ineligible according to Big 10 rules. The conference chose not to punish Michigan.

[Eagle1855]

Um did you not see that they just gave Michigan a pass for using an ineligble player against Penn State, no forfeit or anything justa do not do it again. There is bias when it comes to the little guys whether we choose to accept it or not. there is way to much money being brought in by the major schools.

yeah you're right. 40 is similar to 1.

[ADLER]

School That Gave Easy Grades to Athletes Is Closing

NY Times

By DUFF WILSON

Published: December 24, 2005

University High School, a correspondence school in Miami being investigated for giving fast, high grades to qualify high school athletes for college scholarships, is going out of business Dec. 31, its founder, Stanley J. Simmons, said yesterday.

University High School offered degrees for $399 to high school athletes having grade problems.

The school had no classes or instructors and operated virtually without supervision.

Elite athletes in Dade County said they received study guides with open-book tests and got quick A's and B's. The N.C.A.A. and college admissions offices at certain schools accepted those grades.

Twenty-eight high school athletes sent University High School transcripts to the N.C.A.A. eligibility clearinghouse in the past few years, according to a University of Tennessee report. The New York Times identified 14 who had signed with 11 Division I football programs: Auburn, Central Florida, Colorado State, Florida, Florida State, Florida International, Rutgers, South Carolina State, South Florida, Tennessee and Temple.

Hmmm....using the lowest possible entrance requirements to get players eligible, and then still playing at least 40 inelegible ones; not good FIU, not good at all.

If the Sun Belt needs to purge itself of FIU, FAU still has representation in the Miami market and Western Kentucky is already enlisted to take their place in football.

[UNTFan23]

According to the Beacon, the majority of the infractions took place during the tenure of former Athletic Director Rick Mello, who served from 2000 to 2006, when he left to serve as Sun Belt Conference Associate Commissioner.

Does this bother anyone else besides me???

[Mean Green 93-98]

Does this bother anyone else besides me???

Oh, yes. If true, Mello definitely gets the boot. And, depending on his level of involvement, will probably never work in college athletics again.

[UNT_playmaker]

If FIU leaves or is forced out of the sun belt, than nobody should even care, I mean we dont even need a replacement.

They never should have been in D-1 football in the first place.

[yyz28]

If FIU leaves or is forced out of the sun belt, than nobody should even care, I mean we dont even need a replacement.

They never should have been in D-1 football in the first place.

Perhaps the most unfair statement I have heard. ...I have heard that used on us a few times. We should have more class.

[UNTLifer]

If FIU leaves or is forced out of the sun belt, than nobody should even care, I mean we dont even need a replacement.

They never should have been in D-1 football in the first place.

Why?

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

If FIU leaves or is forced out of the sun belt, than nobody should even care, I mean we dont even need a replacement.

They never should have been in D-1 football in the first place.

If they hadn't, it would've killed the Sun Belt as a football conference and us along with it.

[Cerebus]

If FIU leaves or is forced out of the sun belt, than nobody should even care, I mean we dont even need a replacement.

They never should have been in D-1 football in the first place.

/facepalm

[Quoner]

/facepalm

That is just so mean.

You're so mean Cerebrus.

Chris Crocker demands you leave UNT Playmaker alone.

[Cerebus]

That is just so mean.

You're so mean Cerebrus.

Chris Crocker demands you leave UNT Playmaker alone.

Finally your new avatar makes sense.

[Quoner]

Finally your new avatar makes sense.

If you're going to give me a Crocker-related tag, could it at least be the "Leave Coach Fran" alone guy