The emails former Miami Booster Nevin Shapiro sent to the CNBC show “American Greed” for their feature weren’t the only ones he sent boasting his allegations of impermissible benefits given to former and current Miami players.
A Miami Herald Sunday column shares portions of numerous e-mails Shapiro used to communicate from jail over the past few months. And, like he did with Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, like he did with CNBC, Shapiro promises his involvement with the Miami program will result in stiff consequences.“The public is going to hate me worse in the next coming months. It’s going to be severe and catastrophic. My feelings are getting inflamed and I’m going to pop off pretty soon with regards to them and the NCAA. I’m coming for them both [UM and former players] and I’m going to be successful.
“I’m taking that program down to Chinatown and the former players and links to that program. Why? Because the U.S. government lined up 47 former players to testify against me in open court if I went to trial. That in itself is motivation to shove it up their collective [butts].”
Consider Miami unimpressed by Shapiro’s rhetoric. Or his ability to quote “Meet the Parents.”
“We think the worst is behind us,” coach Al Golden (pictured) said. “The [current] coaches and 95 percent of the players weren’t here when that thing went on. There’s a shift by the NCAA to go after the perpetrators and that’s not us.”
An official from the school declared they could “punch holes” in Shapiro’s story if he were to testify under oath. UM already suspended eight players last season for at least one game due to their connection with Shapiro; the former booster now claims he provided impermissible benefits to 114 current and former athletes, not just the 72 mentioned by Yahoo! Sports.
The NCAA investigation into Shapiro’s allegations is ongoing, so neither the school nor the NCAA can comment on the matter, although Miami said they expect to hear something from the NCAA by summer. Interestingly, the Herald notes that some players mentioned in Shapiro’s claims haven’t been reached out to by the NCAA. Others have been and chose not to talk. Only current players are required to speak to the NCAA.
And whatever ruling the NCAA ultimately comes up with, it’ll be based on the information they were able to obtain. Those in Miami, as well as those interested in the story, will be waiting with bated breath.