Getty ImagesFor the second straight year, Miami will not be going bowling thanks to a self-imposed postseason ban in the wake of the NCAA’s ongoing investigation into the program and former booster Nevin Shapiro. After much deliberation over the past couple of weeks, Miami interim athletic director Blake James made the announcement Monday morning.
The Hurricanes (6-5 overall, 4-3 ACC) became bowl eligible with a win over South Florida this past weekend. A win over Duke this Saturday would have put them in the ACC championship game against Florida State. Instead, Georgia Tech (6-5 overall, 5-3 ACC) will face the Seminoles next month.*
Below is a statement from the university:
“Considerable deliberation and discussion based on the status of the NCAA inquiry went into the decision-making process and, while acknowledging the impact that the decision will have on current student-athletes, coaches, alumni and fans, a determination was made that voluntarily withholding the football team from a second postseason was not only a prudent step for the University to take but will also allow for the football program and University to move forward in the most expedited manner possible.
“The University and President Shalala have been clear from the start of the inquiry that Miami will cooperate fully and will seek the truth, no matter where the path might lead and that the institution will be stronger because of it. The University has already taken proactive measures to ensure more strict compliance with NCAA rules and continues to evaluate further steps.
“No other self-imposed penalties have been issued at this time and to continue to protect the integrity of the inquiry, the University will have no further comment.”
Obviously, this is a move on Miami’s part to do whatever it can to try to reduce any potential penalties from the NCAA as they investigate the program. According to a story from Yahoo! Sports last year, Shapiro claims he provided millions of dollars in impermissible benefits to Miami student-athletes.
(*A quick note about the Yellow Jackets. Like UCLA last season, GT could lose to Georgia next week and Florida State in the ACC championship game, putting them at 6-7. Tech would need a special waiver from the NCAA to go bowling in that scenario)
A politically smart move. NCAA will take this into consideration and be more lenient. I don’t like speaking ill of the dead, but Miami’s former AD named “Dee” is most like in a “hot-spot” about the hypocritical way he chastised the Southern Cal Trojans….something about “people in glass houses…”.
So ingenuous of the Canes to wait until they are in line for the crappiest bowl possible then say they will impose a bowl ban.
That’s like not being able to find a date to the prom them saying you didnt feel like going after all.
Good thinking Miami. This season has been nothing less than another disapointing one. Take the ban now and hope that if you have a great season next year you wont have it then. Ohio St wishes they would have done it this way.
Charles, they aren’t in line for the crappiest bowl possible. They are actually in line to have a chance at a BCS bowl.
@brewcrewfan54
Ugghhh, Next year even if the ‘Canes go undefeated, they will be banned from a bowl game. They are facing something a little less extreme than what the NCAA did to Penn St. IMO.
@brewcrewfan54
Miami in line for a BCS bowl game? Have they actually legalized “Mary Jane” where you live?
If by “chance” for a BCS bowl you mean 0.5% then sure. This is not a good team and would get steamrolled by FSU. If they really wanted to be sincere with these bowl bans, they would of announced a two year ban before the start of last season. It’s obvious that if they were a lock to play in any higher tier bowl these bowl bans would of never been announced. It’s like saying Colorado has a 10 year bowl ban.
This is smart by Miami. Unfortunately, I think they’ll have a couple of more seasons tacked on the NCAA. But acting on their own lessened the severity of what’s coming.
Hrm… yeah, this is nice Ben… but I think we are all on here waiting for your article about Maryland and Rutgers….
Holding it for the official press release????
That’s no fun…
this is an awful time to announce the decision of a self impossed bowl ban..all the U had to do was win vs Duke, then you would have had a rematch with florida st in charlotte…who knows what can happen in the scenario…if the U beats FSU, then they would have been playing a home game in the orange bowl against either louisville or rutgers..that would have been something the seniors and upperclassman would have fought for and could have uplifted the entrie program.
now, the players, knowing there wont be a bowl game in miami or nashville or atlanta or boise or el paso or going to lay down to Duke…watch..the dukies are going to house these boys now….
finally, what potential recruit, other than the average south florida player from Palm Beach county on down, will want to come play at Miami knowing they are about to get a usc/penn st style beat down by the ncaa?
Your assessment in your last paragraph is correct. The answer is no 4 or 5 rated recruit will want to play at “The U”. That is exactly the punishment the NCAA wants to exact on the program. Why should the “U” be excluded from such punishment? What makes Miami any different than any other school that was caught cheating? No one likes “thugs” playing college football or any collegiate sport for that matter. Unfortunately, Miami with it’s “THE U” moniker attracts that type of “STUDENT”/Athlete. Take your punishment like a man! Nevin Shapiro is doing time and so will “the u”.
Hey U fans… Atleast your program took a good step towards redemption, my program (Ohio State) left it almost entirely to the NCAA, which was a bad move.
So the ACC gets a game of FSU vs a team that got stomped at home by Middle Tennessee. I’m sure they’re ecstatic about that!
Good decision, Miami
Hrm… yeah, this is nice Ben… but I think we are all on here waiting for your article about Maryland and Rutgers….
Holding it for the official press release????
That’s no fun…
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Easy, Seabiscuit. Yes, we are waiting for the official announcement because reporting on anything now wouldn’t add much to what’s already been reported over the last 48 hours.
Not a Canes fan, but I actually applaud this decision. Has to be tough to slam the post-season door on your players 2-straight years.
At this point, the odds have to be stacked heavily in miami’s favor in terms of future bowl bans. The ncaa has shown us that kiddie rape gets you 4-years. THe u’s problems are nowhere close to that level of infraction.
My guess is they will be given a “time-served” sentence on post season bans, and will then forfeit scholarships during a 4-5 year probationary period. Maybe give up some days on the road for coaches or take away the number of official visits they can use. They have actually been exemplary in their handling of this issue. If the NCAA disregards the sacrifices they’ve made in the name of cleaning this up, then you can totally forget about any school EVER complying with an NCAA investigation even again, because they will have proven that there is no benefit in doing so.
@ theraiderskin
I thought of that exact point when i read their press release this AM. tOSU could be on a tear to the MNC but instead chose to dig their heels in and play in the Gator Bowl last year. OSU is in for some VERY successful seasons in the immediate future, but that decision seems extremely short-sighted right now.
This is the best possible scenario for the Canes. They would’ve gotten their asses handed to them by the Noles, so now they not only save themselves the embarrassment, but they can tell recruits “well, we probably would’ve won and played in a BCS bowl” with absolutely nothing to back it up.
Hate to say it, but it’s a smart move.
I can’t believe Shalala will try to get to the bottom of anything. At least she never did when she was in government.
thug university. aka the hurricocaines are slimy all the way to the end. the NCAA should ban all home games for Miami since they have only 12 fans in the seats anyways.
Good move by the Canes although you never know what the Nazi Collegiate Athletic Assoc (NCAA) will do to you, depends on how much they feel like screwing the innocent players of a program that day
Why do I have this sneaky feeling Al Golden is headed to Knoxville?
And we almost had a Miami-FSU showdown in…North Carolina.
@houndofthebaskervols
Because the Vols play in a real football conference with many fans, great facilities, long heritage, solid academics and more money than Miami has to pay him with.
I have spent the last 2 years listening to the crap about Carolina football.
The Ghetto(my name for Miami) has done thing worse than what Carolina was accused of. WV, OH ST and others did things and got slaps on the hand.
I want to the The Ghetto get nailed big time.
@ 93warchant @unczsz1978
You bunch sound like a pair of ignorant and prejudiced fools, to say the least.
Say anything homerish and you get a torrent of likes. Say anything borderline negative and all these cane fools dislike. You’re like zombies I swear. Unimaginably ignorant about the penalties that will soon hit you.
Your favorite excuse is that the NCAA hates you and is “out to get you.” But on the other hand you are bragging about your cooperation and declare that the NCAA will play nice. Which is it fools?
Here’s something you can take to the bank. The NCAA will invoke lack of institutional control. Since there is a long standing pattern of improper benefits to recruits and players, regardless of how minor, they will penalize your ability to get players. And that will further cripple the steaming pile of garbage that you call a football program. “But GOLDEN…we’re a few players away”…Blah blah blah…SHUT IT.
Where are the signature wins in the last EIGHT YEARS?? You struggle with terrible teams. You struggle or get beat by highly mediocre teams. And you get blown out by good teams. That is a fact. Through all of your glory, you fail to realize that you are just another small school with limited resources now. The game blew by you so fast you got whiplash. DONE!
Now get busy with those dislikes you delusional idiots. I’ll begin by disliking my own comments. Do I hear 30 dislikes by sundown. []_[] can do it!
@35longmiles
Have to agree with you. I don’t understand why “The U” gets so much print media for a team with absolutely no fan base! This program is living on past “glory” with teams consisting of thugs! I doubt that part of the equation has changed much but the bottom line is U. of Miami Hurricanes are irrelevant and have been for a number of years now. And don’t even think the SEC is interested in having you as a member. You’re lucky to be in the ACC where you will remain. Now put a smile on your collective faces. I’m not even bringing up who your “esteemed” President is….you’re fortunate that “two-timer” left the Big East for greener ($$$$) pastures. Even a blind squirrel can find a chestnut sometime.