Why the Miami Booster Scandal Comes As No Shock

Earlier today Yahoo! released the findings of an 11-month investigation into a University of Miami booster and his gifting to Miami football and basketball players and coaches.

This report tells the story of Nevin Shapiro and how he did everything from buy Devin Hester his engagement ring to paying for a stripper that a player had impregnated to have an abortion.

Of course this is only one side of the story, but judging by the length of investigation and the amount of sources, including players, who confirmed what Shapiro said, I imagine it is mostly the truth.

To be honest my first reaction was not shock at all. Maybe that was because for the past few days we have heard about how the NCAA is going after Miami next, or maybe it is largely based on the fact that as a college student I see how athletes are often treated as royalty.

Miami has always had that somewhat 'full of itself swagger', and I think that could in large part be why I'm not shocked. A more holy program like Notre Dame would be a shock, but a school located in the extravagant South Beach that is as much known for its party season as it is for its sports teams just doesn't seem that farfetched.

I think another reason I wasn't blindsided by this was the fact that just months ago another very successful program was going through something similar in Ohio State. Even before that there was the whole Cam Newton, which I'm sure was just a very specific example of an overwhelming problem in college football.

With so much money on the line for this big name programs, it is easy to spend a bit more on recruiting and keeping current players, which will then produce much better teams. Some people argue that paying athletes would help curb this underground problem, but I look at that as just another system that a school will find a way to take advantage of.

To be blunt, it seems as though the NCAA is in over their heads in terms of policing college athletics around the nation, and it is not until the schools themselves stop turning a blind eye that this mess will be cleaned up.