NCAA Slams FSU With Sanctions.....Bowden Might Lose 14 Career Wins!

An unresolved scandal involving Florida State University athletes and academic misconduct might have been settled by the NCAA today--not in a way the university was hoping.

It appears the NCAA lowered the boom on the Seminoles in a case involving 61 of their student-athletes and their tutors.

According to the NCAA, the student-athletes were provided answers for an on-line music course by tutors, provided by FSU.

This was a scandal that was widespread and affected football, baseball, softball, men's golf, men's track and swimming.

USA TODAY gave the impression that FSU will appeal the decision by the NCAA and quoted FSU President T.K. Wetherell as saying "our position throughout the inquiry was that as soon as we knew of a problem, they didn't play".

The NCAA felt it was up to Florida State to identify the games in which the ineligible student-athletes participated and it appears they were not satisfied with the effort that Florida State made in reporting the problem.

This issue had been lingering for a couple of years and it seems that it now is coming to a close.

The sanctions which the NCAA has applied to FSU involve 1)vacating wins where ineligible student-athletes participated, 2)reduction of scholarships and 3)putting FSU on four years of probation.

It is not clear as to which sports and how many wins will be taken away from Florida State but the number 14 has been mentioned in regards to football.

The reduction of scholarships, at this time, do not seem to be drastic.

It's the "vacating" of wins in football that has serious overtones to the race for most career wins between Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno-- that has been ongoing, it seems, forever.

Paterno, who has 383 career wins, is in his early eighties and Bowden, in his late seventies, has 382.

Giving back 14 wins could deliver a TKO to Bowden's chances to catch and pass Paterno.

There is no telling what the sanctions could do to Bowden's future at Florida State.  He as already picked out Jimbo Fischer to be his replacement, upon retiring.

Another aspect of sanctions is the affect it will especially have on the football program, and its ability to recruit.