Miami Football Scandal: Fans Are Tired of This: When'll Enough Be Enough, NCAA?

Raise your hand if you have heard this story before. The University of Miami is being investigated by the NCAA for allegations that their players are taking money for gifts, parties, sexual favors from women and drugs from boosters of the football program.

What’s that, all of your hands are up?

Wait, what’s that again? You’re telling me that not only has this happened before in Miami, but they just made a documentary about these same allegations but in a way celebrating the Hurricanes during the ESPN: 30 for 30 series? You mean that documentary called “The U”?

So why are we, in the media, acting like this is something new? The first time all of these allegations came up against the program, nothing happened as far as sanctions. Nothing happened in loss of wins. Nothing happened in loss of scholarships.

Nothing happened to the university. So why are fans acting surprised now that new stories about the same things that happened in the 80’s are coming up now? Is it because these accusations involve a small white guy who’s in jail for running a Ponzi scheme and not a famous rapper (Luther Campbell) who’s known for hits like “Me So Horny” and “Face Down Ass Up”?

Forget acting surprised, are any of you even interested in these stories now?

How many colleges can we see get sanctions against their programs before enough is enough? If this was another program, say the University of Pittsburgh, involved with a person in a Ponzi scheme and all the hookers and hotel rooms, would it garner the same attention? Would you care any less or more?

That’s why I say enough is enough, NCAA. Enough with these schools being caught with selling their jerseys and likeness for tattoos and cars; enough with these agents paying these kids so that they one day can be repaid when/if they make it to the NFL.

But this isn’t the first thing to get tiresome after a while. Let’s take a look at other stories where we, as a general public, just had to say “YAWN” after more stories came out.

The first people to get busted for steroids in the Mitchell Report made big headlines. We were excited to see Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Roger Clemens on trial. Then Alex Rodriguez came out as a steroid user. Then it became tiresome as Manny Ramirez was the last “big name” steroid user. By the time the Barry Bonds trial came and went, did we really care as a general public?

Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian were the first in the celebrity sex tape world. We rushed to the internet to find these videos as it was something new and exciting. Then, much like this latest NCAA Miami scandal, the celebrity sex tape has become tiresome. Sure it’s interesting to hear of a new one, but is it interesting any more?

One more example, before we wrap up here.

Chris Benoit wasn’t the first professional wrestler to die young. In fact, there were plenty of wrestlers who passed away due to drug use, brain damage, or a number of other reasons, before Benoit’s death. But, right after Benoit’s double murder/suicide there were a slew of other professional wrestlers deaths that just saturated the news media that made us fans go, "Please, enough is enough."

So now we are stuck in another NCAA scandal with everyone jumping the gun saying that Miami should be abolished as an NCAA football program. That probably won’t happen as it's one person’s word from jail against the word of the university.

It’s one photo of Miami President Donna Shalala accepting a $50,000 check from Nevin Shaprioat at a bowling ally during a UM fundraiser for the basketball team. That’s the only proof outside of the jail testimony from Shapiro that puts UM on the same level of SMU and deserving of the “death penalty."

So with that, I hope you join with me in not giving this new NCAA scandal any attention. Yes, there is smoke, but there’s no fire. Miami will get out from this just like they did during the 80’s and early 90’s. The NCAA will go onto the next school that is involved in paying players and whatever benefits they’re receiving.

It’s the NCAA’s way of saying wash, lather, rinse and repeat. 

It will be interesting to see who the NCAA targets on its next witch hunt.

T.J. McAloon is a Featured Columnist here at Bleacher Report. For more of my work you can visit my Twitter page: @tjmcaloon. Your views probably differ than mine and that's just fine. Just try to keep it as classy as possible on the comment page.