Florida State Football: Why FSU Shouldn't Want Miami to Get the Death Penalty

The rivalry between FSU and Miami has lost some of its luster over the past decade.

Now the NCAA is reportedly considering taking the rivalry away.

The news coming out of the NCAA investigation of Miami Football is far from positive. Reported payments, gifts and parties amongst other things were benefits for Miami players from a crooked booster, Nevin Shapiro, over the past decade.

With this news, the NCAA is waving threats of its infamous death penalty around in its inquiries to the Miami program.

Some people are calling for this punishment, but this writer is one who will not.

The death penalty would more than likely cancel most, if not all, football activities of the Miami program for at least one year. In essence, it won’t be all about the ‘U.’

This also means no rivalry with FSU for the duration of Miami’s sentence, which is where my argument, as a Seminole fan, against the death penalty begins.

As a program on the rise, Florida State needs to prove itself against good competition and its rivals.

Rivalries are not something to take for granted, especially since FSU has a great one with Miami and the history of the rivalry is one of dynasties, superstars and legends.

If the NCAA does administer the death penalty, not only will the ‘U’ take a serious hit, but the FSU-Miami rivalry will as well.

Florida State is just again regaining national prominence and to lose the competition from one of its main rivals to a death penalty would be a serious loss, not only in revenue, but also of tradition and competition.

The possible lack of a Miami-FSU game is punishment just as much to fans on both sides who are mere bystanders but who will be deprived of an always good rivalry game.

It is my hope that Miami is not hit with the death penalty, because it could be an even longer time before the ‘Canes are relevant if the sentence is carried out in Coral Gables.

The sentence would reach beyond the city limits of South Beach.

This argument may seem self-centered to some because of my perspective as a Seminole fan, but aside from my prejudices about the rivalry in my argument, I don’t believe the death penalty is a fair punishment.

It will only serve as a consequence to others and will not serve justice to the actual wrongdoers.

And because of this reason I cannot support the use of the death penalty as a fan of Florida State, football, and good rivalries everywhere.