Miami Hurricane Fans That Care About the Program Should Stop Defending It

It's been a week now. One week ago Nevin Shapiro's (once again no relation at all) allegations dominated the sports news. It had it's own little crawl on ESPN, it led Sportscenter, it was on the front of most big sports pages and websites, Bleacher Report included. 

A week later not much in the way of earth shattering news has broke on the scandal. There's the usual cacophony of calls for "The Death Penalty" against Miami. The NCAA hierarchy wants everyone to know how appalled they are by this scandal. Just as the NCAA also was upset about USC, and Ohio State, and Florida State, and Oregon and probably Boise St. in the future. Umm you can add Auburn to the list also. Seems like a crowded list doesn't it? 

There really are two different issues here. One is that it appears that Miami has some major issues on it's hands. Even if you are of the opinion that the NCAA is corrupt, hypocritical, and inept in the manner in which college football is policed there are very few scenarios under which the behavior of " The U" would be excused. So while I'm all for lambasting the NCAA about it's rules, enforcement and at this point—incompetence, that in no way makes Miami anything less than scandalous. 

The other issue is that Miami really needs to look in the mirror. I know there are going to be loyal Canes alumni and fans who will probably start to overheat at this point. So please allow me to clarify. If you love Miami, if you bleed Orange and Green, if you eat and sleep Canes football then your goal as a fan should not be to defend Miami administrators, coaches and players who lined their pockets with cash and goodies. These people don't love Miami football, they love the money and glory associated with it. Defending them does no one any favors. 

It's sort of sad seeing people who probably truly love Miami Football make every effort to defend it even though what really would be best for the program would be some form of wholesale changeover. I'm not sure if "the death penalty" is the best fix but let's face some tough facts here. Miami whether you love, like or hate them is headed for some really rough years.

This is exemplified when I read something like this, which at one point tells loyal Miami fans that all of this is just sensationalistic journalism because when it comes to Miami.

"Whatever else you are told in the media is simply meant to elicit an emotional reaction from you, the Miami fan, and the world, the Miami haters." 

The problem with this is that that type of attitude is supposed to be for the players. That's who benefits from that "us against the world" type of attitude. That's because they're playing a game. In the real world turning up your nose at the "haters" is actually childish and guess what else it does? It generally negates any type of empathy or lenience on the part of those in power who just may end up determining if Miami fans actually have football games to watch in the near future.

It seems to me that Miami has been run with this type of attitude for years. On the field it pays huge dividends. No program is recent history can boast of the type of talent that Miami has produced and sent to the NFL. An NFL Draft without a player from Miami taken in the first round is an oddity. Whether we're talking about Jim Kelly or Micheal Irvin, or Ray Lewis, Ed Reed or Vince Wilfork. Name a position and there's probably a pro-bowl caliber player with a Miami pedigree in the NFL playing it.

Miami needs to figure out a way to maintain that type of intensity on the field but they've got to figure out a way to negate it off the field. Rules aren't made to be broken, guys. The mere fact that other programs have been guilty of similar infractions in no way shape or form somehow makes Miami's excusable.

Maybe some of the allegations have been trumped up; if that's the case then whatever punishment that is eventually handed down should reflect that. Regardless of what happens going forward though it's time for Miami fans to realize something. It's not you against the world. You're actually part of the world of college football and as it turns out if you really want to stand out in that world then actually following  the rules would be a great place to start. A top tier NCAA team following the rules? Now that sounds like a true bunch of rebels to me.