Forfeits for Florida State are justified
Bobby Bowden knows missed tackles, fumbles or superior opponents could send the Florida State Seminoles to defeat.
But he never thought a course in music history would cost him so many victories.
In the fall of 2006 and spring and summer of 2007, 61 Florida State athletes from 10 sports cheated in their course work. Twenty-five were football players.
All had help from three members of the academicsupport staff.
Most of the problems occurred in an online music class.
When Florida State discovered the cheating, the university made a report to the NCAA, suspended the players and imposed scholarship sanctions.
The NCAA doubled Florida State's self-imposed penalties and ordered the university to forfeit games in which the athletes had participated.
That would reverse the outcomes of 14 football games. Florida State has appealed the NCAA's order on the forfeits.
Bowden, the Seminoles' football coach, has a large stake in the appeal's outcome. He is one victory behind Penn State's Joe Paterno on the all-time victory list among major college coaches.
If Bowden, 79, loses those 14 games, he has almost no chance of passing Paterno, 82.
"They're going to kill a dadgum good competition if they take those games away," Bowden said at the ACC Football Kickoff event in Greensboro, N.C. "But they might do it.
"I'm still thinking they're going to come to their senses."
There is no reason the NCAA's decision or punishment should change.
The athletes should not have passed the courses. They played under false pretenses. The games have to be forfeited.
Many would like to look the other way on this because of Bowden.
An extremely popular coach, he sets a superb example for his colleagues.
Bowden is gregarious. He makes time for the media. He's never met a stranger, is responsive to alumni and has a great talent for putting people at ease.
He's everybody's grandpa.
However, there is no getting around this - it's Bowden's program. He gets credit for the victories. He has to take responsibility for every other aspect as well.
Academic fraud occurred on his watch. Bowden did not know the players had cheated, but they still played when they should not have.
Florida State lost two of the four games in which the guilty players were suspended. The 14 victories might have been losses without the ineligible players.
"Are they opening a can of worms here?" Bowden asked.
"Does that mean next year, when so-and-so state has a kid, and in the middle of the season they find out he cheated three weeks ago, do they have to go back and forfeit all the games he played in?"
College athletics already are a huge can of worms. One more opening isn't going to make much difference.
And yes, if so-and-so state has a player who cheated and plays when he should be ruled ineligible, then so-and-so state should forfeit those games.
The mission of universities is to educate students, not look for ways to get around academic fraud that keeps players on the field.
Florida State should drop this appeal, no matter how many games it costs Bowden.
Contact Paul Woody at (804) 649-6444
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Reader Reactions
I know its hard to see the facts when you are predisposed to your conclusion, but you missed a few important notes. The athletic department has no control over the academic advisors at FSU. In fact, Bowden pushed to change this so he would have direct control over the academic advisors but was denied by the University. The coaches had no involvement in this - it was the stupid actions of the players. As soon as the coaches found out they reported it. Again, the coaches were the ones who discovered and reported it. Other schools that have had similar issues have not had to vacate wins - why, because it unfairly punishes the coaches and players who were not involved. If you take the position that a coach is responsible for all acts committed outside of the responsibilities of the coaching staff then I doubt there is a school in this country that would not have wins vacated - including UVA and VT. Is Groh responsible for a theft committed by his player? No. Should Beamer vacate wins because one of his players committed a crime? No. Your logic is flawed. The facts are the coaches were not responsible, BUT THEY WERE THE ONES WHO DISCOVERED IT AND REPORTED IT. Vacating wins is a good way to chill self-reporting, and punishes those who were not involved. The players were immediately suspended, and the action taken was coordinated with the NCAA consistent with how other similar actions were resolved. Throw stones at Bowden all you want, you’ve done it before, but at least do some checking into the facts - otherwise put your article in the editorial section.
Woody,
I used to hold a little respect for your opinion, but your comments in this article are slanted in the wrong direction with no accounting for the overlying facts at hand. Sure, if Bowden ran a program that encouraged, supported, perpetuated, or turned a blind eye to academic fraud, then the punishments handed out (or even worse) would be justified. However, there has been no evidence that the coaching staff or athletic department had any pre-knowledge of the incident until it was discovered by the FSU administration, itself, and then immediately reported to the NCAA. After an intense investigation, the NCAA has stated that it has found no evidence to the contrary. Read into the facts of the case, since you evidently haven’t. If one were to use your perspective that the coaching staff should be punished by “vacating” wins (not forfeiting as you have suggested) for all infringements that occurred “on their watch,“ then by applying the same logic, why isn’t Frank Beamer in jail for the crimes committed by Marcus Vick while he was a student?
Hey Paul,
Next time do your homework. The NCAA ruled that FSU should have to “vacate” wins. That’s not the same thing as “forfeiting”, you idiot. Look it up, that’s your job. By the way, you’re wrong too. The players were already punished and the coaches and athletes from these teams should not be punished retroactively for actions they weren’t involved in and knew nothing about.
Of course Bobby didn’t know what goes on in the classroom. He doesn’t even know what goes on on the field! He hasn’t “coached” in years. He’s just a figure head getting paid to stand on the sideline and try to wait out JoePa to have the record for most wins. And by the way, everyone in Talahassee does not love Bobby.
Come what may for Bobby.
To the first two commenters: Is there an alternate meaning of ‘ineligible players’ that I missed? The NCAA has never wavered on that rule as far as I know.
I agree ..... Let Bobby keep his wins. The only person that gets hurt by this is Bobby. The school and the athletes could care less. I’m sure he knew nothing about it.
Paul Woody is an idiot! Probation, reduced scholorships, banned from a bowl game - those are punishments that should be handed out to FSU and others schools caught cheating.(why no mention of Alabama?) Awarding forfiets to past games is stupid. You can’t go back and replay those seasons so what is the point. Will VT and UVA reprint the media guide to show wins over FSU in 2006 and 2007? No, because no one cares. Let Bobby have his wins. He’s a good coach. Paul Woody is an idiot!
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