30 for 30's

[XknoxvolsX]

For the most part, I have enjoyed the ESPN 30 for 30's in dealing with college football. In fact, have watched some of them several times. The Marcus Dupree one I found very entertaining. The one with Walker is not my favorite but I did purchase both of the U's and the SMU pony express from Amazon.

I did notice that in the first one they did not mention the Sugar Bowl blow out to us but in the second, they did show the muffed punt that Miami had against us; displaying the wheels beginning to come off the program.

While watching the Pony Expre$$ I could not help but notice how both schools were relatively small in size/student enrollment. Both have been put on probation for similar things. Of course, Miami did not receive the death penalty. But, I did wonder if Miami had straight up paid players (other than Uncle Luke's bounty system)? But then I thought, Miami didn't have the willing alumni that SMU did.

Also of note, it was similar to Ole Miss. A relatively minor football program that once was good. Sudden rise to beating top ranked teams. Then, caught cheating and forced to go back to where it was. But, at least Ole Miss didn't get the death penalty.

Oh, by the way, The extras on the DVD's are pretty good!

 

[05_never_again]

Also of note, it was similar to Ole Miss. A relatively minor football program that once was good. Sudden rise to beating top ranked teams. Then, caught cheating and forced to go back to where it was. But, at least Ole Miss didn't get the death penalty.

SMU and Ole Miss were basically the same thing. Miami too. If the NCAA hadn't already played the death penalty card on SMU in the 80s and more or less vowed to never do it again, they might have gotten it a few years ago. There was enough there. Ole Miss was boosters paying players, sometimes directly through coaches or admin people - SMU did the exact same thing.

I think what makes small schools like SMU and Ole Miss susceptible to getting caught is simply the fact they are small/unestablished, so when they get good quickly it is noticed easily. They also have to cheat a little differently than a big, established program with an extensive booster base has to cheat. Normally the rule in a conspiracy is that the less people that know about it, the better. I still think that's true to an extent, but if you're going to cheat in college sports there's a huge advantage to having a large but loosely organized/coordinated network of boosters that swoop in and "know what to do."

When Texas (just as an example) recruits a player and wants to take care of him, the booster network is extensive but informal and loosely organized. They come to that kid and take care of it off the books and without any admin/coach involvement. At a smaller school like SMU, the operation has to be specifically organized and driven by a particular booster, or small group of boosters (like Sherwood Blount at SMU). There is no large network of boosters that is just going to do this on their own; there aren't enough boosters, and they don't care enough about football. You have to involve the admin and coaches in it. Once people on staff become involved and there is a paper trail, there's enough for the NCAA to come in and bring the whole thing down. That, combined with the fact they are a small school, makes them a prime candidate to be made an example out of.

 

[XknoxvolsX]

SMU and Ole Miss were basically the same thing. Miami too. If the NCAA hadn't already played the death penalty card on SMU in the 80s and more or less vowed to never do it again, they might have gotten it a few years ago. There was enough there. Ole Miss was boosters paying players, sometimes directly through coaches or admin people - SMU did the exact same thing.

I think what makes small schools like SMU and Ole Miss susceptible to getting caught is simply the fact they are small/unestablished, so when they get good quickly it is noticed easily. They also have to cheat a little differently than a big, established program with an extensive booster base has to cheat. Normally the rule in a conspiracy is that the less people that know about it, the better. I still think that's true to an extent, but if you're going to cheat in college sports there's a huge advantage to having a large but loosely organized/coordinated network of boosters that swoop in and "know what to do."

When Texas (just as an example) recruits a player and wants to take care of him, the booster network is extensive but informal and loosely organized. They come to that kid and take care of it off the books and without any admin/coach involvement. At a smaller school like SMU, the operation has to be specifically organized and driven by a particular booster, or small group of boosters (like Sherwood Blount at SMU). There is no large network of boosters that is just going to do this on their own; there aren't enough boosters, and they don't care enough about football. You have to involve the admin and coaches in it. Once people on staff become involved and there is a paper trail, there's enough for the NCAA to come in and bring the whole thing down. That, combined with the fact they are a small school, makes them a prime candidate to be made an example out of.

The DVD said when Ron Myer was still at SMU it was only he and a couple of coaches that knew what was going on. Then, when he left, the operation opened up and the wheels fell off because too many people were involved.

 

[05_never_again]

The DVD said when Ron Myer was still at SMU it was only he and a couple of coaches that knew what was going on. Then, when he left, the operation opened up and the wheels fell off because too many people were involved.

They were doomed as soon as a single coach/staff member became involved though. Every member of the staff needs to have plausible deniability.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I've liked most of the 30 for 30s. I havent' seen them all but I have an ESPN+ subscription and access to all of them. I have watched almost all of the 30 for 30 Shorts.

One of my favorite is The Irrelevant Giant. It's only about 10 minutes long and it's about John Tuggle, RB from California taken as the last pick in the 1983 Draft (aka Mr Irrelevant) by the Giants. That was also Bill Parcells first year as HC of the Giants. Tuggle actually made the team and did pretty well as a special teams player. Unfortunately the team doctors discovered he had cancer before the 1984 season and he died 2 years later. You can really tell that Tuggle was special to Parcells, especially when he recounts his last conversation with him.