Michigan’s Hoop Scandal Punishment vs. Real Punishment

I am a basketball fan if there ever was one and anyone that knows anything about anything in basketball knows of the Michigan Wolverines. If you don’t know of the success this club has had, might as well stop reading right now and don’t even think about emailing me.

Michigan has admitted it paid basketball players money illegally to participate in basketball games during Michigan's Fabulous Five reign.

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Before we get started, I’m still a Michigan fan.

I don’t think that there are two stances on this issue punishment is just not an option. The only real option in this case is a real punishment. While I understand that the NCAA will render its verdict when it gets around to it and that Michigan is just trying to soften the blow by “punishing” themselves, I want to be one of the first people to speak out on what really needs to be done so that the few hundred people reading this article can affect a few thousand people who can affect a few hundred thousand people and so on (yes, that was suppose to be funny). Who knows, this may go all the way to the top and something will really be done about this issue. But then again, according to an ESPN poll, I’m not too popular on this stance and I’ll just chalk it up to my attitude stated under my sources in Rules To Live By.

Let’s state the obvious. This is not a surprise. Michigan and all of the teams that played under the NCAA during that time knew this or something like it was happening and probably engaged in some type of this practice themselves. It is a fact of life, get over it. The real issue is now that they have been caught it is time to pay. Let’s start with what we know Michigan is going to do to, again, “punish” themselves. I’ll follow that by what really needs to be done and, in some instances, why there will never be a final solution.

Michigan will forfeit the following games '92 Final Four games vs. Cincinnati and Duke, plus entire '92-93, '95-96, '96-97, '97-98 and '98-99 seasons. As we all know these games were participated in by one or more of the Fabulous Five. What may not be so obvious is that they are the games after Ed Martin became involved with the organization. Forfeiting the games also means taking down the banners and trophies.
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What type of a “punishment” is this? This is like saying "thanks for the present" using the present for years and then "well, here's your present back."

What about the 2000 title? I think that some research needs to be done during that year as well.

How are they going to go back in time and replace of all the credit and publicity that they have already received? Publicity like the Fabulous Five (the fact that they have been dubbed the Fabulous Five is publicity enough) can not but help a school in more ways than money can measure.

Who’s going to hold the titles and how would we know who to give the titles too? We all realize the second place teams shouldn’t necessarily get the title because they represent just one side of the bracket. In any given year one bracket could be stronger than the other bracket so maybe the teams that lost to Michigan during those tournaments could have still beat the 2nd place team. I could really go into depth about this but even more people would stop reading.

Repay approximately $450,000 they received from the NCAA to play in the games listed above.
How are they going to be able to put a value on this issue? Think of all the money that is in play here. Not only did they receive that money, they used it and invested it and made their school richer. Obviously they have money because they are able to give it back in the first place. Give a community school $100 and try to get it back; good luck. It takes money to make money.

Who’s going to get the money once they do give it back? Like I mentioned above, the opposite bracket teams don’t necessarily deserve it but neither does any single team that Michigan beat in their own bracket. Maybe the opposing bracket teams could have beaten Michigan’s bracket but we can’t go on that assumption. Further, don’t even mention going by standings going into the tournament; seriously, don’t even mention it. Ultimately a single team in each year lost out and we’ll never know which teams they were. $450,000 had better be the tip of the ice-burg.

For 2003, Michigan will declare their men’s basketball team ineligible for the NCAA tournament and the NIT.
Does this really accomplish anything? Michigan was 11-18 last season and struggled under coach Tommy Amaker's first season going 5-11 in Big Ten play. This year they have actually recruited instead of drafted and now those talented players, including some of the top prospects in the country for this year and next, are going to suffer a red-shirt type year. This doesn’t accomplish anything. The Big Ten won’t be better for it, I guarantee it. Maybe it is this stupid stipulation that makes people say that Michigan is being too hard on itself.

Michigan will place the basketball program on suspension and the president will supervise the detailed reports from the NCAA to make sure that Michigan is in compliance.
While I feel this is a necessary step it shouldn’t have to be implemented if the president of old was doing his job in the first place. This is something that Michigan obviously feels it needs to teach itself. I agree.

A Real Solution

I think that Michigan needs to feel this hit financially. Unfortunately, money is the only real way to attack an issue like this. Make Michigan pay back the NCAA and divide that money evenly to the schools that were in Michigan’s bracket and the teams that lost to Michigan in the opposing brackets based on the year and the amounts received.

Let Michigan continue with its next two year prospects. After the next two years Michigan should voluntarily cut scholarships and funding to their men’s basketball team for at least two years and divert that money to other sources…like lowering tuition or paying back some tuition to alumni and undergraduates from that time period. They should give the money to something worth while. I wouldn’t be opposed to spending it on the girls’ basketball team either. While this will never happen and the tuition thing was a joke (though I’m sure it caused the current Michigan students and alumni to awake from their daze caused by reading this article) it is the only real deal that could damage the institution as much as the institution damaged the NCAA. The cut backs may result in Michigan losing their top prospects. This might not be fair to current coach but he's free to leave as well.

This is important: During the years Michigan turns voluntarily poor, I’d still be a fan.

ESPN and virtually all of the TV/media I could absorb or find on this fine day. I have followed Michigan for years and while I’m a huge fan I don’t keep track of details like who they beat and by what point spread and so on. I don’t remember my driver’s license number either; that’s why I carry it on me. I do remember my SSN and things that are important like birthdays and anniversaries. Don't agree with this ideology if you want to but read this article's sources first.