Miami athletic department set to sue NCAA following botched investigation

Miami Hurricanes mascot Sebastian takes the field before a game against Virginia Tech Hokies at Sun Life Stadium. (Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

According to CanesInsider.com, the University of Miami is preparing to file a lawsuit against the NCAA following a 22-month long investigation that did not end with sanctions, but rather an NCAA investigation into itself.

Seriously.

Nevin Shapiro was imprisoned after being found guilty of a $900 million-plus Ponzi scheme. After his arrest, he came forward with testimony regarding his involvement in the Hurricanes football program. Basically, if a player wanted anything — money, cars, strippers, hookers, you name it — Shapiro was there to provide him with it.

Thus, the NCAA was forced to investigate. However, 22 months following the initial opening look into the scandal, no punishment had been handed down. At best, Miami was supposed to have received a ‘notice of allegations’ letter, with a punishment being handed down within ninety days from that point.

[Related: In-depth look at the NCAA investigation here]

Throughout it all, the Hurricanes athletic department took several steps to alleviate any potential penalties from the NCAA by self-imposing such actions as bowl bans and scholarship limitations.

In fact, after narrowly winning the ACC Coastal division in 2012 the team should have been able to bring in the money made from an appearance in the ACC Championship game. Further, a win there would have earned the Canes a berth in the Orange Bowl, and made the program the millions that go along with it.

But that money was never made.

The school chose to leave its football program out of both the 2011 and 2012 postseasons. The school chose to keep about 15 scholarships unused.

The school believes, with all the fumbling and bumbling on the part of the NCAA, that it has served enough time under a dark cloud of potential sanctions, and it is now suing to make sure that that is the case.

The timetable for the suit is not yet known. However, should the school finally be able to put this mess behind it, The U may have its swagger back before we know it.

Coach Al Golden claims he has never been to a recruit’s house without having to answer questions regarding the investigation. Thus, an end to everything and a clean slate should do wonders with high schoolers who would love to suit up for the same program where Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Frank Gore — three players in Sunday’s Super Bowl showdown — starred as collegians.

Speaking of Ray Lewis, the linebacker took time away from Super Bowl XLVII preparations to hang out with Katherine Webb.

What do you think Gamedayrs?