I know the Maimi Hurricanes' Nevin Shapiro scandal is yesterday's news, but I'm not really sure if anyone has posted anything concerning how it affects Florida State, at least in the record books. I'm sure we can all assume how much more of a recruiting monster Florida State will become/continue to be over the next several years with virtually no good talent wanting to play for a heavily sanctioned program that, at the very least probably won't be on TV, or competing for any championships or playing any post-season games in the near future.

I just realized that whatever punishment is dealt out by the NCAA against Miami for the Nevin Shapiro scandal, assuming wins will be vacated, FSU may end up with a lead in the rivalry in the very near future. Miami leads all-time 31-24 with wins in 1951, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2003 (Orange Bowl), 2004, 2007, and 2009. Don't really like getting ahead that way, but since they got several of their wins in the '50s and early '60s before Bill Peterson or Bobby Bowden built a program, I gotta say it's better than waiting at least seven years to take the lead. I'm assuming "da U" could lose the wins from 2001, 2002, the regular season game and the Orange Bowl from 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2009? If so, this would also vacate all three of Miami's Florida Cups.

I, for one, have mixed feelings concerning Miami's potential death penalty. I do see and acknowledge that a half-way decent Miami helps Florida State in strength of schedule, it also ensures television viewers, game attendance, and national attendance in the ACC, and namely during the rivalry game. There is another side, however, that realizes that if Miami were to receive the death penalty, that it couldn't happen to a more deserving group of thugs. This is just my opinion, of course, but no school or program has ever so blatantly and regularly violated NCAA rules. I believe Miami has run a very dirty program for at least thirty years, since at least the Jimmy Johnson era, often times playing dirty ball, and recruiting many, many players who carried themselves as completely class-less individuals. Many of the arguments I have heard against Miami receiving the death penalty argue that it isn't fair to punish a bunch of innocent kids for the actions of players before them. This argument seems to completely ignore the fact that several of the allegations involve several current Miami players. Why wouldn't the NCAA issue the death penalty? They've obviously taken lots of wins and scholarships, post-season play, and television appearances from lots of innocent student-athletes because of a few guilty parties in the past, and practically every one of those have been for lesser offenses, over a much shorter period of time. Even SMU's offenses that resulted in the death penalty seemed tame to many compared to the indiscretions of so many Miami players over the last decade.

Which benefits Florida State more: having a decent rival that adds to strength of schedule, helps gain national attention and television viewrs during the rivalry game, or a crippled Miami, turning over even more good recruits Jimbo who may have otherwise been Hurricanes, and leaving the Miami-Dade County/south Florida region for the Seminoles' picking? Do you think it helps Florida State in recruiting as well as prestige with Miami unable to boast a winning record over the Seminoles? I for one, am definitely in favor of Miami losing as many wins from the years of the scandal as possible. I don't particularly like getting ahead in the rivalry that way, but Miami got several wins ahead of the Seminoles before the Seminoles developed a program, and since then, it's been pretty much back-and-forth. It would be at least seven years if the Seminoles won every game in the series during those years before the Seminoles could take the lead. They probably would not win every one, so it could be a very long time. I'll take it. It's a lot better than still having both other the other two "Big 3" leading the series by a decent margin. Unfortunately, it will be a long, long time before the Seminoles catch the Gators.