NCAA cites 'lack of institutional control' at Miami

By Wire reports

Feb. 19, 2013 12 AM PT

Miami has finally received its notice of allegations from the NCAA. A long-awaited document accuses the Hurricanes of a “lack of institutional control” within its athletic department.

The allegations arrived on Tuesday. The institutional-control charge is typically one of the most severe the NCAA can bring after an investigation of rules violations. The governing body for college athletics declined to comment Tuesday, one day after revealing that it was erasing some elements of its case against Miami because the information was obtained in impermissible ways.

“We deeply regret any violations, but we have suffered enough,” Miami President Donna Shalala said in a statement Tuesday night.

A person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press that several former members of Miami coaching staffs are named in the notice of allegations, including Missouri basketball Coach Frank Haith, who was with the Hurricanes from 2004 to 2011.

Next up: the sanctions phase, where Miami’s penalties will be decided. The Hurricanes have already self-imposed several sanctions, including sitting out two bowl games and a conference football championship game. Shalala said Monday she believes those punishments should be enough.

This saga started in September 2010, when the university told the NCAA that convicted Ponzi scheme architect and former Miami booster Nevin Shapiro made allegations to the school against former players. Shapiro said he interacted mostly with football players and recruits, as well as a significantly smaller number of men’s basketball players.

Shapiro is serving a 20-year prison term for masterminding a $930-million fraud scheme.

Shalala said Miami will work diligently to prepare a response to the allegations within 90 days.

Miami wants to get through the sanctions portion of the process as quickly as possible. But typically it takes about three months for a hearing, and then can take several weeks — if not months — more for the penalties to be handed down. The sides coming to a settlement beforehand is another possibility.

SOCCER

World Cup will use goal-line technology

FIFA committed Tuesday to using goal-line technology at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and could have four systems competing for selection.

FIFA said it is now seeking tenders from companies which want their system to be used at the Confederations Cup in June and next year’s World Cup.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter insisted on giving World Cup referees high-tech aids to make goal-line decisions after seeing England midfielder Frank Lampard have a clear goal denied against Germany at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

Chivas USA traded even-time MLS all-star Shalrie Joseph to the Seattle Sounders.

Seattle also acquired two future draft picks and a higher allocation spot in the trade. In return, the Sounders were forced to use their designated-player spot on Joseph, although Chivas is taking a portion of the salary cap hit.

Joseph is a 10-year veteran of the MLS, spending most of his career with New England before a trade to Chivas last season.

NFL

Jets dump Bart Scott, Calvin Pace and three others

The New York Jets cleared about $31 million in salary cap space by cutting veteran linebackers Bart Scott and Calvin Pace and three other players. Safety Eric Smith, backup offensive lineman Jason Smith, and tight end Josh Baker also were released. The moves were expected because New York entered the offseason more than $20 million over the cap for the 2013 season.

They were the first significant personnel decisions made by new general manager John Idzik, who was hired to replace the fired Mike Tannenbaum last month.

The Jets are hamstrung by the contract of starting quarterback Mark Sanchez, who is coming off a miserable season but is guaranteed $8.25 million next season. He would cost the Jets a $17.1 million cap hit if they cut him.

Backup quarterback Tim Tebow, who barely played after being acquired from Denver in a trade last year, is expected to be released soon.

The Baltimore Ravens and Joe Flacco’s agent plan to meet this weekend in their first attempt to reach a new contract for the Super Bowl most valuable player.

Joe Linta will be in Indianapolis at the NFL’s scouting combine for the first negotiations since August. After the team and Flacco couldn’t agree on an extension or a new deal last summer, Flacco played out the final year of his rookie contract.

Flacco made less than $7 million in 2012, and even if the Ravens franchise him, he would at least double that salary for next season.

NFL Players Assn. President Domonique Foxworth said NFL players don’t trust Commissioner Roger Goodell because of the Saints bounty case, in particular.

Foxworth added he wouldn’t be able to persuade players to have faith in the league even if he wanted to.

Speaking on a conference call Tuesday, days before union representatives meet with NFL officials at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, Foxworth returned to a theme he stressed at the NFLPA’s pre-Super Bowl news conference.

“There’ve been a number of events to lead players to believe they cannot trust the league,” Foxworth said. “There was a bridge beginning to be built and then there were some recent events that kind of broke that bridge again.”

Foxworth said the players are seeking checks and balances such as a neutral arbitrator to improve relations between the union and league. He cited the bounties and how former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was not “unbiased.”

Yet Tagliabue made the final decision that tossed out the suspensions of four players.

Former Boise State and Colorado coach Dan Hawkins has been hired to coach the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL.

Billy Cannon’s family said the former Louisiana State Heisman Trophy winner was hospitalized Tuesday after suffering a stroke. In an emailed statement, the family said Cannon, 75, “is alert and resting.”

He won the 1959 Heisman Trophy after starring at LSU. He went on to a successful pro career in the American Football League with the Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders, and after football went to dental school. He is the director of the dental program at the state prison in Angola, La.

ETC.

Cold day for Match Play Championship

The WGC Accenture Match Play Championship begins Wednesday in what might be frigid weather at Dove Mountain in Marana, Ariz.

Second-seeded Tiger Woods opens the tournament against Charles Howell III. The last time they faced each other in this format, Woods beat Howell in the quarterfinals of the 1996 U.S. Amateur.

Top-seeded Rory McIlroy, who lost in the final match of the tournament last year to Hunter Mahan, will play Shane Lowry, a longtime friend and former partner on the Irish team that won the European Team Championships in 2007. In a similar match, former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland) plays three-time major champion Padraig Harrington (Ireland).

The toughest challenge might be the weather, with a front expected to move across the high desert overnight and bringing temperatures so low that light snow is possible. At best, it figures to be frigid for the morning matches.

Steve Stricker, once a strong supporter of banning the stroke used for long putters, shed some insight into the PGA Tour’s position Tuesday when he said he would not be surprised to see the tour ignore the USGA if the ban is adopted.

The PGA Tour is drafting a response to the USGA’s proposal to outlaw any stroke that is anchored to the body, which is aimed at belly putters and broom-handle putters. Three of the last five major champions used a belly putter.

Stricker, a member of the PGA Player Advisory Council, is regarded among the best putters in golf. He said he could see the tour adopt a local rule that would allow long putters.

“I don’t know if that’s going to happen; don’t even know if the USGA is going to go ahead with the rule change,” Stricker said. “But I can see the tour adopting the rule saying that it’s OK for players to use a long putter.”

The USGA and Royal & Ancient Golf Club announced the proposed rule Nov. 28, and then allowed for a 90-day comment period because of the sensitive nature of long putters. The USGA sets the rules for the United States and Mexico, while the R&A; is in charge of golf rules for the rest of the world.

The comment period is over after the Match Play Championship. The proposed rule, if adopted, would not be effective until 2016.

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey received the steepest increase among players in salary arbitration this year.

According to a study by the Associated Press, the 133 players who filed last month gained an average increase of 119%. Posey, the NL batting champion and most valuable player, led the way with a 13-fold hike to $8 million. Baltimore catcher Matt Wieters received an 11-fold increase to $5.5 million. Cincinnati pitcher Mat Latos enjoyed a tenfold increase to an average of $5.75 million as part of a two-year deal.

The Nashville Predators acquired defenseman Scott Ford from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for forward Jani Lajunen.

Andrew Bynum plans on making his season debut for the Philadelphia 76ers this year, though he’s still a week or two away from practicing with the team.

The 7-foot center has been sidelined by knee injuries since the 76ers acquired him from the Lakers last summer. He worked out for 80 minutes on Tuesday and said afterward his knees are feeling better but he doesn’t expect to ever be pain-free.

“I’ll definitely be back sometime this year,” Bynum said. “I’m focused on getting back and being right versus trying to rush.”