The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The oft criticized Florida State football program took another hit this week.  It was sanctioned along with 10 other sports on the Tallahassee campus for an online cheating scandal.  The Seminoles are a big time college football program that is no stranger to drama.  Over the past decade or more the program has been accused on many occasions of turning a blind eye to the disciplinary problems of it's athletes.  I wanted to take a quick look at the good, the bad, and the ugly that makes up this major icon in college sports.

THE GOOD:

Florida State once was a powerhouse in Division I college football.  They hold two national titles, 15 conference titles, and two Heisman Trophy winners.  Coach Bobby Bowden has amassed 300 wins with only 85 losses in 32 years, as of now.  The program has produced a countless number of professional football players including Deion Sanders.  Also, and to me the programs most shining achievement, they lay claim to one of the greatest college football personalities of all time, Myron Rolle.  this young man's story this year just blew my doors right off.  He is a fantastic human being and a pretty damn good football player.  Florida State has been an overachiever in the recruiting process even when the program declined.  Bobby Bowden is a mainstay at the helm and is one of the greatest college coaches of all time.  

THE BAD:

Last year in the Music City Bowl 36 players were excused from the team for violation of team rules.  These players were all caught cheating on, no shit, a MUSIC CLASS TEST!  Again this year about 10 players were suspended for their involvement in a fight on campus.  This along with many other violations of both team and NCAA rules have raised some questions as to Bowden's connection to his athlete's.  Many wonder if he has lost control of his team.

THE UGLY:

The NCAA passed the new sanctions last week.  The school didn't try to fight any of them except for the vacating of all wins from 2006-2007, which would put Bobby Bowden way behind in the race to be the winningest coach of all time.  The school has already filed an appeal to this and only this part of the sanction.   It is getting ugly for a once proud football program.

It is sad to watch this because I love Bobby Bowden.  I hope that the Seminole program can get this turned around.  They will have to change everything from the way they recruit, to the way they monitor their student athletes.  Well live like no one is watching, and sanction yourself or someone else will!