Have Mercy! 5 Scandals That Rocked College Sports

If you thought the Kardashians brought the drama, enter in Operation Varsity Blues. The scandal has rocked Hollywood along with the sports and academic world but it’s not the only (or even the biggest) college athletics scam out there.

They always get caught.

The Last Night’s Game Team

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1. Yesterday, the Justice Department released the news about Operation Varsity Blues, a cross-country admissions scandal. Over 50 people were charged in the scheme, with 33 of them being parents, including CEOs and actresses Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) and Lori Loughlin (Full House).  In some instances, parents bribed college coaches to recruit their students as elite athletes, even though they had no athletic background. Some even went as far as creating a fake athletic profile for their children by photoshopping them into sports photos and including them in the admissions packets. (This scandal goes way beyond the sports aspect, so click to read more). IT WASN’T ME

2. From photoshopped to something more permanent, five football players at Ohio State were suspended for selling memorabilia and receiving discounted services at a local tattoo parlor. “Tattoo-Gate” was just the tip of the iceberg of Ohio State football scandals that eventually led to the resignation of their head football coach. HOPE THE TATTOO WAS AT LEAST SPELLED RIGHT

3. In late 2017, the FBI uncovered a college basketball bribery scandal so big, people are still being sentenced for it. This scandal had more moving parts than a lobster. It included coaches pocketing cash for referring players to agents and financial advisors to Adidas paying athletes when they committed to play for Adidas sponsored schools. And of course, there were adventures to topless bars with lots of booze. WHERE ARE THEY NOW

4. The mob and college is not something you’d typically put together until discussing the Boston College points shaving scandal. Richard “The Fixer” Perry bribed Boston College basketball players to do everything they could to throw the games. But it didn’t really work out for the mob as despite the threat of physical violence and brutal intimidation tactics, they couldn’t control a bunch of college kids. The mob didn’t make a ton of money on the scandal and Perry was later charged and thrown in the slammer. FIX THIS

5. SMU (Southern Methodist University) received the sharpest penalty on this list. They ignored the NCAA’s (college sports governing body) warnings about cheating and illegal benefits for their players (think cars, cash, etc). The NCAA shut down their football program for an entire season. SMU still has the distinction of being the one and only major college football program to be shut down by the NCAA. A BADGE OF HONOR?

Changing the subject

Let’s talk about the top three topics in the world of sports today including James Corden’s brilliant punk of David Beckham, why you’ll need hand sanitizer in Coachella this week and the ‘most dramatic “Bachelor” ending ever.’ READ

Don't Worry, Be Happy

The Olympics may be over (boo) but the world of sports doesn’t stop turning (yay). Here’s what you missed over the weekend that you can share around the watercooler today.

Did you hear…

The Last Night’s Game

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NFL (National Football League)

When you’re thinking about quitting your day job. The NFL (National Football League) has partnered with the NBA (National Basketball League) to provide their players with an externship to prepare for life after football. If you’re in Manhattan on Tuesday, don’t be surprised to see an NFL player ringing up your purchases at the NBA Store. One player not looking for a job? Retired NFL player Charles “Peanut” Tillman who recently became a full-time FBI agent. What like it’s hard?

Golf

So a tiger and a goose walk into a bar. Tiger Woods finished a tournament in the top 15 for the first time since 2015 but it wasn’t without some sacrifices. He hit an unsuspecting goose with a shot. The goose was okay but it would've been better if it ducked. 

Overtime

The U.S. Curling team won its first ever gold medal in the Winter Olympics, something The Simpsons predicted back in 2010. The team was on top of the world until they tweeted at Delta for possible upgrades on their flights home. Delta promptly denied their request stating that they “didn’t have any upgrades to offer but congratulations.” The answer’s always no if you don’t ask.  

Sideline stat

Norway took home the most medals at the Games, 39, breaking the record for most medals won by a country in the Winter Olympics. The previous record was held by the United States.  

Coaches’ corner

In September, the FBI released the names of four college basketball teams that were part of a pay-to-play scandal. Over the weekend the FBI released additional coaches, players, agents and schools involved in the scandal. The list now includes, but isn’t limited to, Oklahoma State University, Auburn, University of Arizona, Duke, North Carolina, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan State, USC, Kansas and Alabama. FULL LIST OF SCHOOLS

What to watch

No need to go into depression now that the Winter Olympics are over. The inspiring athletic greatness of the Paralympic Games start on March 8.