Boosters Gone Wild

In the good ol' days of buying players, boosters would be largely secretive and desirous of behind-the-scenes power. They would not admit to anything and their goals would be to see that the home team played well so that they could hang out with more folks like themselves at games with more meaning. Occasionally they would get into the head coach's ear, or maybe that of the athletic director or even school president. If anyone asked questions they would act dumb and shrug their shoulders.
That attitude almost worked perfectly at Auburn when NCAA investigators asked if anyone had paid money to the Newton family. Money? Nah. Not us. He always wanted to play for the Tigers. And that would have been enough in the past--as it was last year to allow Newton to take home a Heisman Trophy and play in the BCS Title Game--until the FBI mentioned to the NCAA that they had tapped phones of Auburn boosters in an unrelated case (they ripped off some folks) and now had evidence that Auburn paid money to Cam Newton's father Cecil (beyond the fact that Cecil was driving a shiny new car and had brand new alterations done to his church). Auburn assumed that they had gotten away with something but the whole house of cards should come crashing down soon.
Then there is the case of Miami. The problem for the Hurricane program is that their surrounding area is full of slimy, newly-minted millionaires who do not know the rules of etiquette concerning boosterism. They want to be as loud as possible and flaunt their wealth. And here is the kicker--they want to hang out with 19-year-old football players. Why? Who the hell knows but the jailed low-life at the center of this investigation needed some friends and bought them. Having this guy stay quiet would have been a herculean task, but Miami did not even try. Months after he tried to pick a fight with a university compliance officer who was just trying to do his job, we have photographic proof that the U could care less for compliance as president Donna Shalala is happily taking a donation from him at an event. And she even sent investors his way including, it is alleged, hall of famer Barry Alvarez who lost a reported $600,000 in the ponzi scheme.
You could not pay me enough to work in the compliance department at a program like Miami, but to do so and see the booster who is the biggest problem you face hanging out with the school president has to drive you crazy.