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NCAA's botched probe not end for Miami

NCAA president Mark Emmert is not giving up.

Never mind that 13 interviews officially have been excluded from the NCAA’s original investigation into Miami.

Forget that portions of 12 interviews have been excluded and “some factual allegations were entirely removed.”

Don’t worry, Miami fans. Nobody will see that tainted evidence in the final report. The NCAA apparently has Wite-Out. Not enough, though, to scrap the entire case and declare a mistrial. Despite the recent 52-page report that detailed the NCAA’s unprecedented screwup, Emmert still has roughly 80 percent of what he wants you to believe is a valid investigation into Miami’s athletic department, and he plans on using it.

“The intention is to move forward with this case,” Emmert said. “There’s still a lot of information that’s available that has in no way been tainted by this incident.”

Good luck getting anyone outside the NCAA to actually believe it. The problem for Miami, though, is that the only people who have to be convinced are the ones in Indianapolis.

The external “Enforcement Review Report” has cut the NCAA’s credibility to its core, and has left many outside the organization with no faith or trust in its ability to fairly judge Miami in this case. And it’s not going to matter one single bit, because the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions is pressing on. Miami is going to receive a notice of allegations. And in typical NCAA fashion, no timetable has been set for it.

“The committee will now move forward,” Emmert said. “I won’t set a timeline on that, but they’re moving forward with dispatch.”

Maybe the NCAA will have another president by the time Miami’s case is over.

Despite the program’s own wrongdoing, Miami fans have every right to be angry. It’s amazing Al Golden hasn’t turned his back and walked right out. He’s had to recruit three classes during this mess. Heck, even inner-city Philadelphia has to be sounding good right about now. Miami has followed the NCAA’s playbook on cooperation in this investigation every step of the way, while the NCAA reached a jaw-dropping new low with its investigative tactics. Instead of swinging back, Miami’s athletic department has punished itself with its tail between its legs:

  • Miami has given up two bowl games and what would have been the program's first ACC championship game appearance since joining the league.

  • The Canes have reduced their official visits.

  • They have reduced their contacts and evaluation days in the fall.

  • They have reduced the number of scholarships.

The NCAA? It fired a few high-ranking officials, vowed to be better, and said a notice of allegations is on its way.

You would think that Miami’s proactive approach, coupled with the NCAA’s botched investigation, would add up to a mistrial. Instead, in each of the past two teleconferences Emmert has had with the media regarding this incident, he has reiterated that the NCAA still has plenty of evidence against Miami and plans to move forward with it.

In a case that has redefined hypocrisy, the NCAA won’t relinquish its role as judge, despite the fact it was just found guilty.