Keeping The Seminoles Out Of Sports Stores Is Priority #1

Florida State has hired a new director of its Athletics Academics Support Program in the wake of the cheating scandal that hit the school right before its Music City Bowl game. His name is Bill Shults, and he actually used to be an FSU employee before.

From 1979 to 1992 he coached swimming at FSU, and then he was the university's assistant director for NCAA compliance for five years before leaving in 1997. Having someone familiar with the school is definitely a good thing, but not everything ran smoothly under Shults' watch when he was the assistant director.

No, in 1993 seven FSU players were involved in a $6,000 shopping spree at a Foot Locker store that was paid for by an unregistered sports agent. Five of those players were suspended for games during the '94 season for "accepting shoes, clothing and other gifts in violation of National Collegiate Athletic Association rules".

And guess who was supposed to assist in keeping the university compliant with NCAA regulations? That's right, Bill Shults.

Obviously, not every football player can be watched all of the time. However, it is up to school officials to make sure that the players understand the rules, and that breaking them not only damages their reputation but hurts their teammates and school. Somewhere along the way that didn't exactly happen, and Bill Shults was one of the top guys when it occured.

Oh well, I'm sure that Tallahassee will welcome him back with open arms as long as he keeps the players away from shoe stores, and discourages them from cheating on online exams.