"Biggest cheating sport in all of sports": Sportscaster makes scathing remarks about "unregulated" NIL in college athletics

The NIL shift in college sports has sparked considerable debate, particularly regarding its potential influence on recruitment strategies and the overall business model of the NCAA. Several coaches and analysts have voiced concerns about this unregulated system.

On Wednesday, Bo Mattingly, co-host of "The Chuck & Bo Show" with Chuck Barrett, did not hold back his feelings on the current state of name, image and likeness in college sports.

"College athletics is the biggest cheating sport in all of sports, and that includes the Tour de France." Mattingly said. "The underbelly of college athletics is full of the biggest cheating scandals of all time in any sport, anywhere, anytime. FIFA included. Because you can't regulate it."

Mattingly also referenced when current NC State coach Will Wade and Texas coach Sean Miller were caught on wiretaps.

"There was this whole HBO documentary on Will Wade on a wiretap. Sean Miller on a wiretap about illegally paying players," he continued. "And you know what happened two years later? We made it legal to pay players! College athletics is unregulated. The system is a mess. Like, that's the problem."

The NCAA introduced NIL compensation in 2021, marking a new era in college athletics where student can benefit from their personal brand. However, it has created a complex landscape that demands careful examination.

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NIL makes past recruiting violations look almost routine in hindsight

Three college basketball coaches — Will Wade, Sean Miller and Rick Pitino — were allegedly caught up in the 2017 FBI investigation, which exposed illegal recruiting practices using wiretaps, as per Front Office Sports.

Investigations revealed that Wade, Miller and Pitino were involved in offering recruits and their families money in exchange for playing for their school. The NIL was not in place at the time, so the coaches were fired from their respective jobs. Miller was the head coach at Arizona, Wade was coaching LSU and Pitino was at Louisville.

While they were fired for breaking NCAA rules, the punishments they received are looked at differently today in an environment where NIL is legal. Miller, Pitino and Wade eventually landed jobs again at other schools and are now tasked with navigating the modern college athletics environment where paying players is now the norm.