NCAA's integrity and character over Penn State sanctions

The NCAA’s integrity and character was tested during the Sandusky issue and cover-up at Penn State. Now, after the wake of the sanctions placed on Penn State by the NCAA, it is evident that the NCAA’s integrity and character should now be questioned.

On Monday, July 23, 2012, the NCAA went beyond its boundaries to impose sanctions on a school were no NCAA violations were broken. Feeling the weight of public opinion, the NCAA dropped the hammer on Penn State giving them a $60 million dollar fine, a four year ban on postseason play (bowls), including the BIG Ten championship, a cut in scholarships per year from 25 to 15, vacate victories from 1998-2011, and allowing current athletes within Penn State to transfer without losing NCAA eligibility.

The fact that no NCAA violations were broken, and that sanctions were still imposed, sheds light that the NCAA is run by public opinion and not by their bylaws, which can be downloaded at the following link: http://ncaapublications.com/p-4224-2011-2012-ncaa-division-i-manual.aspx. The purpose of the NCAA, as written in their bylaws, is to “maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body and, by so doing, retain a clear line of demarcation between intercollegiate athletics and professional sports.”

In reading, it is clear that the NCAA’s bylaws only pertain to intercollegiate athletics and violations associated with intercollegiate athletics. Therefore, how can the NCAA conspire to impose sanctions on a University that broke no clear NCAA violation? Even today, how can those sanctions be accepted by Penn State if the NCAA’s judgment falls outside of their governing bylaws?

Keep in mind, I am not losing site of what transpired and how we got to this point. As a Father, my heart goes out to the families and the victims affected by this horrific event.

My opinion however, relates to an organization’s integrity and character to position themselves in an issue that they should have never been involved. Except got involved only to save face and not receive any ridicule from the outside public.

In this case, the NCAA should have indicated to the public, that their bylaws only allow them to enforce sanctions on universities where athletic violations are broken, such as Ohio State, USC, and soon Miami. Also, the issue with Sandusky and the cover-up is already being taken care of by the government, courts, and Penn State.

I know the hurt is deep with those that were affected on both sides. However, as I indicated in my previous article, punish those that were involved, and not those (student-athletes) that had no knowing of these events, or a program that did not violate any NCAA rules.

Thoughts of a father and Penn State

I told myself not to get involved in this discussion. However, being a father of two boys brings a surreal feeling of the emotional anger the parents of the victims that were molested by Sandusky, must be feeling. In addition, the justice they are seeking to end the hurt Sandusky, Penn State Head Coach Paterno, and other university heads, brought to their families.

Considering the damage that has been done, the justice that saw Sandusky taken off in handcuffs to his new residence, the indictments brought against certain university heads, and the death of Paterno; what other justice can ever stop the hurt that these families are feeling?

In recent media articles, people are calling for Penn State to receive the death penalty. Some are asking the NCAA to offer students-athletes the ability to transfer without losing their eligibility.

There is no doubt the school received a black eye from this incident with Sandusky. However, how can a witch-hunt be called on a university that is made up of a lot more than just those that were involved in this horrific incident?

To call for the death penalty, is not justice. Those people that were involved will see their time behind bars. The death penalty, in my opinion, is a punishment placed on universities where athletic programs, like SMU, involve money to student-athletes by boosters to give an edge to their athletic program.

Understanding that this incident ties to the athletic program because of who was all involved, this incident however, in no way, provided for the advancement of the program, nor did it involve student-athletes.

I pray for those families, and the hurt they received. I could only imagine what they must be feeling. I know, being a father that I would be going after anyone and everyone who could have been involved. However, punish the wrong, and not the program or those who had no awareness of the cover-up and horrific events taking place.

As for those in media calling for a witch-hunt on Penn State. If it was your university, would you be calling for the death penalty, or would those involved being put in jail, be good enough?

Big 12 squanders opportunities

It is a shame to see a conference you support and speak highly about, be brought down to a point that would make them look desperate. I am talking about the Big 12’s current begging of Notre Dame to join their conference. A conference with universities that have been to more BCS bowl games within the past decade than Notre Dame, and, a conference that is second behind the SEC.

With the Big 12’s current public pleading for Notre Dame to join the conference, they have squandered any chance to bring other highly touted universities that offer better competition and great recruiting areas. I am talking about Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech., Virginia Tech., and so on. Any one of these universities would have been a great addition to the Big 12. In addition, it probably would have surpassed, and/or at least tied the SEC as the best conference.

There is no doubt that Notre Dame is good for television, but the other universities that the Big 12 could have invited, would have also been good for television.

Watching the Big 12 squander opportunities is sickening and sad, considering the opportunities they had to join with universities that would have extended the Big 12 power across the whole eastern part of the United States. The hand of the big 12 over SEC, ACC, Big East, and Big 10. To bad the Big 12 Presidents do not have this vision. Given the road college football is going, without expansion, a conference may die. Ask the Big East.

Illusion deceives college fans

Is it just me or is someone or some group trying to keep us off their tracks. Illusion can be a fascinating spectacle, often giving us the idea that the impossible can be possible. Often times, illusion can be used as a tool to deceive the eye and send the truth down a path with no breadcrumbs. Beginning in January, college fans were treated to the idea that re-alignment was coming before the next college football season. As usual, parties denied the idea that re-alignment could ever happen again. However, the idea of re-alignment picked up when talks of playoffs hit the air. How would a playoff affect a conference? What would the criteria be to determine which teams are selected to participate in the conference? Would this finally drive Notre Dame to join a conference? Lastly, would ACC be dismantled by the Big 12, SEC, and Big 10?

These topics would eventually require someone or some group to provide answers. Articles quickly appeared in the media mainstream and on various blogs citing sources that could not be revealed, that re-alignment would happen, and still believe that it will happen before the next football season.

The real story though, is the action happening behind the scene. The truth that these decision makers are trying not to leak unless they feel it will work to their advantage. As re-alignment talks continue, two interesting stories have immersed. One story pertains to the article written by The Oklahoman, which indicated that Notre Dame would be the only school to bring any television value to the Big 12. There has never been any doubt that the Big 12 wants Notre Dame. However, what happened to Florida St., Clemson, Georgia Tech., etc.? Articles about these schools leaving the ACC fell off as talks of playoffs grew. Early in the year, Florida St. and Clemson were hard pressed by the media to indicate their intentions to join the Big 12. The real question to ask is, were these teams scared away because of all the media attention they were receiving? When deciding whether to join, these schools had all the facts and it all pointed to the Big 12.

The other story that popped up was ESPN’s probable control over re-alignment. That ESPN was the hand that controlled the chessboard and the positioning of the colleges and conferences they were in contract with. To say that ESPN and any other television source controls the decisions these colleges make is hard to accept, but understandable considering the amount of money thrown at conferences and universities. Therefore, as we are told by the media, ESPN is the horse that drives re-alignment.

Now illusion, how does this fit in. Well consider the illusion of the article in The Oklahoman. This news media just so happened to get their hands on a memorandum, which I would think the Big 12 would want to keep confidential, at least until they made their decision for re-alignment. Was this memorandum leaked by the Big 12? Obviously: but for what purpose? Could it be to move the media away from the other colleges it is looking to invite? Or, heighten Notre Dame’s interest in joining the Big 12?

As for ESPN, well, what a better was to through re-alignment out of the door than by using a pawn. Throwing ESPN in the fire for why re-alignment will not happen without their consent is comic, considering that you also have ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, TNT, etc. So why ESPN? Well, you do not want to give your school a black eye by having them as the reason that re-alignment never happened. ESPN can take those shots because they already have your school and they are not going anywhere.