Now we all have had our take on the NCAA and its "inconsistencies" but at some point a foul must be called. I am in no way condoning breaking of rules, no matter how stupid they are. Having said that, the NCAA has now crossed a line. It doesn't matter what side you are on concerning student athletes being compensated but you are not supposed to have rules if you're going to punish offenders differently. That just doesn't make sense. But then again, this is the NCAA we're talking about.
Today, the NCAA handed down its sanctions against the Ohio State University. In addition to OSU self vacating the 2010 season, returning the bowl money and 5 scholarships (over 3 years), the NCAA added a ONE year bowl ban that includes the Big 10 conference championship game. Increased lost scholarships to 9 over 3 years as well.
In June of 2010, USC was hit with a 2 year bowl ban and loss of 30 scholarships over 3 years. The Trojans were hit with some of the most severe penalties in NCAA history because Heisman Trophy-winning tailback Reggie Bush and basketball star O.J. Mayo accepted thousands of dollars in improper benefits from sports marketers and agents.
So, Pete Carroll didn't lie to his bosses and lie to the NCAA like Jim Tressel did but because OSU fully cooperated and Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo (in the NFL and NBA respectively already) didn't want to further speak to the NCAA means a lighter sentence? WTF NCAA??!! Only the NBA and NFL are allowed to punish however they want. I want an answer for why the two punishments more then anything. Is the NCAA saying that one school is worth more then another? This farce of a punishment says that.
As fans, we can always claim a "west coast bias" but that isn't applicable. The rules are the same for every school in the NCAA. You break one and there are consequences. Today, the NCAA told us that depending on the school and the cooperation, the punishment will be softer. What's worse, is that the NCAA also sent a message to the school presidents and chancellors. That message is to continue to break the rules, just don't get caught. I'm sure that OSU will never get over this scandal. Punishment being so severe.
Is that sarcasm I detect? Lol Well look in the end while the NCAA is a farce we do have to acknowledge that there is a big difference between USC and OSU. Bush and Mayo took thousands of dollars while Tressel's crew only got caught with some rental cars and tattoo's. Not to mention OSU sorta got ahead of the game and punished themselves before the NCAA had a chance to. USC even while being investigated for years played it wrong and weren't proactive in their self-discipline. Like it or not the NCAA has always punished those kind of programs worse than schools like OSU. Now that said, the fact that they allowed their offending players to play in the bowl game was seriously whack! and should have been more harshly punished.
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