The Moral Compass of the NCAA?

[Spence]

Inmates running the asylum.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2013/04/02/ncaa-president-emmert-previous-cases-uconn-lsu/2047607/

[donovan]

Yep. When Emmert came to the UW he did in the midst of the Neuheisel fiasco. Frankly after the fact and now known Neuheisel's sin was he went to a block party and drew a ticket, paid his money and was in a blind football pool. I get avoiding the appearance of evil, but this is not exactly what corrupts college football, nonetheless the NCAA clamored and for various others reasons the sharks or rabid Husky TYEE boosters turned on him and he was ousted. Not sure Emmert can be held accountable for that...but then...he brings in Willingham who cleans up the program, a corrupt program that had nothing to do with Neuheisel....been going on for years especially when the godfather Don James was there..(a lot of this I know of being much closer than in hindsight, makes sense...I now give what little money I have to non athletic funds and feel a lot better about that, but I digress) Willingham cleans up the program and it was not without some bloodshed, but Willingham never deferred or flinched. Emmert was right there to take the credit. So now we have a clean program except for one thing....a no win season and several before, not so good. So what happens...Emmert succumbs to the pressure of to those that lie in wait to deceive and fires Willingham. So this is the question...is it better to have a clean program with no wins or a begin again corrupting program that starts winning. I think this is a no brainer, but it take a leaser with guts, principles and fortitude. Emmert accesses his characteristics and becomes President of the NCAA where he is like a rudderless ship in a storm tossed sea. This is all so predictable...SO WHO IS TO BLAME...the weaselly, lily livered, emasculated, incompetent, acacdemically challenged men and women running the universities of this nation....The Presidents. Time schools just bow out and stand up and be counted.

[ktffan]

The NCAA spent years trying to free us from the evil of Indian mascots. Now at least they are trying to address corruption. However, they failed to address the Cam Newton issue, since that would cost people money, so why should we trust them to do the right thing?

[Spence]

The NCAA spent years trying to free us from the evil of Indian mascots. Now at least they are trying to address corruption. However, they failed to address the Cam Newton issue, since that would cost people money, so why should we trust them to do the right thing?

I don't mind the NCAA going after corruption . However I do have a problem with a corrupt NCAA going after anyone. If the clean their own house they can have at it. Miami could be corrupt to the core, but t hey shouldn't be convicted by a group that is just as corrupt.

[billybud]

The NCAA wasn't really corrupt.....I suppose, if your favorite program has been stung by the NCAA, you may be more inclined to use such hyperbole.

They just used some questionable tactics, legal but questionable, to get the truth about Miami corruption. Without subpoena powers or any method to induce former players to be disposed by the NCAA, they used a surrogate who did have such powers.

Miami now, was corrupt. I also, in my heart of hearts, know that Auburn has been corrupt for decades.

If we do not want to just give up and let programs/boosters pay for athletes, we must empower the NCAA to stop such corruption. And they really have a lot fewer investigative tools to do so than one might think.

All that I ask for is even handedness....

But...bagmen in college football must be anathema. You can't pay off high school coaches like Bama did, or hand out money to high school kids like Miami did and Auburn most likely did.

[Spence]

The NCAA wasn't really corrupt.....I suppose, if your favorite program has been stung by the NCAA, you may be more inclined to use such hyperbole.

They just used some questionable tactics, legal but questionable, to get the truth about Miami corruption. Without subpoena powers or any method to induce former players to be disposed by the NCAA, they used a surrogate who did have such powers.

Miami now, was corrupt. I also, in my heart of hearts, know that Auburn has been corrupt for decades.

If we do not want to just give up and let programs/boosters pay for athletes, we must empower the NCAA to stop such corruption. And they really have a lot fewer investigative tools to do so than one might think.

All that I ask for is even handedness....

But...bagmen in college football must be anathema. You can't pay off high school coaches like Bama did, or hand out money to high school kids like Miami did and Auburn most likely did.

Ohio State wasn't caught by the NCAA using "questionable" methods. The NCAA didn't catch Ohio State do anything. Ohio State compliance caught Jim Tressel and some players. They got what they deserved, and I have nothing to say against the way Ohio State got punished.

The NCAA offered dangled money and "help" in front of the booster at Miami. He didn't want to go to jail and they told him they would try and help him. So he could tell them anything. He could lie and because the NCAA doesn't have subpoena power he wouldn't be facing perjury if he was lying.

I agree that they must give the NCAA the teeth to do their job, but they need reformed before anything like that happens.

[donovan]

Its not all this difficult. NCAA is a private organization. Members must abide by the rules or they are kicked out. So make the rule that says, the NCAA has access to all records of the school, boosters, etc. If the individuals do not sign the waiver, then they don't get the job.....Happens all the time in other organizations. If a law is broken, the call in Elliot Ness or Sgt. Friday.

[WoVeU]

The NCAA is a private institution...that enjoys a monopoly!

[Spence]

The NCAA is a private institution...that enjoys a monopoly!

They are not a monopoly. Their are other collegiate athletic organizations. The NAIA is one.

Donovan is right, they can kick schools out of the organization, there would probably be a lawsuit, though, and it would be messy.

[Derek]

This guy is a true politician. Sounds even slicker than Slick Willie.