Double The Fun

Yeah, this one gets a soundtrack

So, you know how I follow NCAA ineptitude, particularly their inability and unwillingness to bring the Hammer of Thor against major programs?

And you know how I feel about a certain team south of Canada? The one that's 0-1 against 1AA teams in the past few years?

Well, it must be my freaking birthday, because there are allegations of NCAA violations against the good folks at the University of MACh1gaan.

From the Detroit Free Press:

The University of Michigan football team consistently has violated NCAA rules governing off-season workouts, in-season demands on players and mandatory summer activities under coach Rich Rodriguez, numerous players told the Free Press.

Players on the 2008 and 2009 teams described training and practice sessions that far exceeded limits set by the NCAA, which governs college athletics. The restrictions are designed to protect players’ well-being, ensure adequate study time and prevent schools from gaining an unfair competitive advantage.

Did you catch that last part? An "unfair competitive advantage" can be had if these guidelines are not followed. Just think, TTUN could have finished 0-12, but they achieved an unfair advantage to go 3-9.

So, what will happen?

If the NCAA investigates and concludes that U-M willfully and repeatedly broke the rules, the NCAA could find major violations. That could trigger probation, loss of scholarships and loss of practice time.

Michigan, which has won more games than any program in college football history, has never been found guilty of major violations in football.

For perspective, Southeast Missouri State received three years probation and other sanctions for violations which included monitoring off season practices. San Diego State got two year's probation for similar types of things.

Oh, and U$C received no penalties for "The thing with Reggie Bush that didn't happen". So there's that.

My take? The NCAA will respond as is consistent with their protocol: They'll give Alma the death penalty.

And now-The Comfy Chair!!!

Basketball today... stick with me on this.

Today, word came out that the Memphis Tiger will be force to vacate all of their victories in the record setting 2007-2008 season; which saw them lose in the NCAA finals to Kansas in overtime.

This sanction was a result of shady doings around their one-and-done guard Derrick Rose (now with the Chicago Bulls). It was revealed that his participation with Memphis was tainted by corrupt SAT scores, and that his brother in law received $1700 in travel benefits.

In addition to having their records stricken from every pillar and obelisk, they also are place on a three year probation that's described as:

"... the university is on heightened review," Dee said of the probation. "Probably the most important thing about probation is once a school goes on probation, if they commit another major violation within five years they are subject to a special review and substantially harsher penalties."

In other words, something serious.

My initial response after reading the article was, if I remember correctly, "Whoop de freaking do".

ESPN's Dana O'Neil concurs, stating that the punishment had " the bite of a 15-year-old golden retriever."

Essentially, a "my bad" for a team that has shown a history of recruiting violations. And for a coach who, for the second time in his tenure, has had a team vacate a Final Four appearance, the only response is a new job.

UK fans shouldn't be surprised that a coach could have a program put on probation and then leave for another job without sanction. What should infuriate them, though, is that Memphis wasn't given the three year treatment that the 'Kate received. (disclosure- I am a Kentucky alum)

Meanwhile, the NCAA is listening to coaches turn in players from other teams, and monitoring the condiments provided to student athletes.

But of course they are.

Interestingly enough, the investigation took all of about eight months. Or, in other words less than half the time that they've been investigating the Reggie Bush situation at U$C.

They must be using the same crack detective skills that OJ is wielding in his quest for "the real killers".

Here's the difference between Memphis and U$C's situations: Memphis is just a small program in a small conference; and there's no NCAA television revenue from Memphis basketball (the tourney's revenue comes in no matter who's playing).

U$C is the only major football power west of Texas, in the highest revenue sport in the land, a sport that the NCAA has been unable to show any ability to effectively manage (see postseason, or lack there of).

If Memphis got a slap on the wrist, ain't nothing happening to U$C.

Like I've said before, someone owes Abilene Christian an explanation.

But of course...

The NCAA has dropped the hammer... on Southeast Missouri State Basketball.

Sanctions?

• Public reprimand and censure.
• Three years of probation to be added to the institution's current two-year probationary period,
  
• Reduction by one of the number of scholarships in men's basketball for the 2009-10 academic year from the NCAA maximum limit of 13 to 12. (Self-imposed by the university)
• Reducing the number of off-campus contact and evaluation recruiting opportunities in men's basketball during the 2009-10 academic year by 15. (Self-imposed by the university)
• Reducing the number of occasions in which men's basketball student-athletes may be supervised by strength and conditioning staff to no more than two per week. This is a reduction of 28 opportunities that generally are conducted May-August. (Self-imposed by the university.)
• Vacation of wins in which involved men's basketball student-athletes competed during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons; and the vacation of the individual records of the student-athletes and record of the former men's basketball coach.

Violations:

• impermissible presence of men's basketball coaching staff members during summer strength and conditioning activities
• impermissible observation of out-of-season pick-up games
• impermissible extra benefits: one in the amount of $239, and the other when the former assistant coach drove a student-athlete 171 miles from campus (allegedly to see his newborn baby)

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles... nothing. Well, not completely nothing: LA Times: Pete Carroll is pushing it

"One of our mottos is, a relentless pursuit of competitive advantage in everything we do," Carroll said Thursday.

Um, Pete, that attitude is exactly what has landed USC in trouble.

"We're not in trouble," Carroll said.

Yes, you are. By college sports definition, any time NCAA investigators are hanging around, you are in trouble.

They showed up for the Reggie Bush stuff, and apparently they are going to stay for the Pete Rodriguez stuff, this special teams consultant who admitted he attended USC practices, which is a direct violation of those stupid rules.

And yet, we've only heard crickets from the NCAA. Anyone surprised?

"Michigan Men"

Quick follow up to Jeff's post over on the BBC: Those Who Stay Will Still Be Losers:

In the comments, I also talked about the following-

What’s especially interesting is that, after Feagin’s transfer/arrest/trainwreck, Slick Rod said he didn’t know about previous issues when the student athlete was in HS.

And now, as a response, the AD will “look into the recruiting process”.

I agree wholeheartedly- you should look into the recruiting process that brought you the coach that actively recruited Chris Henry, Adam Jones, Noel Devine, and friends while at WVa.

Oh wait… that was someone named Bill Martin.

To make things even richer, MACh1gAAn has recently obtained the services of Massillon Ohio's Justin Turner, who was struggling to get past the NCAA clearinghouse.

His issues, in summary- he wasn't able to pass all of the sections of the OGT (Test you have to pass in Ohio to get a diploma- "Thank you", No Child Left Behind).

My issue is not that this student athlete isn't capable of doing college level work, and shouldn't be at UM. It's well known that some people don't test well with certain types of testing- It's not indicative of aptitude at any level. He was, from all I can figure out, a 3.4 student in high school and had a solid SAT/ACT score. We wish him the best as he pursues his education and life's calling.

What I want to point out, though, is that the "Harvard of the West" is willing to allow a student athlete on campus when all they need to do is get past the NCAA's standards. You know, the same ones that SEC schools often use...

Meanwhile, just a bit South, Ohio State "lost" a student athlete because he didn't meet the enrollment requirements of the University.

Doesn't seem like the University of Michigan really cares all that much about academics for their athletes.

Never Too Soon...

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