NCAA going soft?

[DKW 86 7,439]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/colu...,3782968.column.

NCAA runs afoul of its old get-tough policy

Mike Bianchi

SPORTS COMMENTARY

June 22, 2007

The University of Alabama football program has a reputation for cheating and chicanery. The school is coming off a five-year NCAA probationary period in which scholarships were stripped and bowl games were banned.

So what's one of new Coach Nick Saban's first orders of business in Tuscaloosa? Apparently, it's to keep up the renegade reputation and thumb his nose at the new namby-pamby NCAA. It seems Saban is not only a proven liar; he's an accused cheater as well.

At least that's what it seems like if the recent reports coming out of South Florida are true. The Miami Herald and Canesport.com, a Web site for University of Miami fans, each reported that Saban had conversations recently that went beyond what the rules allow. In the May recruiting period, college coaches can evaluate players on high school campuses but cannot have a face-to-face encounter "in excess of exchange of greeting."

Miami Krop linebacker Etienne Sabino said he talked with Saban about defensive schemes, and Saban told him he's "the big physical type of linebacker" Alabama is looking for. Miami Northwestern offensive lineman Brandon Washington, who already has committed orally to the University of Miami, said Saban asked him if "my heart was in Miami" and discussed coming to Saban's summer camp for an unofficial recruiting visit. Another Northwestern player, nose tackle Marcus Fortson, spoke with Saban for "a few minutes," and Saban told him Alabama "is a great place to get a degree."

In the grand scheme of NCAA cheating, Saban's alleged transgressions are small, but they speak to a larger issue: How nobody is afraid of the big, bad NCAA anymore.

When its most recent probation was handed down, Alabama had been before the NCAA infractions committee three times in six years. The school was nailed most recently for major infractions that included boosters raising $115,000 to persuade a defensive lineman from Memphis, Tenn., to attend Alabama.

Who will forget the dire warning sounded by Thomas Yeager, the chairman of the infractions committee, when Alabama's last set of penalties were handed down?

"They were absolutely staring down the barrel of a gun," he said. "These violations are some of the worst, most serious that have ever occurred. God forbid, there's ever another appearance -- ever."

Tough words. And empty ones.

The NCAA enforcement staff used to scare college coaches; now college coaches just snicker. NCAA investigators used to hand out the death penalty. Now, in these wimpy times, the NCAA actually allows schools to dole out "self-imposed sanctions."

Example: Former Southern Cal star Reggie Bush's parents reportedly were living in a $750,000 house supplied by a sports agent while Bush was still in college. Can't you just imagine the school's self-imposed punishment: "From now on, all free houses supplied to our athletes shall not be equipped with jacuzzis, plasma TVs and surround sound."

We know nothing will happen to USC. NCAA should stand for Neutered Creampuff Athletic Agency.

But we can't blame it all on the NCAA; newspapers have to take some blame, too. In the NCAA's hard-nosed heyday in the 1980s, many newspaper sports staffs had investigative journalists that essentially did the groundwork for NCAA inquisitions. These days you'd be hard-pressed to find a sports staff that has reporters dedicated solely to investigative journalism. Reporters are too busy blogging about whether Apolo Ohno's Cha-Cha on Dancing with the Stars was more influenced by the Rumba or Mambo motion.

When it comes to enforcing its own rules, NCAA investigators used to be Wyatt Earp.

Now, comically, they have all the firepower of Barney Fife.

A little gratuitous bashing but he is pretty accurate about

[TrojanTiger13 0]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/colu...,3782968.column.

NCAA runs afoul of its old get-tough policy

Mike Bianchi

SPORTS COMMENTARY

June 22, 2007

The University of Alabama football program has a reputation for cheating and chicanery. The school is coming off a five-year NCAA probationary period in which scholarships were stripped and bowl games were banned.

So what's one of new Coach Nick Saban's first orders of business in Tuscaloosa? Apparently, it's to keep up the renegade reputation and thumb his nose at the new namby-pamby NCAA. It seems Saban is not only a proven liar; he's an accused cheater as well.

At least that's what it seems like if the recent reports coming out of South Florida are true. The Miami Herald and Canesport.com, a Web site for University of Miami fans, each reported that Saban had conversations recently that went beyond what the rules allow. In the May recruiting period, college coaches can evaluate players on high school campuses but cannot have a face-to-face encounter "in excess of exchange of greeting."

Miami Krop linebacker Etienne Sabino said he talked with Saban about defensive schemes, and Saban told him he's "the big physical type of linebacker" Alabama is looking for. Miami Northwestern offensive lineman Brandon Washington, who already has committed orally to the University of Miami, said Saban asked him if "my heart was in Miami" and discussed coming to Saban's summer camp for an unofficial recruiting visit. Another Northwestern player, nose tackle Marcus Fortson, spoke with Saban for "a few minutes," and Saban told him Alabama "is a great place to get a degree."

In the grand scheme of NCAA cheating, Saban's alleged transgressions are small, but they speak to a larger issue: How nobody is afraid of the big, bad NCAA anymore.

When its most recent probation was handed down, Alabama had been before the NCAA infractions committee three times in six years. The school was nailed most recently for major infractions that included boosters raising $115,000 to persuade a defensive lineman from Memphis, Tenn., to attend Alabama.

Who will forget the dire warning sounded by Thomas Yeager, the chairman of the infractions committee, when Alabama's last set of penalties were handed down?

"They were absolutely staring down the barrel of a gun," he said. "These violations are some of the worst, most serious that have ever occurred. God forbid, there's ever another appearance -- ever."

Tough words. And empty ones.

The NCAA enforcement staff used to scare college coaches; now college coaches just snicker. NCAA investigators used to hand out the death penalty. Now, in these wimpy times, the NCAA actually allows schools to dole out "self-imposed sanctions."

Example: Former Southern Cal star Reggie Bush's parents reportedly were living in a $750,000 house supplied by a sports agent while Bush was still in college. Can't you just imagine the school's self-imposed punishment: "From now on, all free houses supplied to our athletes shall not be equipped with jacuzzis, plasma TVs and surround sound."

We know nothing will happen to USC. NCAA should stand for Neutered Creampuff Athletic Agency.

But we can't blame it all on the NCAA; newspapers have to take some blame, too. In the NCAA's hard-nosed heyday in the 1980s, many newspaper sports staffs had investigative journalists that essentially did the groundwork for NCAA inquisitions. These days you'd be hard-pressed to find a sports staff that has reporters dedicated solely to investigative journalism. Reporters are too busy blogging about whether Apolo Ohno's Cha-Cha on Dancing with the Stars was more influenced by the Rumba or Mambo motion.

When it comes to enforcing its own rules, NCAA investigators used to be Wyatt Earp.

Now, comically, they have all the firepower of Barney Fife.

A little gratuitous bashing but he is pretty accurate about

It's about time the media turns on USC and uat cheating is obvious.

[jumbo 0]

I think reporters should write colums about Usc in major newspapers to make sure nobody forgets how Dirty Usc is! Whats it going to take for Usc to go on probation, paying players for good plays during the game!

[AU_tiger_2000 0]

I think reporters should write colums about Usc in major newspapers to make sure nobody forgets how Dirty Usc is! Whats it going to take for Usc to go on probation, paying players for good plays during the game!

When a guy makes a sack and Pete slips him a fin on the sideline then they will lose half a scholarship.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Keep tilting at windmills, people.

[jumbo 0]

I think reporters should write colums about Usc in major newspapers to make sure nobody forgets how Dirty Usc is! Whats it going to take for Usc to go on probation, paying players for good plays during the game!

When a guy makes a sack and Pete slips him a fin on the sideline then they will lose half a scholarship.

Maybe a Ben Franklin for a td pass

[boyjeddah 1]

NCAA runs afoul of its old get-tough policy

Mike Bianchi

SPORTS COMMENTARY

June 22, 2007

The University of Alabama football program has a reputation for cheating and chicanery. The school is coming off a five-year NCAA probationary period in which scholarships were stripped and bowl games were banned.

So what's one of new Coach Nick Saban's first orders of business in Tuscaloosa? Apparently, it's to keep up the renegade reputation and thumb his nose at the new namby-pamby NCAA. It seems Saban is not only a proven liar; he's an accused cheater as well.

here comes the water fountain again..!!!

[BamaGrad03 0]

Does this idiot think the NCAA has gone "soft" because they didn't put Alabama on probation for a MINOR violation?

[TrojanTiger13 0]

Does this idiot think the NCAA has gone "soft" because they didn't put Alabama on probation for a MINOR violation?

that and the fact USC is incoporating a general manager

[runswithscissors 33]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?i...e=NCAAHeadlines

South Carolina football coaches twice contacted athletes when they shouldn't have, among the eight NCAA secondary violations reported since January that the athletic department released on Friday.

this was like groundbreaking news here that was sure to doom bama football when the CNS/miami deal was happening....yet non issue when the visor does it.

Also, South Carolina reported six positive tests for marijuana and one for a prescription drug without an authorized prescription.