The NCAA rules committee is a joke

[Roy H.]

1.  The NCAA finds that Cam Newton's father is caught trying to sell his son to the highest bidder.  There's evidence that his son knows about this.  No evidence is uncovered that Auburn paid him to play, although the SEC's reputation is notorious for paying players.  Sanction:  Newton's father needs to stay away from the Auburn program.

2.  The NCAA finds that Terrel Pryor and several other Buckeyes received thousands of dollars in illegal benefits.  This isn't the first time the OSU program has been found to be dirty.  Sanction:  5 game suspensions for the players, after their BCS game.

What a joke.  The NCAA's position seems to be "It's against the rules to jeopardize your amateur status, except when millions and millions of dollars are on the line in a BCS matchup".

Is there any doubt that if Pryor played for a 6-5 team playing in a joke of a bowl, or if Newton had played for any other team than an undefeated squad looking at a National Championship, that each would have been suspended immediately?

[bruinsandceltics]

The NCAA is a fraud. They pretend to care about the kids and the student-athletes when in reality its all just about money. They kids (Cam Newton and Tyrelle Pryor) are cash cows. They aren't going to miss out on the opportunity to make a buck in these kids names.

They will pull another Reggie Bush again with Newton and will handle the problem when he is long gone and they don't really lose a lot.

Its pathetic.

[nickagneta]

Their credibility has never been what you would call good but this year, especially with these two examples you have given Roy, they have been nothing short of side humor and that's it.

Let's not forget that they knew for years that USC and Reggie Bush was dirty and never did any type of in depth investigation there but after Pete Carroll leaves and Reggie is an established  Super Bowl winning star in the NFL, let's sanction the school.

When are they going to learn that one of two things have to occur to clean up collegiate sports

1.) Give the athletes double value scholarships with the extra value being cash in their hands.

or

2.) Sanction the coaches and players from years of participation in collegiate sports.

If a program is dirty and its the coach, and let's face it, it usually is the coach, suspend the coach for two years from college coaching. If a player is caught to be dirty suspend him for an entire year.

This is just a start but there can be a load more added on.

[Snakehead]

The hypocrisy within the OSU ruling is laughable enough.  So you let them play in the bowl game of course because it would cost you and the school money.  And these players (who can come from poor backgrounds and need money to support themselves and their families) get thrown under the bus UNLESS they are good enough to cost the school money of course.  And these players are making these schools and the NCAA all the money through their play.

It's a joke.  The players should get paid a stipend because they make the school and NCAA all their money and they cannot go to the NFL, even if they want to and are able to.  And the NCAA only cares about the "honor" of college athletics if it doesn't keep money out of their pockets.  Also see how Reggie Bush has been thrown under the bus AFTER he played and how no one wants to address the problems behind why players get paid to go to schools etc and would rather scapegoat all the players themselves (for the most part, Cam Newton being an exception).

Guaranteed now: Terrell Pryor goes into the draft.  Why would he want to stick around now?  I'd rather go make the money.  Screw the schools and NCAA, it's all about money to them and they don't even earn it.  If he stays, he earns OSU and the NCAA money through his skill, if he leaves he supports himself and his family through his skill... easy choice.

[Change]

Who is protecting the student athletes from the exploitation of the NCAA? Don't they have a union?

[Roy H.]

Good article on this precise subject:  http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=5951832

[Fafnir]

TP Roy I was making the exact same points while on the phone with my brother today. Blatantly altering their punishments to preserve their big money games.

[Eja117]

To me it makes the Ohio State president's comments this year about never playing the sisters of the poor more funny.

I mean yeah. It may seem like some teams are sisters of the poor when their kids actually follow some rules instead of trying to get rich off of the stuff their school gives them.

I wonder if some of the sisters of the poor might beat them next year when their rich kids are on the sidelines.

I wonder what happens next year if they go to the NFL and aren't there to be punished.

I am also looking forward to the USC AD's response to this.   Let me get this straight. Reggie Bush helps set up his mom so he gets his Heisman snagged, USC has to forfeit a national championship, USC loses scholarships and can't go to a bowl for two years.

5 players go ahead and help themselves so they can't play in 5 whole games? 

NCAA football....more corrupt than the mafia....almost as corrupt as congress. They're almost there.

[Mike-Dub]

Completely agree Roy TP.