COLUMN: NCAA needs to shape up
College athletics are spinning wildly out of control.
The main reasons why so many people love college athletics – college football in particular – are being drowned out by what could be a very black spot in NCAA history.
Just when I thought that the University of Southern California, Ohio State University, Bruce Pearl, and Cecil Newton (2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton’s father) were the end of infractions and overall bad examples in college athletics, the University of Miami and Louisana State University had to go and screw it up.
What I don’t understand is how the NCAA, which is filled with layers and layers of red tape and regulations, let something of the magnitude of Miami’s infractions slip for so long. Nevin Shapiro alleged that he had given impermissible benefits to Miami coaches and players from 2002 to 2010.
Those benefits included strippers, prostitutes, fancy meals and even an abortion. Shapiro claims these benefits implicate seven coaches and 72 players in both the basketball and football programs.
How does the NCAA not pick up on anything for that long? Surely there is someone over compliance who would have picked up on the alleged infractions over an eight-year span.
These infractions are not only limited to a school that has a history of infractions such as Miami. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Blue Devil’s basketball head coach, who is an overall example in the NCAA of how to do everything right, found himself in hot water over the summer for a possible recruiting infraction during his AAU circuit.
In most aspects, I think that professional sports could take several lessons from collegiate athletics. This time around, I think the tables have been turned.
Look at steroid issues with Major League Baseball. Sure several names have been tarnished and inductions to the Hall of Fame are in question with players like Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Jason Giambi, but since the MLB cracked down on those violations, the list and frequency of violations has reduced.
As a matter of fact, it’s been quite some time since a well-known major leaguer got in trouble for steroid use.
When the NCAA does impose stricter regulations, or at least follows through on already existing regulations, there is one possibility that makes me cringe. I really hope the United States government does not feel a need to conduct hearings with players and coaches.
With how the government has interacted with the NCAA regarding the BCS, it would not surprise me to see them step in and conduct hearings and enforce sanctions severe enough to deter athletes or coaches who could be tempted to violate regulations.
But what about parents and boosters?
Cam Newton was punished for the actions of his father Cecil Newton in accepting a pay-for-play, but what punishment did Cecil Newton receive?
Cam Newton still made it to the NFL and has a good chance of grabbing the starting quarterback spot for the Carolina Panthers. Wasn’t that the end goal for Cecil Newton?
Is it possible that maybe, just maybe, athletes, coaches, parents and boosters need to be educated at the high school level – and maybe even prior to that – of things they should not be doing.
If it were up to me, I would suggest that the NCAA either restructure it’s regulations and penalties for violations, or do a better job of enforcing penalties. Maybe the “death penalty,” which suspends a program from participating in a sport for a certain amount of time, is the best option.
If the NCAA was really smart about preventing future infractions, it would begin a campaign at the prep level, or maybe even before that, to inform athletes, coaches, parents and boosters what kind of conduct is acceptable.
Whatever it takes, I am hoping that the NCAA will do everything necessary to save the image of college athletics.
Tyler Huskinson is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. Tyler is the assistant sports editor for the The Utah Statesman. Comments can be sent to him at ty.d.hus@aggiemail.usu.edu.