Years ago the front man for the rock band Staind, Aaron Lewis, wrote a song called 'Outside'. The main chorus of the song went:
I can see through you
See your true colors
Cause inside your ugly
Your ugly like me...
Never have truer words been spoken about the world of college football. Here is breaking news: Ugly is everywhere, not just at USC. For the past few months USC fans have had to endure the criticism, the revelling from haters, the jokes and pretty much a general, "shame on you guys" from any and all college football fans, experts and writers (yes, I separate 'experts' and 'writers'). Here is the ugly secret of college football: what happens at USC happens at 'BCS' programs all over the country, and these past few weeks are proving that point.
USC was guilty of 'lack of institutional control'. That's the nice way of saying, 'how can you not know agents are giving your student athletes improper benefits?!' The NCAA wanted to make an example out of USC. That's what happens when Yahoo Sports launches a witch hunt on a program that had been too good for too long. It's human nature to want to watch and relish in the fall of something great.
The University of Florida is now being investigated for one of it's former standout players, Maurkice Pouncey, receiving up to $100,000 from an agent prior to the Gator's Sugar Bowl game. Sounds ugly to me.
The University of North Carolina and University of South Carolina are also both being investigated by the NCAA on allegations their football players received improper gifts from agents. Sounds ugly to me.
What else is ugly? How about 11 Notre Dame football players being arrested over the weekend? How about star athletes at Georgia and Tennessee being arrested? Want Assault? Look no further than the defensive end for the Pitt Panthers.
Ahhhhh....mush. None of these stories matter right? The NCAA took down USC. Isn't that what everyone wanted to see? They are the big fat cheaters on the West Coast. Everything else is just gravy at this point. Who needs football West of the Mississippi anyways? The NCAA wanted to make an example out of an elite program....and boy did they ever. They must now go from 'setting an example' to 'staying consistent'. If other programs are guilty of the same charges USC was, then the penalties must be consistent.
Let's be honest here. Who doesn't believe that if the NCAA spent four years (like it did with USC) with their flashlights and magnifying glasses up the University of Florida's rear-end they wouldn't find dirt? A successful program that cranks out NFL talent year after year is bound to have some agents hanging around and is clearly going to have a star players 'taken care of' while enrolled in school. You don't think star college athletes sign with agents just because they are nice guys do you?
In the case with USC, the NCAA wanted to send a message to college football programs across the country: violate the rules and the penalty will be harsh. Right now, college football programs are sending a message back, and man is it ugly!
I can see through you
See your true colors
Cause inside your ugly
Your ugly like me...
Never have truer words been spoken about the world of college football. Here is breaking news: Ugly is everywhere, not just at USC. For the past few months USC fans have had to endure the criticism, the revelling from haters, the jokes and pretty much a general, "shame on you guys" from any and all college football fans, experts and writers (yes, I separate 'experts' and 'writers'). Here is the ugly secret of college football: what happens at USC happens at 'BCS' programs all over the country, and these past few weeks are proving that point.
USC was guilty of 'lack of institutional control'. That's the nice way of saying, 'how can you not know agents are giving your student athletes improper benefits?!' The NCAA wanted to make an example out of USC. That's what happens when Yahoo Sports launches a witch hunt on a program that had been too good for too long. It's human nature to want to watch and relish in the fall of something great.
The University of Florida is now being investigated for one of it's former standout players, Maurkice Pouncey, receiving up to $100,000 from an agent prior to the Gator's Sugar Bowl game. Sounds ugly to me.
The University of North Carolina and University of South Carolina are also both being investigated by the NCAA on allegations their football players received improper gifts from agents. Sounds ugly to me.
What else is ugly? How about 11 Notre Dame football players being arrested over the weekend? How about star athletes at Georgia and Tennessee being arrested? Want Assault? Look no further than the defensive end for the Pitt Panthers.
Ahhhhh....mush. None of these stories matter right? The NCAA took down USC. Isn't that what everyone wanted to see? They are the big fat cheaters on the West Coast. Everything else is just gravy at this point. Who needs football West of the Mississippi anyways? The NCAA wanted to make an example out of an elite program....and boy did they ever. They must now go from 'setting an example' to 'staying consistent'. If other programs are guilty of the same charges USC was, then the penalties must be consistent.
Let's be honest here. Who doesn't believe that if the NCAA spent four years (like it did with USC) with their flashlights and magnifying glasses up the University of Florida's rear-end they wouldn't find dirt? A successful program that cranks out NFL talent year after year is bound to have some agents hanging around and is clearly going to have a star players 'taken care of' while enrolled in school. You don't think star college athletes sign with agents just because they are nice guys do you?
In the case with USC, the NCAA wanted to send a message to college football programs across the country: violate the rules and the penalty will be harsh. Right now, college football programs are sending a message back, and man is it ugly!
I don't know how much you've studied teh SMU stuff of the late 80s. I wrote a college paper on it while I was at Alabama. No offense, but what USC had going on with Reggie Bush and Alabama had happening with Albert Means was worse than the slush funds at SMU. Yet, no death penalty?
ReplyDeleteI know USC, Bama, and heck, even the 80s era SMU didn't directly have coaches paying players. The filthy stuff was "booster" related, but if the NCAA would institute stipends for players and BAN, that's right BAN, boosters from programs, it would mostly go away.
Lance
aka TLanceB in teh twitterz
There is ZERO allegation of "booster money" going to USC players. Please education yourself.
ReplyDeletePlease don't compare the SMU slush fund to anything going on at SC.
Micheal Micheals or whatever he calls himself was called a booster by the NCAA. The point is, the nCAA is inconsistent on their penalties.
ReplyDeleteI think my school, Alabama, should have been hit even worse. They bought a human being.
I actually feel like USC's situation was only "worse" because they knew a lot about Reggie Bush and could have stopped it and/or punished him themselves. Bush's stepdad let it be known he was sick of being a security guard and had his hand out from day one of Reggie's recruitment.
USC's "crime" as an institution was playing reggie knowing he was likely "dirty" in terms of where his family's money was coming from.
The NCAA is so inconsistent on their penalities. Auburn and Clemson both should have been given death penalties and weren't.
My issue isn't with USC. My issue is with the NCAA.
Very good article. The NCAA had a vendetta against USC however. That is the only possible reason for the 30 scholarships they were docked as well as letting their entire upperclass leave the program without sitting a year.
ReplyDeleteTo justify no penalties at all for other schools, the NCAA will lean on the fact that USC "knew or should have known" Reggie was on the take. They will point to the picture of the agent standing in back of Coach McNair at a club as their proof of this.
As long as there is no picture of a Florida coach anywhere near an agent, they will let the Gators go without punishment.
Paul Dee roots are in Florida and the Southeast (UNC, South Carolina are being investigated). He hates USC. He can do whatever he wants, and no way will he go hard after either the ACC or the SEC.
Watch and see. Nothing will happen to any of these schools. This is not about fair play or justice. The NCAA is not about that. They are simply about their own agenda, proof or not.
Please stop spreading false information Lance.
ReplyDeleteMichaels was not called a booster by the NCAA, he was called an agent. And the NCAA did not allege USC knew of the Bush stuff in time to stop it; they alleged one assistant coach learned about it after the fact and failed to report it.
Again, at USC we're talking about one player, taking benefits for one year, and one assistant coach allegedly finding out about it after the fact and not reporting it.
The situations at Florida, NC, SC, and Georgia are certainly in the same ballpark, if not worse because boosters were involved.