Whether to be furious or sick at the hypocrisy, that is the question

I believe that the NCAA believes that they'll ramp up their (selective) enforcement efforts to clean up the game (except in places that are exempt from scrutiny).

The UNC thing was kind of my final straw with the NCAA. Prior to that always thought that their motives were fairly pure: rake in a bunch of money while creating and trying to enforce rules governing college athletics. I was never under any illusion that the NCAA wasn't a huge boondoggle that made a few people very rich off of the popularity of college football and basketball. I kind of looked at them as the benevolent mafia goon who you paid protection money to, but who kept trouble from popping up in the neighborhood. But just like that situation, eventually something happens that shows that the veneer of calm is covering up some really messed up stuff.

I think UNC got lucky, played things smart, and used its influence to get favorable treatment it didn't deserve. They were smart in using delay tactics to prolong the investigation to where I think the NCAA ran out of gas chasing them. I also think that UNC used leverage (blackmail) to help the process by openly discussing leaving the NCAA and starting a conversation that could have led to many top programs deciding to reorganize. That scared the NCAA in to backing off. Finally, the FBI investigation around the Adidas scandal was a lucky break for UNC. It gave everyone a NEW distraction and put the spotlight elsewhere.

After reading the article, the whole thing just rings hollow. They're going toughen up? Sure they are. Except in cases where they want to cut somebody a break like UNC. What was REALLY disappointing to me, however, was that Condoleeza Rice was appointed to head up the commission. I have a ton of respect for her and if this process turns out to be as hollow as I expect it to be, I'll be bummed that she was a party to it. Even if they do institute meaningful change, the fact that UNC walked away unpunished, or that guys like Calipari continue to coach will continue to be glaring examples of NCAA ineptitude.

The UNC thing being flicked because of some technicality it the enforcement terms reminds me of that murderer in San Francisco who killed a couple people with a concrete block and was convicted. Later the appeals court overturned the conviction on the technicality that his Miranda rights were not fully administered. I suppose it is the price we pay for rigorously adhering to the rule of law through thick and thin but it is clearly the most salient evidence of the imperfection in the system. I suppose UNC got off not due to corruption (although I would not be surprised if some showed up at a future date) but due to the nuances of the letter of the law. It may be “right” in the sense that the law was administered rigorously but IMHO it is not “right” in the true moral sense. Clearly UNC did things that violated blatantly the spirit of the rules while somehow managing to hide behind the letter of the rules. Kind of a microcosm of life in general. It’s a good system but far from a perfect one.

Corpus, I am with you on this one. I think the NCAA found out that their rules did not cover what went on at UNC and are now looking at whether there should be language in their rules that cover the issue uncovered at UNC. The behavior was clearly egregious.