NCAA Stepping Up its Game?

For years colleges have balked at the NCAA's attempts to regulate collegiate athletics. The NCAA has always been considered a joke even in times of enforcement, since its rules do not make much sense. Most infractions of the NCAA rules involve improper discussions between college athletes and professional agents. The universities have an obligation to regulate these relationships, as do the athletes and agents have a responsibility to abide by the rules or risk punishment. Even the professional sports leagues are required to monitor their agents in order to ensure proper practice. Ultimately, the NCAA rules are designed to maintain the integrity of the amateur game for college athletes, yet in practice it all comes down to money and those punished are often not the ones who committed the wrongdoing.

Most recently, the NCAA imposed harsh sa

nctions on the University of Southern California ("USC") for infractions involving Reggie Bush, currently the running back for the NFL's New Orleans Saints (and ex-boyfriend to Kim Kardashian - did they break up from the stress of this scandal?), and O.J. Mayo, a star player for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. Based on the prior infractions, the NCAA has imposed a two year bowl game ban and a scholarship restriction on USC. These infractions will not only cost the school millions of dollars in revenue, but restrict their recruiting, because high school players do not want to play for schools that cannot go to bowl games or for schools that cannot give them a scholarship. These infractions will hurt USC's program for many years into the future, due to the inability to continue to build their programs with recruiting.

Reggie Bush showing off his 2010 Superbowl ring - Someone is still livin' it up!

What is ridiculous about these infractions is that they do not punish the individuals inv

olved in the wrongdoing! Both Bush and Mayo are no longer at USC, but instead are in the pros making millions. Yes, their images will be somewhat tarnished and their records diminished, but so what? Does anyone actually believe that their professional careers will be hurt? NO. In addition, the previous coach of USC football, Pete Carroll, is now coaching the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. Even he will avoid any sanction. Instead the NCAA sanctions are punishing the innocent players currently at USC whose professional dreams will be affected by their inability to play for a strong program and win a bowl game. The NCAA which is designed to promote the interests of its college athletes is instead doing the opposite - hindering the athletic development and success of those athletes at USC.

The NCAA believes that by punishing the university and costing it millions, it is basically eliminating some of the financial gain the school achieved through the illegitimate success of Bush and Mayo. Although this financial punishment is warranted against the school, its ultimate affects on the college athletes is unjust and unfair.

Moreover, the NCAA has just announced that it is also conducting investigations of alleged violations at the University of Georgia, with more investigations to come at the University of Florida, University of South Carolina, and University of Alabama. Sad to say, it looks like more innocent athletes at these schools will have their futures put in jeopardy by the NCAA. The NCAA isn't stepping up its game as an organization by conducting investigations and imposing sanctions, instead its failing to play its own game by adhering to its mission of protecting its athletes and preserving the nature of the amateur collegiate athletics.