The NCAA just wrapped up their hearings regarding Southern Cal infractions this weekend. Some highlights of what happened outside of the closed-door sessions provided by the NYT:
The hearings were secret, and participants were required not to reveal anything to the news media. A decision will be made only after hours of conference calls between the members of the committee on infractions.
But there were signs from the hearings that make it highly improbable U.S.C. football will leave this multimillion-dollar, four-year investigation with a wrist slap. The first and most glaring hint came from a hotel bellhop, who practically grunted while pushing an industrial luggage cart full of documents out of the meeting room. There were seven boxes on the cart, including a six-inch-thick binder labeled U.S.C. Response Volume 1.
Tom Yeager, a former chairman of the infractions committee, noted in a telephone interview last week that the inside joke among committee members was whether or not a case was a “one-box” case or a “two-box” case.
When that joke was relayed to David Price, the N.C.A.A.’s vice president for enforcement services, he said that U.S.C.’s case in front of the N.C.A.A. was the longest in his 11 years with the committee.
Yes, yes, go on...
Price also said that most times the committee met, it heard cases from several universities, and this one was dedicated to U.S.C. In contrast, Alabama’s case before the N.C.A.A. in 2002, which resulted in five years of probation, a two-year postseason ban and crippling scholarship reductions, took two days.
Fascinating! Only two days, you say?
By SDI February 22, 2010 - 12:19 pm
I’ll be interested to see what else comes out of this investigation that we have not heard of yet. Other than Bush, Mayo, McKnight I’m guessing there will be some other shady dealings that have yet to see the light of day.
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By The Biscuit February 22, 2010 - 12:21 pm
hooray for content!
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By Ska February 22, 2010 - 12:24 pm
If the NCAA does not bring the “Hammer” down on $C, the flood gates of cheating are going to open wide at some universities.
It is no secret that $C did not cooperate with the investigation, telling those involved not to talk to the NCAA, requiring the NCAA to drag out this investigation, damaging the NCAA’s own credibility in the process. After all, these allegations of cheating seemed very cut and dried true. The perception was the $C investigation should have been over in months not years.
$C’s strategy of stonewalling will prove to be a very effective deterrent to receiving any sort of meaningful penalty by any cheater university that comes under NCAA investigation.
Florida State recently received some penalties for athletes cheating on the academic side. One of the main arguments that FSU put forth for leniency was the fact that it fully cooperated with the NCAA investigation. FSU did not get the leniency it wanted.
If $C skates on these violations, it will make a mockery of the NCAA in general, and its ability to be fair. It will also damage the fans belief in the college student/athlete.
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By Ska February 22, 2010 - 1:50 pm
Here are three links that will inform about U$C cheating. It is hard to imagine there is not a lot more of this kind of cheating happening at $C. Real standup guys.
NCAA v. USC 101: All you need to know (and forgot) about the case against Reggie Bush
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/NCAA-v-USC-101-All-you-need-to-know-and-forgo?urn=ncaaf,220645
Cash and carry
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ys-bushprobe
Gun halts deposition
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ys-lakedepo021208&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
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By Ska February 22, 2010 - 2:08 pm
One more link. Lack of institutional control or institutionally directed?
Timeline of USC troubles
http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/basketball/la-sp-usc-ncaa-timeline18-2010feb18,0,72440,full.story
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