The USC case sets a new standard; but will the NCAA uphold it?

from SI:




In a raunchy coincidence, South Park turned its satirical cannons Wednesday on big-time college sports in general and on the NCAA in particular. (As the South Park disclaimer notes, you'll probably be offended. Don't click this link unless you accept that.) No doubt a few cardinal-and-gold-clad Los Angelenos caught the episode on Comedy Central and laughed to keep themselves from crying at the news that the NCAA had upheld all the penalties against USC's football program.

Was the NCAA's Infractions Appeals Committee fair in upholding the punishment assessed against USC for the largesse received by former Trojan Reggie Bush from two wannabe agents while still in school? At the moment, we don't know. But we will in the next year or so.

The IAC and the Committee on Infractions, which originally levied the penalties 11 months ago, have backed the NCAA into a corner now. By finally detonating the bomb they dropped on USC's program, they have sent a message that comparable future cases will be handled similarly. If the committees -- with membership that changes annually -- do apply the precedent they set with USC, they might just send a message to schools that cheating truly won't be tolerated. If they don't, then the NCAA will be guilty of exactly what Cartman's line implies: that the governing body of college sports, a many-headed hydra run by hundreds of schools with differing interests, is simply making everything up as it goes along. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/05/26/usc-ncaa/index.html#ixzz1Nm5I9pR5