Great Article on the NCAA, Perry Jones, and UConn

[SoCalDukeFan]

This is really revealing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/opinion/09nocera.html?scp=4&sq=ncaa&st=cse

So:
Cam Newton's father shops him around for thousands and there is no real punishment because Cam didn't know?

Jones' mother, who is poor, takes loans from his AAU coach which she repays. Jones does not know about them. He is in the 10 th grade. He gets a 6 game suspension.

Not to mention Calhoun's slap on the wrist and the Ohio State fiasco.

The NCAA is really a joke.

SoCal

[uh_no]

This is really revealing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/opinion/09nocera.html?scp=4&sq=ncaa&st=cse

So:
Cam Newton's father shops him around for thousands and there is no real punishment because Cam didn't know?

Jones' mother, who is poor, takes loans from his AAU coach which she repays. Jones does not know about them. He is in the 10 th grade. He gets a 6 game suspension.

Not to mention Calhoun's slap on the wrist and the Ohio State fiasco.

The NCAA is really a joke.

SoCal


That said, the article is clearly biased, before making any sort of judgement, it would make sense to look up the actual facts in this kids case (there is definitely an incentive for the author to be selective about the facts he's used). The suspension for jones was for the benefits he directly received, mostly the trips and tickets to games from his AAU coach. Whether you think calhoun should have been suspended this year or not is irrelevent, as the situations are completely incomparable. The distinction from the cam newton case is that jones received the benefits directly, in the form of nearly $1000 worth of tickets, while cam's dad was the only one recieving benefit (HA likely story, but what the NCAA investigation revealed nonetheless).

The guys last statement shows that he's trying to make some sort of case that the NCAA is racist....but he does a terrible job of doing it, when a) the situation that would show a race bias (calhoun) is a incomparable situation, and b)the actual similar situation with a player getting off easy was ANOTHER BLACK ATHLETE!

Yes, the NCAA probably takes $$$$ into account on these decisions, but this article is just altogether terrible.

EDIT: the financial situation of the athlete/their family is irrelevent....because one is poor does not make it alright to recieve $700 worth of benefits from your AAU coach....and none of that $700 were the loans the article hits on

[sporthenry]

That said, the article is clearly biased, before making any sort of judgement, it would make sense to look up the actual facts in this kids case (there is definitely an incentive for the author to be selective about the facts he's used). The suspension for jones was for the benefits he directly received, mostly the trips and tickets to games from his AAU coach. Whether you think calhoun should have been suspended this year or not is irrelevent, as the situations are completely incomparable. The distinction from the cam newton case is that jones received the benefits directly, in the form of nearly $1000 worth of tickets, while cam's dad was the only one recieving benefit (HA likely story, but what the NCAA investigation revealed nonetheless).

The guys last statement shows that he's trying to make some sort of case that the NCAA is racist....but he does a terrible job of doing it, when a) the situation that would show a race bias (calhoun) is a incomparable situation, and b)the actual similar situation with a player getting off easy was ANOTHER BLACK ATHLETE!

Yes, the NCAA probably takes $$$$ into account on these decisions, but this article is just altogether terrible.

EDIT: the financial situation of the athlete/their family is irrelevent....because one is poor does not make it alright to recieve $700 worth of benefits from your AAU coach....and none of that $700 were the loans the article hits on

I think you are missing the point and maybe he shouldn't have used Calhoun as the rich white guy but the NCAA. The main point was that there is selective enforcement of the rules depending upon the school. He mentions OSU and Newton as others who have gotten away with either nothing or delayed suspensions so why was Jones different? B/c the NCAA still has this feeling of righteousness but only when it doesn't get in the way of TV. They can't suspend Pryor b/c it probably results in a blowout loss that nobody watches and the NCAA loses money. They can't suspend Calhoun b/c it probably results in UCONN losing and possibly SDSU in the Final 4. Can't have that. The point is, everyone involved (save for Newton) was suspended but how can the NCAA determine who gets suspended now or later?


As far as Jones, the NCAA has specifically mentioned that the loans were part of the improper benefits so you can't just dismiss them. And while the football game might have been a bit over the top, to think these coaches don't buy these poor kids dinners or other 'improper benefits' like clothes on the road is just being ignorant. Personally, I feel bad for the kid and other kids where this situation occurs but I suspect 5 years from now, nobody will feel bad for Baylor since Scott Drew is well on his way to being Calipari 2.0 but that is a different story.

And to make it hit home a bit, how is this that much different from the Maggette situation? I'm sure some people can find some details that are different but Maggette certainly took money while in HS and it wasn't like Jones seemed to know about his wrongdoing either. I'm sure the NCAA no longer uses ignorance as a defense and probably expects these kids to know the rules with all of the attention but the major point is that the OSU's of the world get away with stuff that the Baylor's can't.

[uh_no]

As far as Jones, the NCAA has specifically mentioned that the loans were part of the improper benefits so you can't just dismiss them.

The was major contention with baylor and NCAA over whether or not the loans were part of the infraction. The NCAA initially said that he recieved over $4100 in benefits, but baylor balked at this assertion. The NCAA later released a statement saying that the school had agreed that jones had received at least the $700 in benefits (which would not include the loans).

I'm with you that they need to be consistent with when they hand out the suspensions. What the guy who wrote the articles also fails to realize is that even if calhoun were suspended at the time, it would have been for 3 games..against louisville, cincinnatti, and west virginia (or ND if they couldn't start the suspension till after the UL game). Uconn lost 3 of those 4 games anyway and would have been coaching in the postseason anyway.

[wandalee]

Joe Nocera wrote an interesting opinion piece in the NY Times last week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/opinion/09nocera.html

[moonpie23]

so, he'd rather see Cal hoisting it?

what's the diff?

[uh_no]

so, he'd rather see Cal hoisting it?

what's the diff?

apparently the delayed suspensions of calhoun and the no punishment for cam newtown are proof that the ncaa is racist......

[MB in MD]

This is depressing but hardly surprising, and except for the specifics, hardly news. One of my favorite Bobby Knight quotes from years ago was something along the lines of: "The NCAA is really pissed at Kentucky so Cleveland State got 2 more years probation."

[gus]

This is depressing but hardly surprising, and except for the specifics, hardly news. One of my favorite Bobby Knight quotes from years ago was something along the lines of: "The NCAA is really pissed at Kentucky so Cleveland State got 2 more years probation."

That line is from Jerry Tarkanian, not Bob Knight.

"the NCAA is so mad at Kentucky, it will probably slap another two years' probation on Cleveland State."

[MB in MD]

That line is from Jerry Tarkanian, not Bob Knight.

"the NCAA is so mad at Kentucky, it will probably slap another two years' probation on Cleveland State."

thanks for the correction. Most witty quotes I like come from Knight.

[A-Tex Devil]

If Scott Drew could coach a decent man to man defense, Baylor might be awesome next year. Big XII favorites, for sure.

[Duvall]

If Scott Drew could coach a decent man to man defense, Baylor might be awesome next year. Big XII favorites, for sure.

Looks like another title for Kansas, or possibly Texas.