You’re part of the family now!
The recent allegations against the faculty at Miami University are just another headline in the chequered recent past of the NCAA (and the university itself). But the list of transgressions are some of the most shocking yet, and according to Yahoo Sports include the laying on of prostitutes and providing cash payments for deliberately injuring opposing players. Anything OSU can do they can do better.
But the question that probably keeps getting asked and has been for over a decade, isn’t being answered. That question being, who is responsible? And it isn’t as simple as who are the perpetrators within each faculty; sure, something is rotten in the state of Florida, but these repeat violations reaffirm that the problem is inherent to the culture of college football.
I wrote some time ago, at how Tyler Hansbrough’s High School jersey was retired, and that for me this represented a step too far. Seeing 18 year-olds as commodities is not a healthy situation. And realising their full potential is far harder than it is for their non-sporting peers. Being talented on the field or the hardwood in the USA is never a gift or a blessing. Any player that makes it to the big leagues today has truly earned his place on the roster.
Miami President Donna Shalala read out a statement apologising for the actions of the booster surrounded by the controversy and some of the athletes called in to question by Nevin Shapiro. That is all at this stage that Shalala can do. But if from this day forward any University President is forced to address the media due to a violation which took place after the 17 August 2011, then that statement should read I resign. It should no longer be acceptable for these violations to happen on their watch. And if any university bosses are looking at Donna Shalala and thinking that they have a clean bill of health, they might want to start digging deeper.
And the reason the buck has to stop there is for the good of the game, and the sake of the fans. College football fans are being punished by the failure of the sport they love to run a tight ship. The list of non-compliant universities in recent years is a long one. NCAA Compliance Officers have been based within the camps of competing teams, but they have clearly not been successful in monitoring or incentivising compliance. The NCAA now has to up the ante on its deterrent.
Every corner of the media is throwing around the fact that Miami may be under threat of the ‘Death Penalty’. But if the NCAA is looking to make an example of the Hurricanes that’s not going to change the culture that is permeatting through the sport. Upping the ante is not papering over the cracks. Upping the ante is increased accountability, a monitoring system that is impervious to corruption and greater incentives for compliance. Reward those that do the right thing.
If college football cannot get it’s house in order, then what is the alternative. A feeder system? Players going to university in a catchment area linked to their High School? If they cannot compete for players fairly maybe you stop them competing altogether. This of course throws up arguments around players with better financial support getting the better opportunities, and isn’t something I see in the near or distant future.
But what we have to see however, is an NCAA that is fit for purpose to stop the game we love becoming an embarassment. The love of the american dollar cannot continue to be more important than the success of their young talent to big american university programs.