It's hunting season in collegiate athletics and the NCAA committee on infractions has their sniper rifle out. Now that the NCAA is bored -- after finishing that four year USC investigation -- they've decided to open investigations against every other school in the country. To the links!
Miami sends improper text messages to recruits
Minor, but still it's across multiple sports
NCAA broadens investigation against Vols' football
Oh, like you're shocked. The NCAA has been looking over Lane Kiffin's shoulder forever.
WVU accused of at least 5 major violations
Rich Rodriguez continues to find trouble and is watching his coaching career crumble in front of his still teary eyes.
Did Kentucky buy a recruit?
I'm throwing this in here because it was terrible journalism. The Sun-Times buries a throwaway line about Kentucky basketball paying $200,000 to a recruit deep in an article and is surprised by the backlash.
Kansas recruit Josh Selby rollin in a Benzo?
The profile linked in this story is interesting.
NCAA finally realizes agents are a problem
South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and Alabama all have a problem with agents. A little party in South Beach brought it to light.
What's the point of all this? Either the NCAA finally opened their eyes or they decided enough was enough. Violations like these -- minor or not -- happen at every school in the country. They're commonplace in the sometimes shady world of college recruiting.
The sheer volume of investigations is shocking, but the broad spectrum of violations the NCAA is chasing should also raise some eyebrows. So far, we've seen agents, impermissible benefits for players, improper recruiting, coaching staff limitations, and practice length violations be exposed by the NCAA. It's looking more like control by the governing body was lost long ago and coaches were allowed to bend the rules to an extreme extent.
I'm not sure whether to be scared or to laugh at the crusade by the NCAA. It almost feels like too little too late. Athletics is worth too much money to start levying death penalties, and the rabbit hole is too deep to chase forever.
At least at WSU we're not having to worry about the NCAA breathing down our necks (knock on wood). Who knows, we may win the national title by default at this rate.