The NCAA Can Suck It
This is short of ridiculous. You might remember last year when Florida State University discovered an academic cheating scandal centered around an online class that many of the schools athletes were taking. Upon discovering the clear violations, FSU fired the staff involved, suspended the athletes, and self-reported to the NCAA. Pretty much everything you’d hope a school would do in a similar situation.
The self-imposed sanctions FSU levied were no slouch either. Football players were benched for 4 games, including a bowl game, five scholarships were removed, and the athletic program was put on probation for two years. Florida State was attempting to make a statement that this was a serious offense and as such they were going to take it seriously.
Despite finding no additional violations or lack of institutional control, yesterday the NCAA decided it wasn’t enough. Six more scholarships were canceled, another four years of probation was tacked on and the school will have to vacate wins from games ineligible athletes participated in during the two year period in question. The exact number of games that will be vacated is currently unknown, but there is fear that both the 2006 and 2007 football season could be completely lost which would leave Bobby Bowden fifteen games behind Pterno, rather than one. On top of that, there is a possibility that at least one of the three consecutive men’s track and field National Championships could be lost as well.
More than likely this whole issues stems from a number of years ago when FSU president TK Wetherell threatened to sue the NCAA when they informed FSU, and other schools, that use of Indian themed mascots was defamatory. Wetherell, with the support of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, threatened legal action against the NCAA and eventually the NCAA’s entire push disappeared with no action by any school. The NCAA has had it out for Florida State ever since and finally got an opportunity to extract some revenge.
Frankly this is absolutely ridiculous. When FSU self-reported and imposed their own consequences they were praised for handling the situation so well and cleanly. But then comes in the NCAA and says, yeah, you did good, but we’re going to take it a few steps further. What’s this say to other schools who decide to self-report in the future? How about this: “Don’t bother. You’re better off sweeping it under the rug and hoping no one finds out because no matter what you do the NCAA will drop the hammer.”
Or, as TideNOVA on EPSN put it:
This is basically setting up a precedent for all colleges. The feeling is “come forward and cooperate, you will be punished harsher” and as with USC and Bush and Mayo “don’t cooperate and deny, you will get of scott free with no investigation.”
FSU does not yet know the number of wins they will be forced to vacate, but they have said any number will be contested. This is a long ways from being over.
I love it!!! No school deserves it more! This says a lot about the lack of moral and ethical values at FSU, especially in athletics as reflected in their disgusting race-based practices in athletics. Any school like FSU that uses a race-based nickname deserves every punishment that people or organizations can dole out! As the United Methodist Church said about such race-based athletic policies, they are “a blatant expression of racism”. There are 117 organizations that have adopted resolutions opposing race-based athletic policies. When the NCAA surveyed the 562 federally recognized tribes, 99% of respondents said that the NCAA should force universities to get rid of race in these monikers! Many of us will not rest until FSU eliminates its disgusting racial athletic practices!
I just noted that you’re a “youth minister”. Really? And you simultaneously condone the institutionalized racism inherent in the race-based sports practices of FSU? I guess you’re one of those “Sunday-morning-’Christians’ ” who are “game-night-supporters-of-institutionalized-racism” and doesn’t even see the contradiction between the two! Please read the research and you will find that there is empirical research that has determined that those American Indians who support these nicknames are the worst victims because they suffer a greater psychological harm than that incurred by American Indians who oppose the nicknames. (See Fryberg et al) (Also APA resolution references) Also research all the religious organizations that oppose these race-based sports practices on the basis of what Christ taught us. Please!
Originally I was a fan of the NCAA coming down on FSU. But then when I found out that the sanctions would be retroactive, any care I had in the matter went *poof*. I do think it’s kind of ridiculous that the NCAA would come down on them this hard after they self-disciplined themselves, but hey — those are the breaks.
If you ask me, they should just put them on probation for the upcoming football season.
/Clemson alum
@TOPolk: Those are the breaks and whatever happens FSU will have to live with it. It just doesn’t set a very good precedent for teams willing to self-report in the future. And speaking of the Bowdens, I don’t think Tommy got a very fair shake there at Clemson last season, but hey, it’s how the game works sometimes.
What’s the matter, Justin? Why won’t you respond to my post? Is it because you lack an answer? Do people on your church know you support institutional racism? Do the people in your church know you use language like “suck it” which you used above? Do parents of children in your church know you use such filthy language? I bet they won’t trust them into your care any longer! A filthy mouth and supports institutional racism!!! And a youth minister??????? What a fraud!!!
Initially, when it first came out, FSU insisted it was a few players, none from the football team. Only when one of those players decided to come out against what she saw as favoritism towards the football players, then was FSU forced to actively investigate then self-report. It did not investigate and self-report willingness. It was guilty as sin there.
And its suspensions of players is a sham. To get around those suspensions, it scheduled the two worst teams from what is formerly called division 1-AA. Hardly a display of being genuinely wanting to punish itself for these infractions.
gunderso,
racism? please. FSU is and has been backed by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. how is that racism?
personally, i think naming a team after a tribe is nothing but a tribute to those people.
this is coming from someone with Native American blood.
your remarks are simply to incite a petty argument. it’s obvious why Justin is not responding.