The Sugar Bowl Wasn't all that Sweet

Don't get me wrong, it was a great game to watch, filled with pendulum-like momentum changes, sorrow, heartbreak, joy, anxiety, cocky, privileged athletes, and of course a sweater vest. I had absolutely no problem with what happened on the field last night in New Orleans. It was the off-field shenanigans and hypocrisy that I am upset about. Let's go back to the beginning, Quentin Tarantino-like, and set the stage for my grievance(s).

In June 2010, the NCAA lowered the boom on the University of Southern California for "lack of institutional control" stemming from the Reggie Bush improper benefit saga. You all know the story; the Trojans were penalized big time for their egregious infraction. They were banned from post season play for 2 years, gave up 30 scholarships, and had to forfeit their 2004 National Championship. Bush voluntarily forfeited his Heisman Trophy so as to prevent the huge mess and headache that would ensue if the trust were to try and take it from him. A precedent was set.

We all thought the governing college sports body was setting an example. Yet here we are two-plus years later and the NCAA is allowing players and schools to get away with murder. Cam Newton played the "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" card and let his dad take the fall for a pay-to-play scheme. I cannot stand to see that huge grin on Newton's smug face, knowing that there was an obvious violation from his camp and yet he is still allowed to play. I have already stated my case for the utter ridiculousness of the situation, so there is no need to rehash it here. The point is there was a huge loophole that was found through the Cam and Cecil Newton case that shouldn't have been there in the first place. All of the sudden the serious, sheriff-like, punishment-dealing NCAA that ate USC's lunch became the soft, docile, lenient person who wants to be cool with their friends and therefore gives them what they want, even at their own expense. The NCAA ruled that because Cameron was not aware of the transgressions of his father, then he was not in violation and therefore was allowed to play (even though initially they ruled him ineligible). Think about it this way-Any cash or sustenance that his dad received would directly benefit Cameron, i.e. purchasing needed school supplies, books, food, clothes, helping pay rent, spending money, and/or transportation. Therefore, they are improper benefits, regardless of who is directly receiving them.

Next came tattoo gate. Five of Ohio State's top players were getting free or cheap tattoos in exchange for autographs and memorabilia. Not just that, but quarterback Terrelle Pryor and a few others had sold their Big 10 championship rings and some gold pants (that they receive for beating Michigan). Read all about it here. Remember, Georgia's star wide receiver A.J. Green was suspended for the first four games of this season for selling a game-worn jersey. Here's where things get tricky. To stay consistent, the NCAA suspended Pryor, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams, and Solomon Thomas for five games. Great. The problem is they were still allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl last night. In other words, the suspension was suspended until the beginning of the season next year. What? There were obvious violations that these Buckeyes were involved in and yet they were still allowed to play in the biggest game of the season? Asinine. The reasoning behind the delay in suspension is "the acknowledgment the student-athletes did not receive adequate rules education during the time period the violations occurred." Right...

Here's the deal-Had the Buckeyes not been in a BCS Bowl and had Auburn not been in contention for the National Championship, the NCAA would have dropped the hammer on both of those teams much like they did the USC Trojans in 2008. There is a clear double standard here. Kevin Lennon, the NCAA's vice president of academic and membership affairs, has no problem penalizing players and teams for violations that took place a long time ago, when those players are no longer at the university in question. But if it's a current situation where him and his college governing entity are at risk of losing money, they go easy or delay the consequences. Everything is done in a way that will benefit them and their cash-cow sport. That is what has me so upset.

I know that had Arkansas won last night, they would have wanted to do it against a prepared and full strength Ohio State team. The Razorbacks would have rolled easily if their opponent had been missing those 5 key players. Then the NCAA would have had another Fiesta or Orange Bowl snoozer on hand with a lopsided score and the audience tuning out by halftime. There go the ratings. The NCAA can't afford that, nor did they want to even risk it. The game was very entertaining and for that I am happy, but knowing the sketchy NCAA-allowed condition of some of the players involved taints the overall feeling and joy of such a contest. I don't have an answer for this, but how do the Arkansas players feel about it? If the anti-playoff BCS system is already robbing fans of a true college football championship experience, then the NCAA and their double standards are polluting the best part of the sport. The only thing that we have left to call our own are those glorious fall and winter Saturdays, sitting on the edge of our seats, living and dying by the on-field, in-game successes and failures of our favorite team, letting the amateur kids decide the winner, all for the love of the game. I don't know about you, but I have no desire to let the NCAA take that away from us.

Cam Newton Ruled Eligible to Play...What?

Word has officially come down from the NCAA that Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is an eligible amateur athlete and can compete for the 1st-ranked Tigers in the SEC Championship game and whatever bowl game they end up playing in. That is good news for Auburn, and even better news for the SEC, which is always looking to maintain their "we are better than everyone else, especially non-AQ teams" egotistical, self-glossed, media-hyped reputation. During the whole period of allegations against and investigation of Newton and his father, I withheld judgment and decided to wait for the NCAA to complete what they were doing. I am fine with their recent decision and I would have been as well had it gone the other way for Cam. With that said, not all is well in the land of college football. Read the Idaho Statesman's story on it here, and I will go ahead and highlight a few parts that I have found to be a little fishy.

From the second paragraph we read:

"The NCAA released its finding in a statement on Wednesday. The college sports governing body had concluded on Monday that a violation of Newton's amateur status had occurred. Auburn quietly declared Newton ineligible on Tuesday and requested his eligibility be reinstated."

Continuing:

"Newton now has been cleared to compete without conditions, after weeks of questions about whether he would be allowed to continue playing."

Wait what? So he's ruled ineligible, Auburn requests it to be reinstated, and 3 seconds later the NCAA says "OK, sounds good. He can play." Just like that, huh? I don't understand. Here is more:

"The NCAA said Auburn and NCAA enforcement staff agreed that Newton's father and an owner of a scouting service worked together to on a pay-for-play scam."

They are aware that this had happened but yet he is still allowed to play?! Sounds pretty absurd to me. Here is the explanation given from Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president for academic and membership affairs:

"Based on the information available to the reinstatement staff at this time, we do not have sufficient evidence that Cam Newton or anyone from Auburn was aware of this activity, which led to his reinstatement."

Then why even rule him ineligible in the first place? I am flabbergasted! Regardless if he is innocent or not, the NCAA screwed up big time, discrediting themselves as well as college football (even more than it already is with the BCS in place). The NCAA makes obscene amounts of money from the SEC and even more when teams from that conference go to BCS Bowl games. They made sure that was going to continue. Here's the part that kills me, if Auburn wasn't a National Title contender then the hammer would have been dropped big time on Newton. Guaranteed. The conspiracy theorists (you know, the guys who wear tin foil on their heads so that satellite beams can't penetrate their brains and read their thoughts) will chalk it up to an elaborate hoax to keep TCU out of the National Championships. I don't want to take it that far, but the NCAA's decision will keep their own pockets full and maintain the system how it currently is; corrupt.

I'm confused as well Cam.

I wish the best of luck to Cam Newton and his Auburn Tigers against South Carolina this Saturday and then against Oregon in the NC Game (especially against Oregon). While you are out there torching defenses with your powerful arm and quick legs, just know that you have contributed to the defamation of something that we as fans hold dear, something that didn't need any more blemishes on its already mangled reputation.

Coach Chris Petersen's Trophy Case

As we all know, Chris Petersen has taken the Boise State Bronco football team to places that they or us as fans could have never imagined. In 2006, he reluctantly went from offensive coordinator to head coach when Dan Hawkins left for Colorado. Two Fiesta Bowl victories, 4 straight years in the top 25, and the highest ranking in school history later, Coach Pete continues to do things the same way he always has. That is with class, honor, aggressiveness, respect, and glory. Seriously, think about it! There is Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Lane Kiffin who are seen as the villains of the college coaching world. The way they carry themselves on the sideline and in press conferences is the polar opposite of Chris Petersen. Both ways are working, obviously, as I have named coaches of winning programs (Actually, for Kiffin the jury is still out). The perfect example of the calmness of Coach was in his response to the Broncos dropping in the polls. You can read the full story here, but this is a quote from him that sums it up perfectly;

"To me, wait until December, and then it's news whether this conversation is even worth having. As we all know, there is going to be a lot of things happening between now and then."

The best part was when someone asked him if he would use the drop in the polls as a chip on the shoulder of his players. He said that it is impossible to use the fact that they are ranked 4th in the country as a motivation tool, and he laughed the whole time.


Indeed this is a man who is constantly preparing for the next opponent, not looking ahead or past a team, and his players follow suit. Look at his track record, 4 undefeated regular seasons in 5 years, 2 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Trophies (the only coach to win it twice, by the way), and another great season in the works as I type this. I think maybe the most incredible thing about Coach Petersen's tenure is the fact that there have been absolutely no scandals or NCAA investigations. The closest thing to a scandal that has happened is the Jason Robinson ordeal, and maybe some late hits or players that lead with their heads sometimes (the sore losers who couldn't beat the Broncos claim much worse things of the beloved coach. I say, get over it). In fact, when one of Boise State's recruits died in a car accident earlier this year, Petersen did not call the kid's family without getting permission from the NCAA so as to avoid recruiting violations of illegal contact. Ludicrous, I know, but that is how it went down. I think for all this he should be adding other awards to his trophy case. Maybe a Nobel Peace Prize?...Probably not, but his demeanor makes it seem possible.


Coach Chris Petersen and his Broncos continue their quest for an unbeaten season, another BCS Bowl berth, and a long shot at the National Championship Game this Saturday when they host the Toledo Rockets on The Blue. It is homecoming so the atmosphere will be spectacular. Emotions will be riding high and their will be plenty of local hype for all of the festivities. Along with that will come hope and angst that the Broncos do not slip further in the polls or lose ground to the squads ranked behind them. Just don't expect Petersen to care about any of that. He is focused on the Rockets. There are a few things in life that you can't avoid; death, taxes, and Coach Pete's unrelenting pursuit of the cliched "one game at a time" attitude.

1 Really Hard Hit = 2 Quarters on the Bench, Happy Trails to DJ Harper

As I mentioned yesterday, Winston Venable's hit on Oregon State wide receiver James Rodgers was under review to determine whether or not he will be suspended. Well Karl Marx Benson, the WAC commissioner, in a moment of pure egotistical retribution against Boise State, dropped the hammer today and suspended Venable for the New Mexico State game on Saturday. Boise State appealed it and the suspension was reduced to the first 2 quarters. Read the story here on idahostatesman.com. What are your thoughts?

My first thought is this: what a load of crap! I won't get into it like I did yesterday other than to mention that this is pure payback for the Broncos leaving his conference. Watch out Nevada and Fresno State, you guys are next! Like I said, he has now set a precedent where players from every team should be getting suspended every game for similar hits. In no way was James Rodgers a defenseless player. He was setting a block and was at a weird angle and height when Venable came full speed trying to get to the quarterback. This is absolutely ridiculous. I cannot express in PG-suitable words how idiotic this decision was from Benson. Another point; what does a half a game suspension do. It is as pointless as it is laughable. Way to get the job done Benson. Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman wrote the blog link above about the suspension. He mentions, "Benson, after consulting with two NCAA rules and officiating experts, decided to suspend Venable for a game." All I can say is that if these "experts" were anything like the actual officials that reffed the game on Saturday, I can see how they came up with the suspension. What a bunch of moronic crocks! We cannot leave for the Mountain West soon enough.

We will miss this guy...for 2 quarters.


As my "Weekly PTW" curse continues, we found out yesterday that running back DJ Harper has torn his ACL again. I say again because it is the same one he had surgery on to repair last year. Again, this was three games in, just as it was last season. Harper will appeal to the NCAA to grant him a sixth year of eligibility. The sixth year is very elusive, but he may have a good case here. I wish Harper the best of luck and really hope that he is able to get the extra year. Poor guy. Bronco Nation loves you DJ! Don't ever forget it! We will be seeing a lot more carries for Doug Martin, a lot more of Jeremy Avery, and more of Matt Kaiserman. It's a good thing the Broncos are deep at running back. Good luck Harper!

We will miss this guy for the whole season. We won't be seeing this on Saturday.


Be sure to check in tomorrow and get my Weekend Picks!