As I do every morning, I browsed Bonesville’s Web Round Up (max kudos to Greg Vacek’s effort each day) and popped open Sammy Batten’s update on UNC snagging two or Penn State’s top commitments.
It seems fitting but oh so disheartening to read that one of the biggest cheaters in the history of the NCAA enforcement era is now feasting off the other poster school for lack of institutional control.
With UNC’s penalties being so light (given the egregious violations – 9 of the them) and that their penalties all DIRECTLY RELATE to illegally bringing in players, maintaining their eligibility, and paying them to play, they have not missed a beat in bringing in nationally ranked talent. That the UNC program was left in a position to do so is evidence at how ridiculous the NCAA enforcement office is. That UNC is not in shambles right now simply proves that the benefit derived from cheating FAR outweighs the penalties MOST OF THE TIME.
Hell, the NCAA at least hit Miami hard enough to knock them backwards a few steps, but even with the criminal activities happening at UNC, they weren’t even hit with enough of a penalty to give them momentary pause.
It is business as usual at Carolina with Fedora able to walk in and explain to recruits how UNC not only cheated on par with SMU, but also will pay no price other than one season without a bowl game. They probably don’t even have scholarships available, but will find them somewhere. Will probably also enroll them in the new jock clustered class major buried under pre-law track, called, NCAA Jurisprudence Appreciation wherein athletes have a single term paper at the end of each semester where they can present all the cheating they did that would not draw any harsh punishment from the NCAA. The could have a tutor make a powerpoint for them and have Thorpe sign off on the grade sheet (why have an underling do it, no?)
Sigh…it is a sad day when you have to admit that the UNC old boy network is probably more powerful, more connected, and more willing to do ANYTHING to prop up their fraudulent program so they can brag to their peers in their boardrooms, offices, and outand abut than even a football factory – that actually has won something – like Penn State.
Not likely that the NCAA with their newfound pair will revisit UNC even though what is coming out now is worse than what they ruled on. Unbelievable.
Sorry…ran now over…thanks for taking the time to read it.
