Wilco, sometimes you know exactly how I'm feeling. Also, see if you can spot the excellent trolling in the video artwork. It shouldn't be difficult.
Okay, time to go down the rabbit hole. You've probably heard by now that Ohio State will not face a failure to monitor charge when they meet with the NCAA Infractions Committee in August, let alone a lack of institutional control charge. This caused great rejoicing or great distress, depending on where you looked. What's funny about the announcement is that it came but a few minutes after this purported "bomb" by 10TV in Columbus, which stated that Tressel alerted OSU officials of the tattoo shenanigans in December, as opposed to January. It's safe to say that's a non-story at this point.
I'm not going to get indignant about this, as it's foolish to try to predict the NCAA's actions when it comes to penalties. I'm just curious as to when the head coach of the football team became separated from the institutional control and monitoring mechanism. Ohio State administration worked their ass off trying to paint Tressel as a rogue coach in this, and it worked. I still think the Buckeyes are going to lose a few scholarships as a result of this mess, but it's going to be well short of the USC-like sanctions that many were predicting.
On another note. Here's a more hyperbolic reaction to the NCAA about the Ohio State situation. I think Bryan at CBS overstates his point a little bit, but I do agree that the enforcement model is long overdue for an overhaul.
It sure feels like most major football programs are under investigation. Tennessee's been in hot water for a while due to the actions of Bruce Pearl and Lane Kiffin. In an effort to get in front of the NCAA and avoid further punishment, the Vawls self-imposed two years of probation to supplement the already existing recruiting restrictions on their football and basketball programs. Kiffin couldn't immediately be reached for comment, but later sent this video message concerning his commitment to following the letter of the law while during his memorable stint in Knoxville.
Something to keep an eye on. LSU wide receiver Russell Shepard was supposed to make an appearance at SEC Media Days last week, but was held back due to what was termed "a compliance issue." It turns out he'd moved off campus with a ladyfriend who just so happened to be an LSU athletic department employee. This probably isn't a big deal and Shepard's not likely to lose his eligibility, but it just goes to show how in depth NCAA bylaws go. Also, the LSU compliance department has gotten the message: Don't ever cover up anything, ever, for any reason.
/rubs greedy hands together. The Las Vegas Hilton released their 2011 college football win totals. Penn State comes in at 7.5 (-155), meaning you'd have to bet $155 to win $100 if you took the over. I'm having a hard time deciding whether the over is a good bet or not, but what say you? You'll note that Oregon and Ohio State's totals are not listed yet.
I will expect a resolution of this issue on the 32nd of Smarch. The issue of paying players is the 2011 equivalent of conference realignment, it's safe to say. Fox Sports assembled a panel to discuss it, including Penn State's own Jay Paterno. They raised some interesting points, but any proposal that fails to take Title IX into account is a non-starter. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen, and one that the NCAA wouldn't have a prayer of winning if implemented. I do think it's safe to say, though, that the system as its currently constituted is not a particularly good one.