The NCAA pulls in its claws in the decision on the University of Oregon case
The NCAA has used an atom bomb to resolve violations of teams in the past. The decision on the Penn State case was a virtual death penalty. Their regulations make the rules of the IRS look like a kid’s book.
But the NCAA gave Oregon just one lost scholarship per year for three years and no ban on the team’s post season participation. To say that was a shock would be an understatement. The fact that Oregon head coach Chip Kelly chose this year to jump to the NFL indicates that he expected a much more drastic penalty. But as usual, the decision reflects more than it appears. The lack of punishment has as much to do with the damage to the reputation of the NCAA and the power struggle between the NCAA and the growing number of super conferences as it does with what happened at Oregon.
The reputation of the NCAA has taken a few hits in recent years. In 2004 the management of the NCAA was dragged before the US Congress to justify its tax exempt status. That was hard enough on the organization’s reputation. Many felt the penalty on Penn State was overly harsh. … Read more at FryingPanSports