Ladies and Gentlemen –
I interrupt your normally scheduled article with the “Number One Tennessee Volunteer Fan on the Planet”..
Mr. Hootie Snitch; with breaking college football news.
The Associated Press reported that a ‘Top Official” of the NCAA said a court ruling Thursday dealing with cheating at Florida State are public records, sets a precedent that…
“Will rip the heart out of the NCAA….”
The NCAA official further stated that this ruling will…..
“Thwart the agencies efforts to ensure competition is fair and equal”
EDITORS NOTES: I don’t know which is funnier….
When the NCAA uses words like “Fair and Equal” or “Education”.
The issue in question revolves around the release of documents associated with the NCAA “Investigation” into alleged academic wrong doing by some Seminole student athletes.
EDITORS NOTES: As a side note…
Ever notice it’s only Southern Athletes from Southern Universities that are involved in “Academic” issues?
Maurice Clarett at Ohio State couldn’t spell “Hot Dog” on the Soul Train Scramble Board if he had a week….but “we” have an academic problem in the South…
The NCAA does not want you the public to read how they do business or the process in how they render their verdicts and they certainly don’t want you to know how much money they generate for themselves.
But the latest court ruling has the NCAA shaken to its corrupt foundation….
In the words of David Berst; the NCAA Vice President for Division I Athletics…
“We could see copycat efforts in other states; yes, I believe that would rip the heart out of the NCAA.”
EDITORS NOTES: Yeah….
God forbid the NCAA has to be held accountable and follow state laws….
Mr. Berst’s comments from the witness stand came soon after Circuit Judge John Cooper rejected the NCAA’s claim that the documents in the Florida State case are not public.
As you may know the Associated Press and other media outlets had sued the NCAA to get the records on the college athletics governing body’s plan to strip coaches and athletes of wins in 10 sports at Florida State.
Florida law says records are public if they are “received” by a state agency.
The NCAA claimed the Florida State documents were not because the school never physically possessed the documents in paper or electronic form.
Instead, the NCAA posted them on a secure read-only Web site that could only be accessed by the law firm Florida State had hired for its appeal.
Florida State University officials could also have gone to NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis to take a look at the documents, but not reproduce them.
Judge Cooper rejected the argument.
After Berst’s testimony, Judge Cooper rejected the NCAA’s claim that even if the documents are public records they should not be released because that would violate free association, contract and interstate commerce rights under the U.S. Constitution.
The judge also found that making the documents public would violate neither state nor federal laws guarding the confidentially of student academic records.
He made that ruling after privately reading copies of two documents being sought that had student names blacked out.
EDITORS NOTES: Here is my question for the NCAA….
It is the same one they apply to most other universities in their volunteer organization…
If you have nothing to hide….
If your organization conducts its business above board….
If your organization is truly concerned with being “fair and equal”…
Then why all the secrecy?
And one last thing…..
If you can wrap up an investigation of this magnitude in such a short period of time, then where are you with the “investigation” into Reggie Bush and the Southern California Trojans?
Speaking of Investigations….
This week the NCAA Committee on Infractions will force the Memphis Tiger basketball team to vacate its NCAA record of 38 victories and final four Season dating back to 2007 and 2008 and serve three years probation due to NCAA rules violations.
Memphis president Shirley Raines said shortly after the NCAA’s announcement that the school is appealing what she called an unfair penalty.
“We know the rules,” Raines said. “We did our due diligence. We did everything we could to determine the student-athlete was eligible and that the rules were being followed.”
EDITORS NOTES: Wow……
That NCAA Investigation went pretty fast didn’t it?
You boys from the NCAA really move out when the university is below the Ohio River don’t you?
But in four damn years the NCAA still can’t find Reggie Bush’s Momma’s House and tell us where we are with the “investigation” into the Southern California Trojans?
I have saved the best for last….
Have you heard what the NCAA has done to the University of Tennessee?
As you all know by now I am no fan of the Tennessee Volunteers….
However, that being said….
They are being railroaded by the NCAA……
Recently the NCAA ruled freshman running back Bryce Brown ineligible due to relationship with Brian Butler, who was Brown’s adviser/handler during his recruitment. Brown was one of several prospects that Butler mentored.
The NCAA has known about this issue (by their own admission) and neither warned the young man or the University of Tennessee athletic department about the possibility of NCAA violations.
In particular, the NCAA is looking into some of the fundraising Brown accepted in high school to visit college campuses and what role Butler might have played.
“The NCAA continues to investigate [Brown] and his whole history going back to when he was young, and I know that bothers him,” Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin said on Tuesday. “It’s pretty unfortunate.”
EDITORS NOTES: So why would the NCAA purposely withhold information that could potentially hurt not only the student athlete, but the University?
Are we to believe that the NCAA has the time and manpower to watch this athlete in high school, but they can’t seem to locate Reggie Bush’s Momma’s house?
All I have to say is this…
You know the NCAA is out of control when I am….
Actually defending the University of Tennessee…
It is time for the Southeastern Conference to secede from the NCAA…..
The Big 12 and the Atlantic Coast Conference should follow suit…
Coach Bobby, can I get an Amen?
Only 13 days until Kickoff….
Hootie Snitch will return next week…
and your Week One College Football Picks are right around the corner…
Have a Great weekend…
RTR
MEB