Sunday, July 24, 2011

The summer of high heat and NCAA rules violations

Bruce Pearl in Charlotte - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting
As many people living in the United States and Canada are trying to cope with living through record-high temperatures, it seems that the off-season in the collegiate sports scene has been sizzling with news of rules violations and announcements made by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

During the last few weeks alone, three announcements have been made regarding major rules infractions decisions involving Louisiana State University, West Virginia University, and Georgia Tech.

Last summer, one that seemed like a comparatively cooler one, mostly featured the big news that surrounded the University of Southern California Trojans football program. The completion of a four-year NCAA investigation culminated in the resultant punishment that the university and former NCAA championship-winning program is now living through.

On the heels of that announcement, the University of North Carolina football program stepped into the glaring beams of the media spotlight. At the time, UNC became the next high-profile athletics program to undergo scrutiny related to alleged rules violations that led to a  major NCAA investigation. A year later, the saga continues in Chapel Hill, NC, but so many more others have shared the spotlight along the way.


As the year progressed into basketball season, news broke of alleged rules violations in men's basketball at Tennessee and Connecticut. Shortly after coaching in the NCAA tournament in Charlotte, NC, Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl and his staff were relieved of their duties as the investigation surrounding the basketball program picked up its pace.

Here is a great synopsis of the story that details Pearl's fall from grace due largely to his inability to tell the truth.

At the end of March Madness, the national championship in men's basketball was won by a program led by a Hall of Fame coach who was sanctioned to sit three games for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. Many could see what was coming, but how was it allowed to happen? A good question to ask. No answer given.

The heat of summer approached and the flames continued to be fanned as more reports of rules violations news came rolling in. The names involved were getting bigger. Then the big flash bomb hit and Ohio State football and its head coach Jim Tressel were in the middle of it all.

As the investigation of what happened at Ohio State continues, Jim Tressel has already departed as head coach after it was found out that he had lied to NCAA investigators regarding his knowledge of rules violations committed by many of his players. Some may see him as a martyr trying to protect his players while others will not.

The important question still remains - why is there a problem with being accountable and telling the truth anymore?

Recent news from the Raleigh Sports Examiner:

NCAA Violation 2011: Infractions reporting and rulings keep administrators busy

There is no doubt that the upcoming collegiate sports season in the Triangle area will take place with much speculation amongst college sports fans about who's cheating or not in the wake of recent NCAA infractions rulings and...