In hearing the news yesterday that the NCAA decided that Cam Newton, Auburn’s now most famous player ever, was ruled eligible to play in the SEC Championship game, I was left with the feeling of a certain reality.  That reality is that money and the means taken to obtain it, truly trumps the governed rules, laws and the mere sense of integrity of any organization, including the one that is responsible for the “higher” education of our nations young people.

The money and lure thereof has turned college sports (mainly football and basketball, the big money makers) into a seedy world where lies, under the table deals, and player solicitation are now seemingly an accepted practice!  At least that is the impression that the NCAA has given us by this most recent ruling in the Cam Newton saga.  The money that stands to be made from the promotions and television revenue just proved to be too much for the organization trusted to govern our student athletes to do the right thing. (humm, thats the same thing Cam told the MSU recruiter when he called to say he was choosing Auburn ) After all, who is going to attend or watch the SEC Championship game outside of the state of South Carolina, if Cody Burns is starting at quarterback rather than Cam Newton.  The NCAA was not afraid to do it when Brian Bosworth had to sit out the Orange Bowl game for Oklahoma in 1985 for breaking an NCAA rule.  That was one of the highest rated bowl games in the history of sports.  But even now the money from television revenue has changed, and completely reshaped the way the NCAA has chosen to enforce rules.  At Mississippi State ( the university caught in the middle of this fiasco) you have a basketball player by the name of Renardo Sidney who sat out all of last season, and is sitting out the first half of this season, because he and his parents lived in a house in Los Angeles, California that was reported to be above their income level.  The only facts they have on this case is that Sonny Vaccaro(formerly of Nike and Reebok) has stated that he loaned the family $35K to assist them in moving to Los Angeles where Renardo would be attending high school.  But because he is not playing for Duke, North Carolina or any other teams that generate high television or radio revenue, he gets punished for a season and a half with no evidence of wrong doing, only speculation. But this is how the NCAA has chosen to handle this situation regardless of the evidence and that’s a shame.

The NCAA ruling that yes, Cecil Newton violated NCAA rules by soliciting money for Cam to commit to a school, but Cam is still allowed to play because he had no knowledge of the situation is unreal!!  Remember, he reportedly called the MSU assistant coaches and stated, “I really want to come to State, but the money is just too much”.  Sounds like he knew about it to me. Yes I would hate to see a student athlete be punished for something that their parents had done,(like Reggie Bush) but the rules are the rules.  If you don’t enforce this rule, you are sending a message that this is a practice accepted by the NCAA and further taints the already soiled recruiting process of prospective student athletes from now on.  This further aligns the NCAA with those that are involved in gambling, organized crime, and dealings that will further damage college athletics.  Is this really what the NCAA wants??  For them is it all about the money over the integrity of college sports?  The future will tell us………Or has it already…….