The NCAA was having a pretty good PR run. That’s over.
That run was mainly because of them not being involved in anything, like decision making, for a while. It’s also because they have been the last of the issues facing collegiate athletics for a change. That time has come to an end.
Like a bear coming out of hibernation, the NCAA came out of its own metaphorical slumber, to rear its ugly head once again. The news that came out Wednesday morning was a not so subtle reminder that they still suck when it comes to making logical decisions that benefit the lives of student-athletes. The latest example came from star Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter. Carter will serve a two game suspension over a $427 flight. Let me rephrase, a $427 flight that Carter paid for is why he’s serving a two game suspension to start his senior season.
The amount of money seems important here. Maybe it shouldn’t be, but it is. Carter declared for the NFL Draft last year, but decided against leaving and returned for another season. The flight was to visit a pre-draft training facility that the agent paid for. However, Carter repaid the agent, announced his decision to return to Knoxville, and then separated himself from the agent.
In layman’s terms he did everything he was supposed to do. But, not on the hall monitors who think they work for the FBI employees of the NCAA. The actual situation classifies as a Level III violation in the eyes of the NCAA. However, the penalty is the harshest they’ve dealt for that level of infraction in years.
“Arion Carter represents everything that is right about college athletics, dedicating all four years of his career to the University of Tennessee,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said in a statement on social media. “His high character, loyalty and leadership within our program are unmatched.
“We disagree with the NCAA’s ruling on punishing Arion with a multi-game suspension this fall. Arion made the right decision for his future health and well-being. He will proudly graduate from Tennessee in public health with Dean’s List honors in August. Our team stands behind AC and his family, and we can’t wait to be on the field with him during training camp next week.”
There are a number of reasons that make this decision stupid. One of them is just how ridiculous they’re being to the type of person Carter actually is. He’s a Dean’s List student that’s on schedule to graduate with honors this August. A preseason All-SEC talent that has aspirations of being a physician after football. Sure these are all semantics and things that are outside the lines of the clearly black-and-white decision making that they’re inexplicably only capable of making. Making the correct decision here would’ve involved logic and reason, and that is something the NCAA has proven time and time again they are incapable of making.
The amount of change that has swept across the landscape of college sports over the last several years has been vast and widespread. One thing that clearly hasn’t changed – the NCAA still sucks at doing the most simple of things in their scope of regulations as a governing body. That appears to be something that will never change.
