Now Pete I have to say, I have always had some respect for. He seemed to have some integrity and from a few news reports has a heart for those that need some help. That said, it now also appears that the football program of USC will go the same way as their basketball program: probation. I think its about time to start punishing the people that are the cause of this and not let them off the hook. The scenarios get played out yearly with schools going on probation. The head coach usually leaves, or gets a better job and somebody else gets to inherit the mess and the lack of scholarships, bowl games and whatever else goes with a winning or successful season. But see the guys who cause all the bad things never feel the effect of those punishments.

I think its time to do a number of things, they are as follows. Not that anyone will listen as its ALL A BIG GAME OF BIG BUSINESS, but here goes:

a) Any coach caught taking money, extra money, cheating on recruiting, taking bribes..you get the picture is fired on the spot. He loses any ANY bonus monies, early termination, contracts outside of the school (yes the sponsors and all need to play a part) and they are INELIGIBLE to coach in the Pros or SemiPros. In other words, there is no reward for cheating. AND if the violations are found AFTER the coach leaves, the coach loses their job where they are at. Come on the “I wasn’t aware of that going on does not fly”. If the school has to suffer so does the coach. And NO he also shouldn’t be hired by some TV network to talk about the great success of his cheating ways program.

b) Any player who is caught with (new cars, boats, houses, lofts, abundance of sneakers, etc) is also immediately removed from the team. They ALSO cannot be drafted by the pros for some period of time. This mean NO WORKING IN THE PROS. Simple. Again cheating is not rewarded. By doing this you get the pro clubs to also stop messing with the colleges.

c) There are certainly a few athletes out there that can play with the pros, a few, very few. I think that ALL players need to go to college, and play at least two years. There are a few sports where the transition from college to pros is immediate but others the colleges are the “minor leagues” and if they were run correctly, then there would be more than sports taught in those programs. And someone in college needs to hold a Finance of Life class for these dummies. All colleges have business profs and others who can teach some basics of economics and not leave it up to some “Agent” or “Money Manager” who really only want the “15%” or the big take, part of the party, hang out with all the babes the players attract. (Disclaimer #2: Yes I know there are honest folks out there that look after some of the players, alas there seems to not be enough as news stories are all over about players losing all their money to bad money management.)

d) Athletic Directors and others in Administration should also not be off the hook. Yes this is a tougher one because you do lay down the law to the coaches. But at some point you have to know that things are just a little too good. Again if an AD is found guilty that need to have suspensions by the NCAA possible even life suspensions. We have seen far too many ADs or Assistant ADs leave, get great jobs then their old programs are put on probation because of things they did . Too late, and the wrong person is punished.

The reality is that what the probation of a program does is punish a lot of innocent bystanders, who really do have little to do with the mess. Most fans, the majority who go to the games, pay good money to see their team hopefully kick the other team’s ass. Come on admit it, we go see and hope that the linebacker takes some QB’s head off or some DE runs that intercepted pass back for a touchdown. We don’t ever really root for anyone to get seriously hurt, but a 3-4 hour dazed opposing QB is not that bad a thing. Still we root and probably paid good money. Some paid for a season ticket and to then be told that for the next season and maybe a few more after, there will be no Bowl Games? Come on, punish the, toss the offenders, but don’t deprive the rest of the kids. Besides some of them are playing by the rules and hope to land that draft pick.

So in short, its time to truly punish the true offenders. It needs to cost them jobs, and it needs to hit them hard in the pocket book. Because at the moment, signing a $30 million dollar deal with an NFL team, with probably a buyout clause, or fired clause does not make the Spoiled Kids fans who will be on probation feel any better. And the kids left on that team who simply wanted to be a Trojan will make for a long three years. Not to mention all those who may have signed letters of intent for next season.

FINAL NOTE: I will talk about the “paying the students athlete at some point”.

For many the season ends after the first game, for some its the second. Sometimes it isn’t until the first loss, these days teams go undefeated and there is always an argument at the end that a playoff system should be in place. That’s what makes the whole thing so exciting. That’s why we yell “to hell with Georgia” and for the Mildcats from the U of A to loose them all. But we also tend to forget if we loose them all but beat the arch rival on the last weekend, usually Thanksgiving. But when we loose that last game dude to bone head plays…well it’s just an ugly weekend…and week that follows.

Just like this past week…dropped punt, recovered by the kitty cat..then a field goal with no time on the clock. Sun Devils loose, and the weekend is a bumer..next dissapointment  The Cardinals. By the way, seems line the Yellow Jackets also lost between the hedges.. #fail