NCAA Treatment of UH and Others
August 2, 2006
I did not say all charges against UH were fabricated. On the other hand, the investigation of UH by the NCAA was instigated by charges published in a newspaper, based on accusations made by a real biggie in the Southwest Conference, right after we had inflicted an embarrassing defeat on them shortly after our admission into the conference. Surely, few would suggest that was mere coincidence!
And penalties were imposed on us, even for such criminal behavior as giving caps and T-shirts to prospects! Horrors! And, somehow, we took note of the fact that the chairman of the NCAA Infractions Committee at the time happened to be a professor at the school which planted the original story in the newspaper. And, as chairman, one might suspect he had at least some influence on the outcome of the investigation and the penalties imposed!
Also, we had the audacity to remember that only a short time earlier that same accuser of UH had been involved in what might have been a real scandal – well, if it had happened anywhere else.
It seems that a number of their football players had been on the payroll of the state printing office for many months; unfortunately, they had not been reporting for work. All this was duly reported in the newspapers, indictments were handed down, convictions were obtained, supervisors in the printing office lost their jobs, etc.
And that same NCAA, with its infractions committee headed by that same professor, still employed by our accuser, instituted an “investigation.” Strange, but instead of dispatching their own gumshoes to investigate, they wrote to the school and asked them to do their own investigation. Their report back to the NCAA was written by that same professor as representative of the school; then the report was received by that same gentleman as head of the NCAA Infractions Committee. Surprisingly, the report found no involvement by the school, and that conclusion was duly accepted by the NCAA as final. No penalties of any kind were imposed.
And, rather than charge any of the football players with any crime, they “were allowed to repay the unearned wages to the state,” and the matter was closed. Did anyone ever ask where they might have obtained the money to repay the unearned wages? Well, not to my knowledge.
And some still think the NCAA treats all schools equally? Riiii-ght! And, good is the same as evil; black is white; low is high; justice always prevails; the biggies have no special advantage (of course not; that wouldn’t be fair, would it?); etc.; etc.
As I said, it is dangerous to be in the same conference with some folks, unless you plan on losing on a regular basis!