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If You Give 'Em An Inch They'll Take a Mile

I kind of have an unwritten rule here at Conquest Chronicles. I don't feel its necessary to comment on other schools infractions or legal issues. I think the reasons are obvious. I don't have a vested interest in those schools success or failure. And to comment in my eyes is simply piling on.

I am not intimate with an institution like say BN is with UCLA or like BON is with UT. Those bloggers are certainly more than capable of addressing any negative issues that may arise at their respective institutions. But the most obvious reason is that my house (USC) has it's own issues and we have our work cut out for us to clean it up.

Now I'm not naïve, I certainly don't expect BN not to comment on the negative issues at USC. If they feel that their readers need to be kept abreast of our dirty laundry then that is their prerogative and I'm fine with it.

As most of you know I am not a product of any institution of higher learning so I wouldn't be able to comment with any real authority of the current situation at Auburn. From an outsiders point of view it would seem that there is something not quite right about it. But more important is this a University issue or an Athletic Department issue? If the school can't police its own professors or student athletes then what credibility do they have in addressing player issues when they inevitably come up.

Kyle over at Dawg Sorts puts up an excellent post on the Auburn situation. His intimate knowledge of the SEC allows him to comment, even as a UGA alum, in a credible fashion.

As Kyle notes;

The most recent instance of wrongdoing on the Plains occurred when Auburn was placed on two years' probation on April 27, 2004. The N.C.A.A. news release announcing the latest penalties against the Plainsmen stated that, during the probationary period from April 2004 to April 2006, "the university shall continue to develop and implement a comprehensive educational program on NCAA legislation and submit periodic reports to the NCAA," including "a preliminary report that sets forth a schedule for establishing this compliance and educational program."

My only comment on this issue was in response to CFR's post.  I felt it was much ado about nothing, but that was at first glance. If the school allows these types of classes then I don't see a problem, but they should police them more stringently for abuse. To blame the student athlete I think is misplaced. If the class is offered and taken and a passing grade is given then what's the issue? If the professor is too lenient in how he administers his courses then the school has a responsibility to rectify it. If they can't then the NCAA needs to step in.

As Kyle once again notes;

If you, like C.F.R., found yourself "underwhelmed," you should consider yourself underinformed. The Tigers went undefeated while on probation in 1957. They did it again in 1993. What in the history of War Eagle athletics gives us any reason to doubt allegations that improprieties occurred while the Plainsmen were going undefeated in 2004?

Yep that's me, underinformed.

So, if I'm reading this correctly, it looks like there has been a pattern of this before. And it looks like the NCAA has attempted to address it. Keep in mind this is the same NCAA that can't seem to get a handle on the Reggie Bush situation and the same NCAA that seemed to look the other way with the Adrian Peterson car issue. It appears that the NCAA is far more worried about if a student athlete gets a free pizza from someone but who also won't let a student athlete hold down a job in the off-season so he can pay for his own pizza.

 I would agree that all the facts are not yet in and there may not be any evidence of any wrongdoing but with a proven history of these types of incidents it is certainly hard to ignore.

In my mind this Auburn issue is important for many reasons, but the one that stands out to me and me only is the perception of a lack of thoroughness by the NCAA. How can they investigate and hand down punishment for infractions over here yet seemingly ignore infractions over there?  Until the NCAA treats all infractions the same, regardless of the institution involved, the perception of the blind leading the blind will continue to be associated with NCAA.