re: CBS reporting the Cecil Newton admits to soliciting payments

I don't see what AU can do other than let him continue to play. As mentioned above, what's the NCAA gonna do if he continues to play? Make AU forfeit twelve games as opposed to just ten?

The NCAA rules and regulations for college football irritate the shyte out of me. The athletes devote a very significant portion of their time to practice, as well as conditioning, and studying and learning the plays. This is in addition to maintaining an acceptable GPA throughout their college career in order to remain eligible. Yet these players can receive no payment for their services other than to receive a scholarship. . .

In my eyes, that's pretty much B.S.! It demonstrates how the NCAA acts like a bunch of disaffected housewives drunk on the heady power of their positions in the neighborhood association as they dictate to their neighbors what they can and can't do regarding their lawns, trees, fences, flagpoles, etc. . .

Tigerband members are paid a stipend for their services. Since their many hours of weekly practice are awarded with only one semester hour of college credit, the university pays them the maximum amount that a student worker could receive during a given week. (In the mid-80s this worked out to $40 per week, resulting in a bi-weekly check for $80.00.) It helped defray the cost of dry cleaning the uniform, and also provided a little beer money (the legal age at the time was 18 -- Oh! for a return to those wonderfully free days!).

Players of Cam Newton's caliber are undoubtedly going to play in the NFL. He knows it. We know it. We all also know that he probably isn't going to study petroleum engineering, astro-physics, medicine, or anything else that requires a lot of time that involves causing cramps in his cerebral cortex. So why not just prepare these players to be as successful as they can in professional sports? Course requirements would include some legal classes so that students could better understand any contract offered them by a pro team. A few classes on economics would be invaluable in teaching them how the market works and it would give them an understanding of how they should lay out their investments to prepare for the day that their professional playing days end.

I guess my main point is that the NCAA needs to lighten up on the ENFORCEMENT role that they play in college athletics and take a long, hard look at doing something REAL that actually helps these college athletes rather than simply trying to keep a level playing field throughout the college sports realms by imposing restrictions on what a prospective college athlete may be offered in return for the revenue that his or her performance may provide the university.

(Sorry to be so long winded. I should never mix bourbon and coffee. It makes for ridiculous tirades like this.)