The Sleaziest Season in College Football History Now in The Books

Larry Burton (Commentary)

Normally I don't write commentaries; who's to say that one person's opinion is any better than another, but I couldn't resist it with the feeling gnawing at me since the conclusion of this season.

This season, college football fell into the "Bill Clinton, it all depends on what the definition of is is." It was just sleazy and I feel like I should take a bath or that I won't be clean until some kind of justice is served.

It wasn't just the teams, it was players, the conferences and the NCAA itself. Little else sleazes things up like money and that was clearly the root of this season's sleaze.

Not since Reggie Bush has the Heisman had a smell like this on it. That award was supposed to be part integrity, honor and so forth. Where was the integrity of stealing a laptop, then lying about it. Where was the honor in taking a plea deal?

Where was the "betterment of college football's ideals" in having a father shop his son around like a two dollar streetwalker? A charge he was clearly guilty of since he admitted it?

And the family honor won't even abide by their own word. Cecil Newton, we were told, would not attend the game given the NCAA's mandate that he distance himself from the program, but there he was, hugging his son at the end. ESPN told us he wouldn't attend, Auburn said he wouldn't attend but we all saw how that went.

It was like saying "Screw the NCAA, the SEC and Auburn, we're done with their asses anyway and there isn't a damn thing they do to us now but kiss our butts goodbye."

And the NCAA, Big Ten and Ohio State are no better. Yes, they were breaking the rules and yes, they should be punished, but not during the multi-million dollar bowl season.

And if anyone thinks that all five would return as promised, let me sell them some beautiful beachfront property.

Yes, when in doubt, follow the money. In each case, doing the right thing would have cost the sleazers money. Mike Slive and the SEC didn't want to give up the cash cow of having Auburn in a championship game, Auburn would have sold their soul for a national championship and the NCAA didn't want advertisers and fans pulling away from the bowls by gutting Ohio State.

Yes, this has been the sleaziest season I can ever remember, and I can only hope that the sleaze merchants feel the filth in the aftermath.

Let's just hope that it's something that won't be repeated again soon.