Boise State Sanctions: How the NCAA Got It Wrong

The NCAA passed down sanctions to the Boise State athletic department for violations in tennis, track and field and football, claiming a lack of institutional control, according to ESPN. Though the tennis program was legitimately conducting bad business and was punished as such, the football team was punished for what seems like just being good people. 

Players allowing recruits to stay the night with them and "crash on their couch." I am aghast at the advantage that potentially gave Boise State in the upcoming seasons. I hope you can sense the sarcasm there. Giving them rides to various areas around campus and town?  These young student athletes must know that you have to force your recruits to walk or at least get their own transportation. Seriously?

So what did Boise State do? They took responsibility and admitted their mistakes. To further express that they are committed to making these completely innocuous infractions right, Boise State self-imposed penalties including a $5,000 fine, removing two practices from the preseason, firing their Athletic Director and dropping their football scholarships from 85 to 83. 

But no, that was apparently not enough, the NCAA imposed more penalties including additional removal of scholarships and practices as well as slapping on a three-year probation. This is not Ohio State, Miami or USC and it is complete nonsense. 

What this really is about is an overarching NCAA that is trying to justify why they are still relevant in the fast past world of the BCS.  Boise State was an easy target, where the NCAA could say "see, we are making a difference." I'm sure hundreds of man hours and money went into the investigation that essentially proved slight book keeping errors and players just being good hosts. 

So the NCAA had to do something, right? They couldn't let BSU steal the thunder by self-imposing penalties because the NCAA would have not mattered, even though by Boise self reporting they created the thunder themselves. Plus, Boise doesn't even come close to the clout of an Ohio State or Miami so of course the NCAA will pursue this. What resources does BSU have to fight back. Every cent is needed for their school and program in its effort to gain relevance.  

Granted these punishments are essentially a slap on the wrist, but for a program trying every year to prove they belong in a system that was not designed for them, three scholarships may make a difference. Three extra practices may make a difference to a team that will obviously be rebuilding over the next year or two.

What the NCAA should have done is shaken their finger at Boise and given them a stern warning, but also realized they had learned their lesson and moved those man hours to the obviously more fiendish infractions of other universities.

All in all, Boise State will move on and continue to be successful, as long as nothing else comes up in this probation period. Which could happen given the apparently broad scope of what the NCAA determines is wrong.