Getty ImagesPerhaps someone in the NCAA has wised up when it comes to the sanctions levied against the Boise State football program.
As you’ll recall from last year, BSU’s athletic program was accused of myriad violations ranging over multiple sports, including some secondary violations for “impermissible benefits” received by incoming members of the football team. As a result, the Broncos were stripped of nine scholarships over three years and given reductions in spring and preseason practices.
The nearly $5,000 in ”benefits” received by 63 players from 2005-09 included “impermissible housing, transportation or meals, where an incoming student-athlete was provided a place to sleep (often on a couch or floor), a car ride or was provided free food by an existing student-athlete.”
(Boise State: makin’ it raaaaaaaiiiiinnnnnnnnnn)
Nearly one year later, the NCAA’s Division I Infractions Appeals Committee has instructed the Committee on Infractions to reconsider the scholarship sanctions handed down, according to the Idaho Statesman. Boise State appealed the NCAA’s decision last September.
“Boise State contends that these penalties are excessive such that they constitute abuses of discretion in the situation presented by the case,” the school’s appeal said. “… The Committee improperly increased the self-imposed football grant-in-aid restrictions … even though the penalty is not warranted and is inconsistent with precedent and the circumstances of this case.”
The appeals committee added that prior precedent “should have been more fully weighed and considered” when it came to the scholarship penalties.
Boise State self-imposed a three-scholarship reduction, effective last season, though the NCAA ultimately added six more that amount. The penalties related to practice time reductions for spring ball were upheld; the reductions for preseason practices were not appealed by the school.
Silly penalties-the punishment needs to fit the crime. The NCAA gets their panties in a wad and cuts scholarships for years because someone got an extra brownie at dinner or was given a PB&J sandwich by a perspective team member but when Cam Newton gets busted having a family member request an envelope of cash his eligibility is revoked for like 12 hours?
Give them a warning, cut a practice day or two and let it go-for the football program at least as I know the issues in the other sports were a bit more severe.
Holy Crap! they got in trouble because one of the student athletes spent A night on the floor or couch? I wonder how much that awesome priviledge was worth? $5,000 by 63 players seems to signify someone at the NCAA actually broke down the monetary value of a glorious night as a house dog. The(NCAA) really are a bunch of over-sensitive jerks.
Thus endeth “sofa-gate.”
Well, to be fair to the NCAA there was a Happymeal involved as well……Sarcasm is a wonderful thing
Another reason to abolish the NCAA. I read the entire report and these “violations” are absurd. Its time to get rid of those bloated clowns.
It’s rare for a school to win an appeal with the NCAA – good for Boise ST.
Makes you wonder how many schollies are lost for your school if you get a free tattoo of yourself sleeping on the floor during your recruiting visit.
@hands – thanks for the laugh!!! Your post is hilarious!!!