Some links from around college football on a Saturday…
- Auburn’s defense laments not getting another shot at Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins, who will be suspended for the season-opening game. I don’t blame ‘em. Play against the best.
- UNC linebacker Fabby Desir is transferring, according to InsideCarolina.
- The TV ban suffered its own version of the death penalty, writes Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News.
- WVU receiver Ivan McCartney doesn’t look like he’ll be a big factor for the Mountaineers this fall. A natural talent, McCartney has underachieved in a big way.
- The 2012 season hasn’t even started yet, but Notre Dame’s 2013 schedule is already out.
- Duke wide receiver Blair Holliday is expected to be transferred to an Atlanta center for treatment of brain injuries. Holliday suffered the injuries during a jet ski accident last month.
- One of Rice’s better receivers will miss the season with a torn pectoral muscle.
The thing with a TV ban nowadays is that it does punish the banned school’s opponents. Even in 1995, when Ole Miss became the last TV-banned school, most major universities’ had maybe half there games on TV (other than ND of course). If one of a school’s games would have been televised against the banned team, there would still be 4-5 games not scheduled for TV that could replace it and not overly affect their overall exposure. NOW, however, with all the regional networks, cable outlets, etc, virtually every FBS game is televised. There is no way to avoid harming the opponents of the school being punished, and the TV partners too.
Notre Dumb will be lucky to get 6 wins next season!
I’d like to see the bylaw rewritten so that it provides for a “local to the offender” and “nationwide” ban, but not a ban in the area of the opponent.
For example, let’s say it’s Penn State vs. Michigan, and PSU is penalized. TV broadcasts of the game would be allowed all throughout Michigan and perhaps in northern parts of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. There would be no TV broadcasts anywhere else, either in Pennsylvania or any type of nationwide broadcast (e.g. major broadcast networks, DirecTV, ESPNU, online, etc.)
It would still allow the player to “get on TV” … they just might not be able to get on as much TV as they otherwise would. The opponents’ fans (at least those in the same region as their team) could still watch the game.
It would be a bit tricky for teams that are geographically close, but perhaps the NCAA could allow a limited number of local broadcasts if there are two teams within the same area (e.g. the 5 Philly basketball schools), if one of them is penalized … maybe a “no more than 10%” rule.