Riddle me this, Batman.
Context:
Equal Protection of the Law.
A tenet of the US Constitution, as beleaguered as it is these days.
People, institutions, situations have the right to be dealt with consistently.
While perusing through my morning joe sports reading, I came upon an article about the NCAA hearings currently going on, regarding the Connor Stalions sign stealing standard at the University of Michigan.
He’s the assistant coach, who during the Wolverines title year, stole the signs of foes. Which the school was able to use for a competitive advantage. He was even on the sidelines of one future foe, dressed as an assistant at that school.
Legitimate claims of cheating.
Obvious competitive advantage for Jim Harbaugh and his squad.
So, here’s what NCAA prexy Charlie Baker said of possible penalties for the Big Ten school.
Michigan won the national title “fair and square.”
So, Caped Crusader, please advise President Baker he’s got some ‘splainin to do.
How is it that U of L, whose transgressions that officially cost them the ’13 NCAA hoops crown, remains shorn of its title?
Exotic Dancers, teenage shenanigans in the dorm have nothing to do with what happened on the court.
Cards won it, to use the terminology of the head of the ruling organization, “fair and square.”
Asking for the Red & Black Nation.
— c d kaplan
I was preparing to comment in defense of Michigan (sort of anyway), but your final question was about such an obvious miscarriage of justice, let’s leave it there.
As was correctly mentioned in the comments on another site by another individual, the NCAA does not award a national championship title in FBS football, therefore they cannot vacate Michigan’s title. The College Football Playoff apparatus would have to do this. They have no rules enforcement arm, and zero interest in rules enforcement, I feel quite certain. I am also quite certain that even a hoopaholic who sometimes needs to be schooled on football matters is aware of this, but perhaps got a little trigger happy and shot from the hip this time. And let’s face it, the real reason we were stripped of the title wasn’t because of the letter of the rules violation. It was because of hookers and sex being provided to, and at times coerced onto teenagers, some of whom were under the age of 18. Agree with it or not, that is the real reason the title got yanked. Impermissible benefits was the only rule that could be invoked, because the NCAA surely does not have a rule on the books specifically mentioning, and prohibiting, hookers.
As I think about this a little more, I feel like there is more that needs to be said. In their investigation of the hookergate scandal the NCAA received first hand testimony of criminal acts that occurred. As mentioned some of those criminal acts involved minors, some of whom testified at their discomfort at being coerced to participate in criminal acts involving sex.
This is not remotely comparable to sign stealing, something that is actually quite common in college football, and while against NCAA rules, is not criminal sex acts involving minors.
I hated having the title stripped as much as any Cardinals fan, but I understand the real reason it happened. I feel that I need to speak up and say we should not be trivializing how serious, ugly, and literally criminal, what occurred here was. If only it had been some broken rule as trivial as sign stealing.
I have no problem with consenting adults engaging in this behavior, legal or not. I do understand why the infractions committee, which is made up of educators and athletic department administrators, was outraged and revolted by what they heard. Sign stealing isn’t in the ballpark.