Link: NCAA Should Use TV Bans as a Way to Stop Cheating

[RTR91]

College football cheaters need to be unplugged (Bean) | al.com

Nearly every big-time program in the country touts its sparkling academic center for athletes, but blue-chip football prospects see little -- if any -- allure in academic support. Major prospects have two major questions when deciding where to sign: How often do you play on TV? And how good are you at sending players to the NFL?

And the two questions will always remain linked.

Thanks to the Saturday combination of ESPN, CBS, ABC and the SEC Network, schools such as Alabama and Auburn need only worry about which network will grace its stadium with camera crews.

Playing on TV every week allows players to build a national following and informally court endorsement deals after college. Former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow capitalized on the Gators' extensive TV exposure, making him a celebrity in Denver before his plane ever landed there.

That's why players care about TV coverage, but imagine the chilling effect that would be felt throughout the country if Ohio State gets banned.

Those opposing a TV ban argue that it would hurt other schools by keeping them off the airwaves, but that's precisely why it's the right thing for the NCAA to do.

If Ohio State isn't on TV, that means Michigan and Purdue and everyone else in the Big Ten will get one less TV game that season. That makes cheating less desirable because it could hurt your school as well as every other school in your conference.

No doubt the more a player is on TV the higher his popularity goes up.

 

[TideFan in AU]

If NCAA wants to get serious, make teams with major infractions play a road schedule for 2 years. The school wold have to pay for 7 more road trips, and effect of not having having home games would have WAY more effect on the coaches, boosters, and adminstrators caught cheating. No one at *U or anywhere else would mind one bit if it cost teams in their a game on TV if they got caught.

 

[BigAl5833]

The problem with TV bans is it hurts the fans of other teams just as much as the offenders. Imagine Auburn or LSU gets a tv ban for some reason. It would hurt us Bama fans just as much.

 

[RTR91]

The problem with TV bans is it hurts the fans of other teams just as much as the offenders. Imagine Auburn or LSU gets a tv ban for some reason. It would hurt us Bama fans just as much.

That's what Bean says in the article. That could go two ways - coaches realize that and don't turn in programs so their program is able to stay on TV OR coaches are more cautious about recruiting ways.

 

[Bama Reb]

If NCAA wants to get serious, make teams with major infractions play a road schedule for 2 years. The school wold have to pay for 7 more road trips, and effect of not having having home games would have WAY more effect on the coaches, boosters, and adminstrators caught cheating. No one at *U or anywhere else would mind one bit if it cost teams in their a game on TV if they got caught.

The only difficulty I see in this is the changing of game locations. Considering ticket sales alone, such a penalty couldn't be enforced for any 'current season' games, but would have to start in the following season and go on to the next. Of course, how would OOC teams accommodate the huge influx of fans from the other school? And then would the penalized school still have to pay their OOC opponent for not traveling to their school?

 

[Bamabuzzard]

It is very hard to administer punishment that would ONLY impact the offenders. If the NCAA punishes the school via a tv ban the fans of the school will be a part of the punishment. I'm not sure there is a punishment that would ONLY impact the offender(s). For example, much like our fans were punished when we went on sanctions. The punishment caused a decline in quality on the field and on the sidelines. Which in turn fans had to suffer through watching their team put on an uneven playing field which caused sub-par quality.

There's not an easy answer to this and odds are unintended parties will have to suffer from the actions of others, much like real life...

 

[Dallas4Bama]

That's what Bean says in the article. That could go two ways - coaches realize that and don't turn in programs so their program is able to stay on TV OR coaches are more cautious about recruiting ways.

Phil Fulmer would not have hesitated one second to be the secret witness against Alabama because it would have caused TN to have one less TV game per year. A coach at lower tier SEC school like Ole Miss, Miss State, Kentucky or Arkansas would still turn in Alabama and give up one TV game a year if it meant BAMA would be brought down to their competitive level or below.

As for coaches being more cautious, that will happen the day the NCAA figures out a way to have more immediate sanctions that really effect the people who break the rules.

Every single sanction the NCAA has only effects other people. What coach has stuck around and rode out the punishment that was in response to violations on their watch? (other than CGS I don't remember one) What player was still in school when major sanctions came down as a result of something they did? All of these sanctions are punishing people who had nothing to do with the violations. The biggest problem with the system is that all the punishments handed out by the NCAA only effect people other than the violators. Until it's more immediate and can't be put off for years like the USC thing programs will gamble. 20 years from now if you ask who won the championship in 04 people will still say USC.

 

[TheRealPokeChop]

since the NCAA no longer has rights to the TV contracts theyd have to fight the conferences to get tv bans back on the table. It will never happen. They should instead start to enforce impartially and equally the bi laws of their organization, once they figure that out they can start finding better consequences.

 

[TideFan in AU]

The only difficulty I see in this is the changing of game locations. Considering ticket sales alone, such a penalty couldn't be enforced for any 'current season' games, but would have to start in the following season and go on to the next. Of course, how would OOC teams accommodate the huge influx of fans from the other school? And then would the penalized school still have to pay their OOC opponent for not traveling to their school?

Most probation periods start with a new season anyway, so that would probably be ok. I would think UT Chatt or NIU would love the problem of hosting an big school. They could even limit tickets to a really low number for the big team. These schedule agreements are made way in advance, so yeah, if the big school cheats, they have to pay the contracted amount. I think hitting schools in their wallets would be most effective way to this type of stuff from going on.

 

[bamaman07]

I agree. Also limiting coaches' ability to recruit off campus. Though in Auburn's case they get their recruits on campus and give them hookers, cash and party like crazy. I think certain circumstances a penalty just short of the Death Penalty is the only way to truly deter certain schools from cheating. The Death Penalty might never be used again but something close to it should be created. Auburn is a serial cheater and everyone in the SEC and now nation knows it. They need to be docked a huge number of scholarships, fire the coaching staff, let players transfer if they want no matter what they class they are, ban them from post season for several years, give them a lengthy probation and cut them out of bowl revenue for several years. TV bans won't happen. At least I hope they don't. I want to see AU get beat down every week by teams when they are on probation. That's a far greater penalty than being blacked out.

 

[GrayTide]

The NCAA or the conference governing body should not keep a team off TV, it does hurt the fans. If it is punishment you are looking for then withhold all TV, conference and bowl revenue from the sanctioned program. In the case of the SEC, it would divide $120 million annually by 11 not 12 teams.

 

[MOAN]

The NCAA or the conference governing body should not keep a team off TV, it does hurt the fans. If it is punishment you are looking for then withhold all TV, conference and bowl revenue from the sanctioned program. In the case of the SEC, it would divide $120 million annually by 11 not 12 teams.

This would certainly help and would be a good start. I also think the coaches can be penalized more harshly if found guilty of a major violation of rules. Say something like a lifetime probation for a first major offense and a permanent ban from any NCAA coaching job for a second major offense. I'm not talking about secondary minor accidental violations but violations like Tressell, Pat Die any coach that is linked directly to violations that cause a school to get major penalized whether he is the head or an assitant coach.

Any booster found guilty should be permantly banned from any NCAA sactioned event regardless of sport and if found in violation the school he/she represented could be fined or lose a scholarship. That may be hard to police but I am sure there would be plenty out there looking with camera's to catch them or a school in violation if for no other reason than what Auburn is doing in trying to deflect towards others violations.

 

[TideFan in AU]

The NCAA or the conference governing body should not keep a team off TV, it does hurt the fans. If it is punishment you are looking for then withhold all TV, conference and bowl revenue from the sanctioned program. In the case of the SEC, it would divide $120 million annually by 11 not 12 teams.

Agree 100%

 

[selmaborntidefan]

I used to advocate the TV ban.

Then came the 1993 Iron Bowl, the first college football game to ever sell out TWO stadiums in one day. But I didn't get to see it. No net back then, all I got was updates from ABC. Phone bills back then were outrageous.

The road schedule is fine. Heck, make them go play IN Boise. That's punishment enough for anybody.

 

[mikes12]

Every single sanction the NCAA has only effects other people. What coach has stuck around and rode out the punishment that was in response to violations on their watch? (other than CGS I don't remember one) What player was still in school when major sanctions came down as a result of something they did? All of these sanctions are punishing people who had nothing to do with the violations. The biggest problem with the system is that all the punishments handed out by the NCAA only effect people other than the violators. Until it's more immediate and can't be put off for years like the USC thing programs will gamble. 20 years from now if you ask who won the championship in 04 people will still say USC.

In a roundabout way we might see it with Kiffin.

 

[Dallas4Bama]

This would certainly help and would be a good start. I also think the coaches can be penalized more harshly if found guilty of a major violation of rules. Say something like a lifetime probation for a first major offense and a permanent ban from any NCAA coaching job for a second major offense. I'm not talking about secondary minor accidental violations but violations like Tressell, Pat Die any coach that is linked directly to violations that cause a school to get major penalized whether he is the head or an assitant coach. Any booster found guilty should be permantly banned from any NCAA sactioned event regardless of sport and if found in violation the school he/she represented could be fined or lose a scholarship. That may be hard to police but I am sure there would be plenty out there looking with camera's to catch them or a school in violation if for no other reason than what Auburn is doing in trying to deflect towards others violations.

The problem with that last part is you've misjudged the type of person who is doing this stuff. It's not really about the program or the university for most of these guys. It's all about feeding some sick pathetic ego trip these guys get on by having association with the players. With the boosters that get you in trouble its all about how it makes them feel. So with that said they will still sneak into the stadium to games, they will still hang out in the parking lot after games and they will still go to the bars and hang outs of the players after the games to be around the players and you can't police them all the time. A security person or athletic department employee can walk from suite to suite during a game and if that person steps into the bathroom when they come by they will never know. They are proud to beat the system and they feel even bigger for it. They don't care about the school and before you say it doesn't matter punish the school understand that we have them too. So would it be fair to CNS and team to punish them because what is basically a nut job breaks the rules to feed his sick obsession?

 

[MOAN]

The problem with that last part is you've misjudged the type of person who is doing this stuff. It's not really about the program or the university for most of these guys. It's all about feeding some sick pathetic ego trip these guys get on by having association with the players. With the boosters that get you in trouble its all about how it makes them feel. So with that said they will still sneak into the stadium to games, they will still hang out in the parking lot after games and they will still go to the bars and hang outs of the players after the games to be around the players and you can't police them all the time. A security person or athletic department employee can walk from suite to suite during a game and if that person steps into the bathroom when they come by they will never know. They are proud to beat the system and they feel even bigger for it. They don't care about the school and before you say it doesn't matter punish the school understand that we have them too. So would it be fair to CNS and team to punish them because what is basically a nut job breaks the rules to feed his sick obsession?

I see your point and agree it would be impossible to keep them away all the time. Probably not the best of ideas but the offending booster should have to suffer some kind of punishment besides just from being disassociated from the university. If there was a threat to the university by him just being there then maybe the fans of said univerity would be motivated to self police for the good of their own.

 

[Dallas4Bama]

I see your point and agree it would be impossible to keep them away all the time. Probably not the best of ideas but the offending booster should have to suffer some kind of punishment besides just from being disassociated from the university. If there was a threat to the university by him just being there then maybe the fans of said university would be motivated to self police for the good of their own.

First let me go back and say that I agree with you 100%, I want to make sure we're clear on that. I am with you and my response is only to discuss the difficulty and absurdity in the idea that the university can police these people. I think those people should be personally punished in a financial manner. That's the only thing that will stop them.

As for your last idea, it sounds great, but let me ask you this. Other than Logan Young two other boosters were disassociated from the university over the Albert Means case. I refuse to name them because I don't want to give them the satisfaction, or get sued. Could you identify either one of them? Would you know if they were walking right beside you into the stadium? Ok, from your listed location you possibly could, but 99.999% of the 101k on any given Saturday couldn't. Even if you could identify one of them in a normal setting, could you be really sure if they had on a hat and sunglasses without chasing them down and getting a closer look? Could you keep up with them in the crowd, find out where they were sitting and find an AD employee that could do something about it? Would you do that 5 minutes before kick off knowing you'd probably spend and entire quarter locating AD people, ect...? They are there and aren't supposed to be so they are probably in a group of people that support them being there, maybe even work for them or something so they are all looking out for AD employees so they can give them a warning to slip away if needed. There's a good chance they're even in a private suite and can hide easily in there.

Bottom line is the university under current law and rules will never be able to keep those people away. The only thing that could happen would be for there to be a system in place where those individuals could be punished personally and financially. The day that happens will be the day we have even a chance to.

 

[briancm]

All the big name teams would not be seen if this rule was invoked. But, you could enjoy the likes of E. Moutain Tech, Northwest Texas State Technical Institute, etc.

 

[MOAN]

First let me go back and say that I agree with you 100%, I want to make sure we're clear on that. I am with you and my response is only to discuss the difficulty and absurdity in the idea that the university can police these people. I think those people should be personally punished in a financial manner. That's the only thing that will stop them.

As for your last idea, it sounds great, but let me ask you this. Other than Logan Young two other boosters were disassociated from the university over the Albert Means case. I refuse to name them because I don't want to give them the satisfaction, or get sued. Could you identify either one of them? Would you know if they were walking right beside you into the stadium? Ok, from your listed location you possibly could, but 99.999% of the 101k on any given Saturday couldn't. Even if you could identify one of them in a normal setting, could you be really sure if they had on a hat and sunglasses without chasing them down and getting a closer look? Could you keep up with them in the crowd, find out where they were sitting and find an AD employee that could do something about it? Would you do that 5 minutes before kick off knowing you'd probably spend and entire quarter locating AD people, ect...? They are there and aren't supposed to be so they are probably in a group of people that support them being there, maybe even work for them or something so they are all looking out for AD employees so they can give them a warning to slip away if needed. There's a good chance they're even in a private suite and can hide easily in there.

Bottom line is the university under current law and rules will never be able to keep those people away. The only thing that could happen would be for there to be a system in place where those individuals could be punished personally and financially. The day that happens will be the day we have even a chance to.

Oh I know you are right. You would just about have to make them wear monitor bracelets or something to know their whereabouts all the time. But I don't see how you could enforce them to pay a fine unless they were taken to court and forced to by our judicial system. The NCAA and universities can't enforce penalties outside of their collegiate realm and most of these boosters throwing the kind of money around that they are already wouldn't be fazed one bit by a monetary fine. I don't have the answers for sure.