For someone that represents a body of schools of higher learning, the NCAA sure has trouble earning a passing grade.
The organization that essentially put Cameron Newton's father on probation without taking any action against any schools or athletes in the case - and then didn't even enforce that - on Thursday in Indianapolis approved giving students who already get free tuition, room and board, books, fees, tutoring help and even some meal money $2,000 on top of all that.
Or it least it gave its member conferences the option of adding that to their scholarships. Never mind that it pretty much will force schools that want to compete to pay that because, say what you will about how little $2,000 per year is, it's still $2,000 more than nothing.
What in the world are they thinking?
Yes, it's become a cause for some that these athletes that are apparently generating so much revenue for the universities should get something back, although it conveniently disregards how much they already receive. They get to develop their skills for what for a few will turn out to be multi-million-dollar paydays in the pro ranks.
The majority that don't play a sport beyond college, still are getting an opportunity for an education and a career - should they take it - free of charge.
This opens all kinds of doors this opens for fudging numbers, increased cheating and more difficulty in enforcement, and one has to wonder where this extra money is going to be coming from, considering how many college athletes are out there. Thursday's decision decreed that schools have to expand money equally across men's and women's sports because of Title IX.
An even better question is why we should be paying even more to those whose tuition and board is covered when we have education costs rising for most college students and so many cuts being made or discussed at the secondary and elementary levels.
The more one looks at this, the more it seems like PR move that, while possibly with the best of intentions, was done without really examining everything.
Once again, the NCAA gets an F.
Condolences
Thoughts go out to Philipsburg-Osceola High School football coach Jeff Vroman and his family. Vroman's father passed away earlier this week.
Vroman's Mounties play at Huntingdon tonight.
Looking back
The Ernie Fetzer-coached Johnstown Vo-Tech football team that upset Indiana for the District 6 Class AAAA championship in 1986 is scheduled to have a reunion next month.
No word yet on whether or not Suds Solomon, who made the Spartans a prohibitive underdog in that game, will be in attendance.
Cmor can be reached at 946-7440 or pcmor@altoonamirror.com
