The NCAA and punishments handed out...or not handed out

Another thread prompted by listening to the radio

Both Southern Cal and Michigan are currently facing major investigations by the NCAA (SoCal in both football and basketball; Michigan in football), but a lot of people doubt that the NCAA will actually take significant action against either, given how prominent the two programs have been.

The guy (Heath Cline, local radio guy) was pointing out that only 3 possible punishments really have any meaningful impact - reduction in scholarships (and then only if in a notable number - 1 scholarship to a football team is meaningless), postseason ban, and TV ban. And then he went on to point out that its very unlikely the TV ban will be used again - it hurts too many people that aren't even remotely connected to the problem (specific example he used was if Alabama football got a TV ban and SC travels to Alabama, SC fans in Columbia can't watch their team). Other punishments - forfeiting or vacating past wins, or even probation (unless they get in trouble again within a short time) - really don't do anything.

So, the point of all this... do any of you think the NCAA will actually punish either Michigan or SoCal?

 

Probably not in any meaningful way.

Although, SoCal looks to have sacrificed basketball this year to save it's football program from any real repercussions.

The thing that makes me say "probably" and not "definitely" is the Florida State situation. FSU had an academic-related scandal, and wins were vacated, including a track and field championship, if I recall correctly.

 

But what effect does vacating wins really have on the program? In the FSU case, the only person really affected by the punishment was Bowden, because it made it a foregone conclusion that JoePa would finish with more victories than Bowden. Bowden wasn't even the person responsible in that case, though - it was the athletic tutoring/academic assistance people (I have a friend who worked there at the time... she knows what she's talking about when it comes to this). But the program? It doesn't really affect the program to any real degree - they'll still get recruits, etc.

 

Bowden's wins at Howard/Stamford shouldn't count towards his DI record because the school wasn't DI at the time.

Anyways, taking away a championship is a big deal. It's more than taking away a scholarship or two, for sure.

They still well get recruits. The NCAA is a messed up organization, for sure.