Another case of the NCAA and the stupidest rules ever

Submitted by MichTits on

OU Football players penalized for eating too much at a graduation banquet. 

 

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10484741/oklahoma-sooners-penalized-three-student-athletes-eating-too-much-pasta

 

To have their eligibility reinstated, the three had to donate $3.83 each (the cost of the pasta servings) to charities of their choice.

 

I thought the NCAA was supposed to be "re-writing the rulebook" and eliminating stupid rules like this and 'Bagels, but no cream cheese'.  Guess not...

LSAClassOf2000

February 19th, 2014 at 6:12 PM ^

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember in reading the Division I Handbook that there is a cap on the value of meals provided at incidental functions, so in the strictest sense, they would have had to self-report it. Still, between Oklahoma's compliance department and NCAA correspondence, they spent more documenting the violation than the cost of the meals plus the overage and much more beyond that. It does seem rather silly actually. 

HelloHeisman91

February 19th, 2014 at 6:14 PM ^

On one hand I think, wow this is ridiculous. On the other hand I think, what the hell was going on when the rule was written? We all know how bloated the NCAA rule book has become but we also know that at one point things has gotten so out of hand that the NCAA was formed.

gwkrlghl

February 19th, 2014 at 6:24 PM ^

Every time a player gets penalized for something is f'ing insane as eating too much pasta while programs like Miami, Oregon, Auburn, etc. all operate unhindered despite significant findings or allegations, I want more and more for the players to win their pay-for-play argument just to stick it to the NCAA. What a stupid institution.

Tater

February 19th, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^

I have the same opinion I have had for a long time.  They don't have to pay players; all they have to do is allow them to accept money from whoever wants to pay them, like any student on a scholarship that doesn't involve sports would be allowed to do.

Inuyesta

February 20th, 2014 at 12:50 AM ^

^^ this.

Current system: a handful of schools dominate the recruitment of elite prospects and can spend insane amounts on coaches and facilities.

System where boosters can pay players: a handful of schools (maybe a slightly different handful...I'm thinking Oklahoma State's classes might rank a little higher than the 30s with T. Boone Pickens' money going directly to recruits) dominate the recruitment of elite prospects and can spend insane amounts on coaches and facilities.

Cold War

February 19th, 2014 at 6:42 PM ^

I'm sure there's some type of rule regarding what players can be given, including food. So they went a bit over their limit. If I spend $52 per day on meals and my company  limit is  $50 it would get  flagged.

It's a little thing, but writing it up this  way is just cheap piling  on to a popular target, the NCAA.

Andy_Ohio_sucks

February 19th, 2014 at 7:44 PM ^

I work at a very larger corporation, with a far, far lower profit than the NCAA makes, and our meals out are spelled out as in be ethical and it should be with said party (ie no large gift cards). I really hope the NW proceddings will at least get the NCAA into the commen sense era.

Mr Miggle

February 19th, 2014 at 11:15 PM ^

While the Sooners elected to self-report, the NCAA released a statement saying that what the three players did was not a violation of any NCAA rules.

"While we appreciate Oklahoma's commitment, there are no NCAA rules regarding portion sizes, and any penalties were determined by the university," NCAA spokeswoman Meghan Durham said in a statement.

readyourguard

February 20th, 2014 at 1:20 AM ^

It doesn't appear any of you read the article. The NCAA specifically commented that no violation of any rule was broken. OU self reported and came up with the $3.83 figure.