NCAA admits wrongdoing? Again?

PENN STATE SANCTIONS REDUCED

No. The NCAA will not formally announce that they messed the Penn State saga like a baby diaper. But the reality is that a baby diaper has less mess on it than this scenario.

I said when the sanctions were announced that I thought two things:

1. This was a major over reach on the part of the NCAA. Yes, they tried some legalese to define why they could basically, do anything they wanted. Nonetheless, this was NEVER a football program issue.

On some levels, there should have been some minor wrist slap for allowing a non-coach access to the football facilities. There should have been a wrist slap for former coach Joe Paterno not following up the initial reports he made to the institution.

But by minor wrist slap, I mean that his statement which said he regretted not following up should have been the end of the story.This is not to say that I condone or in any way shape or form the actions committed by Sandusky. They are his and his alone and he must answer to whatever Greater Power in which he believes.

But the football program should have NEVER been punished for the actions of a coach who was no longer a coach.

2. If the NCAA felt that some form of punishment were necessary, what they handed down was so far over the line that it simply felt wrong. Sure. For those that want to see legends go down, this was a great thing; an icon blamed for the actions of a solo pervert. A program which had been above reproach for well over 40 years stained by the stupidity of one man and his superiors.

THE PROBLEM NOW

The NCAA has just bungled this worse by admitting their own wrongdoing. This is the second time in the last year that the NCAA has been seen as a buffoon bungling case after case.

The reality is that a certain cowboy who thought he could do what he wanted as some sort of vigilante has shown himself to be nothing more than power hungry. In the process he has destroyed what little, if any, integrity the institution might have.

There is no longer the pretense of an organization with integrity. The NCAA is simply a bad puppet show with a worse puppeteer calling the shots.

Simply put, it is time for Mark Emmert to step down. he has no control and no idea what direction to go. Every one of his decisions seems wrong and reactionary. Not only has his leadership been poor, it has been virtually absent. 

This decision almost certainly signals the end of the NCAA as it is currently structured.

A "super division" is fast approaching and it will change college football forever.