Here's what I think:
It's been four years since the NCAA investigation into USC began. In January of this year the investigation was complete. The Committee on Infractions met February 19- 21 and presumably discussed the findings of that investigation. The fact that the NCAA set a date for a hearing indicates that they have already found allegations of wrongdoing and notified USC of those findings and that USC was given 90 days to respond and has responded to the allegations. According to " typical NCAA procedures" if there was a decision by the COI to punish USC in any way, an announcement would be made six to eight weeks after that February hearing.
Pete Carroll's only defense has been the implausible claim that USC couldn't be guilty of anything because they didn't know it was going on. But what does he care? He flew the coop as the storm troopers made their way in. Pete Carroll, who was photographed in his own locker room with the infamous sports agents of record, took the coward's way out. Lane Kiffin, in his original way, has echoed the sentiments of Pete Carroll. It's as if neither of them are bright enough to understand the meaning of "Lack of Institutional Control."
In the meantime everybody at USC has used the "deny, deny, deny" defense. And fans of USC bemoan the injustice of punishing players who were in junior high or high school when the offenses occurred. They are right. Those punishments aren't fair, but they were never fairāincluding in 2002 when it happened to players at Alabama. The only injustice to beat it would be if innocent Alabama teams suffered scholarship losses, post-season bans, and the resultant mediocre seasons for years after 2002, and innocent USC teams in 2010 and onward for a while do not.
Now the NCAA has a problem on its hands.
The University of Alabama self-reported its 2007 textbook problem as soon as they knew about it and took it on the chin. In that case, textbooks were acquired by student athletes for their friends, but no money was exchanged. And the textbooks had to be turned in to the school or paid for at the end of each semester. UA voluntarily benched the football players involved until the NCAA gave them leave to put the players back on the field. Textbook distribution policies and procedures were tightened to eliminate the possibility of "unfair advantage" in the future. And still the NCAA vacated 21 of Alabama's wins from that period, threatened the death penalty, and left them on probation.
If the NCAA COI slams the profitable powerhouse USC with the punishment they deserve, it will be a blow to the coffers of the NCAA and BCS. But if USC is allowed to skate after they have demonstrated such a lack of regard for the rules and then lied about it, the explosive reactions from across the country will shake the NCAA to its foundations.
Late in April, the typical eight weeks in which that NCAA news conference on USC punishments should have taken place elapsed. Today is May 22, so now 12 weeks have passed. The Tuesdays and Thursdays are rolling by. And the clock is still ticking. What is going on at the NCAA?
