While anyone who claims that seeing a school like SMS receive three years of probation while other, bigger institutions skirt the NCAA would by lying, it is frustrating to see a Small Guy get such a harsh punishment for what are clearly inferior infractions when compared to what has/is happening at larger schools.
The Redhawks’ men’s and women’s programs were hit with some pretty heavy penalties yesterday.
The committee found that the impermissible presence of men’s basketball coaching staff members during summer strength and conditioning activities and observation of out-of-season pick-up games occurred in 2006 and 2007. The committee also found that impermissible extra benefits were given to two men’s basketball student-athletes: one in the amount of $239 for unpaid institutional fees in August 2007, and the other when the former assistant coach drove a student-athlete 171 miles from campus to Memphis in October 2006.
Yeah, $239 is laughable in the world of hush-hush college basketball, but they do need to be punished. The former assistant driving the student-athlete case relates to the athlete going to see his child, by the way.
The university has put some sanctions on itself, such as taking away a scholarship per year for the next three; cutting back on supervised workouts from coaches to two per week; and eliminating 15 potential recruiting trips.
NCAA infractions committee announces Southeast Missouri State University athletic violations {Southeast Missourian}
