The NCAA, which leads the world in searching out lawbreakers and issuing swift sentences -- edging out Russia and the Justice Department for the honor -- has recently learned of another violator.
Itself.The NCAA discovered, thanks to a poll conducted by the University of Michigan, that many of its basketball and football referees gamble or associate with gambling elements, and some even influence the outcome of a game because of it.
The referees are employees of the NCAA, and, therefore, we can consider them part of the NCAA. Bottom line: Gamblers are in the ranks, under the NCAA's very nosy nose. The very caretakers of the game are dirty. The NCAA has thrown the book at players and coaches for less, so . . . what will they throw at themselves?
They suspended at least seven players this season for relatively petty infractions, most of them committed because the players were poor and needy. The NCAA suspended Auburn's Chris Porter for taking $2,500 from an agent; the money, the player explained, was needed to prevent his mother's eviction. Porter, by the way, passed up a chance to be taken in the first round of the NBA draft to stay in school and finish his degree to set an example for his sons. Bet he's glad he returned.
The NCAA, which collects millions and millions of dollars from its basketball tournament, suspended Andre Williams of Oklahoma State because a family foundation paid his prep-school tuition, just as it did for dozens of other unprivileged kids, only a few of whom went on to play college basketball. They suspended St. John's Erick Barkley twice, once because a church paid part of his prep-school tuition -- a church that had no ties to any university. They also suspended JaRon Rush of UCLA for accepting benefits from an AAU coach while he was in high school and for the $200 he received from an agent two years ago. They suspended Jamal Crawford of Michigan twice -- once for his living arrangements while still in high school and once because he tried to make himself eligible for the NBA draft in high school (the NCAA allows a one-time exemption for college players but not high school players). Cincinnati's DerMarr Johnson and Missouri's Kareem Rush also were punished for accepting relatively small amounts of money.
The NCAA has sent a message with its latest witch hunt: swift punishment, no middle ground. Now the NCAA must punish itself for failing to keep closer tabs on the whereabouts and doings of its referees.
The powers that be at the NCAA have been increasingly concerned about gambling on college sports. They once threatened to withhold press credentials for the Final Four to any newspaper that publishes point spreads on college games. They are currently lobbying Congress to pass legislation that would ban gambling on college games. They issue warnings to players and coaches not to associate with gamblers.
Somehow, they forgot to tell the guys who police their games. A study released late last month revealed that 84 percent of referees and other officials of Division 1 football and men's and women's basketball games have engaged in gambling since accepting their jobs. About 40 percent of those surveyed said they have bet on sporting events, and 2.2 percent said they used bookies. The study polled 640 officials.
The most common type of gambling was visiting a casino (66 percent), followed by playing a lottery (51 percent) and playing a slot or other gaming machine (50.2 percent). One-third said they gambled on the Super Bowl. This might seem like petty offenses, but they're no pettier than busting a player for receiving $200 in high school. Anyway, it gets worse.
About 3 percent of the respondents were identified as problem or pathological gamblers. Two individuals said they had been approached and asked to fix a game. Almost 2 percent said they knew of other officials who had unfairly called a game for reasons related to gambling.
The last thing referees need is a gambling rap hanging over their heads. It's not as if fans aren't suspicious of them anyway, whenever they make a call that doesn't go their way.
The NCAA's choice is clear. The powers-that-be must suspend themselves for a season. They can see how they like it.