NCAA Fair or Foul?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (or NCAA as we know it) is beginning to show its muscle even more than usual these days. Just ask Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Before the season even started Bryant was approached by Marcus M. Wilson, NCAA’s assistant director of agent, gambling and amateurism activities, in July. Wilson then proceeded to question the young receiver about meetings with former NFL star Deion Sanders. The interview unnerved the young man causing him to lie to the official.

“I just panicked because I was scared and afraid that I was in some kind of trouble.” said Bryant in a 2 page apology to the NCAA that the Associated Press obtained "I was scared because I was thinking, why would the NCAA talk to me unless they thought I had done something wrong, even though I did not think I had."

In September the NCAA declared the All-American ineligible to play for the Cowboys and was expected to appear for a follow up interview with the NCAA on Tuesday in Indianapolis. He has already missed two of the school's five games this season and the rest of his season is still in jeopardy. The crime being the lie and not the actual meeting with Sanders.

Was this going too far?

Oklahoma State, who asked the NCAA to go easy on Bryant, thinks so. And if you ask Florida State and head coach Bobby Bowden they would likely agree.

The NCAA investigated the school and found that many student-athletes were guilty of academic cheating last October. The NCAA Committee then proposed to vacate victories from coaches and athletes-even those not implicated in the crime. Florida State has appealed the proposition delaying the final ruling of the NCAA.



Is the NCAA going too far in making a point?

Many see the increase in authoritative action as a benefit. As NCAA football expert Michael David Smith wrote, the lack of consistent discipline can harm the institution. Citing three separate incidences of players punching opposing players, he feels the response of each school gives a bad example to how misbehavior should be handled. When the same misbehavior is punished with a range from one game to one entire season, there is something wrong.

Maybe they should take a page out of the NFL discipline book. Commissioner Roger Goodell since beginning his tenure in 2006 has implemented a new Personal Conduct Policy after a season of scandal from his players. The policy has made it detrimental for a player to act up on or off the field and has set a precedent for future seasons.

Goodell has tightened his grip on the league but when someone acts out there is no question as to how the commissioner will act.

Should the NCAA remain an entity where they leave the punishments to particular schools or should they become more like the pros and make a "universal code of ethics" for the student-athletes with a set discipline regiment?

It's an iffy subject as the NCAA tries to be the governing body of college athletics yet allow a laissez-faire style of punishment with results that may not bode well for the future.

Life After Four Years

Undergraduates are considering a path that many would never have thought to do after they receive their Baccalaureate's.

Grad school.

"It's an opportunity to further my education and get a prospective career" says Christopher Godfrey a senior journalism student at St. John's University. "I never considered grad school until I came to St. Johns"

St. Johns' University, as do many other Universities, offers an extensive graduate program in seven different schools that cover a plethora of fields. From liberal arts and sciences to education, business and even law.

Brittany Tucker, a senior communications major, is about ready to wrap up her undergraduate career and is making preparations for life after her commencement walk. She is ready to take the LSAT in December and hopes to get into law school after graduation.

"I chose communications to have a broad field to study under" Tucker said "But I always wanted to go into law, which I hope will be my safety net."

And a safety net is just what students now a days hope for after the current state of the economy has left them discouraged about their futures.

Stephanie Sica, a senior journalism student, is very worried about the job opportunities. For someone who wants to get into the magazine journalism business, recent news about publishers 'canning' certain magazines have made life after graduation a scary thought.

"I feel that there won't be a job after I'm done," Sica said "that's why I'm going to grad school."

This seem to be a growing trend for students who feel that this is the perfect time to go to grad school. The job market is increasingly becoming more competitive and opportunities seem few and far in between.

"Now because of the economic situation, it seems better to go to grad school." says Godfrey

And many experts agree citing the economic status of the country as a "springboard" for people to go after their masters degree.

US News and World Report did a story following the Graduate School trend.

It Was Bound to Happen

Yesterday the 3-0 New York Jets went into New Orleans to face off against the Saints who were also 3-0.

It was a clash of undefeated teams, the Jets with the number one defense in the league against the Saints and their high octane offense. Who will win?


Well, by the end of the game it was Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez who single handedly lost them the game.

Sanchez would turnover the ball four times to seal his team's fate in a 24-10 loss yesterday. Now turnovers are never a good thing, but in this case the timing and outcome of those turnovers stuck out in a game that was well played by both teams.

The first turnover came in the second quarter with the Jets trailing 3-0 and knocking on the door of the end-zone. As Sanchez stepped back at the Saints 10 yard line and threw a bullet of a pass into the hands of another player. Unfortunately that player was Darren Sharper of the Saints who would take the interception back 99 yards for a touchdown putting his team up 10-0.

The second turnover (and arguably the worst) was when the Jets were pinned back on their own 3 yard line and Sanchez dropped back in his own end zone. He looked around for an open man when 3...2...1... a Saint defender grabbed him from behind knocking the ball out of his hands. The ball was then recovered by another defender in the end zone for the second touchdown. The Jets were now down 17-0 and essentially out of the game.




The Jet's defense (which has become the cornerstone of the team) kept Saints QB Drew Brees and the offense quiet for most of the game keeping the Jets hopes alive especially when they cut the game to 17-10. But it was the rookie mistakes of someone who looked like a seasoned vet for the first 3 games of the season.

But we forget that rookie Mark Sanchez is just that, a rookie. It was going to happen sooner or later and we can't completely fault his play. He is just going to have to learn from what happened like everyone else and play on.

I'm sure Jets Nation will forgive this one blunder if he can recreate his performance prior to Sunday's game. So yea, the day after we criticize him and what not but we can't forget that this is the kid who became the first rookie QB to start 3-0 in the modern era of the NFL (1972). The same kid who defeated the Titans and the much maligned New England Patriots in superb fashion.

Sanchez will be fine and the Jets will try to get back on track this Sunday when they face off against division rival the Miami Dolphins