January 09, 2004
No More Sanctions for Bama
After allowing competing schools to spend months telling prospects that 'Bama was due more sanctions from the NCAA, the Infractions Committee notified the Alabama Athletic Department that no more sanctions would come. The letter was sent to University President Robert E. Witt from NCAA Committee on Infractions Chairman Thomas E. Yeager. The letter stated that a “reasonable time” for the committee to re-examine the case has elapsed. The committee had previously stated that if new information from proceedings in Memphis became available within a reasonable time the committee had the prerogative to re-open the case.
Kirk McNair, an editor for 'BamaMag (along with a host of Tide Fans) is unimpressed by the letter:Parts of the letter would be laughable were in not for the incredible harm done to The University, a cost of millions of dollars and Bama’s football program put at a competitive disadvantage for years. The letter referred to the “unintended consequence” of Alabama basically receiving the recruiting disadvantage of schools being able to allege that more penalties would be assessed against the Crimson Tide. This was no more “unintended” than was the infractions committee issuing its original report of charges only days before the 2002 Signing Day after having allowed Alabama to twist in the wind for months.
This sort of feeling is not surprising, however -- the entire process leading up to Alabama's sanctions was rife with obvious malice and injustice. If other investigations are as poorly run as this one was, one has to seriously question each and every penalty handed down.
Luckily for the Tide, though, no more penalties will be coming their way.
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