The NCAA has put some people on probation for ridiculous things over
the years, but Utah's
case is really stupid: Rick Majerus, who you may remember lives in a hotel
and has no kitchen, took players out for a hamburger so that he could talk to
them about whatever issues needed to be discussed. The penalty? Three
years probation for "lack of institutional control."
To make
it even stupider, had Majerus bought the food and eaten it in his hotel room, it
would have been fine, and the NCAA has overhauled the rule so that now it would
be legal as long as the meals were documented.
This is madness. We
understand the intent of the rule, which is to keep schools (read: coaches) from
picking up the tab at fancy restaurants, but all Majerus did was buy a burger
and talk about personal issues. This is one of those times when the NCAA
should show some flexibility.