General

Dez Bryant’s Problems May Not Be Limited To Dez Bryant

Oct 9, 2009, 6:55 PM UTC

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â†µâ†µThe NCAA’s season-long (and therefore career-long, as Bryant isâ†µheaded for the NFL next year) suspension of Oklahoma State All-Americanâ†µwideout Dez Bryant seemed draconian when it was announced a couple daysâ†µago. Bryant got caught lying to NCAA investigators about someâ†µhobnobbing with Deion Sanders and possibly nefarious agents. â†µ

â†µâ†µThis was met with a general hue and cry about 19- and 20-year-oldsâ†µmaking stupid mistakes and the vague hope that the NCAA would rescind orâ†µreduce Bryant’s punishment. That may still happen -- Bryant isâ†µappealing -- but the case is expandingâ†µpast the eligibility of one receiver: â†µ

â†µâ†µâ‡¥According to e-mail correspondence, obtained by Theâ†µâ‡¥Oklahoman through a state open records request to OSU, Bryant wasâ†µâ‡¥interviewed by the NCAA on Aug. 28 - eight days before his twoâ†µâ‡¥touchdowns lifted the Cowboys to a 24-10 victory [over Georgia]â†µâ‡¥and put him on the cover of Sports Illustrated.â†µâ‡¥
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â†µâ‡¥â†µâ‡¥In an Aug. 31 e-mail to OSU associate athletic director forâ†µâ‡¥compliance Scott Williams, an NCAA official asked: “Why doesâ†µâ‡¥(Bryant’s) story keep changing?”â†µâ‡¥
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â†µâ‡¥On Sept. 2, responding to an inquiry about Bryant’s status,â†µâ‡¥an NCAA official reminded Williams “it is the institution’sâ†µâ‡¥responsibility to certify the eligibility of its student-athletes,”â†µâ‡¥adding that OSU “must feel comfortable that Mr. Bryant is eligibleâ†µâ‡¥to compete.”â†µâ‡¥

â†µâ†µâ†µSo Oklahoma State knew something was afoot with Bryant and Sandersâ†µbut still fielded the kid for OSU’s opening three games. Doctorâ†µSaturday suggests that this might cause the NCAA to declare OSU’sâ†µopening two wins as forfeits, thus opening up a huge can of worms as farâ†µas polls and whatnot go. If Georgia retroactively “beat”â†µOklahoma State, how does the Coaches’ Poll react? Probably by votingâ†µArmy #1 because they think it’s still 1945. Zing! â†µ

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â†µBut seriously, folks: an in-season declaration of forfeiture wouldâ†µbe, as far as I know, unprecedented. Previous cases for Oklahoma andâ†µFlorida State (and in basketball, Memphis and Michigan and UConn) haveâ†µall come after the shouting's over, leaving the forfeits little moreâ†µthan asterisks in a media guide. How would voters in the sport whereâ†µpublic perception is hugely important react to a Georgiaâ†µ"win"? I don't think anyone knows.â†µ

â†µâ†µFor that reason alone, college football should hope the specter ofâ†µforfeiture passes over without taking Oklahoma State’s firstborn. And,â†µhell, isn’t it ridiculous that players can’t talk or accept gifts fromâ†µnon-affiliated agents? Amateurism is a mostly outdated concept and theâ†µrules in place serve only to force Deion Sanders and other runners toâ†µthe forefront; allowing players to sign with agents and accept someâ†µregulated amount of cash in anticipation of a pro career would benefitâ†µjust about everyone. The chances of that, of course, are nil.â†µ

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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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