A Question, The Only Answer Introduction: In a day and age when, the U.S. Congress should be worrying about taxes, crime, national infrastructure and terrorism, our fearless leaders in the House of Representatives have scheduled a hearing on September 14 to investigate the way the NCAA governs college sports. AP Article: U.S Representative Spencer Bachus, R-Alabama, announced Wednesday, the hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C. will concern actions taken by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in its investigations of university programs. In calling for the review, Bachus alleged that the NCAA often imposes penalties on schools without due process and has “lost the public confidence.” Response: Do we really care if the NCAA has lost public confidence? When was the last time any of you thought the NCAA was totally out of whack handing down penalties for recruiting or program violations? Is this a problem? The Congress? Geez, I’m not totally blaming Rep. Bachus for this idiocy, as he wasn’t the only one involved in getting this matter in front of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. A majority of Representatives on the committee had to want to review this issue. What does that say about our leaders? What about my social security? What about my health insurance? Did I get any help paying back my student loans? This is not a political issue… this is college football. AP Article: Bachus states, “The NCAA’s repeated failure to adopt meaningful reforms that afford even the most basic due process makes it apparent that this problem will not be resolved by the NCAA unilaterally.” Bachus has said his call for a hearing was not prompted by any specific case, but the NCAA has drawn criticism in his state for its probes of Alabama and Auburn in recent years. Two years ago, the NCAA place Alabama’s football program on probation for five years, banned it from bowls for two years and imposed heavy scholarship reductions for recruiting violations. In April, Auburn’s football program received two years of probation and the loss of a scholarship. The NCAA charged an AAU coach was improperly acting as a representative of the university when he arranged to wire $3,125 to one high school prospect and get a car for another. Response: So no specific problem prompted Bachus’ call for a review of the NCAA? How could he say that with a straight face? I wonder if he is a Auburn or Alabama booster? If people think that college football has become such a problem that we have to decide NCAA legislation in court then America is about to fall like the Roman Empire. As far as I’m concerned, the penalties imposed on Alabama and Auburn didn’t go far enough. I know Alabama and Auburn boosters are a little pissed off, but this is college football. I know major college football is a multi-million dollar business, but it’s still college football. Why do the rules have to be broken in the first place, because….. it’s college football. The booster should take the frickin’ money they would have spent on the Alabama and Auburn football programs and give to a homeless shelter. Or better yet fork out some money and give the homeless person a job and a place to live. What irritates me even more is the fact that there are people in this world to break NCAA rules just so there college football team can win. Reality break…. it’s just college football. AP Article: Reacting to Wednesday’s announcement, NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson said, “When many people think of due process, they are thinking about the types of procedures portrayed on TV shows like ‘Law and Order.’ The NCAA process is actually very different. It is similar to the procedures our member colleges and universities use in administrative proceedings with students or faculty and staff. Still, the NCAA enforcement process does offer a multitude of due-process protections for institutions and individuals involved.” Response: Why should the NCAA even have to respond to such accusations? The last time I heard, colleges didn’t have to belong to the NCAA. If there are so many colleges that don’t like the NCAA, why don’t they form their own national affiliation? You know, like the NWCA or National Whining Colleges Association and IWMIA or It Wasn’t Me Intercollegiate Association. Conclusion: After September 11, 2001, I really thought the citizens and lawmakers of the United States would lose focus on such ridiculous and frivolous nonsense. Instead, I thought our generation would concentrate on issues such as making this country a better place to raise a family. Instead, I thought our generation would concentrate on making this great country a better place for our children and their children. I could understand having a hearing concerning the prevention of terrorist attacks on college football stadiums, but not on college football infractions and the penalties handed out to higher education institutions? Have we forgotten already the lessons we should have learned? Are we holding Judiciary Committee reviews just for something to do? I want to go back to the time in my life…. when college football was just college football.