Time to let you in on a little secret: If I wasn't a sports writer or teaching, I would be doing something with religion. The historical combined with the theological are very interesting to me.
Bet ya' didn't know that about me!
Luckily, I can combine all the things that I enjoy right now. It's my blog and I'll do it if I want to.
Anyway, this weekend, Jay Tust of KTVB produced one of the finest stories I have ever read. It was, of course, his story on incoming Boise State junior college recruit Antoine Turner. Reading his background and that he's currently homeless until the NCAA says he can arrive on campus made me upset. It brought back bitter, angry memories of BSU's Couchgate and other such injustices.
Frankly, it pissed me off.
Miami gets off easy after a rogue booster provided cash, drugs, hookers and who knows what else to student-athletes who already have more than enough, but Turner can't get any sort of help from Boise State until a time approved by the NCAA.
And the NCAA has its student-athletes' best interests in mind. Right. And letting a 20-year-old live in a car while there are ample resources to remedy the situation just reeks of being charitable, intelligent and is clearly in his "best interest." Give him a place to stay.
As long as it's not on a couch, right?
The blatant and unashamed hypocrisy are palpable. Has there ever been a group of people in the history if the world more two-faced, phony or pretentious than the NCAA?
Here's where my interest in religious history comes into play.
In the New Testament (in the Bible), a group of people called the Pharisees and the Sadducees were in charge of the Jewish people at the time Jesus Christ was on the earth. Quick background info. here; the Pharisees and Sadducees were a political party/social movement that was originally tasked with keeping the Law of Moses, which is a very strict set of guidelines for the Jews.
What became the calling card for the Pharisees and Sadducees made sure the Law of Moses was followed. But they did it in a way that spawned a common saying: They keep the letter of the law and ignore the spirit of the law. Meaning, the strict rules of the Law of Moses were to be followed regardless. Any emotion, logic or sense is taken out of the process. Meanwhile, they do what they want, be it in accordance with or against the established laws.
You know, kind of like the NCAA. Let's make it up as we go and hope no one notices.
The Pharisees and Sadducees taught about God, but did not love God (read the Book of Matthew, chapter 23). The NCAA teaches amateurism, but makes bank off the images and success of the amateurs.
The Pharisees and Sadducees tithed spices and regulated how many steps a person can take on the Sabbath Day (seriously), but did it all in a one-size-fits-all approach and ignored the crucial points of the Law of Moses, such as mercy, love and justice. The NCAA penalizes schools when a player/prospect receives an "impermissible" hamburger, sleeps on a couch, hitches a ride to the store, is given a piece of gum or a handful of sunflower seeds, all while truly needy student-athletes live on the street or in a car.
The Pharisees and Sadducees feigned the appearance of being clean, wholesome and endearing while in reality they were selfish, ungrateful and into some really freaky, sexual things. The NCAA fakes its love for "maintaining an appropriate balance of values" (see president Mark Emmert's speech regarding the unprecedented Penn State sanctions) in regards to student-athletes while at the same time Cam Newton and Johnny Manziel escape real punishment because of loopholes.
The Pharisees and Sadducees stoned and killed people who they saw as unfit to be in their presence. The NCAA uses people like Big 10 commissioner Jim Delaney as a spokesperson, and they demean, belittle and dismiss anyone who calls into question the fallibility of the NCAA legislation in a laughing, you're-not-worth-my-time-or-energy manner.
Basically, it all comes down to the Pharisees and Sadducees and the NCAA being a bunch of lying hypocrites who don't want to escape the status quo for fear of losing their lofty status.
Just in case you need more reason to strongly dislike the NCAA, read this wonderful piece by "The NCAA's Theatre Of The Absurd."
Care to share your own ideas? Feel free.
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