Thursday Skull Session

Yesterday, the Oregon football program, and the world, learned of the penalties the Ducks face (PDF if you're nasty) as a result of paying street agent Willie Lyles 25-large for his access and influence with blue chips recruits, under the guise of payment for bogus recruiting services, and the majority of unbiased observers consider the sanctions to be nothing more than a slap on the wrist. 

From my slightly-biased chair in the basement of 11W headquarters, I'd say the penalties more closely resemble a playful noogie for sneaking into the Chunky Chips Ahoy before dinner. 

But I won't feign outrage or get caught up in the foolish exercise of comparing one school's transgressions and subsequent sanctions to another because doing so would mean I'm working under the misguided belief that the NCAA's Committee on Infractions has any existing guidelines to work from when doling out penalties or that a revolving list of COI members would do anything to create consistency in the penalty phase of a case. 

Though cooperative throughout (let that be a lesson, Mike Garrett), the fact remains a runner was paid a large of sum of money to steer players to Eugene and virtually zero penalties of consequence were handed down. 

In total, the NCAA placed Oregon on three years probation, cut one scholarship each year over the next two seasons, reduced the number of paid official visits allowed from 56 to 37 over the next three academic years, decreased the number of football evaluation days from 42 to 36 in the fall of 2013, 2014 and 2015, and from 168 to 144 days in the spring of 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Showing the committee has a sense of humor, they also placed a ban on Oregon's ability to subscribe to to recruiting services during the probationary period. Way to get tough, guys. 

Of course, the real teeth in the sanctions came in the form of an 18 month show-cause penalty for Chip Kelly, aka the guy set to make $32 million from his NFL employer. Naturally, Kelly was quick to respond with a statement dripping in lulz:

Now that the NCAA has concluded their investigation and penalized the University of Oregon and its football program, I want to apologize to the University of Oregon, all of its current and former players and their fans. I accept my share of responsibility for the actions that led to the penalties. As I have I stated before, the NCAA investigation and subsequent ruling had no impact on my decision to leave Oregon for Philadelphia.

Stewart Mandel certainly wasn't impressed with any of it: 

How will Oregon ever recover from losing one scholarship in each of the next two years? How will the Ducks possibly build a recruiting class if they're only allowed 37 official prospect visits instead of the 41 they averaged the previous four years?

Mark Schlabach was equally amused:

In Eugene, Mark Helfrich, Oregon's new football coach, probably threw his arms into the air on Wednesday morning, relieved that he didn't inherit the same kind of program sanctions Ohio State's Urban Meyer did.

In Philadelphia, former Ducks coach Chip Kelly probably shrugged his shoulders, checked his investment accounts and then went back to drawing up X's and O's for the Philadelphia Eagles.

But in Indianapolis, a number of NCAA employees had to drop their heads into their hands, wondering whether college sports' governing body will ever again get anything right.

In the end, the NCAA's finishing move in this saga was anything but a surprise. On the bright side, I guess, even for the most fickle college football fan, at least this time kids who had nothing to do with the situation weren't penalized. 

SET YOUR CLOCK FOR 2PM EASTERN. On the heels of snagging three new verbals in four days, the Buckeyes will find out today at 2:00 p.m. if Jamarco Jones has designs on playing his college ball in Columbus. 

Jones, a consensus four-star offensive tackle and top 10 offensive lineman out of Chicago De La Salle Institute, will decide between Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State. Jones is considered a heavy Buckeye lean and would be a huge get that would complement the existing linemen in the class, Kyle Trout and Marcelys Jones. 

Despite the various experts trumpeting Jamarco to Ohio State, his comments about all three schools don't seem to paint the same slam-dunk stance as the various prognosticators. 

It's tough picking between these schools, but I am ready to get this over with and go back to being a normal kid. It was made a little easier once I decided to stay in the Midwest.

On Sparty:

Coach Dantonio and Coach Staten are great coaches, and I got to spend a lot of time with them throughout my visits and I got a great feel for them and I know they’re great coaches and can maximize my potential. Also, I’ll be challenged in the classroom at Michigan State as well, and I know most of the commits.

Mike Vrabel has been the lead recruiter on Jones and the kid has also built a solid connection with Ed Warriner while being very much aware of Urban's track record. 

Stay tuned to 11W this afternoon for the lowdown on Jones' decision and the ripple effect it will have, one way or theother, on the 2014 class. 

L'il Deshaun was never afraid to rock the stone-wash

TANKS OR NO TANKS? The 2013 NBA Draft begins tonight at 7:30 p.m. on the WWL and a few hours after that, Deshaun Thomas will learn if he's impressed a team enough to earn a mid-to-late 2nd round selection. 

Draft Express continues to have Thomas slotted 48th to the Los Angeles Lakers while Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com has Tank going 34th to the Houston Rockets.

Meanwhile, at last check, Chad Ford had Thomas undrafted. 

Chris Thomas, Deshaun's trainer and Purdue graduate, is supremely confident Tank will get drafted, comparing his offense to that of Michael Redd while dismissing criticism of Thomas' defensive abilities:

Nah, that’s draft talk. No one at his position plays real defense. If he can be consistent scoring and be efficient in scoring, he’ll be Ray Allen — no one talks about Ray Allen’s lack of defense, they only talk about him when he misses shots.

It only takes one and tonight we'll find out if at least one league GM thinks Deshaun's game has a place in the NBA. Fingers crossed for a great Buckeye. 

IT'S DRAFTY UP IN HERE. With the NBA Draft just hours away, the usual slew of draft related pieces are scattered about the internets yet just a few bring much to the table. One in particular penned by the venerable Eamonn Brennan, looked at both the 25 best college-produced NBA players since 1989 and the best pros who didn't play in college since 1989. His list goes 25 deep but I'll just look at the top 10 here. 

Which list has the edge? 

PUTTING LIPSTICK ON A PIG. At the risk of being in the minority, I've always thought the L.A. Coliseum was an over-hyped stack of concrete when it comes to staging football games though I do have great appreciation for the fact it was commissioned as a memorial to WWI veterans and has played host to many historical events. 

Earlier this week, USC athletic director Pat Haden announced approval of a deal between USC and the State of California permitting the university to move forward with plans to renovate the Coliseum. Over the next 10 years, the school will pour $70 million into the structure with a total of $100 million invested by 2054. 

YOUR END IS THE ROAD! Is this the Philippines or the set of Idiocracy?... Careful, Rookies, Pacman Jones be plottin'... 90-year-old man sets bench press record... Fresh clam, anyone?... From the Too Soon, Too Predictable archives: "Hernandez arrest bodes well for Tim Tebow at TE"... Upper Arlington named one of Top 10 educated places in U.S.... Columbus native, in a 'shroom-induced rage, rips off part of his... Larry Legend is Back!... The Great White Hop... ESPNU's TV schedule for The Opening 2013... The All-Time NBA Draft... This is the way I hope I go (NSFW?).