Friday, the NCAA finally made a ruling in the case of Mississippi State freshman Renardo Sidney, a forward on the men’s basketball team.
Sidney, who has already sat out of all 31 games this season, will have to sit out this entire season and the first nine games of next season. He will also have to repay $11,800 in order to be allowed to suit up for the Bulldogs.
The NCAA found Sidney received improper benefits during his high school years playing Amateur Athletic Union basketball. These benefits included multiple trips and athletic gear from his father’s employer, Reebok, on the basis of his athletic talent and potential future earning power. The NCAA also accused Sidney of being uncooperative and providing inaccurate information during the investigation.
Sidney signed his letter of intent April 29, 2009. During the 10-month-long investigation, the NCAA refused to accuse Sidney of any wrongdoing, instead requesting private information like bank records, seemingly trying to find some evidence of the wrongdoing they suspected. Eventually, the Sidneys did comply with all of the NCAA’s requests, but the NCAA still kept Sidney in limbo for months without letting him know his fate.
It is not fair for the NCAA to hold Sidney accountable for any actions other than his own, and if something shady went on between his father and Reebok, the NCAA should have to prove Sidney was actively involved before punishing him for it.
By contrast, No. 2 Kentucky point guard John Wall also had eligibility issues. Wall was found to have accepted improper benefits from his former AAU coach, who was also a certified agent. Of course, the NCAA finished its investigation before the season started and did not ask for bank records or any other private information.
Although the NCAA could have even gone so far as to declare Wall a professional and rule him entirely ineligible, it instead decided to suspend him for two games, one of which could be an exhibition.
In a paragon of unfairness, MSU’s own John Riek, who began this season with an NCAA-imposed nine-game suspension, was not allowed to count any exhibition games in his suspension, and Sidney will not be allowed to either.
The NCAA has even admitted they are trying to make an example of Sidney. In a release, NCAA vice president for academic and membership affairs Kevin Lennon said, “This case is about more than a single student-athlete.”
And that’s where this situation is not right. Sure, there may be rampant cheating in AAU basketball, and the NCAA should be commended for trying to crack down on it. For several years, the NCAA has looked the other way and only issued slaps on the wrist to some of the best incoming freshmen.
However, the NCAA should apply punishments fairly. It is not acceptable for the NCAA to clear a player for an elite team like Kentucky while laying down the hammer for a player from a less prestigious program like Mississippi State.
This double standard makes the NCAA seem disingenuous. While they claim to be cracking down on cheating, they are actually forcing the punishment only on lower-tier schools while money-generating elite teams get away with it.
If Wall and other players with violations had been suspended for 130 percent of a season, we could all just accept the situation that the NCAA is finally cracking down. However, when the NCAA makes arbitrary, inconsistent rulings like these, it ruins the fairness and integrity of the game.
The Reflector editorial board is made up of opinion editor Harry Nelson, news editor April Windham, assistant news editor Julia Pendley, sports editor Bob Carskadon, entertainment editor Hannah Rogers, photo editor Ariel Nachtigal, copy editors Amy Addington and David Breland, graphic designer Carl Carbonell, managing editor Aubra Whitten and editor in chief Kyle Wrather.
For more information on the Renardo Sidney saga, read “Sidney suspended, MSU to appeal”