Joseph Goodman of AL.com says Auburn and LSU have tipped the scales of ethics in SEC basketball.
Here is an excerpt:
And if that weren’t enough pressure on Oats to do everything in his power to win, then there’s this. Over the past two years, Auburn coach Bruce Pearl has had two assistant coaches linked to separate federal investigations into the rampant and institutionalized corruption of college basketball. And what did Pearl get?
Suspension? Slap on the wrist? Stern talking to?
No, Pearl just got a five-year contract extension last week making him one of the top 10 paid coaches in the sport. Is he worth it? Yes. He has made Auburn basketball relevant again, which few thought possible before he arrived under a show cause.
Whether you think Pearl is a safe investment is beside the point here. Auburn does, and so Oats has some catching up to do. And a few things to learn.
The SEC’s motto is, “It just means more.” Ice-T said it better: “Don’t hate the player. Hate the game.”
Auburn’s win-at-all costs persona, it seems, has titled the scales of ethics in the SEC. Apparently, the league is now going to let everything slide.
This week down in the bayou, LSU made the decision to reinstate basketball coach Will Wade despite Wade reportedly being caught on tape by the FBI talking about a “strong-ass offer” for a recruit. If this is the new reality of the SEC, then best of luck to the NCAA compliance officials at each member institution.
