Google-Double Secret Probation & Alabama is there

The 2009 college football season is sadly over & even more sad is a team on probation was crowned the 2009 BCS National Champions......The University of Alabama. In 2002 the NCAA placed Alabama on probation for 5 years for the illegal recruiting of Memphis Trezevant High's Albert Means. Means was a 5 star defensive lineman that was a lock to be a great college player. Alabama booster Logan Young(who has since been brutally murdered) paid Trezevant High's football coach Lynn Lang $200,000 to steer Means to Alabama, which he did. Ironically, Means never started for Alabama & later transferred to University of Memphis where he had a marginal career at best. Alabama was also required to reduce 21 scholarships over 3yrs & banned from postseason. Paul Dee, the NCAA's chair of committee on Infractions was quoted" I pray that I never see the University of Alabama before this committee again!" Strong words but not worth the air he used to say them. In June of 2009 Alabama would once again be put on probation for a major violation. It would be discovered that during 2005-07 while still serving probation from the other major violation, student athletes including football players were guilty of obtaining free textbooks for other students. Granted, it was university wide involving 16 sports teams, not just the football team but still a major violation. They would be forced to vacate 21 football wins from the 2005-007 seasons & placed on 3 more years of probation.....but no scholarships were lost & they were NOT banned from postseason play. Way to go Paul Dee, you really taught them a lesson....NOT! Lack of institutional control is the buzz word of the NCAA, obviously Nick Saban has the coaching control as evidence of the past two 12-0 regular season records. You know really who should be pissed off.....Auburn fans! They were on probation in 1993 for cheating & went 11-0 finishing #4 in the country because they were banned from t.v. & post season play. What is up with the state of Alabama? Nothing else to do down there but cheat to gain an advantage in college football? I find it horrible that a program can be awarded a National Championship while serving probation for major violations; talk about rewarding bad behavior. I know what some are thinking about my beloved Tennessee Volunteers & the recent violations but the truth of the matter is secondary violations don't amount to more than a slap on the wrist & every team in the country breaks theses rules from time to time. Hell, the manual on recruiting is 500+ pages thick. So Alabama enjoy your 8th not 13th National Championship & keep on singing that dumbass Yella Hammer song all the while you are still on probation until June 2012 for breaking the major rules. Go job, cheaters do win & I'm sure you will be just as good next year. If I was your staff, I would ramp up the cheating efforts as the NCAA must be scared of you. Well, the Big Orange Nation isn't, so kick us while we are down because we won't be there long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rip Pewett avid SEC football fan