I don’t think the NCAA has ever let anybody “pick the game.” Those suspensions come from the schools themselves (ex. a failed drug test) or maybe the SEC. We want the NCAA to be consistent. To do that, their suspensions should be immediate (after they’re handed down or whatever appeal process there might be is exhausted) without any consideration to opponent. It sucks for us and Maason, but the last thing we want is some bureaucrat arbitrarily deciding which games are “big” and which aren’t. Now, whether they should have taken his missed season last year into consideration is another story. But I’m “ok” with it as long as they are consistent when similar situations arise in the future.

I hate the NCAA as much as the next guy and agree that this suspension is ridiculous. But just to play devil’s advocate a bit, the NCAA has a new administration this year lead by the former Governor of New Hampshire or Massachusetts or somewhere up there. And from what I’ve read and heard him say, he seems to be aware of the perception problem they have. They appear feckless and to levy punishments arbitrarily without consistency or transparency. If the President is trying to change that perception, they’ve got to be consistent with their punishments and transparent with the schools. And they can’t go back on a punishment that was handed down previously, even if it was done by the prior administration or even if they don’t agree with it. Because that’s when the arbitrariness and perception of favoritism appears. If they waved Mason’s suspension, what about all the other penalties that were handed down in past seasons?

Again, it sucks and seems ridiculous now that NIL is in full swing. But if we’re gonna be a member of the NCAA—and we are—I’d prefer them be consistent with all member schools. It looks like they are at least trying to do so by at least being more strict and denying immediate illegibility after 2nd transfers instead of granting them all willy nilly like the previous administrations were. I also like that he’s pushing for federal legislation to help govern NIL. A lot of people think Congress should stay out of college athletics, but I disagree. It’s a multi-billion dollar a year industry, and trying to get all schools on as even and fair a playing field as possible is in the best interest of college football and all other sports. Granted, I don’t know what that legislation looks like or if it’s even possible, but I like that he, appears anyway, to have fairness as his aim.