The Big Ten is a Joke Part Deux

Jim's evil twin Dim Jelany.

Last week, we witnessed the Big Ten bombing on its bowl games.  On New Years Day, the Big Ten went an impressive 0 for 5.  But being bad at football isn't why the Big Ten is a joke; we all know that the Big Ten sucks at football.  This isn't shocking late breaking news.  The Big Ten is a joke because of its hypocrisy.

A few weeks ago, Big Ten El Presidente Senior, Jim Delany, jumped all over the NCAA's decision on Cam Newton.   Delany said, "What I would say on any third-party issue is that the analysis in my view, whether you're an assistant coach, president or a booster or a parent, is that there ought to be accountability."  Delany has always said the SEC was receiving preferential treatment from the NCAA.  Delany's point was that Auburn's argument--Cam Newton is innocent by reason of ignorance because he didn't know what was going on--is unacceptable as a defense. He believes someone should be accountable and face consequences for the actions that have taken place. Wait, you mean Cecil Newton's lack of contact with the program isn't a 

consequence?

Then, Terrelle Pryor happened.  Pryor and five other Ohio State players were caught selling memorabilia from their Ohio State games.  Pryor, being the upstanding young man he is, denied this at first, then gave in and said yes he did it.  Pryor and the other Ohio State players said that they were not guilty because they didn't know they weren't allowed to sell these items.  Really? You didn't know?  Ohio State has the largest compliance department in the country.  Who doesn't know that, as a college football player, making a profit from selling memorabilia is against the rules?  Did you miss the whole A.J. Green story this year?  So, the NCAA punishes them by suspending them for 5 games. One would think that is reasonable, but wait, they still got to play in the Sugar Bowl?  The suspensions are for next year.  So if any of these six enter the NFL draft they will completely escape punishment.  Of course coach Tressel says that all six promised him they would be back next year.  Otherwise, they wouldn't have been allowed to go to the Sugar Bowl.  Well, at least we know they are honest and have never lied before.

So what was Jim, voice of morality and accountability, Delany's reaction?  Silence.  Not a word.  No great statement of morality and accountability now.  Hypocrite.  Was it you Jim Delany who said the SEC got special treatment?  Or was that your evil twin?

Let's look at another Big Ten myth while we are at it.  The Big Ten has for years said that one of the reasons they suck at football is they have such high academic standards.  The accepted national standard for judging the academic standards of a football program is its APR.  The APR is the academic progress report.  It's a number that looks at how many kids from your team are actually graduating with a degree.  It can be affected by kids leaving for the draft , transferring , or just plain not making it in school.  The national average APR for this year is 947.  In the Big Ten, you have Ohio State and Penn State with an above average APR.  In the SEC, you have Alabama, Florida, LSU, Kentucky, Georgia, and Vandy with an above average APR.  The fact Alabama has an above average APR of 957 and lost 9 players to the NFL is impressive alone.  What happened to that Big Ten moral advantage in scholarship?

The bottom line is the Big Ten has only one major difference separating it from any other confrence in major college football.  Every conference has cheaters, every conference has teams that don't excel in the classroom. The big difference for the Big Ten? They suck at football. 







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