Fans, media blast NCAA ruling on Baylor as another example of abject failure
The NCAA on Wednesday handed down a decision against Baylor, and for many fans and media, it was another example of how the organization has failed in its duty.
At issue are the events at Baylor while Art Briles was the coach and amid a major sexual assault scandal.
The NCAA’s Committee on Infractions handed down its ruling, and reported that while there were violations uncovered, the NCAA panel that oversaw the case “could not conclude that Baylor violated NCAA rules when it failed to report allegations of and address sexual and interpersonal violence committed on its campus.”
Most reaction centered on this portion of the text:
“Baylor admitted to moral and ethical failings in its handling of sexual and interpersonal violence on campus but argued those failings, however egregious, did not constitute violations of NCAA rules. Ultimately, and with tremendous reluctance, this panel agrees,” the panel said in its decision. “To arrive at a different outcome would require the [committee] to ignore the rules the Association’s membership has adopted — rules under which the [committee] is required to adjudicate. Such an outcome would be antithetical to the integrity of the infractions process.”
Here’s a sample of some of the media and fan reaction:
NCAA’s Baylor ruling, in something of a nutshell: A lot of bad stuff happened but we can’t really penalize a lot of it, but we did get them on impermissible benefits. https://t.co/wQGk7hd2GT
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) August 11, 2021
So we’re looking at completely redoing the entire NCAA rulebook and constitution later this year.
After the last decade, would schools ever want NCAA 2.0 to levy penalties based on abject failures to protect students?https://t.co/rxfgS4kzgU pic.twitter.com/72saQJbcjX
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) August 11, 2021
The NCAA Committee on Infractions stance reads as essentially: We reluctantly can’t do more to punish Baylor because we don’t have NCAA rules/COI precedent to back us up. https://t.co/k9VT8VsgNJ pic.twitter.com/HAPotDh4bv
— Max Olson (@max_olson) August 11, 2021
This quote! If what occurred at Baylor doesn’t violate NCAA rules, what the hell is the point of having rules? pic.twitter.com/r25875kktI
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) August 11, 2021
The NCAA Infractions system clearly doesn’t work, and I realize none of this is really new, but boy, it’s depressing to read “we can’t penalize Baylor for failing to respond to athlete assault allegations because Baylor wasn’t responding to ANY assault allegations”
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) August 11, 2021
All victims. Apparently only some victims matter to the NCAA, baylor fans, and others on here though.
— NCNittany (@NittanyNC) August 11, 2021
NCAA: ‘Because Baylor wasn’t good at responding to sexual assault allegations in general, we can’t penalize them for their poor response to the sexual assault allegations involving football players.’
— Cameron Soran (@cameronsoran) August 11, 2021
Shut down the absolutely worthless @NCAA
My heart breaks again for all those broken Baylor girls being told once again you don’t matter. And, scum bag coaches still coaching. It makes me ill.
Baylor football avoids major penalties in NCAA investigation https://t.co/I1chMqgn9s— #KKL (@KarenKeyLargo) August 11, 2021
Between UNC and Baylor the NCAA says academic fraud and crime for the benefit of the athletic department is not their concern. Why do they exist?
— Mark Ennis (@MarkEnnis) August 11, 2021
Baylor is the epitome of Big 12 incompetence. Can’t wait for OU to no longer be affiliated with them and goes to the SEC. Also can’t wait for the NCAA to flat out die. Good riddance. https://t.co/M5OFPNgz8Z
— Dave Ngo (@DaveNgo06) August 11, 2021