Week after week, another controversy is uncovered at a different university. The landscape of college sports as we know it is corrupted with shady figures and opportunists trying to get a payday, no matter how illegitimate it is.
On Monday, 10 people were federally indicted for attempting to fix Univeristy of San Diego basketball games. Two of those included former basketball players Brandon Johnson and Brandon Dowdy, along with former assistant coach Thaddeus Brown.
The defendants are accused of a mix of criminal activities, including impacting the result of Toreros games, betting on them in Las Vegas casinos and distributing narcotics.
This is the latest incident in a string of negative press for the NCAA, but this story is unique. Players receiving lavish gifts or money, or a family member receiving improper benefits, is one of the more common violations the NCAA is accustomed to.
The most disturbing and unusual part of the USD situation is that with the charges, a coach and two athletes are alleged to have sacrificed their competitive resolve.
Football powerhouse and defending national champion Auburn made headlines recently for players earning or receiving funds in one illegal manner or another. It is similar to the Cam Newton investigation in 2010, though totally separate.
Four former players said in an interview with “HBO Real Sports” that they were paid before and during the time they attended Auburn.
The players admitted to having boosters deliver them thousands of dollars through the course of their college careers or as a way to lure them to Auburn. For the briber who just wants to send a quick token of their support, the players spoke of the infamous “$500 handshake.”
If this did happen at Auburn, it is inexcusable. But at least it was positive praise and done in the name of winning. Wealthy alumni and shady boosters may not be as generous to make such a risky transaction if players do not deliver wins or attractive statistics.
Being offered a cash reward to intentionally lose a game is morally worse for an athlete than accepting money to attend a certain school.
Any coach or athlete will say they tried their hardest in defeat after a loss. Even fewer would tell you that they abandoned their integrity and went out of their way to lose.
Only one of the 10 perpetrators has not been arrested. Yesterday in court, Brown, Dowdy and six others pled not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit sports bribery, conducting an illegal gambling operation and marijuana distribution.
Johnson was not one of the 10 in court. This Houston native, who attended Willowridge High School, was arrested on April 9.
If convicted, Brown, Dowdy and Johnson should be ashamed for betraying the sport that brought them scholarships. Essentially forfeiting specific games for illicit reasons should destroy any credibility the coach and players had in the basketball community — that is, if a federal indictment isn’t enough.
USD fans and alumni have every excuse to be appalled.
People who argue in favor of college sports over professional ones usually say things like how collegiate athletes compete with passion all of the time instead of just the closing minutes of a game.
An athlete or coach intentionally compromising the competition and sabotaging their own team is beyond disgraceful. Fans and critics should forgive an athlete for making a mental mistake. However, if a player purposely misses a shot or turns the ball over to make their pockets bigger, that should be treated as a cardinal sin.
Permanent banishment from the NCAA should be applied to an offender who tries to negatively impact games they’re involved in.
Hopefully this is not going to be a continuing trend in college sports. Otherwise, coaches and players might start being accused of taking part in an illegal scheme whenever they make mistakes.
