First, I have tried not be overly critical of Slive in this mess, because we really don't know all the facts. We don't even have clear evidence that Cecil ever approached an Auburn booster for money, so I'm not going down that road (we have rumors, but no clear evidence).
But here's what we do know: Cecil and Rogers approached an MSU booster, and maybe some coaches, with a solicitation for money, and MSU said "No". That solicitation is an NCAA violation that could impact Cam's eligiblity if it is shown that Cam had knowledge of the solicitaation.
MSU approached the SEC in JANUARY, 2010, with evidence of this NCAA rules violation. I don't know what else MSU provided the SEC, but we know for sure they told the SEC that Rogers and Cecil approached Bond with a solicitation. That alone was an NCAA violation worth investigating.
And Slive passed. "Not enough information, we need more details" he says. WTF??? It was a violation, and Slive should have jumped all over it in January. If Cam was clearly innocent, this could have been resolved before the Summer. If there was more to the story, maybe we would get to the bottom of it before Cam ever played a down for Auburn.
But he lets it fester. MSU takes 6 months to provide more information, but Slive still sees NO REASON TO REPORT AN NCAA RULES VIOLATION TO THE NCAA!! He sits on it, and asks Auburn what they want to do about it.
Then an NCAA investigation starts, it leaks to the press, and Slive allows a PR nightmare to rain all over TWO member institutions. Auburn has their dream season and Heisman trophy candidate called into question, while MSU is inexplicably decried as bitter and petty. The only facts we have are the statements from 3 former MSU players, who are instantly villified as liars, and worse, as attempted cheaters who lost out on the player they attempted to buy.
And Slive's response is to criticize MSU for dragging its feet and then letting the truth be leaked to the press.
Now that Cam has been declared eligible. Slive has the gall to claim that, yeah, we all know that what happened was wrong, but unfortunately a strict reading of SEC bylaws prevents him from doing anything about it. The bylaw says a parent must "agree to receive" an improper benefit, and asking for a benefit is not "agreeing to receive."
Think about this a minute. If MSU had said "yes", then Cecil has agreed to receive and Cam is ineligible to play any sport at any SEC institution. But, since MSU said "No", Cam is off the hook. The whole thing was totally out of Cam's hands, and he dodges a bullet because MSU was honest.
But wait, what do the SEC bylaws actually say?:
<span style="font-weight: bold;">4.4.2 Authority, Duties and Responsibilities.</span>
(a) <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Commissioner</span> shall be charged with the duty of administering and enforcing the legislation of the Conference, and<span style="font-weight: bold;"> shall be vested with broad discretionary authority to carry out the duties of the office, including the assessment of penalties </span>outlined in Article 4.4.3. Subject only to the review procedures established therein, the Commissioner shall have the duty to inspect, investigate and determine violations, and the authority to impose penalties and sanctions against member institutions, including their athletic staff members and their student-athletes, <span style="font-weight: bold;">for practices and conduct which violate the spirit, as well as the letter of the Conference rules and regulations</span>;
Do you see that? He has the BROAD DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY to assess penalties for actions that violate THE SPIRIT of the conference rules and regulations.
So, the only thing protecting Cam from being found in violation of the conference rule is the fact that MSU was honest. Doesn't this mean Cam violated the "spirit" of the rule??? I cannot think of a clearer example of violating the spirit of a rule....
