In Violation: FCS League Office Openly Violates NCAA Rules

[TexasTerror]

Second violation by the conference or a member institution as it relates to verbal commitments in a year... you may recall that last year Grambling put out a release on verbal commitments for basketball...


The Southwestern Athletic Conference apparently broke NCAA rules Monday when it announced a pair of football verbal commitments to SWAC schools on its official Twitter page.

When Twitter users Steve Robertson, a Mississippi-based correspondent for Scout.com, and Ross Dellenger, who covers Jackson State athletics for the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, released information earlier Monday on verbal commitments to SWAC schools Alcorn State and Jackson State, the conference “re-Tweeted” the information.

http://www.neworleans.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=557729&Itemid=578

[Panther88]

Sad, sad, sad... Must be open-enrollment in the SWAC office too. *SMGDH*

Who's the Communications Director in the SWAC offc?

[mikebigg]

Oh wow... maybe they're gonna ban our football teams from the playoffs!

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Oh wow... maybe they're gonna ban our football teams from the playoffs!

Alright... now THAT is funny. xlolx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Incidentally, if this actually ends up in some sort of sanction by the NCAA, it will go to show that the NCAA needs to finally give up stone tablets and make the technological jump to pen and paper. It's not like it was some sort of communique. It was a retweet of content that was written by somebody else.

IMVHO, this is different than a school coming out on signing day and giving a list of verbals on their website or stationary.

[Panther88]

Incidentally, if this actually ends up in some sort of sanction by the NCAA, it will go to show that the NCAA needs to finally give up stone tablets and make the technological jump to pen and paper. It's not like it was some sort of communique. It was a retweet of content that was written by somebody else.

IMVHO, this is different than a school coming out on signing day and giving a list of verbals on their website or stationary.

Wouldn't it have been more prudent for the league office NOT to say a single word regarding football recruitment before the time period prior to NLI day? Why would they do that?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Wouldn't it have been more prudent for the league office NOT to say a single word regarding football recruitment before the time period prior to NLI day? Why would they do that?

I agree. But it's a retweet of something someone else said, which I feel is different. Much more minor.

[Panther88]

I agree. But it's a retweet of something someone else said, which I feel is different. Much more minor.

We'll see what the NCAA has to say on that. Figure it, a league office alluding to something it shouldn't while falsely giving the outside world and other potential suitors the illusion that those particular recruits are seemingly hands-off or are already committed BEFORE the actual signing day? That's pretty senseless, regardless if it was electronic in nature, still pretty senseless.

[DFW HOYA]

Conference offices are very, very vigilant about these things, so for the SWAC to be so careless cannot help but hurt its reputation in NCAA circles.

[Panther88]

Is there an ncaa Compliance Director in the SWAC offc? xconfusedx

[TexasTerror]

FYI - the 'tweets' were deleted. Guess the attention did it in...


I agree. But it's a retweet of something someone else said, which I feel is different. Much more minor.

My issue is they specifically got the words 'verbal commit' in there.

If a league or school was pointing on a Twitter to a blog that was positive about their institution or conference, that's fine (of course, unless it is someone talking about verbal commitments). You got to be very careful with what you tweet.


Conference offices are very, very vigilant about these things, so for the SWAC to be so careless cannot help but hurt its reputation in NCAA circles.

What do you feel their reputation is like now?


Is there an ncaa Compliance Director in the SWAC offc? xconfusedx

Most conference offices at the Div I level - if not all of them - have some form of compliance representation in the league office.

[Panther88]

Most conference offices at the Div I level - if not all of them - have some form of compliance representation in the league office.

It's hard for me to believe that the SWAC offc has one in place when an oversight like this occurred. If not the compliance officer, then the communication's director should've caught this as he/she is supposed to be the last line of defense w/ regards to media 411 that leaves that conf offc. I could be wrong, so if I am, someone plz correct me.

I'm also sure that a lot of folx find it embarrassing and would want to just let this die and sweep it under the rug, as numerous other inept decisions are kept there as well. They wouldn't want to see that this small(er) issue is systematic symptom of a larger problem/issue that's evident.

[OhioHen]

Oh wow... maybe they're gonna ban our football teams from the playoffs!

How about a ban on ANY post-season competition? No championship game to look forward to.

How about a ban on ANY off-campus competition? All games involving conference teams must be held on campus at their regular home field, so no "classics" including the Bayou Classic at the Superdome.

Both would impact the conference and the schools where it really hurts - $$$$$$$$$$

[Panther88]

How about a ban on ANY post-season competition? No championship game to look forward to.

How about a ban on ANY off-campus competition? All games involving conference teams must be held on campus at their regular home field, so no "classics" including the Bayou Classic at the Superdome.

Both would impact the conference and the schools where it really hurts - $$$$$$$$$$

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Totally unrealistic.

[TexasTerror]

How about a ban on ANY off-campus competition? All games involving conference teams must be held on campus at their regular home field, so no "classics" including the Bayou Classic at the Superdome.

The conference would not be winning 'attendance national championships' anymore... already proven that the on-campus games would no better than #3 or #4 in the pecking order, if not lower...

The fans don't support their programs on campus and as you said, big financial drain. Without the 'whoring out' process in hoops and without Classics in football, these programs are not Div I. They are already poorly funded and can't truly compete at the Div I level to begin with...

[gram4life]

The conference would not be winning 'attendance national championships' anymore... already proven that the on-campus games would no better than #3 or #4 in the pecking order, if not lower...

The fans don't support their programs on campus and as you said, big financial drain. Without the 'whoring out' process in hoops and without Classics in football, these programs are not Div I. They are already poorly funded and can't truly compete at the Div I level to begin with...

Yeah, your hate is on a new level today!

[TexasTerror]

Yeah, your hate is on a new level today!

Being factual is considered hate?

I've done the math before regarding attendance on-campus at the SWAC compared to other FCS leagues. The amount of non-conference 'guarantee games' is at a very high level in the SWAC and the facts regarding them being the lowest funded athletic departments is also factual. Ask Valley.

[Panther88]

I've done the math before regarding attendance on-campus at the SWAC compared to other FCS leagues. The amount of non-conference 'guarantee games' is at a very high level in the SWAC and the facts regarding them being the lowest funded athletic departments is also factual. Ask Valley.

It's factual truth. Most won't admit though.

[mikebigg]

How about a ban on ANY post-season competition? No championship game to look forward to.

How about a ban on ANY off-campus competition? All games involving conference teams must be held on campus at their regular home field, so no "classics" including the Bayou Classic at the Superdome.

Both would impact the conference and the schools where it really hurts - $$$$$$$$$$

Not worried about that happening... We'd play those games ANYWAY!!!!