Slive: SEC needs to be vigilant to avoid Penn State situation
Mike Slive sees Penn State as cautionary tale. (AP photo)
HOOVER, Ala. — Between quoting Churchill, Shakespeare, Muhammad Ali and I believe all but three of the Seven Dwarfs in his State of the Empire address Tuesday, SEC commissioner Mike Slive made a reference to Penn State.
He did it as only a smooth, well-practiced executive could. He didn’t mention the school by name. Or the deviate in prison. Or the legendary late head coach who so clearly either closed his eyes or looked away.
“Last week’s headlines remind us that we must be ever vigilant on all issues of integrity, and that our primary mission is to educate and protect young people,” Slive said at the opening of SEC Media Days. “There must be an effective system of checks and balances within the administrative structure to protect all who come in contact with it, especially those who cannot protect themselves. No one program, no one person, no matter how popular, no matter how successful, can be allowed to derail the soul of an institution.”
If Slive were running for political office, there would’ve be a pause immediately following, “… the soul of an institution,” while his supporters broke into thunderous applause.
He struck the perfect chord. He should.
Penn State is a cautionary tale for major college athletics. It shouldn’t escape Slive that the same warped power structure that existed in State College, which allowed Jerry Sandusky to continue with his sick and perverted ways, could be mirrored in Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, Auburn, Gainesville, Athens, Knoxville or on any campus where the image and success of the college football team rank above everything else in importance.
The SEC has been no stranger to scandal for several decades. Illegal recruiting. Academic fraud. A hot, young, blond, female assistant getting a $20,000 bonus from her sugar daddy, the football coach in Arkansas who clearly operated without oversight. (Just to use a recent example.).
The SEC is stuffed with monster football programs and powerful coaches who are treated as deities. One man’s Joe Paterno is another man’s Nick Saban.
That’s not to pick on Saban. It’s just the reality of the situation.
Slive is a smart man. He surely anticipated he might be asked a follow-up question (or two) about his Penn State reference and the potential parallels with SEC schools. He was prepared.
“The point I was making is, we all manage intercollegiate athletics as part of the mission of the institution and that what happened [at Penn State] is something that in a horrific way reminds us that athletics has a proper place in the context of higher education,” Slive said later off stage. “We need to be ever vigilant to make sure we keep that perspective.”
He declined to offer an opinion on how the NCAA should deal with Penn State. (”I wouldn’t presume to put myself in their place.”)
He declined to say how he would react if an SEC school was involved in a similar situation. (”Those of you who know me know I never deal in hypotheticals.”)
But when asked if he was concerned that the potential enabling of criminal behavior and a long-term cover-up could be replicated in his conference, Slive bit.
“Without characterizing it, one thing that I appreciate in our league is the active involvement of our presidents and chancellors, their work with the league, the fact that they meet with each other, face to face,” he said. “All of us — presidents, commissioners, athletic directors, everybody involved — understand the importance of making sure that everything we do athletically is in the context of the institution.”
He acknowledged the ripple effect the Penn State story has caused, adding: “I don’t think there’s anybody in intercollegiate athletics who isn’t sensitive to these matters.”
These are high times in the SEC. The conference has won the past six BCS championships. There are no major NCAA sanctions in football to speak of (South Carolina self-penalized for players getting reduced hotel rates.). Member schools received $20.1 million each in conference revenue sharing in the past fiscal year — and it’s going to go up.
Penn State is sitting on a large treasure chest. But civil suits will cut into revenue, and there’s a chance the school will lose federal funding. It’s what happens when a university loses sight of its mission, something the SEC’s monster programs can’t ignore.
By Jeff Schultz
SEC Media Days
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106 comments Add your comment
Bammer
July 18th, 2012
8:40 am
If there is ANY school in the SEC that treats their coach like God…it’s the warped bunch who idolize their fine Christian man in Athens, GA. I mean in their eyes he’s one step away from being a Saint.
If that’s not a warning bell I’m not sure what is.
Enjoying the Crystal
July 18th, 2012
8:43 am
@65 Dawg…mythical? I suppose all three years from the State of Alabama is mythical…Bama, Auburn, Bama, National Champs, respectively. What year did you say you won yours? My PC calendar doesn’t go back that far…
Bammer
July 18th, 2012
8:44 am
Cross dressing prostituting German professors?
UGA says: Jawohl!!!
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July 18th, 2012
8:57 am
[...] Schultz: SEC needs to be vigilant to avoid Penn State-like scandals [...]
Wilson Pickett
July 18th, 2012
9:05 am
Bob Petrino will be the HC at auburn in 2013. The banker will bring down Cheezestraw just like he did Tater Tot. You will see it in motion this fall when auburn again finishes 7-5 or 6-6. Spare me nobody would touch Bobby at this point due to his issue at Hogsville. We’re talking auburn folks. They will get him paid,laid, and saved.
Chi Town
July 18th, 2012
9:11 am
Respect, Saban.
WM
July 18th, 2012
9:14 am
Oh my! Look at the TransAms, Pickup Trucks, SUV’s and scooters falling from the Sky!
They are just falling from the sky!
PMC
July 18th, 2012
9:39 am
Oh lord, does every blog have to devolve into misguided insults that don’t even logically apply?
Sabanovich
July 18th, 2012
9:47 am
Bama is going to end up just like Penn State. Nick is a towel-snapper in the showers, you can just tell. That gruff persona is his cover; he enjoys being around “young people” a little more than he should.
it is what it is
July 18th, 2012
9:53 am
I thought it was hilarious this week when Cam Newton’s neighbors in Atlanta went to a hearing to vote down changing the name of the street to “Cam Newton” where his family lives and where Cam grew up. One neighbor complained of Cam’s criminal charges (computer theft) while at Florida and another neighbor cited his father taking money for Cam’s services at Auburn.
What is funny is that the Slive, the SEC, Mark Emmert and the NCAA and last but not least Auburn expects us all to swallow this bill of goods and think Cam did no wrong but his neighbors disagree. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
PTC DAWG
July 18th, 2012
10:08 am
Obvious article…useless comments, as usual.
Hillbilly D
July 18th, 2012
10:09 am
Oh lord, does every blog have to devolve into misguided insults that don’t even logically apply?
They don’t have to but they nearly always do.
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July 18th, 2012
10:32 am
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July 18th, 2012
10:32 am
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Well
July 18th, 2012
10:45 am
“SEC needs to be vigilant to avoid Penn State situation”
I highly doubt ANY SEC school would ever do what Penn State did.
Well
July 18th, 2012
10:46 am
“What is funny is that the Slive, the SEC, Mark Emmert and the NCAA and last but not least Auburn expects us all to swallow this bill of goods and think Cam did no wrong but his neighbors disagree. ”
What’s really funny is how other butt hurt fans can’t get over the fact that the NCAA closed the case on that issue.
Get over it and move on.
Big D
July 18th, 2012
10:47 am
I’d be shocked if something like this hasn’t happened at other schools, Penn State was just the first where it came to life. Hopefully if it happens at another school, they can look at Penn State as how NOT to deal with it.
Well
July 18th, 2012
10:47 am
“Bob Petrino will be the HC at auburn in 2013. The banker will bring down Cheezestraw just like he did Tater Tot. You will see it in motion this fall when auburn again finishes 7-5 or 6-6. Spare me nobody would touch Bobby at this point due to his issue at Hogsville. We’re talking auburn folks. They will get him paid,laid, and saved.”
Gotta love stupid people like the one who typed out that asinine paragraph.
Well
July 18th, 2012
10:48 am
“I suppose all three years from the State of Alabama is mythical…Bama, Auburn, Bama, National Champs, respectively. What year did you say you won yours?”
Ever notice that the ONLY fans who type out stuff like “mythical champions” are those whose school haven’t one a championship since Carter was president?
Well
July 18th, 2012
10:51 am
“When he could have declared Cam Newton ineligible under SEC rules, he “deferred” to the NCAA.”
The stupid, it burns!!!!!!!!!!
Hey dawg fans, you all need to get over the fact that Cam and Auburn WON a national championship. Besides, you should be more worried about your star RB getting kicked off the team for having an illegal firearm.
Also, your school employees folks who cross-dress and run prostitution rings out of their home.
Oh, and one of your former coaches, Jim “Donnan of a new era” is going to federal prison real soon.
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July 18th, 2012
11:15 am
[...] • Slive: SEC needs to be vigilant to avoid Penn State situation [...]
GTBob
July 18th, 2012
11:19 am
I highly doubt ANY SEC school would ever do what Penn State did.
I doubt any team in any conference would ever do what Penn State did, but then again pretty much everyone would have doubted it could ever happen at Penn State either. With the culture of the SEC and football factories from other conferences almost anything can happen, we just hope it doesn’t.
Well
July 18th, 2012
11:24 am
” With the culture of the SEC and football factories from other conferences almost anything can happen, we just hope it doesn’t.”
“If you ain’t cheatin you ain’t trying.” – Bear Bryant. There’s not ONE major football school in the country that hasn’t been dinged by the NCAA for cheating.
What happened at Penn State is atrocious and I can only hope that it has never happened at another school.
“With the culture of the SEC’
GTBob, GT is currently on probation for something minor but still, GT is on probation.
bamaguy
July 18th, 2012
11:25 am
I recall hearing Bear Bryant speak at an alumni function (yes, I am that old) and one of the things he talked about was all these “new cable television channels” that were broadcasting college football and how it was going to change the game and he didn’t think for the good. How successful schools would be able to make a profit for their universities, not just break even, and how that would increase the pressure to win. Once again he was right.
Jake
July 18th, 2012
11:27 am
When you look to see what Penn State has not done to immediately remove the offending statue of Paterno, you know nothing will ever change. The victims of this monstrous failure to be more “humane”, know Paterno’s statue is still standing, and there are those who publicly speak he did no wrong. How does that not hurt them to their core? I wish the family would just shut up, as they are adding more injury, and they don’t know it, or worse don’t care. Apple doesn’t fall far from this tree.
GTBob
July 18th, 2012
11:32 am
GTBob, GT is currently on probation for something minor but still, GT is on probation.
GT does not have a win at all costs culture. They do have some morons working in the Athletic Department though.
Jake
July 18th, 2012
11:34 am
When you look to see what Penn State has not done to immediately remove the offending statue of Paterno, you know nothing will ever change. The victims of this monstrous failure to be more “humane”, know Paterno’s statue is still standing, and there are those who publicly speak he did no wrong. How does that not hurt the innocent victims, to their very core? I wish the family would just shut up, as they are adding more injury, and they don’t know it, or worse don’t care. Apple doesn’t fall far from this tree.
GT
July 18th, 2012
12:02 pm
If you had asked Penn State the same questions you asked Mike Slive before they got caught you might have received the same answers. First of all the president and athletic director were part of the cover up so Silve’s answer was a little self siring to say the presidents have got a face to face, what good is that? I don’t see this happening in a Southeastern Conference school the atmosphere is a lot different than a northeastern university that has Catholic roots, where this problem is systemic according to court records in that area. I am afraid this is not the first time some of the Penn State crowd have run into this, but I can almost guarantee you it would be the first and last in the south. This pervert would have been killed a long time ago down here and that is how you police this crap.
Your problem with the SEC is going to be too much money and importance of football on the academic integrity of the schools. You got thugs running the campuses both players and coaches. If there are victims they are the students paying good money to a university catering to football and its atmosphere. None of that holds a candle to Penn State.
GT
July 18th, 2012
12:05 pm
Jerry Sandusky would have been shot a long time ago down here and problem solved. Even in the football crazy south kids come first.
TDone
July 18th, 2012
12:15 pm
Steve, you would not know a fine woman if you tripped over her.
Well
July 18th, 2012
12:30 pm
“GT does not have a win at all costs culture. They do have some morons working in the Athletic Department though.”
Never said they did. All I said was GT was on probation at the moment.
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July 18th, 2012
12:55 pm
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bama sucks more often than not
July 18th, 2012
3:22 pm
Jeff, Don’t forget the bamalama coach and his strippers.
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July 18th, 2012
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BobDawg
July 18th, 2012
5:52 pm
Schultzie…. I’m starting to agree with you and the USA Today article calling for the death penalty on Penn State…. 2 years and here is why: 1) There will be a Memorial some day to the victims of this tragedy…Where will they put it?? In the Lashe (sp?) shower room??? a plaque on the wall???? How about if they tear the whole darn building down for the Memorial??? What about the Penn State Uniforms?? every time I see them I see McQueary; Paterno and the Perp himself in those unis. They need to change the design NOW and I’m hearing that an advocacy group is calling for the Players to be let out of their school’s now with no penalty…. Penn State has no idea how big this is going to get ….Just my 2 cents…
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DawginSewer
July 19th, 2012
4:10 pm
Wess cansst reads and rites, isess thises abouts themss bad dwagess?
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Chuck Allison
July 19th, 2012
8:16 pm
UGA has already proven it will tolerate any degree of crime or immorality among its athletes and faculty. So the instate SEC member is indeed a ripe candidate to do anything to conceal information that might interfere with its total worship of FOOTBALL If it ever happens to UGA, however, the fans will be convinced it is just some kind of NCAA bias. All they should have to do is just look at their sordid history.
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July 20th, 2012
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Ted Striker
July 20th, 2012
8:47 am
Good good good column.