Robert Shields - From the Bench

Banality of Evil: Big Money Rules the Game at NCAA Headquarters

Robert Shields

The term “Banality of Evil” was coined by Hannah Arendt. Her premise is that the most harm is done by ordinary people who are not necessarily evil or good. The great horrors occur not because of evil fanatics, but because of the people on the sideline accepting their state, which in their silence leads to acceptance of the evil doer’s actions. I would be remiss not to mention that the classic example is the Holocaust.

I will come back to this concept a little bit later as I will apply it to sports.

In this writer’s opinion, a sea change in the culture of how things operate in college sports took place this past season and in particular with football. The shift was tectonic.

Two events are especially worth mentioning, and both affected the Arkansas Razorbacks as well as other college teams. The Cam Newton events were the first. The NCAA found Newton’s clan in violation of the rules -- in particular, the fact his dad tried to sell his son’s services, which is not debated. This should have led to him being ineligible. He was ruled ineligible by Auburn for essentially one day when the NCAA reinstated him.

The NCAA said it did not come down hard on Cam because he did not know what his father was doing, or at the very least, claimed that he did not know. Many fans have asked why the rule exists and why there is a huge loophole if you do not include members of a potential athlete’s posse for infractions on the athlete’s behalf (such as shopping the athlete).

Without this rule, all any potential athlete would have to do is get someone else to shop them to remain innocent of an NCAA infraction. Many fans also don’t like the idea that if you can just claim deniability that it will also clear you from severe punishment. It’s against the societal norm that ignorance does not excuse you from the law, otherwise I would park illegally all the time.

The other event involved Ohio State. This past week, it has come to light that Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel may have known about his players’ NCAA violations since last April. As a Razorback fan, you are well aware of the “Tat 5” who got to play against your Hogs and were instrumental in helping the Buckeyes win the Allstate Sugar Bowl. What makes this all the more egregious is that Tressell in my estimation blackmailed his players to come back next season because he said if they were not going to come back then they would be suspended for the Sugar Bowl.

News flash: Since he knew since April, they should have been suspended for the Sugar Bowl and the regular season. For the NCAA and Ohio State to delay to next year again is against societal norm. Justice delayed is justice denied. The Ohio State and the NCAA knew before the Sugar Bowl at the very least. When you are convicted of a crime, you don’t get to go home until some later date for punishment. It’s immediate. The judge usually orders you to be taken away.

You can make a pretty good case for a conspiracy theory that all these infractions were allowed to slide because they involved big-money games and big-money teams at the time.

Regardless, by perception alone, the NCAA has created a culture that money rules the game. You can break the rules and be lightly penalized if you’re in the spotlight. I am sure it’s being discussed clandestinely at some schools right now how they can use this new culture to push it to the limit to help the school’s athletic program -- not only to get an advantage, but to remain competitive. The new standard has been set. If speeding is not enforced, more will drive faster.

So back to the original premise. NCAA football is at its zenith right now with television viewership and attendance. Many schools have expanded their capacities. And it appears now nobody is going to stop the gravy train. Bad actors will probably increase. So right now, I postulate that a Banality of Evil exists in the sport. Nobody will question how things are being handled and silence will rule.

And here it comes to you; most fans will remain silent and accept this culture change. They will buy their tickets, watch the games on television, and be happy as a clam because it does not affect them. It’s someone else’s problem.

So here, I pose the question to you. Will you be a part of the Banality of Evil in college sports, or will you take action?

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In other news, Razorback basketball coach John Pelphrey was fired. There was a time when he seemed like the answer. He had beaten Indiana in the NCAA tournament and beaten top 10 teams in Texas and Oklahoma. Then his teams never seemed to matter anymore. If nothing else, he should be remembered as the coach who came when no one else wanted the job. One coach had been hired and left the day after he arrived not liking what he was inheriting. If the Hogs hire a good coach, Pelphrey should at least be remembered for returning the program to a level in which someone else was willing to come.


Send your coaching suggestions to fromthebench@yahoo.com.


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