I have even less regard for the way the NCAA regulates college sports. There are numerous examples of the inequities with which the NCAA polices activities and doles out punishments. They seem to get away with it because they never have to justify their actions or answer to anybody.
The NCAA claims that in 2008, Memphis and coach Calipari used an ineligible player all season while compiling an NCAA record 38 wins, finishing 2nd in the national tournament. Apparently the player, believed to be Derrick Rose, falsified SAT scores and was therefore ineligible. However, the Educational Testing service had initially declared that player eligible. So Memphis played him. No problem, right? The Committee sent Rose a letter asking for more information about some discrepancies it discovered. When was this request sent? March 14, 2008, and again on April 10, 2008 while Memphis was in the middle of the tournament. The NCAA then declared the player ineligible in May of 2008!
Quite a quandary: Memphis shouldn't be given a clean slate because they did use an ineligible player, but the real fault lies with the testing committee for not being very timely with their inquiries. The biggest question is whether or not Memphis or Calipari KNEW before the season (or anytime during the season) that there was some kind of problem. There is no proof that that was the case.
So what do we do? The NCAA has what they consider a fair answer. Throw the book at Memphis and disregard any contributing factors by the Testing agency, the Infractions Committee or the NCAA itself. So Memphis has an asterisk placed by it's name for the season, has to return $615,000 in tournament awards and take down it's banner in their arena. The NCAA has to...well, do nothing. ...except maybe wash their hands.
CP-
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