UConn coach Jim Calhoun: What His Punishment Says about NCAA's Priorities

On Tuesday, UConn head basketball coach Jim Calhoun was suspended for the first three games of next year's Big East schedule for, basically, failing to provide an atmosphere in which the basketball program's recent recruiting violations did not occur.

Before the Sugar Bowl, Terrelle Pryor and other key members of the Ohio State football team were suspended for the first five games of next season for receiving improper gifts.

But they were allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl.

With the fact that March Madness is less than a month away in mind, one question has to be asked: Why is the NCAA allowing Calhoun to carry on with his highly-ranked Huskies this season?

What kind of message is it sending?

This is my interpretation of the message: Recruiting violations are a serious offense, but not serious enough to punish offenders right now.

I mean, we have to think about the financial issues that may occur if, for example, Pryor isn't playing in the Sugar Bowl. Will anyone watch it, even though it might not be a competitive game?

After all, making money is more important than enforcing rules fairly and ethically.

So it's OK to slap the current USC football team (most, if not all, of whom had nothing to do with recruiting scandals) with a two-year bowl ban while Reggie Bush and Pete Carroll walk away unpunished.

As long as a punishment is handed out eventually, procrastination is OK.