Hey, remember how the NCAA and Auburn admitted that Cam Newton’s dad, Cecil, had offered his son’s services to Mississippi State for $180,000? Well to date, there’s zero punishment for Auburn. The Tigers are still the defending BCS Champs. But recently, when Auburn coach Gene Chizik confronted the NCAA’s vice president for enforcement at an SEC meeting, wondering why the NCAA couldn’t wrap up the investigation – the fact that it remained opened was probably being used by rival coaches on the recruiting front – this happened, according to Pete Thamel of the Times:

“You’ll know when we’re finished,” Roe Lach told Chizik, according to several coaches who were at the meeting. “And we’re not finished.”

Oooooo! Burn!!!!

You know what this smells like? One of those situations where a district attorney (the NCAA) is desperate to find anything to nail an obvious rule-breaker (Auburn/Newton). So far, his inept staff has turned up zero on the evidence front (everything so far is circumstantial) and public pressure (other programs, college football fans) is mounting to do something. I wouldn’t be surprised if the NCAA attempts to pull some obscure rule out of its ass that everyone will laugh at.

Last fall I was convinced the NCAA would nail Auburn. Use your brain – if the kid’s dad offered him to a school for $180k, why would he go somewhere else for free? Fast-forward seven months and it is clear: the pathetic NCAA, which always goes hard at small schools but fails to nail the big boys, has lost again. At worst, Auburn will get slapped on the wrist with a jaywalking ticket. [NYT]