Should Universities be punished when athlethes take the cash and run?

Ed Martin ruined Michigan Basketball. OJ Mayo and Reggie Bush might destroy USC Basketball and Football.

These are three high exposure examples of guys with little to no ties to the University getting close to star players and making sure their college experience comes with a scholarship and thousands of extra dollars.

Things have changed. Back in the day, boosters would make sure high profile recruits would pick their school, by giving their parents a new SUV or many $100 handshakes. Now the offenders are different, they are guys wanting the star athlete to sign with them or owe them a huge favor when they sign their professional contracts. Ed Martin was a former outworker turned bookie, who wanted to get close to The FAB 5 and was looking for payback when they signed their NBA contracts. OJ Mayo and Reggie Bush cases are examples of guys "paying early" so they will sign with them as their agents at the next level.

So who's to blame? Should the Universities be punished for these relationships?

We all know the argument on whether the NCAA should pay athletes. That they sell thousands of Reggie Bush jersey's and he doesn't see a red cent. So who should be left holding the ball when these kids bolt to the NBA or NFL and these infractions come out?

The NCAA likes to punish schools and use terms like "Lack of Institutional Control". Let's be honest here, how can you stop this type of behavior? You can educate the kids, not to have any contact with agents, don't accept money from anyone, be careful who you "run" with, and be sure your Team and University comes first. Those meetings go out the window, when you don't have an Ipod or need some new gear to impress the ladies. Back when I got out of school, I was in Ann Arbor near North Campus at a Wendy's grabbing some lunch. There was a Michigan Football player (he was dressed in his Nike Michigan Football gear) there putting together dimes and nickels trying to get enough money for a value meal. I told him not to worry about it and I would cover the rest. Guess what, that was an NCAA violation. But it's also an example of what these kids go through everyday. Sure they might have school and board paid for, but that's it. How would you feel going to college and not having some extra money to buy a beer?

I don't want to start any rumors here, but mega recruit Terrelle Pryor just attended an exclusive QB camp that cost $6000 for 3 days. Now, I have no idea what TP's financial situation at home is, but $6000 in a down economy is a lot of money to most people.

Are these examples the Universities fault? They can't patrol the kids 24x7, they can only do it's best effort to educate and tell them what's wrong and right. Should USC lose a National Championship or have their basketball team forfeit games this year?

I say no, you can't stop these kids from making the wrong decisions and you can't stop them from wanting new clothes or a better car when there is a guy throwing money at them. The NCAA is at a cross roads with these cases, because OJ Mayo and Reggie Bush are not the only college athletes doing this and it's only going to get worse. All it takes is one guy in the inter- circle to get mad or feel like they are not "getting theirs" and bang their on ESPN or Real Sports telling the world how Reggie had this or OJ got that.

The upside is they lose a couple scholarships the downside is Michigan Basketball.