NCAA basketball FBI investigation: Just enjoy this while it lasts

According to a report from Yahoo Sports, the FBI investigation into college basketball recruiting will likely rock the most elite and successful of the college basketball world.

Last Fall, the FBI investigation into  college basketball corruption brought about the arrests of several assistant coaches. It also brought about the firing of legendary Louisville coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich.

At the time, it was clear that we hadn’t seen the last of the FBI investigation. While more arrests may not be coming, Pete Thamel’s report indicates that the information that surfaces could shake the sport:

"What’s becoming increasingly clear as the discovery portion of the case comes to a close is that the breadth of potential NCAA rules violations uncovered is wide enough to fundamentally and indelibly alter the sport of college basketball."

While the incompetence of NCAA president Mark Emmert has been well documented, it would be difficult for him to bungle this. The NCAA has been unable to truly douse the flame of corruption in college athletics, but the FBI has handed them a fire extinguisher.

FBI investigation

With a vastly larger array of resources, and far more authority, the FBI has uncovered what the NCAA has always wanted, but could never get their hands on. All the legwork has been done, now Emmert has the easy job of doling out punishment.

Who will be on the receiving end of said punishment? Thamel’s source elaborates:

"“When this all comes out, Hall of Fame coaches should be scared, lottery picks won’t be eligible to play and almost half of the 16 teams the NCAA showed on its initial NCAA tournament show this weekend should worry about their appearance being vacated.”"

Kentucky’s John Calipari is a Hall of Fame coach. Texas A&M’s Robert Williams, Kentucky’s Kevin Knox, Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr, and Alabama’s Collin Sexton are all projected to be lottery picks. Auburn was one the those 16 teams on the initial NCAA bracket show.

To be clear, it has not been officially reported that any of these are actually involved. However, they all fit the description, and now have an even darker cloud over their heads.

All hype?

Fellow Fansider Richard Gnann  doesn’t buy that anything truly earth-shattering comes of this.

That has certainly been the case in countless NCAA investigations. For nearly a decade, it was expected that North Carolina basketball would get hammered for years of academic fraud. Yet, despite all the hype, there was absolutely no punishment.

Related Story: FBI probe is zombie apocalypse

This one’s different though. This isn’t the limited evidence-gathering authority and power of the NCAA. This is the FBI.

At a time when the power of Emmert and the NCAA has never been more in question, he has been given a gift. This is a chance to lay down that hammer, and assert his authority. It will be shallow, everyone’s aware that the FBI investigation saved the NCAA all the legwork.

Should the NCAA not doll out severe punishment, their perception will undermined even more than it already is. They’ve botched investigations before, but they have been given a wide-open layup. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where the FBI investigation does not result in massive NCAA penalties for the schools involved.

In the moment

As a fan, what is the course of action? Auburn fans have a head coach with a history of NCAA violation, and an assistant that is facing six federal charges. Common sense points toward the Tigers eventually getting hit hard by the NCAA.

In the meantime, Auburn is a real player at the top of the sport. Before a graphic injury to Anfernee McLemore and an ensuing loss on the road, Joe Lunardi had the Tigers seeded as a one.

The Wednesday night matchup with Kentucky was arguably the most electric atmosphere in a long time at Auburn Arena. As a fan, are you supposed to just ignore the success?

No, quite frankly. Auburn fans, especially, have done this before. Most of the entire 2010 football season was played while the question of Cam Newton‘s eligibility was up in the air. Did fans turn their backs because of a possibility that NCAA rules had been violated?

It’s doubtful that anything comes of this scandal during the season, but there’s certainly a possibility that wins will be vacated for many of the schools involved.

Let’s be honest, what does retroactively vacating wins or awards really do? Nobody pretends Reggie Bush didn’t win the Heisman trophy. Notre Dame recently vacated wins in 2012-13. Does anyone act like they didn’t get to the national title game?

Retroactively vacating wins is not a punishment. The film still exists. It does absolutely nothing to discourage cheating.

Just enjoy it

Everyone understands the sport is about to get rocked. That doesn’t mean we should all just sit on our hands and wait.

Auburn fans, enjoy having a team that will be highly seeded come tournament. Maybe this year will get vacated. It still happened, and you still got to experience it.

Alabama fans, enjoy watching a special player like Collin Sexton. The NCAA doesn’t have a Men in Black neuralyzer. They can’t make you forget the special things he does.

Kentucky fans, you’ve consistently had one of the best teams in the nation. You’ve seen players like John Wall, Anthony Davis, and De’Aaron Fox.

Next: NCAA Proposed transfer rule is not enough

The SEC hasn’t been nearly this good in a very long time. Yes, it’s very possible that this success is built on a hill of scandal and violation. However, if reports based on the FBI investigation true, most of the sport is.

SEC basketball is at it’s most fun point of this century. Sure, the day of reckoning may be coming. Until then, just enjoy this.