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Bag of groceries worth $150 v. free rent worth $18,001 (Updated)

By Nestor

UPDATE (8/9):NCAA just reinstated Dwayne Jarrett this afternoon. The total value of (free rent) benefit Jarrett received by living in the apartment was $18,001. Yet he is not going to miss a single game. So it may be a good time to call the NCAA at 317-917-6222, and ask them (politely) how can they explain way reinstating USC WR after determining he had received $18,001.00 in free rent when they previously suspended a UCLA All American LB (Donnie Edwards) for taking $150 worth of groceries (left at his doorstep)? A question everyone should ask the NCAA today.-N

So bruinwinna in the comment threads concerning Jarrett getting extra benefits in the form of thousands of dollars worth of free rent raised an excellent point:

If I remember correctly, Donnie Edwards received some groceries (I believe about $200 worth) and he was suspended for a game and had to make restitution. If Jarrett gets off with no suspension, the $C double standard would rear it's ugly head once again.
BW is correct (well, almost, it was $150 worth of groceries, not $200). Damn. I went to school during Donnie's time. Donnie was an amazing linebacker in college (unlike Spencer Havner he and his team-mates were actually beating up on USC and going to big bowl games). He was a great athlete on the field while a dilligent student off it. He came to class every day dilligently taking notes. He sure came to the poli. sci. classes I had with him during those days. Anyways, going back the BW's point. How could I have forgotten this crazy story involving former Bruin All American Donnie Edwards:
Former college athletes have told many stories about how difficult it was for them to make ends meet while in college.

One story that stands out the most, for me, is that of former UCLA standout linebacker Donnie Edwards, who currently plays for the San Diego Chargers.

While at UCLA, he was an All-American football player who was suspended for a game because he accepted a gift.

The gift wasn't a car with shiny rims on it, or an all expense paid trip out of town or any other perk that college athletes receive, which you may have heard of on the news.

The gift was a couple of bags filled with groceries waiting at the doorstep of his room. It may sound silly, but he was suspended for one game. The incident was even investigated by the NCAA.

The current NCAA rules and regulations read: "DO NOT provide a student-athlete or friend any benefit or special arrangement. The NCAA considers these as an 'extra benefit' and they are specifically prohibited."

So, the groceries that Edwards received from an anonymous source were ruled as an "extra benefit" and specifically prohibited. Thus, came the punishment.

Yeap, that's right. UCLA's All American LB was suspended for an entire game because he received groceries worth $150 left at his door steps. Meanwhile, Trojan fans (most of them) are peddling Cheetie Petey's line that Jarrett should not be missing a single game because the extra benefit he received from getting thousands of dollars in free rent by staying at a place like this was some kind of minor infraction:


Photo via the Medici

UCLA of course did the right thing and made sure all the rules were followed with regard to Donnie's infraction even though it was trivial. Donnie Edwards was suspended for one game for taking groceries, while Trojans are spinning that their superstar shouldn't be suspended for a single game even though he apparently got thousands of dollars of free rent. And you wonder why we think we are fundamentally different from those corrupt and immoral imbeciles from South Central? Again, if you haven't done so, make sure to call these numbers and point these officials to Petey's comments in the LA Times that Jarrett shouldn't be missing a single game:

NCAA 317-917-6222
Pac-10 925-932-4411

I am sure these guys are not going to be all that amused to hear from a coach with soiled track record on how to act on NCAA infractions.

And you may want to bring up this Donnie Edwards and find out from them whether the NCAA or Pac-10 will have different standards when it comes penalizing athletes from different Pac-10 schools from same town who have been found taking extra benefits under the NCAA rules.

Simple question really. If UCLA's All American was suspended 1 game for taking $150 worth of groceries (left at his doorstep), just how many games should Jarrett miss as he reportedly received $10,000 in free rent?

GO BRUINS.

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