NCAA To USC: Appeal Denied, Go Sit In The Corner

Well Southern Cal wanted their appeal and they got it. The only problem is that the NCAA didn't care for it. Today, the NCAA told USC that their appeal has been denied and that all of their sanctions across several sports will stand.

USC has been notified by the NCAA infractions appeals committee that all penalties and findings against the athletic department have been upheld, according to a person close to the situation.

USC had pointed in its appeal to precedent as a reason that their penalties were excessive. But the appeals committee stated that those cases were not directly applicable, the source said.

USC will lose 30 scholarships over the next three years and won't be eligible to play in this year's Pac-12 title game or a bowl game.

The biggest punishment, of course, is in football, the money sport. There is no way for USC to spin this anymore if they wanted to. The penalties are there and they're not going away. If a recruit wants to go be a Trojan, they'll have to do it knowing they won't be going to a bowl game next year. Knowing they can't play for the Pac-10 title. Knowing that that the team will undoubtedly suffer from minimal scholarships.

That opens the door for UCLA and CRN. Of course, that door has been slightly open for a while and the Bruins haven't taken advantage. Now it is wide open. No excuses now, CRN and Co. need to get to winning and doing it now. Get recruits, build momentum and build the program. Some help from the Morgan Center would be nice too, but let's stick to what CRN and his staff can control for now.

I don't think anyone here is shedding a tear for the Trojans. They made their bed, now they can lie in it. Strangely, Reggie is now less welcome around the program than O.J. and not the basketball playing O.J., although the hooping one is in the Reggie category. Good company!

It took years and years and years for the NCAA to get to their point, and now after their appeal, get to this point again, but here they are. They also didn't do a ton of investigating themselves, instead relying on a lot of what Yahoo Sports did, but hey, we're here. If USC doesn't like the result of their appeal maybe they can sue the NCAA. Let's see what a legal investigation turns up.