INDIANAPOLIS – Mark Emmert has a plan for how he wants to lead the NCAA.
He would like to get tougher on rule-breakers. He plans to expand the push for academic reforms started by the late Myles Brand. He’s been willing to speak with the pro sports leagues and the player unions to weed out questionable agents, and he’s even supporting emergency legislation to prevent more Cam Newton-type cases.
Yes, Emmert has a full plate as he prepares for the NCAA’s annual convention in San Antonio, his first as president.
Emmert took over from interim president Jim Isch in October and don’t expect him to spend Thursday’s state of the association speech on small-ticket items.
There’s too much at stake.
For starters, there was the backlash from the Newton case. The NCAA ruled Newton could continue to play even though his father had been seeking money from schools that were recruiting him.
Emmert explained there was no evidence to suggest Auburn or the player was aware of what was going on, and, under current rules, the NCAA could not take action against Newton.
