Ole Miss and the impact of #TheNetworks downfall

[Behrdawg]

Oh. Dont forget about the upcoming players who are going to transfer.

[BrunswickDawg]

Oh. Dont forget about the upcoming players who are going to transfer.

The transfers are going to be the killer - especially with the hard 25 signees and the end of "counting back".
This year OM has a huge Senior class that takes them down to about 65 players. Signing 25 this year seems almost impossible when they only have 11 commits this late (7 of whom are out of state and could jump ship easily). If they have 12 or so transfers as predicted, that puts them in the low 50s in roster count. If more than that jump they are screwed for a while. The NCAA knew what they were doing with the 2nd bowl ban. Putting a terrible product on the field for the next 5 years will do more than scholarship reductions. It hits them in season ticket sales, sponsorships, food sales, etc. That will impact the other sports too. Ole Miss is about to really fall behind.

While many here feel they didn't get enough, the NCAA targeted a few specific things with their punishments. First, they fired a shot across the bow with the booster culture stretching thru "decades". They recognized that Ole Miss has never stopped cheating. This is a first that I know of, and smacks them with an official label by the NCAA - you are, and always have been cheaters. Buyer be ware.

Second, they hit the Network. 12 boosters and all the staff bagmen (except Luke, but we can come back to that) are gone and gone for a while. Note that a number of those Boosters are companies that spend large amounts of money advertising with Ole Miss. That is an additional wallet hit.

Third - I think they may have set OM up by not pursuing Luke for punishment. You can't convince me with his history that he isn't dirty, but the "I quit participating because I didn't feel good about what was going on" smacks of a Huge Freeze self-preservation sermon. Leaving Luke in place gives OM a chance to change their ways, or show their true colors again. I think the NCAA will be watching that real closely. If Luke starts having a Merry Flipmas, or reeling in big bass, they will be watching.