One of my very favorite sportswriters, Mike DeCorcy, completely debunks the NCAA's reasoning in its case against Memphis. Plus, he brings to light something I did not know, which is very important in this case.
Apparently, the Educational Testing Service invalidated the test in question because the player (presumably Derrick Rose) did not "cooperate" with their inquiries surrounding it. Let me state that again -- Rose claims that he took his test, and the ETS does not dispute that. Rather, they are taking the word of a handwriting expert (a very dodgy bit of evidence) and the fact that Rose did not "cooperate" with their investigation. As it turns out, Rose apparently did not get the letters requesting further information because they sent him to is home, and he was on the road playing ball.
I am shocked at the blinders the NCAA have put on in this case. Not only was their clearinghouse directly and, in actual fact solely, responsible for Rose's eligibility to play, they have taken the fact of Rose's test invalidation as dispositive regardless of the bizarre and unfair set of circumstances surrounding it.
This, folks, is what we used to call "malicious compliance." It is unethical, and wrong. And the NCAA is guilty of it.