I had an entirely different post to write today but then this. We all know what it is and it doesn’t look good. Facts are that Oregon maintains no wrongdoing and the NCAA won’t comment since they’re in the middle of things. So that opens the stage up and puts all eyes on Lyles who has given his side of this story to Yahoo Sports. Unfortunately Lyles’ side of the story could mean disaster for the Ducks if they haven’t already been upfront with the NCAA about what has happened.
No doubt the story will continue to unfold now but it clearly isn’t going away for the moment. If it turns out that Oregon didn’t pay Lyles for a recruiting package (the NCAA should be able to easily determine this) and rather for his influence, then the Ducks could be facing some harsh consequences. As a fan, this is not easy news to take in but it’s also not the end of the story. Lyles is able to freely tell his side of the story and the reason it looks even worse for Oregon is that they aren’t going into detail with the media. So the rest of us are getting a one-sided story. I can’t say that I’m nearly as confident that things will turn out okay in this situation for the Ducks but I can’t help but keep home alive that we haven’t heard everything yet. I’m also not naïve enough not to know that this looks horrible for the Ducks.
The NCAA will not have to be held to the same standards as prosecution in a court of law and that’s what makes me nervous. Lyles’ comments, along with what the Ducks have (or haven’t) told the NCAA could be damning enough. Only time will tell. One thing I can say is that after everything is out on the table and it is clear the Ducks were breaking rules I can’t defend that. What I can do is acknowledge it, admit that it sucks and that things must change, and then continue to support a team I love.