Its official: Memphis took a vacation from November 2007-April 2008

Lost in first weekend recaps and Sweet 16 previews and talk of NBA Draft early entrants and buzzer beaters and tournament expansions and cinderellas (yeah, there's a lot going on in the college basketball consciousness this month) was news that came out yesterday regarding the Memphis Tigers.

Specifically, the Tiger's appeal for the penalties levied against them -- including the vacation of their 2007-2008 season -- for a number of infractions that occurred during the John Calipari era was denied.

Now, I could sit here an go in about how ridiculous this ruling is. About how no one cares about the "vacation of a season". About how it doesn't make all that much sense to penalize Memphis when a) John Calipari in making millions in Lexing, b) Derrick Rose is making millions in the NBA, and c) Rose was cleared to play by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Their job is to determine which players are eligible, and they said that Rose was good to go. If they are penalizing Memphis for being unable to determine Rose's true eligibility, shouldn't they punish themselves as well?

But I'm not going to do that.

Why?

Because the NCAA timed this announcement perfectly. Because John Calipari, once again, was able to wiggle his way out of a mess with minimal damage to his reputation, and nothing official on his resume. Because, like every incident of players, team, or coaches violating NCAA rules, every feigns giving-a-damn for a few days while the news is fresh, but as soon as something happens to distract them -- a coach getting hired, a recruit signing with a school, or John Calipari bringing another school to the brink of the Final Four -- we push to the back of our collective minds.

No one cares that the Memphis appeal was overturned, just like no one is going to care about Renardo Sidney a few months from now and no one cares about UConn's recruiting violations and no one really cares that Tiny Gallon took a bunch of money from a potential agent.

No one cares, so there's no sense is wasting a longer post on it.