Have you ever sat back and thought, when is the last time a big-time program was handed a big-time probation? And how often?

Earlier in the week the NCAA approved a plan that says if a school fails to graduate at least 50 percent of its athletes, it may lose scholarships.

Sounds nice but how realistic is it for a school to graduate an athlete that may or may not have his/her heart into it? All a school can really do is give them a chance.

Afterall, the head coach himself can go sit with the athlete in class, call him on the phone to make sure he's in for the night but no one is going to make someone study if they don't want to.

This is not to say that the NCAA should accept whatever results these athletic programs hand over but the problem must be solved at its root.

Today's athletes have been coddled for a very long time and it has been accepted within our society as hip. Even as far back as grade school, a young athlete may find himself receiving a smirk or the proverbial pat-on-the-back for that prank he pulled.

Grades are often brushed off in high school. This is nothing new or earth shattering but if the NCAA were really serious, they would go after the national education standards. Maybe launch a national campaign to demand more from young students and to not pamper and spoil athletes.

Seriously, when has it ever been done? When has it ever been mandated to do something like that about athletes who have basically had their way all of their athletic lives?

We want one in the bag for the Gipper then look on in revulsion when an athlete throws a tantrum because he didn't get his way, on or off the field.

Ohio State is in trouble right now. What are the chances of them receiving major probation? Who knows. We'll have to wait and see how far the NCAA is willing to dig.

The point of all this is that the NCAA, along with some teeth they are apparently willing to show towards academic standards, should scroll over the books and replace the old laws with more Do-able laws.

This brings us to the so called "Death Penalty." It's been on the books for over 20 years and has been used once. Poor ole SMU is now a mear pedal on that flower they used to be. Just like the old Southwest Conference, only a memory.

I think it's safe to say that this penalty will never be used again. Those officials at the Indianapolis headquarters knows what it means to pull that trigger.

Some say Alabama deserved college's death penalty where they've suffered three major infractions since 1995.

I say get rid of the "Death Penalty" and implement something that is enforeceable.

For instance, have three levels of major infractions of one, three and the ultimate, or "Death Penalty" of five years. The five year penalty would mean no television, no bowls and, no recruits.

Harsh you say? Possibly but it would be enforeceable when juxtaposing it alongside the current Death Penalty.

The key here is to make things that are enforeceable. Don't make it difficult for officials to lay down the hammer and punish.

Just as an example, take a look at the end of a basketball game. The rule for an intentional foul is to have the receiving team take two foul shots and get the ball after the foul shots.

Now how often do we see this? Lets face it, the refs don't want to make those calls. A better penalty would be after 15 team fouls, a team gets three foul shots. Just an idea for a different issue.

The real point is, though, that faced with a choice of either completely dismantling a program, or a severe repremand, officials would be more inclined to allow the program to proceed but with major handcuffs to teach them a lesson.

This way schools still get to present, say, a football game, make money and provide the fans with what they want. But they'll eventually do it with walk-ons when the scholarship players disappear.

It's time to use the bowls and television as tools against these schools that perpetually cheat. Take them away from the schools and see what happens because it's not happening enough.

And while we're at it, change the name from "death" to "ultimate" penalty. We have enough death going on in the world to be applying it to athletics.

Filed by J.D. Long