LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – The NCAA has come down hard on a university, but this time it's not Louisville.
The NCAA is ordering Notre Dame to forfeit wins after an academic scandal during the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
While the violations were different the parallels between the appeals of Notre Dame and Louisville are eerily similar.
Both schools owned up to what happened, but in each case, it's been a long drawn out process and the NCAA seemingly came down hard on the Irish.
“The first thing I thought is it doesn’t look good for Louisville,” radio personality Jason Anderson said.
The NCAA ordered Notre Dame to vacate 21 wins over the 2012 and the 2013 seasons, a $5,000 fine, and a year of probation.
“Today’s ruling would be very discouraging if I’m Vince Tyra, Chuck Smrt, or anyone over there at UofL,” radio personality Mark Ennis said.
However, this NCAA appeal didn’t go against Louisville it went against Notre Dame.
“They basically made the case that you have gone beyond your normal guideline for penalties,” Ennis said. “You haven’t really justified this. The NCAA basically turned around and said that doesn’t matter.”
There are a number of parallels between the appeals of Notre Dame and Louisville in that they self-reported violations, but still received a harsher penalty than the NCAA had ever handed out.
“It should terrify the Louisville fans that are still holding out hope or that think there is a good chance that Louisville keeps the banners,” Anderson said.
“I don’t think there is any question that they will be vacating the games,” former UofL guard Jerry Eaves said. “Not very often when you do the appeals do they make major changes.”
So what seems to be the holdup in deciding Louisville’s fate?
“It’s a process,” Eaves said. “They did say that they would have it done before the NCAA tournament, and they would have it all aired out by then. It doesn’t surprise me that they have taken their time.”
But even if the NCAA rules that the banner must come down that doesn’t mean that it will if lawyers ultimately get involved and the case heads to court.
“At some point, somebody has to push back,” Ennis said. “It’s not that I don’t think people want to play by the rules it’s just that we would like to be able to anticipate what’s coming.”
“Do you want to continue rolling with the current regime and say let’s keep fighting that or say that was the past, we’ve got to move on,” Anderson said. “It’s been going on for 2, 2 and a half years.”
“It is time, you have to pay the piper,” Eaves said. “Louisville has to pay it.”
The University of Louisville still hasn't received notice of when they will receive a decision on their appeal.
It is worth noting that the Notre Dame decision came seven months after their meeting with the NCAA.