Odds are good NCAA eviscerated Danny Sheridan today

For an organization that doesn’t like to talk about ongoing investigations, the NCAA sure the hell is talking a lot of late about ongoing investigations.

The latest example? This evening, The Association issued a statement addressing vague claims made by USA Today odds-setter/Alabama alumnus (see, got it right this time!) Danny Sheridan, who has spent the past several months claiming -- mostly on Paul Finebaum’s radio show -- that he has inside information from an unnamed NCAA official on the identity of a “bag man” who purportedly paid Cam Newton’s father to get his son to sign with Auburn.

Sheridan, in a further attempt to make himself relevant again, announced earlier this week that he would be meeting with the NCAA to discuss his claims.

That meeting did indeed go down and, for whatever reason, the NCAA felt compelled to address the situation. And add a level of legitimacy to Sheridan’s claims that never would’ve existed if they just would’ve continued their modus operandi of silence.

Danny Sheridan continues to make vague, unsubstantiated claims without backing them up with proof. Contrary to his claims of having an inside source with details on the Auburn investigation, the NCAA has not provided information to Sheridan or anyone else. As a matter of due diligence, the NCAA spoke with Sheridan this week to determine if he had any facts pertaining to the investigation. Sheridan, however, did not provide any information to the enforcement staff and certainly did not provide a name. Instead, he unsuccessfully attempted to gather information for his own use.

OK, I take it back; that... was... awesome!

While I still don’t completely understand why the NCAA would take this step and legitimize on some level the claims -- the absurdity basically forced their hand? -- I applaud them for mincing no words and performing a typed evisceration of a buffoon who needs to either put up or shut the hell up.

Oh, and one more thing: as if Gene Chizik needed further confirmation, the NCAA’s wording of their statement continues to solidify the fact that the look into Newton’s recruitment remains an open investigation.