The Mall Cop Jurisdiction
Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder came out on his radio show Monday and gave some "hypothetical" details about selling his jerseys while attending the University of Florida. This was just a portion of Crowder's larger argument that college athletes should be allowed to have jersey yard sales if they choose to do so, which of course rubbed every NCAA loyalist the wrong way.

There really wasn't anything "hypothetical" about what Channing said here, it's obvious the dude sold his jerseys. Of course it's also obvious there's not a darn thing the NCAA can do about it right now, highlighting the "mall copness" of the entire situation.

Sure, while you're in the mall they have some authority over you. La Fours might can chase you down, drag you out by Foot Locker, or maybe even throw a little pepper spray in your direction. But catch that dude outside of the mall and he's just a guy in a toy police uniform carrying a flashlight. Yeah he can shine it in your eyes, but that's about as far as his authority goes.

Once a kid is out of school, that's about all the NCAA can do. Shine a light on issue and point, while the rest of the world just kind of helplessly shrugs.

Channing know this and so he doesn't mind taunting Officer La Fours. (By the way, what is the proper title for a mall cop? Commando? Deputy? Mounty? Maybe I should ask Dez Bryant.)

Let's be honest, the only people who will really be effected by this are the current and future students. It's like the graduate who returns to high school and starts bragging about how everyone used to hide extra cookies under their milks when they went through the cafeteria line. All the students are stunned that this jerk is ruining their racket as suddenly cafeteria Betty gets wise and the cookie crackdown begins. No more free Snicker-doodles. Bummer.

Whatever Crowder did is in the past and I guess he has a right to talk/brag about it without the fear of any real repercussions, but that doesn't make it a wise thing to do and it darn sure won't make him a popular guy on the University of Florida campus.

As for the NCAA, this just highlights what all student athletes already know. Everything is fair game as long as you lay low while you're in school. After that, after you've crossed out of the NCAA's jurisdiction no matter how much you taunt them there is almost nothing they can do about it.