Lots to say and think about WVU’s secondary violation, but I think a lot of the things are mostly agreed upon, beginning with the fact WVU can’t help but look a little silly right now.

I’m wondering what part of that subsection the WVU football operation doesn’t grasp. Even in the oft-arcane and voluminous NCAA rulebook, this one’s pretty clear … although Clemson was under probe last August for the same deal and Missouri was shown by Show Me State media wearing light pads last week.

Well, look at it this way: When West Virginia goes before the NCAA Committee on Infractions for the previous Notice of Allegations and pleads ignorance, at least this latest gaffe will bolster that defense.

I spoke to several “people” throughout the course of yesterday and one thing stand out today. There is a lot of fact and fiction out there. Let’s try to fix this …

Myth 1: This is a murky issue.

It’s not. I needed about 45 seconds to find the revelant rule here — it’s covered on pages 263 and 264 of the NCAA manual. Yes, it’s 444 pages. Yes, it’s a lot to know. But it’s not hard to find this and interpret it. Look for yourself.

One person who is very familiar with NCAA rules — not a WVU person — said the rule is specifically not specific. “Only helmets means only helmets.” I can get with that. It governs shoulder pads. It doesn’t say it, but it means no shoulder pads the first two days, be they the lightweight ones or the ones you wear in games. It even spells out when a team can wear pads. I’d like to think everyone gets that.

That said, don’t we need to define “protective equipment” soon? I saw offensive linemen wearing knee braces. Violation? What about a cup? Mouthpiece? Sleeves to prevent rug burn? That part is perhaps subjective … and what happens when a kid blows up his shoulder in a drill on the first day and sues a school or the NCAA because a doctor says it could have been prevented if he had a “vest” on to provide support?

Myth 2: WVU is in serious trouble.

Well, relative to what? A week ago today or just today? A week ago, WVU hadn’t learned of the six NCAA violations of which it was accused. For another secondary violation to have happened — and, really, it’s a minor one — just doesn’t look good. You can count the reasons why yourself, but I don’t think I need to explain anything to you. I still wonder if WVU had a serious review of, um, everything related to WVU football between Thursday’s announcement and Saturday’s first practice. Maybe then someone says “…and we’ll be in vests Saturday and Sunday and –” to which someone else goes “Whoa! Can’t do that.”

Still, while WVU si concerned about it’s image, the NCAA doesn’t necessarily treat things that way. In fact, it’s likely the latest violation won’t be included with the other six. The NCAA’s secondary enforcement staff can be allowed to handle the case independently. WVU might know its punishment — maybe something like two practices during this camp in no pads at the end — by this time next week. Or the major enforcement staff will choose to pull it into the larger case.

Also, WVU may be exonerated. Wouldn’t surprise me at all.

Myth 3: This isn’t a big deal.

I suppose this, too, is relative. Especially when I say it’s a minor act, the NCAA can treat it separately and WVU could be let off the hook. But if this had happened at Michigan, would it be a big deal? USC? I know it’s not the same, but I don’t see how it’s wildly different, either.

The attention is on WVU because of a failure to appropriately monitor and a failure to promote compliance. This does not make that go away.  

Myth 4: WVU is going to close practice.

I don’t see that happening. First, practices are already closed during the season. Second, there’s nothing WVU can hide in the hour we’re allowed to see that really matters now — WVU is allowed to go in full pads beginning today. Third, doesn’t closing practice — and counting today we’re invited to two practices and a scrimmage before camp ends Aug. 21 — imply something WVU doesn’t want to imply right now?

Myth 5: Everyone does this.

Everyone does not do this. Do some people? Certainly and I would have to imagine the NCAA not only deals with this every single year, and in mass, but that it will begin to hear a lot about it because of yesterday. I looked around the Web yesterday and many, many schools showed players in the first two days of practice that were quite clearly not in pads. Not only that, but a lot of reviews — and ones on school Web sites — said, in essence, “State U. did not wear pads, in accordance with NCAA rules.”

Also, many people have sent me pictures of players from other schools who were wearing pads. Almost all of them specify a team in pads Saturday and many of them single out one school. Remember, not everyone started practice Saturday.