The NCAA and its system for investigating infractions scored a high-profile legal victory on Monday. The victory, however, may say more about the difficulty of proving defamation than it does about underlying fairness.
After deliberating for three days, jurors in the courtroom of Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Frederick Shaller ruled against former USC running backs coach Todd McNair in his $27 million defamation lawsuit. The jury voted 9 to 3 in favor of the NCAA.
McNair, who was considered an elite recruiter during his heyday at USC, originally sued the NCAA in 2011 for defamation, negligence, breach of contract and related claims.