Finally, some sanity from the NCAA.

While Ole Miss is panicking and appealing the ruling that free-agent signee (you heard me) Jeremiah Masoli is ineligible this year, the rest of us are rejoicing that college athletics still resembles that moniker.

“He’s done nothing but what he was supposed to do,” Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said.

Well, he meant for the month or so that he’s been in Oxford.

Before that, he was stealing guys’ laptops and driving with a suspended license and carrying weed.

Bottom line, Masoli was originally suspended for the season by Oregon coach Chip Kelly. Then he got kicked out completely, and Nutt was there to snap him up.

He was fully prepared to start Masoli in the season opener and beyond, saying he is in the “people-helping” business.

The only people being helped are Ole Miss boosters who want to see Masoli take them to a major bowl.

How do you get kicked off one team and then join another a few days later?

Maybe a better question is, how does Dez Bryant get suspended for just chatting with Deion Sanders, then this guy gets to take his talents to Ole Miss?

Here’s the NCAA’s response to his attempt to use the graduate waiver rule to join the Rebels now:

"The waiver exists to provide relief to student-athletes who transfer for academic reasons to pursue graduate studies, not to avoid disciplinary measures at the previous university."

Thank you.

Nutt has a history of scraping the parole sheets for questionable characters. It is worth noting the case of Jamar Hornsby.

Hornsby signed with Florida and was in his second year when his teammate, Michael “Sunshine” Guilford died in a motorcycle crash along with his girlfriend.

Hornsby was later charged with stealing the deceased girlfriend’s credit card and buying tons of stuff. To me, this is the lowest thing you could possibly due, maybe short of committing an actual violent act against someone.

Hornsby was promptly kicked off the Florida football team.

This gem of a guy went to a junior college knowing full well that he would be able to join Ole Miss after a year of the dust settling.

He got to Oxford, then committed a felony assault and ended his brief stint with the team.

Am I against second chances? No.

Am I for guys getting kicked off a team with just cause, then joining another? Also no.

I am all for guys picking up their lives and getting a chance to get an education, but I don’t think they should be able to put money in a school’s pockets as a mercenary any more.

Here’s hoping Ole Miss’ appeal fails. There’s always 2011 for Masoli and the Rebels - if he bothers to stay to work on his "academics."

Wonder what the spread is on that.

* * *

Mark Ingram is out for at least Alabama’s opener, marking two jinxes I’ve already placed on people in this blog.

First I touted Middle Tennessee State, and they lost their quarterback. Then I picked Ingram to channel his inner Archie Griffin, and he goes under the knife most likely as the picks were being posted.

Let’s be clear. Alabama will be fine with Trent Richardson.

Ingram also will be fine in a month or so.

But can he get his Heisman campaign jump-started after three or four games, especially if Richardson runs wild on Penn State and throws his own name out there?

Not likely. Ingram will come back strong and have a solid season, but there will have to be a dearth of good candidates for him to win it again with a late start.

I guess I’ll move on to Case Keenum, who can channel his inner Andre Ware.

- Matthew Osborne