Let me begin by stating that you are one of my favorite posters and that I very much respect your insight and knowledge.  It's obvious though, that you simply don't like it when someone has the audacity to disagree with you...That's fine but let’s at least at least responsibly interpret the other's standpoint.

My point is that arguing Pryor's academic superiority over Newton (whom I couldn't care less about) is based on shaky ground to say the least and certainly does nothing to prove that the article itself was arbitrary.  While I appreciate you red fonting the fact's surrounding other schools minimum standards, I don't disagree with that fact nor did I mention it.  What I'm saying is that A&M has in the past proven that they are more than willing to assist specific players in meeting those standards (and the compliance department is willing to ignore significant smoke) so that the  player can contribute to their on-going domination of their conference, ensuring themselves a perennial spot in a BCS game and the financial rewards that accompany that spot.

Guilt or innocence is not and should not ever be based on how one case compares to another.  On that note, I didn't say selling a ring was worth more punishment than taking $150K...What I said was that Ohio A&M Athletics / Football (and the Big 10 Commissioner for that matter) are as corrupt as the day is long.  Auburn, Florida, the rest of the SEC...Hell the rest of the BCS Conferences may be as well.   That wasn't the point of the article and it wasn't the point of my argument.

OhioState has proved time and again that it's nothing more than a money laundering operation.  That fact along with the fact that the fan base and the conference is willing to overlook obvious violations and thinly veiled cover-ups makes them a laughing stock. 

Oh yeah I know...I was honestly surprised (pleasantly) by the reaction myself.  But I don't hear anyone complaining about it today (post SEC monkey shaking).  And none of that sentiment changes the fact that Smith (and Tressel by omission) stood up in front of everyone and lied to the collective college football world to exploit a bylaw to allow them to play. 

"NCAA policy allows suspending withholding penalties for a championship or bowl game if it was reasonable at the time the student-athletes were not aware they were committing violations."

The fact that Allstate /  Sugar Bowl committee requested it doesn't excuse the University / Conference granting it.  They still have the final say.  All it means is that A&M didn't want to offend a gift horse they'll likely be in front of many times in the future and that they don't want to stir up waves with the conference so they took the opportunity to appear to take the high road but were "forced" to comply.
 
No one in their right mind believed that those players didn't know they were committing infractions and Pryor publicly admitted it...Anyone who wasn't living under a rock knew what happened earlier in the season with UNC and Georgia.

Additionally, if they had a shred of integrity, they wouldn't be challenging the ruling especially after those players were directly responsible for notching a BCS win for the school.  Hiding behind the difference between accepting benefits from an agent as opposed to a booster is sad and honestly insulting.